God And His Feedback Mechanism

It is that time of the year when world over companies and corporates carry out an exercise called ‘appraisals’. A sum and substance of one’s performance, evaluation and feedback.

During one such discussion my boss and I walked from a meeting room to a coffee shop. The conversation continued. It moved out of the four walls of professional space to a much wider and broader spectrum of life. From performance evaluation & improvement to self-evaluation & excellence.

I wondered aloud, “sometimes I feel it would have been nice to have a similar review with God. Where we can talk about our achievements and areas of improvement. At least we would know if our self-assessment is correct or not.”

My boss smiled, “but that’s why he has given you a mother and a mother-in-law!!”

Oh My God!!!! Its soooo true.

I do have a mother. I have a mother-in-law too.

And I am sure you'll understand what it means if you also have them with you.

They always tell me when and where I am going wrong. From my dress to my food. From professional counsel to marriage advise. From running household errands to managing finances. From arranging my cupboard to structuring my thoughts for the next blog. From me being a wife to me being a ‘mother’. They are my round-the-clock, whole-year-through, personal feedback mechanism. Customized for me so that I can manage and strive for perfection in the various roles I play.  And to top it all I also get bonus rewards as various gifts for being a valuable daughter J.

The other day my mother was asking me about my credit card expenses. She has never understood why my expense pattern is high on credit and low on cash. Her argument is simple. If I have the money, then I can simply pay for my purchases and finish it off. Why bother about credit card bill payments and due dates. On the other hand if I don’t have the money, I can simply ask her and take it from her. J

My mother-in-law is a champion in the game of ‘spot-the-difference’. You miss one thing from the list of ’16-singaar’ and she is sure to spot it. If her son and I miss out on dinner dates for a few weeks, she flags it as a missed goal. And on days when we do manage to sneak out, I hear her voice as soon as I reach the door – you forgot to put on your lipsticks. J

"you have been on phone for long", "that bowl is too small, take a bigger one", "go slow", "did you eat your food", "you are always busy", "have you packed your bag", "do you need anything".......nothing much changed during the years I grew from 5 to 35....except that God felt the need of putting in place double supervision.

From mental to physical appearance, everything gets scrutinized. One encourages intellectual growth, the other brings in spiritual strength. From quality of life to quality of life-style, everything gets an upward push. 

Both these delegates of God regularly monitor my eating and sleeping patterns and also share health tips gathered from social media pages. They are also my reminder alarms - from taxes to utility bills, from grocery shopping to social obligations. None of my other managers have ever taken as much interest in my performance and growth as these two have. They micro-manage, they delegate. They criticize, they applaud. They are non-pardoning in their feedback. But they are totally involved in everything I do. Hands-on.

Sometimes I hate being micro-managed, and at times I feel thankful. From daily updates to regular reviews to occasional downloads - as much as I dread these, I cant survive without them. Yet my biggest lessons of people management have certainly come from these two. The way they have managed all our support staff, the relations, daily chores and me, is a living example for me to learn and imbibe. 

And they are one reason why even with a hectic schedule and tiring responsibilities, I manage to find time to write these pieces.

I am sure they’ll read it. And I will get my next round of ‘feedback’. 

Honeymoon....was it??!!

“So you guys are enjoying your honeymoon!!!” my friend exclaimed excitedly from the other end of the phone and she started laughing. From this side, we just smiled.

Well, it was nearly the truth. We had taken a full week off from all our personal and professional responsibilities. A well planned leave. We were away from family, and away from work. Just the two of us.

We slept long hours. We shared food. We spoke little but kept close. Phones were silent and television was shut. Laptops were left at home. Twice a day we moved out of our room to get some fresh air. Strolling slowing, holding hands all through.

We weren’t feeling the joy of love. But we had the comfort of marriage. There was no excitement of presentation, only contentment of presence. The ambiance, the place, the clothes, the looks, nothing mattered. Only thing which mattered was the companionship. Conversations were short, and meanings weren’t sought.

This one week spent together in a hospital room healed us. As individuals and as a couple. Marriage vows were revisited, but not stated. Beliefs were confirmed and reinforced.

Our ‘honeymoon in hospital’, as my friend referred to it, was thankfully short and sweet. We hope to revisit the experience. This time in another place, with another reason, but hopefully with the same success. And wish the same for you - another place, another reason, but the same success. 

Why look at the watch

It has not been more than 5 minutes since he entered the coffee shop. And he has already looked at his watch at least a dozen times. In all these years of being together, he has always been early and she has always been late.

