I am thankful to my kids who are forced to sacrifice many of their passions and still put up the lovely smiles on their faces. And for adjusting to my unpredictable responses.
I am thankful to my wife for sacrificing what was dear to her in return of an unknown person who stepped into her life. And for tolerating all my eccentricities.
I am thankful to my parents who sacrificed comfy life to focus on bringing us kids up with the best education they could afford. And for all the prayers that would return results only on me.
I am thankful to the great Lord who accepts all sacrifices and always guided on priority calls. Not just today, but everyday.
A happy thanksgiving Eid to all! America is commemorating a great thanksgiving while world Muslims are commemorating a great sacrifice that occurred thousands of years ago.
Friday, November 27
Friday, August 14
Time Shop
"Can you give me a second?"
I am on my way to Seattle and at Starbucks at DFW airport for my Green Tea Latte. As I placed order and stepped back, this lady behind me comes up and says "Can you give me a second". Bluetooth has made it impossible to make out whom someone is talking to.
But people coming to a shop to buy a second is not a wierd idea.
Buy time? Exactly. The idea was that you have all 24 hours in a day and its just that you use it accordingly. But even before you had any idea about time, all the 24 hours were used up. You started squeezing in more and more tasks and it has reached a point where you cannot do anything more. We all had 24 hrs to spend on life. And so was life filling up all the 24 hours. When we started working we squeezed in another 8 hours for work. Then came wife. Then kids - one, two and three in my case. We thought we squeezed in share for all of them within the 24 hours. Did we really? And now the blackberry is perfectly overlaying the entire time span with its email and facebook updates.
When this brother complained about being a new employee and a new father, having difficulty in being energetic to play with his baby as he gets back home - I was really shocked. He is succesful. He identified this as a problem. I too had the same situation. Coming back from office, I wanted to lay back. Stay at home. Cup of tea. Rest. In reality, blackberrying. And I thought this is what it is. I never found this as a problem.
Someone said it is about buying time. Time does not exist for you. Before you knew, it was used up. You buy time spending something else. So as your personal life grows and your shareholders grow, you have to buy more time. You have to expense something. Someone calls it priority. Real time is the product of priority and time span. If my priority of talking with you is the same for you, we can spend exactly the same amount of time talking to each other. For kids, talking to dad is probably very high priority. Unless you set the same priority you are not going to satisfy him.
Setting off to Milwaukee, I had so many office priorities to do when I come back. Coming back, I had one task above all others. And that was to set the right prioirties and set the work life balance.
"Can you give me one second?" - at least my kids should not be asking that to me.
I am on my way to Seattle and at Starbucks at DFW airport for my Green Tea Latte. As I placed order and stepped back, this lady behind me comes up and says "Can you give me a second". Bluetooth has made it impossible to make out whom someone is talking to.
But people coming to a shop to buy a second is not a wierd idea.
Buy time? Exactly. The idea was that you have all 24 hours in a day and its just that you use it accordingly. But even before you had any idea about time, all the 24 hours were used up. You started squeezing in more and more tasks and it has reached a point where you cannot do anything more. We all had 24 hrs to spend on life. And so was life filling up all the 24 hours. When we started working we squeezed in another 8 hours for work. Then came wife. Then kids - one, two and three in my case. We thought we squeezed in share for all of them within the 24 hours. Did we really? And now the blackberry is perfectly overlaying the entire time span with its email and facebook updates.
When this brother complained about being a new employee and a new father, having difficulty in being energetic to play with his baby as he gets back home - I was really shocked. He is succesful. He identified this as a problem. I too had the same situation. Coming back from office, I wanted to lay back. Stay at home. Cup of tea. Rest. In reality, blackberrying. And I thought this is what it is. I never found this as a problem.
