Why "Thank you" ????

When I see someone wearing nice dress or achieve something, I never hesitate to appreciate that person. But I got in return "Thank you". Only Thank you ???? Then I take same situation on me that what would I reply if I got same compliment from someone. What can be my best reply ??

Adding something with "Thank you" mean you are interested in having a conversation with that person and you are not giving any favor to that person.

Words are secondary but body gesture is primary. So before appreciating someone, you should wear smile on your face.
That's the first mantra to initiate any conversation. 

Because smile makes friends from strangers and through smile you can make friend and through words/conversation, you can make boyfriend, girlfriend, husband and wife too :P . Ops ! I went out of content. On this topic, we will discuss later ;)

Below are the points which you can use at workplace that I think are the best ways to thank someone:

1. Thank you for your constant encouragement.
2. Thank you for your guidance and support. You are one-of-a-kid colleague.
3. Thank you ! I have learnt a lot under your guidance which really helps me to become a better person.
4. I sincerely thank you for your gesture.
5. Thank you ! I am so glad to have colleagues like you. 
6. I am glad that you have taken note of my performance. Thank you.

If you want to add in above list. Kindly contribute in comment section. 

Seeing it from Outside Vs from Inside

Looking at the title, if you thought it was something related to Psychology, Heart, Mind, Soul....Absolutely Not.

I meant something that I have always seen from outside and had an experience watching it from inside.

A train turning...that is what I meant. Here is the snap of seeing it from outside. 





It felt so different when you see it from inside on the Tube. 

London tubes are becoming more and more fascinating. From the time I have come in, I had not seen a tube that was connected without any barriers from the beginning to end. 

But in this tube that I got in, I could get into any door in a coach and just move forward or backwards across. What is so fascinating in this?? The difference is that you have no barriers to stopping you from moving across the train from forward and backward and vice versa. , it was just open and connected.

I got into the district line train in Earl's court. This one was going towards Wimbledon. I got in thinking that this was going to be yet another tube journey. And then, I noticed that this tube was not at all crowded and I could see the complete tube from inside - the complete tube from one spot. 




And then comes the lovely moment, I realise that the tube was taking a sharp turn and Oh my God!!! it looked awesome. 
I have seen trains taking sharp turns by looking outside the window...And here I saw one from inside, like you are inside a Anaconda's belly and see it turn. (The photo given above is not during the turn...couldn't take one, then.)

I was just looking out for someone with whom I can share my excitement...Looked around and found everyone so normal, absolutely undisturbed. So you know, what I did...just shut up and watch the Anaconda turning left and right from inside the belly!!!

Anaconda ride...ha ha ha!!!

Information - Knowlegde -

hat is information ? its very easy to understand , but problem arises between knowledge and wisdom. most people mistake knowledge as wisdom and because of Ego think they know all. Wisdom is when you apply the knowledge you have in you. Lets see a simple example -- 

Information -- Is when you know that Sodium Benzoate is used as preservative in factory made ready to eat products and beverages.

Knowledge -- Is when you know that benzoic acid is found naturally in low levels in many fruits, the sodium benzoate listed on a product's label is synthesized in a lab. Sodium benzoate and vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) combine to form Benzene. Benzene is known carcinogen.

Wisdom -- Is when you avoid eating all these factory made ready to eat items and beverages with sodium benzoate and go for fresh fruits and food , understanding the simple fact that poison even if one drop is dangerous and there is no use in consuming and storing in body which is useless.[Even though FDA says beverages are been guided to have sodium benzoate and vitamin C forming benzene is below certain amount] 

Weight..

Once, there was a proud king in Japan. He was becoming envious of the growing popularity of a famous Zen Master in Japan.

The Master was huge and very heavy in stature.

To belittle the Master, the king arranged for a dinner party and invited the Master along with his students.

Also, he asked one of his soliders to loosen the screws of one of the steps through which the Master would pass with his procession into the palace.

On the appointed day, the Master came with a huge student following to the palace.

The king invited the Master with a false and malicious smile.

While the king crossed over the step that had been loosened, he walked deft and balanced.

But the Master who followed stepped on the loose step. Under his weight, the step gave way and the Master fell to the floor.

The King and his surrounding laughed heartily at this event.

But, the Master, without saying a word, left the palace gates with the same smile with which he entered inside.

The King, satisfied by a cruel happiness, went to rest.

Days rolled by.

Once the King wanted to visit a nearby town.

A great procession was arranged and the King was seated on a huge horse driven chariot studded with silver and gold.

As the procession passed the streets, the King saw the Master seated on steps of a Zen school. 

Filled with pride and arrogance, the King gave a proud gaze at the Master.

The Master looked at him with the same benign smile.

Suddenly, from nowhere, came a huge and strong wind and toppled the chariot.

The king fell down on the sand with a great noise.

To avenge the king's insult to his Master, one of the Master's students laughed heavily at the king.

Over come by a hurt pride and anger, the king drew his sword and ran to slay the student who laughed.

Suddenly, the Master came inbetween and looked intently into the eye of the king.

The king stood transfixed with the raised sword, as if paralysed.

In a moment, the king came to his sense. A sense of shame overtook and he bowed down his head and stood quiet.

After a silent while, the Master spoke, 'Heaviness is not of the fat, but of the heart. A while ago, you were overcome by the weight of your anger and pride. But, now, that you have realized your mistake, they have left you. And, you have become as light as me'.

Saying so, the Master started to turn and walk away with his students.

The King kept looking at the direction in which the Master left with a transformed heart and wet eyes for a long time.

Good afternoon all!!!! Happy Reading!!!!

Source - Whats App

My Google doctor!!

Posting after a long time..

Google has revolutionized our lives since some time now.
Anything and everything..sometimes I get amused looking at Google giving me type ahead suggestions for even my silliest of queries!