Not wanting to waste another minute, he pulled out his laptop and started working on his presentation. He still has two full days to complete it, but he prefers it out of his way sooner than that.

The friendly coffee shop owner came with the usual order. His hello smile was ignored.

The shop-keeper turned away, showing no signs of disappointment. He has seen this routine umpteen times in last few years. On turning he saw the same old smiling face. They exchanged pleasantries. She asked his opinion about a new flavor which was introduced last week, and ordered the same on his recommendations.

She sat down quietly, knowing best to keep quiet. A few minutes passed in silence. Finally he closed the laptop and looked at his watch again. “Are you done with your coffee?” he asked, without noticing that the glass was still half filled. She nodded her head.

They headed straight to the airport. It was a long drive. And a long flight. And for most time, she was glued to the window and he was glued to the phone.

They checked into the hotel room. She headed for the coffee machine and prepared two cups of coffee. He made himself comfortable on the bed and switched on the television. “Do you mind if I see it for ten minutes? I just want to relax for some time.” He looked at his watch again. She didn’t respond. He knew it too well that she didn’t like it. But silence was taken as acceptance.

They had a light dinner. “We can start exploring the place around tomorrow. Let’s rest today.” He looked at his watch and continued with his dinner. She smiled. Food was good. So was the conversation. She was happy. Tomorrow will be another day.

She woke up next morning to find him sitting on the study table, immersed in his work. She got up. She prepared two cups of coffee and placed one on his table. “I just wanted to finish it before you get up.” He looked at his watch again. “Then I’ll be free for the rest of the day.” She kissed him lightly on head and headed to the balcony with her cup.

At night she retired to bed early. It had been an exciting but tiring day. She left him sitting on the sofa, glued to his phone, his laptop by his side and television in front.

Next day morning she found him still in bed. He turned and told her that he wasn’t feeling too good. He felt slight heaviness in his chest. She insisted on calling the family doctor. “Let me just have some lemon soda. Maybe it was last night’s food.”

She wasn’t convinced but still ordered a glass of lemon-soda. And also called the resort doctor. He seemed little annoyed. He wanted to go for an early morning walk on sea-side. All this meant they’ll miss the morning breeze. He looked at his watch but kept quiet.

They rushed him to the nearby hospital. The resort staff was quick and efficient. Senior doctor at the hospital assured them that things were under control. However he suggested a small surgical procedure.

Inside the room a nurse was helping him get ready. Outside she was coordinating a conversation between their family doctor and the surgeon. They all agreed that this was the correct approach.

When she entered the room he was all set in his surgical clothes. She walked up-to him. Held his hand in hers and patted it lightly. She had a reassuring smile on her face.

The nurse came and announced it was time to go.

She removed the watch from his hand. “You won’t need it for next two weeks at least. You have to be on complete rest.”

She sat down in the waiting area. The watch was still in her hand. She looked at it. And kept it inside her bag.

Market of Jugaad

Researchers love it, administrators hate it. Some call it the parallel economy. Others refer to it as the unorganized market. But my most preferred definition is the ‘market of jugaad’. True to the spirit of ‘survival of the fittest’ theory, the system or the lack of it has been around for long. And in order to prove its worth, it has not just survived, but has thrived.

My objective here is not to rationalize or judge the existence of this phenomena, on either the socio-economic parameters nor on moral-ethical grounds. I am just presenting the observations and amazement of an outsider.

I recently accompanied a friend to a car-repair shop. A prior appointment was taken, all stakeholders were informed and the date, time & venue were fixed. For me the visit was like attending a refresher course in business management, all in the span of a couple of hours.

We were asked to park our vehicle in a public parking slot. This was totally different from the authorized automobile service stations I visited in past. After a few phone calls and follow-up calls, the representative of the ‘market of jugaad’ came and met us. He parked his well-maintained motor-bike and walked towards us with a smile. He was dressed neatly in imitation clothes (like imitation jewelry) with logos of well-known brands. Over next few hours we realized that this man, who has taken minimal formal education, is actually a master of his trade.

Offered cost effective solutions

He examined the vehicle. One of things required was a change in the headlight. The outer cover had become almost opaque over the years and thus needed a change. While the customer was willing to invest in a new set, our SME (subject matter expert) refused. He removed the cover and gave it to his junior for a thorough clean-up. Needless to say we saved a few grands all thanks to a detergent and a brush.