Someone said it is about buying time. Time does not exist for you. Before you knew, it was used up. You buy time spending something else. So as your personal life grows and your shareholders grow, you have to buy more time. You have to expense something. Someone calls it priority. Real time is the product of priority and time span. If my priority of talking with you is the same for you, we can spend exactly the same amount of time talking to each other. For kids, talking to dad is probably very high priority. Unless you set the same priority you are not going to satisfy him.
Setting off to Milwaukee, I had so many office priorities to do when I come back. Coming back, I had one task above all others. And that was to set the right prioirties and set the work life balance.
"Can you give me one second?" - at least my kids should not be asking that to me.
Tuesday, August 11
The Saint and the Sinner
This story was related by Imam Azhar Hanif during the MKA retreat
Once there was a gambler who went out for gambling every day. There was a sufi in the area who used to advice this otherwise nice person to quit gambling. But his was so addicted that he could not quit. After the game, he repents, but it carried on.
Every day when he comes back from gambling, the Sufi would have kept a stone in front of the house. That reminds him of what he did, he repents, but the next day comes the same way.
This went on for several years. The stones in front of the house became a huge pile, reminding the gambler of all the sins he accumulated. As he grew old, he was getting more and more concerned about his sins.
The day came when both Sufi and the gambler died and was waiting for resurrection. Sufi to heaven and the gambler to hell. The angel comes and first holds the gambler.
"Peace be on you, come with me. The gates of heaven are open for you"
"Me? No way. I guess you mistook my name. Thats the other man over there. The sufi"
"God's angels do not make mistakes. Its you"
"How come? Can't you see the pile of stones in front of my house? Thats the pile of the sins I did"
"That pile of stones does not count in my book. God has washed out those stones by your repenting tears"
"Holy is God. Is not the Sufi coming with us too?"
"No. He has been too arrogant with you piling stones in front of your house. He thought he is God himself"
Let not anyone tell me I am a sinner. Let me not think of anyone as a sinner. And let us all understand the mercy of God is limitless.
Once there was a gambler who went out for gambling every day. There was a sufi in the area who used to advice this otherwise nice person to quit gambling. But his was so addicted that he could not quit. After the game, he repents, but it carried on.
Every day when he comes back from gambling, the Sufi would have kept a stone in front of the house. That reminds him of what he did, he repents, but the next day comes the same way.
This went on for several years. The stones in front of the house became a huge pile, reminding the gambler of all the sins he accumulated. As he grew old, he was getting more and more concerned about his sins.
The day came when both Sufi and the gambler died and was waiting for resurrection. Sufi to heaven and the gambler to hell. The angel comes and first holds the gambler.
"Peace be on you, come with me. The gates of heaven are open for you"
"Me? No way. I guess you mistook my name. Thats the other man over there. The sufi"
"God's angels do not make mistakes. Its you"
"How come? Can't you see the pile of stones in front of my house? Thats the pile of the sins I did"
"That pile of stones does not count in my book. God has washed out those stones by your repenting tears"
"Holy is God. Is not the Sufi coming with us too?"
"No. He has been too arrogant with you piling stones in front of your house. He thought he is God himself"
Let not anyone tell me I am a sinner. Let me not think of anyone as a sinner. And let us all understand the mercy of God is limitless.
God Forgives...
God Forgives.. that was the theme of the just concluded MKA Youth retreat (Ijtima)
Heard it so many times. God is mercy; God is love. But what does that mean. I dont like directly equating God to a verb or noun. I think they do it just for the beauty of the statement.
Now what God Forgives mean to me. It did not click until I was there. Until I heard what I heard - people talked from their walks; words came out of their mouth but originated in their hearts.
God Forgives - is a detergent that cleans my attire.
God Forgives - a body wash for me to cleanse myself
God Forgives - a sweeper to swipe my surroundings clean
God Forgives - a shovel and strainer that helps me dig my length and breadth and separate gems and mud
God Forgives - a shield that stops the burning sunlight from damaging my skin
God Forgives is a journey that I do not want to be late to start. Its a journey thats never too late though.
Its a journey down the road less traveled. But its a journey that can be done without fail.