Knew the product well

Over the next few hours, our SME examined and corrected all parts of the vehicle. From seat-covers to stereos, from engine parts to wheel-alignment, he knew everything about everything. At times I wondered if a trained automobile engineer knew his products so well.

Excellent marketing skills

While he saved our money on one side, he suggested multiple other changes. From small upgrades to necessary replacements. He sold and we bought.

Strong network with peripherals

Our protagonist maintained a healthy inventory of goods and supplies. Whatever missing could be easily procured from neighboring shops. Even the parking lot where we were parked, was a part of this syndicate, providing a work-space.

Customer relationship management

I have already talked of our protagonist’s marketing skills. He was adept in customer relationship management as well. He learnt that one of us wanted to move out for some time. On hearing this he promptly offered his own motorbike. This was nowhere a part of his job description, but certainly helped in raising our ‘customer satisfaction levels’.

Apprenticeship

They say one should start early if one wants to travel far. The perfect example was the young assistant of our SME. This young guy, maybe in his mid-teens, was undergoing his ‘on-the-job-training’. His assignment of the day was to clean the car headlights. And I must mention, he did it with complete sincerity. However the inexperience showed when the corner of the glass chipped off.

Focus on profitability

At the end of it all it was time for us to leave. The vehicle had undergone a few changes, some planned, some unplanned. Our protagonist promptly showed us the printed price of each spare part used. And added his labor charge. He even gave us a discount on the overall purchase. Even though we knew he had earned more than his labor charge, we didn’t object.

As we drove back, I couldn’t stop myself from wondering. Basics of business management are simple and easy to understand. They were demonstrated well by this man, whose name will never get published in any business magazine or training certificate. Yet, in our large corporate world, many of us struggle to figure out these principles from behind the guides of work cultures and processes. 

Krishna - many faces of a man

A lot has been said and written about the various roles a woman takes. Roles in the form of relationships. Roles as an individual. Roles in family and in society.

But today what fascinated me was Krishna – many faces of a man.

A lover and a ruler. A meditator and a negotiator. A fighter and a peacemaker. A strategist and an innocent kid. All of these together. And all of these in one man. May be every man.

I woke up with a kiss on my forehead. My lover turned, switched off the alarm and went back to sleep.

I got ready for work and headed towards the dining table for breakfast. He was already there, dressed in his smart business attire. He looked at me disapprovingly, “that combination doesn’t suit you. It’s making your face look dull.” I obeyed my ruler and went back into the room to change.

When I got into the car he was in some deep thoughts. He didn’t even notice when I sat next to him. And continuing to look in oblivion he said, “I am sorry. I acknowledge I have made a mistake. You were right.” He has been meditating about my words.

The car stopped at a crossing. He turned and asked, “Would it be okay if I stay in office till late today. And may-be even tomorrow? I can then ensure I don’t spend any time on office work over the weekend.” I knew his big meeting was scheduled for coming Thursday. And I also knew that the team will demand a celebration on Friday. But he negotiated it well with me.

The phone rang. It was the banker, reminding about the upcoming due date of loan payment. He seemed worried. “I know things are tight right now.” He turned towards me and continued, “But you needn’t worry. I will manage it all. Even if it means I work harder, I will do it.” I know the fighter in him will not give up. Not so easily.

The phone rang again. It was his mother, asking why he still hasn’t shared the income-tax documents with the chartered accountant. She was upset since his laxity was causing tension for his father. “Mom, I have ten things to manage. Please tell dad not to worry. I will do it in time.” Peace was restored.

Next ten minutes were spent in revisiting his plans and goals. “Earning money is not my objective”, he repeated the nth time. “You and I need to grow as individuals. Only then we can give our kids a right upbringing”. His strategy was clear.

It was time for me to get down. As I got down from the car, he looked at me, almost pleadingly. “Call me when you get some time. It helps.” The innocent kid wanted his share of attention.

He drove away.

A son to my parents. A father to my child. A friend to my friend.

And to me – he is all of the above.

A trip back to basics

Recently we decided to take a short family vacation. After an elaborate internet search we zeroed in on an eco-friendly resort situated near sea-shore. The experience, in short, was nothing less than a peep in the past.

As the journey was nearing its end, GPS signaled us to move away from the well-constructed broad highway. The narrow lane became narrower as we moved ahead, with speedometer indicating a sharp decline. The automated  GPS voice highlighted our close vicinity to our destination. However we seemed to be heading towards a small village. The kachha road (dirt-road) was broad enough to allow one mid-sized vehicle to pass through. It probably came into existence only due to this vehicular movement. At one point we had to push our car into the bushes on the sides, just to allow a bicycle rider to pass.

As we entered the resort premises, we saw an open field, being used as parking area. In one corner of this field was a stand-alone structure, comprising of a single room, big enough to accommodate maximum 4-5 people at a given time. A board hanging at its door revealed its identity as the ‘reception desk’. Trees and other forms of greenery covered and hid other structures present nearby, if any.

The welcome drink, we were told, was a mix of hibiscus extract and few other natural ingredients. All grown within the resort premises. And the drink actually worked the way a breeze of fresh cool air works in blazing hot sun.

The place offered independent houses of different architectural styles, followed in olden days. We opted for a naturally cooled room. Which in simple parlance is a non-air-conditioned room.  The well-furnished and spacious room had four low height walls. The thatched roof started at a height of 5 ft from the ground and extended high up taking a triangular shape. Lying on my extra large and extra high 4-post bed I could see a huge bamboo frame providing a base for dried leaves. Quite interestingly these were two separate pieces. The walls never really reached the roof.

The room had a private garden with sit-out area. The bamboo furniture merged well with the surroundings. The garden was ill-maintained in a planned fashion. Grass grew naturally and so did the trees and bushes. Everything providing a natural habitat for birds and insects alike, who came in plenty to greet us.

The bathing and washing area was outside the room. It had four concrete walls and a wooden door. However the roof was conspicuously missing. What was present was a big tree spreading its arms and providing a notional cover. And how I wished it would rain…….and it did. Once when god heard my prayers through the thick layer of leaves. And on all other occasions through the shining metallic shower.

The hotel premises also offered a few places to explore. Staff members guided us to the beach, sea-side restaurant and other amenities present inside. Wherever we went, we only saw graveled paths. We borrowed bicycles, which were available readily and in plenty for all hotel guests, thus aiding in our movement across the vast expanse.

The path to the sea was through a belt of naturally growing vegetation, giving it a feel of unexplored beach. Since this place was slightly away from city limit, sparsely spread human presence only added to the feel.

The restaurants presented a mix of local and international cuisine. Home-made butter and tomato ketchup were served with breakfast every morning. Fruits and vegetables grown organically within the resort premises added an extra flavor to the simple and easy on stomach food being served.

Though every experience of this short-stay was new and refreshing, my favorite moment was the morning. I woke up to sounds of bird chirping. The high triangle shaped roof made me feel small and protected under its enormity. I took a deep breath to inhale the fresh morning air and closed my eyes as if preventing the freshness from leaving me. When I opened my eyes again morning sunshine was filtering through the foliage.

On our way back I thanked my husband for choosing this place for our vacation. When I was a kid, I heard grand-parents' stories of life in villages during pre-modernization era. This was probably closest that I will ever get to it. And for my daughter, it’ll be a world she probably hasn’t even heard about. 

3 things I won’t forget when I grow old

Yesterday during a coffee table conversation my boss asked a few of us sitting there, “What are the 3 things you won’t forget when you become very old”. “I was thinking about it the other day.” He continued without waiting for a response. “The way business and technology is evolving today, I am sure in a few years I will find it difficult to keep pace. If I choose to focus on any one, I may continue for slightly longer. But in the end I am sure I will lose it.”

His question was potent. In the madness of our career aspirations, long and short term goals, targets and numbers, we all forget that one day all this will cease to exist. And then the silence may become deafening.

Most people decide to figure out how to cross the bridge, when they reach it. But very few plan it in advance. The inevitability of these questions had dawned on me a few years ago when I took a break from a full-time career to raise my daughter. I was busy all day completing my chores. But didn’t know where I was heading. It was during those days of cerebral turmoil that I found my answers and my sustenance in “Itts-Bitts” and my yoga sessions.

But the question my boss was asking was in reference to an even further time-zone. The time when the physical and mental faculties begin to fail. When I see my parents and a few aunts and uncles, blessed with long age, I realize that maybe this time will come too. At least for a few of us. For example, my father, once an avid reader, now finds it difficult to read for long hours. His eyes start to water. And thus at an age of 75 he was forced to search for alternative engagements.

Thinking of all this I promptly sat down to prepare my retirement plan. Given below are 3 things I would love to do when I grow old.

Read and write – I thought of multiple alternatives, but couldn’t think of any other to be at number 1. When I grew up we had more books in the house than all the other stuff put together. Both my parents taught literature to university students. For them reading and writing was like bread and butter. One of my early childhood memories is of drinking my daily glass of milk with a book in my hands. Another memory is of spending winter vacations by sitting in sun and reading for hours. I am revisiting some of those stories during my 4-year old’s story-telling sessions. But I hope and really hope that retirement will allow me sufficient and more time to again spend some sunny days reviving old habits.