Its a journey where there is no looking back. At the same time its a journey where the memories can always help you keep going.
Its a journey where the black and white becomes separate. Its a journey when you touch the white it turns black again.
Its walking the talk. And talking the walk.
A journey that never ends.....
Heard it so many times. God is mercy; God is love. But what does that mean. I dont like directly equating God to a verb or noun. I think they do it just for the beauty of the statement.
Now what God Forgives mean to me. It did not click until I was there. Until I heard what I heard - people talked from their walks; words came out of their mouth but originated in their hearts.
God Forgives - is a detergent that cleans my attire.
God Forgives - a body wash for me to cleanse myself
God Forgives - a sweeper to swipe my surroundings clean
God Forgives - a shovel and strainer that helps me dig my length and breadth and separate gems and mud
God Forgives - a shield that stops the burning sunlight from damaging my skin
God Forgives is a journey that I do not want to be late to start. Its a journey thats never too late though.
Its a journey down the road less traveled. But its a journey that can be done without fail.
Its a journey where there is no looking back. At the same time its a journey where the memories can always help you keep going.
Its a journey where the black and white becomes separate. Its a journey when you touch the white it turns black again.
Its walking the talk. And talking the walk.
A journey that never ends.....
Thursday, June 25
Credit Challenges
This article from Pradeep's blog is a must read. Also read Jeff's comments on the post for educating yourself.
If someone can provide zero interest loans and ask everyone to clear their debts, people will get a fresh start. Is that but possible. At least they will need to take an admin expense
Also, todays economy means debts that you can call as assests and with compound interest make it a growing assets. And then sell them as derivatives. And insurance companies insuring these derivatives. If there is no debt, all these guys are jobless. So the cycle starts again..
If someone can provide zero interest loans and ask everyone to clear their debts, people will get a fresh start. Is that but possible. At least they will need to take an admin expense
Also, todays economy means debts that you can call as assests and with compound interest make it a growing assets. And then sell them as derivatives. And insurance companies insuring these derivatives. If there is no debt, all these guys are jobless. So the cycle starts again..
ameriCa ameriCa
Obama is past 100 days. People say the honeymoon is over. But I doubt if he really had a honeymoon. He came to a hot seat and he was not sitting tight.
Anyways its interesting he is changing the C of ameriCa. From Corporate to Consumer. From Capitalism to Care for the community (shhhh.. don't call it socialism. Thats a big crime). Instead of pumping money into the rich, waiting for them to spend and revive economy, he decided to pump in money straight - into infrastructure projects.
C for commoners. He wants the common man to understand the chocolate coated dangers of credit cards. And all credits. He is attacking the revenue model and cheating ways of the credit card industry.
The next war is on health insurance. The entire American society runs on fear and insurance that protects from them from this fear. Create fear and protect. Protect you from mistakes that doctors do. Protect doctors from claims you will make. Protect you from liabilities on accidents. Create a lot of What ifs and sell them. Insurance. Saddam did not have a WMD at the end of all the search. Here is a WMD that everyone knows and no one cares to go near. Will Obama really dare to tread?
Americans on an average have a lot of medical awareness. For a headache they are told it is better to take a scan. What if there is a so and so that you miss? You are insured, go take that. Doctors are happy as they order more tests. Labs are happy. And patients are happy too. All the credit and insurance companies are happy. Who is unhappy?
What Americans need is health education. Health is not taking drugs and suppliments. Come out of the fear. There is no end for fear. East less. Eat healthy. Take less medication. Take less tests. Save money.
Anyways its interesting he is changing the C of ameriCa. From Corporate to Consumer. From Capitalism to Care for the community (shhhh.. don't call it socialism. Thats a big crime). Instead of pumping money into the rich, waiting for them to spend and revive economy, he decided to pump in money straight - into infrastructure projects.
C for commoners. He wants the common man to understand the chocolate coated dangers of credit cards. And all credits. He is attacking the revenue model and cheating ways of the credit card industry.
The next war is on health insurance. The entire American society runs on fear and insurance that protects from them from this fear. Create fear and protect. Protect you from mistakes that doctors do. Protect doctors from claims you will make. Protect you from liabilities on accidents. Create a lot of What ifs and sell them. Insurance. Saddam did not have a WMD at the end of all the search. Here is a WMD that everyone knows and no one cares to go near. Will Obama really dare to tread?
Americans on an average have a lot of medical awareness. For a headache they are told it is better to take a scan. What if there is a so and so that you miss? You are insured, go take that. Doctors are happy as they order more tests. Labs are happy. And patients are happy too. All the credit and insurance companies are happy. Who is unhappy?
What Americans need is health education. Health is not taking drugs and suppliments. Come out of the fear. There is no end for fear. East less. Eat healthy. Take less medication. Take less tests. Save money.
Tuesday, June 23
Struggling
39
Thats what I updated on my facebook last Friday. What is on my mind now? 39
Facebook is taking a lot of my attention now. I have an Orkut account. I started that to see what is all these social networking is about. Orkut is popular with Indias. May be they are targeting the new economy BRIC? I see lot of Braizilians also there. But I dont do much Orkut these days. And thats not entertaining too if you are not active.
Facebook is different. Thanks to mobile apps, people just update their status on Facebook. And good thing is unlike scraps, these are not specific messages to anyone. This is like telling everyone. A loud thinking. A sigh. Depending on how you set up you see read all these on your main page. Do not have to go anywhere. I am driving. I just stopped. I just filled gas etc. etc. It entertains. Though I still do not write much, I visit facebook everyday. Glancing on the first page, I can get a quick view on whats happening around.
Someone can have a facebook based app for development teams also. And for business teams. Instead of writing weekly reports that are boring, may these these are better for teams to collaborate on information.
39. Four years since I wrote about fading shadows. What did change. The shadow should have started shrinking and I should have started coming out of it now. I am think a bit differently now. The first half was learning. The second half need to be delivering. Am I doing that? Am I falling off?
I want to get back. On blogging too. Entire 2008, I had 9 posts! Compare that with 35 in 2007 and 57 in 2006. And this is the first in 2009. I thought of moving to Wordpress. But why? What does it help? My problem is not where it is hosted. It is simply that I do not know what to write these days. I have lost of the corner of mind that was used as a scratchpad. At 4 past noon, am I still struggling?
Thats what I updated on my facebook last Friday. What is on my mind now? 39
Facebook is taking a lot of my attention now. I have an Orkut account. I started that to see what is all these social networking is about. Orkut is popular with Indias. May be they are targeting the new economy BRIC? I see lot of Braizilians also there. But I dont do much Orkut these days. And thats not entertaining too if you are not active.
Facebook is different. Thanks to mobile apps, people just update their status on Facebook. And good thing is unlike scraps, these are not specific messages to anyone. This is like telling everyone. A loud thinking. A sigh. Depending on how you set up you see read all these on your main page. Do not have to go anywhere. I am driving. I just stopped. I just filled gas etc. etc. It entertains. Though I still do not write much, I visit facebook everyday. Glancing on the first page, I can get a quick view on whats happening around.
Someone can have a facebook based app for development teams also. And for business teams. Instead of writing weekly reports that are boring, may these these are better for teams to collaborate on information.
39. Four years since I wrote about fading shadows. What did change. The shadow should have started shrinking and I should have started coming out of it now. I am think a bit differently now. The first half was learning. The second half need to be delivering. Am I doing that? Am I falling off?
I want to get back. On blogging too. Entire 2008, I had 9 posts! Compare that with 35 in 2007 and 57 in 2006. And this is the first in 2009. I thought of moving to Wordpress. But why? What does it help? My problem is not where it is hosted. It is simply that I do not know what to write these days. I have lost of the corner of mind that was used as a scratchpad. At 4 past noon, am I still struggling?
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