Talking to my grand-kids – I spent a considerable part of my childhood with my grand-parents. Both maternal and paternal. Stories they told, some factual some mythical, have stayed with me. Even though I don’t remember them for any particular reason or inspiration, they form an integral part of my early days. And I do believe that the love they showered on me has stayed with me through the years. Now I love to see my daughter getting the same love and affection from her grandies. And in my heart I hope I get to do the same, this time being on the other side of the hierarchy.

Listening to music – I plan to fill my retirement home with the sound of music. Listening to soft melodies, swinging to tunes and echoing their words. While the daily chores can continue, and will continue, music would be the constant theme of the house.

And for some unknown reason I am looking forward to an old age which will have reflections of my childhood. A stage when I do not have any particular skill set. And yet I continue to grow and rise.

Stuck in traffic jam? Whose fault is it?

Traffic jams and snarls have become an integral part of urban life. From narrow lanes to broad highways, from newspaper pages to journalistic debates, their presence has been felt widely. From government agencies to rain drops, many factors seem to play their part in causing these. And from rickshaw puller to the owner of super-luxury cars, no one seems to escape their wrath.

Yesterday I spent nearly ‘half of a normal work day’ commuting to office and back. Along with testing the limits of patience, it was also an opportunity to observe and ponder on the behavior of my fellow travelers. Based on my observations on this particular day and all other hours spent on roads, this is what I have understood as some of the reasons why we witness these occurrences.

•   Heavy vehicle drivers – may be they feel like demi-gods, sitting high up, expecting the lesser mortals down below to make way for them. Maneuvering gigantic automobiles, expecting others to stay behind them like a flock of followers.
•  Commercial drivers – They drive with a vengeance for everyone who prides in driving a self-owned vehicle. Quite understandably, the lost business opportunity is frustrating. And thus they leave no opportunity to prove all others a novice in this game. Cutting in from all angles, blocking and preventing, they want to only win this race.
•  Three-wheel drivers – Poking their pointy nose in between every available or not available space seems to be their business. How that narrow space will expand to accommodate the other two ends of the triangle, is left for the other vehicle drivers to figure out.
•   Two-wheel drivers – they occupy every available space on the road to ensure maximum space utilization. Not to be inundated by their size, they are raring and roaring, twisting and turning, to zoom ahead.
•  And last but not the least – the pedestrians – who very confidently leave their lives in the hands of the one behind the wheel. Unlike automobile engineers, god did not supply any separate set of breaks for their wheels (read feet), and thus it is not their responsibility to stop.

 In a nut-shell, we the commuters are always in a rush. Counting every extra minute spent on a traffic signal. Blood pressures rising. Frustrations pouring out with swears. Roads have become the perfect place to boost our egos. Moving in extreme left lane before taking a right turn, entering an already blocked patch to add to the confusion, ignoring the red signal to zoom ahead.

Secretly we all wish we were the only one moving ahead, while the world came to a stand-still. Unfortunately others wish for the same. In the end we all stall when the cumulative wish is granted.

As travelers we have ceased to believe in co-operation, co-existence and joy of journey. Roads have become the place to prove our horse-power. 

Tussle between beauty and brain

Let me clarify at the outset. This post is with all due respect to past, reigning, wanna be and couldn't be beauty queens. May your flag remain flying high.

It is also posted with same respect for those obsessed with intellectual gymnastics. 

When Einstein was approached by a beautiful girl with marriage proposal, he apparently declined it (as per the folktale passed down generations) fearing their kids may inherit his looks and her brains. The genius presumably doubted her grey matter credentials. 

In more recent times and not so legendary a situation, I met old-time friends from my post-grad school. One had come after completing a high-profile corporate meeting. The other had put on hold a research paper she was working on in her university provided cabin. The third one had rushed after completing her household duties, carrying her toddler in arms. After the expected "OMG", "look at you", 'hugs and kisses'....we settled down for a cup of coffee. During the conversation one of them exclaimed..."actually we have not changed much over the years. Today also we all are 'sans-makeup'!!"

In a more homely setup, during a casual conversation I told my mother about an upcoming event in my husband's office where spouses were invited. "I suggest  (pause) you buy a suitable dress." And we all know what it means when mothers 'suggest'. "It's alright to be your husband's 'pillar of support', 'best friend' 'emotional anchor' etc" she continued. "But there are days when you should only focus on how you look."

Similar advice continued to drizzle as I bumped into my friendly neighbour. I was rushing out of home to catch my flight. She looked at the book I was holding in my hands. I had planned on reading it during the flight and thus had intended to keep it with me in my hand baggage. "You must enjoy when going for a vacation." She shared her friendly advice. "Enjoy the beauty of nature. You can read this (pointing at the book) any time."

The above recollections came rushing back to me as I was staring at the supermarket floor plan which showed cosmetic section on second floor and stationery on third. Like our socio-mental framework, beauty and brains here also had separate disjoint sections.

I had few extra minutes on me after completing my grocery shopping. The choice was between a little trinket or a scribble-pad. 

I gave up the tussle and instead picked up a cup of coffee while walking towards the parking area.

Valentine Day's Gift and My Husband

Yesterday was Valentine’s day. The town was painted red by love’s messengers. Everything around us suddenly turned heart-shaped, from wall decorations to cakes, from cushions to gift boxes, from wall paints to fabric prints…..everything adorned cupid’s favorite shape. Even social media pages were filled with odes of lovelorn hearts.

Wait!! I have no intention of making a pun at these warm and loving gestures. I have no hard feelings against the innocent and petite love-birds. With my hand on heart, I can vow that I have no disrespect against the age old traditions of roses, cards, chocolates and perfumes.

It’s only that in last seven years of my happily married life, I have ceased to expect the above to be a reality of my life. My loving, caring, understanding, supportive and otherwise perfect husband sees the world through his own glasses. You are getting me wrong if you think he is of the brooding types, who finds expressions of love superficial, and believes in deeper meanings of life. On the contrary he goes out of his way to plan, design and create gifts for me. Just to give you an example, on my last birthday, as the mid-night bells rang, I was woken up and presented with a small, sufficient-for-two sized chocolate cake. After the regular singing of songs and blowing of candles, as soon as I tried to cut a small bite of the delicious looking cake, the knife hit something hard. On scouring deeper I found a small jewelry box inside, covered in chocolate sauce. It had the mark of a renowned jewelry store on top.

I am sure by now, like me, you also have phrases like ‘how sweet’, ‘how romantic’, ‘so loving’, on the tip of your tongue. But when I opened the box it didn’t have any shining sparkling piece of metal inside. Instead there was a small note, with the following written in his neat handwriting – “Sorry babes, after paying for the house and the mortgage, didn’t have any money to buy you a gift. Hopefully next year.”

Coming to back to valentine’s day…..my gift this year was a glass tea-pot, the one which allows you to see the color rising in hot water, as you drop in those dried aromatic leaves. It was meant to compliment my wish of enjoying new flavors of tea (please refer to my previous post – My Wish List).

Thanks a lot Mr Husband. I surely look forward to the refreshing morning tea. With you.

My Wish List

We recently moved cities – with bag and baggage and our small joint family of grand-parents and kids. To help them all settle in their new habitat, I decided to take a small sabbatical from my daily schedule and professional responsibilities.  Setting up the home, managing logistics and doing daily chores, last few days passed in a jiffy.

I happened to speak to a friend the other day, who laughingly remarked – make hay while the sun shines. Enjoy your vacation till it lasts. You never know when you will get this chance again.

I pondered on her words of advice, and the same night sat down to write my wish list – list of things I want to do before I resume walking on a tight rope, balancing my personal and professional aspirations. I am sharing my list here in a hope that it’ll work as a reminder for me J

1.       To try new flavors of premium tea – I recently heard about a supplier of premium tea. Ever since I have been planning to buy a few different variants. These I want to enjoy sitting in a corner of my terrace, away from all noise.

2.       To be able to complete one book – My last few reads were non-fiction. As each section was a complete thought in itself, it didn’t bother me if I missed a few sections. And I did miss almost invariably. But now I want to read one complete book – cover to cover.

3.       To be able to write – To live an experience which I can make memorable by sharing on this platform

4.       Enjoy a session of bakar with an old friend – if you want to know what I mean, please read my earlier piece Aristotle’s Rhetoric Vs Our Bakar

5.       One extensively elaborate, but lazy breakfast buffet after a refreshing morning walk.

It is rightly said that work expands to fill the time available. Being a living testimony of this statement, I manage to remain constantly engaged through the day. Thus I am refraining from preparing an extensive or ambitious wish-list.

Now keeping my fingers crossed, hoping I will manage to check them all.