Google has been my personal doctor since some time..
It so happened once that I packed my breakfast to office in an aluminium foil. While I was gobbling the food,I swallowed a part of the foil. The next second I take out my cell to check with doctor google. Doc tells me that my appendix should have already burst and I should not have been alive to read that post!!!!Once I came back to my senses, I understood that it was posted by some jerk in his wild imagination...I doubted my poor google!

On and off in the sun has given me a lot of moles on my skin lately..I ask my doc and find myself having a very high chance of melanoma..eeeeekkk.. Tap Alt F4..done with browsing!

Back and neck pain--doctor google tells me I have been working on my computer for a long time and its purely because of wrong posture. Thankfully Google did not freak me out this time.

The reason for posting this is becasue though Google is immensely useful(we cant imagine a life before Google, especially folks in the IT sector) ,it sure has its share of drawbacks..Let us not be misled by dear Google and have the sense to use it wisely..

Trump denies china's new year gift

The Chinese government said Saturday it will return a U.S. naval drone seized last week in the South China Sea, a step toward defusing maritime tensions between the two Pacific powers.

President-elect Donald Trump reacted to the news by telling them he doesn't want it back. "We should tell China that we don't want the drone they stole back.- let them keep it!" he tweeted Saturday evening.

The comment could prolong one of the most serious incidents between the U.S. and Chinese militaries in recent memory, potentially complicating ties ahead of Trump's inauguration.

The latest spike in U.S.-Chinese maritime tensions occurred Thursday, when a Chinese submarine rescue ship close to the USNS Bowditch, an oceanographic survey vessel operating about 50 nautical miles northwest of Subic Bay in the Philippines, took possession of the U.S. drone.

Source - http://www.ndtv.com/world-news/after-china-says-it...

Think Before You Judge someone

A doctor entered the hospital in hurry after being called in for an urgent surgery. He answered the call asap, changed his clothes and went directly to the surgery block. He found the boy’s father pacing in the hall waiting for the doctor.

On seeing him, the father yelled, “Why did you take all this time to come? Don’t you know that my son’s life is in danger? Don’t you have any sense of responsibility?”

The doctor smiled and said, “I am sorry, I wasn’t in the hospital and I came as fast as I could after receiving the call and now, I wish you’d calm down so that I can do my work”.

“Calm down?! What if your son was in this room right now, would you calm down? If your own son dies while waiting for the doctor than what will you do??” said the father angrily. The doctor smiled again and replied, “We will do our best by God’s grace and you should also pray for your son’s healthy life”.

“Giving advises when we’re not concerned is so easy” Murmured the father.

The surgery took some hours after which the doctor went out happy, “Thank goodness! your son is saved!” And without waiting for the father’s reply he carried on his way running by saying, “If you have any questions, ask the nurse”.

“Why is he so arrogant? He couldn’t wait some minutes so that I ask about my son’s state” Commented the father when seeing the nurse minutes after the doctor left. The nurse answered, tears coming down her face, “His son died yesterday in a road accident, he was at the burial when we called him for your son’s surgery. And now that he saved your son’s life, he left running to finish his son’s burial.”

Moral: Never judge anyone because you never know how their life is and what they’re going through.

Become a lake

Story – Stop being a glass, Become a lake.
Once an unhappy young man came to an old master and told he had a very sad life and asked for a solution.
The old Master instructed the unhappy young man to put a handful of salt in a glass of water and then to drink it.
“How does it taste?” – The Master asked.
“Terrible.” – spat the apprentice.
The Master chuckled and then asked the young man to take another handful of salt and put it in the lake. The two walked in silence to the nearby lake and when the apprentice swirled his handful of salt into the lake.
The old man said, “Now drink from the lake.”
As the water dripped down the young man’s chin, the Master asked, “How does it taste?”
“Good!” – remarked the apprentice.
“Do you taste the salt?” – asked the Master.
“No.” – said the young man.
The Master sat beside this troubled young man, took his hands, and said, “The pain of life is pure salt; no more, no less. The amount of pain in life remains the same, exactly the same. But the amount we taste the ‘pain’ depends on the container we put it into. So when you are in pain, the only thing you can do is to enlarge your sense of things. Stop being a glass. Become a lake.”
Stop being a glass. Become a lake.”

Vardah Diaries

I came back to chennai from kochi on Sunday, 11th December 2016. I was very very tired and half sleepy. Upon reaching my flat, I just went to bed. My eyes had just closed and phone started ringing, it was a friend alerting me about the massive cyclone which was supposed to hit Chennai the next day. I had no second thoughts, after having experienced the floods last year, I just knew I had to stock up food, charge my phone, check for cash. I immediately ordered some snacks, vegetables and fruits from big basket . It delivered on time and I felt contented and I went back to my sleep.

Every morning I wake up with the rays of the sun peaking in through my balcony. But that day it was a bit dark with heavy rains and wind. I couldn't stop myself but keep looking outside. I have no idea what to do. I checked my webmail, hoping for a mail. There wasn't any. Seeing the weather I decided to take a leave, because hey! safety first. But one of my roommates decided to go to office.

It was around 9 am and water started flowing into our room through the balcony, in spite of it having an outlet , I and another roommate of mine immediately started clearly out the water, but the water wont stop. We were thinking of ways on how to block the water, or even how to redirect the water to the washroom -- All efforts in vain!. We decided to wait for a while and every half an hour one of us, in turns, would clear the water.

I was laying on my bed and reading a book, It was about 1 pm and the wind was roaring and the rain was hitting the glass door of our balcony, All the doors and windows were rattling. Suddenly our glass door cracked and a big glass piece just flew over the bed of my roomie who had gone to office. 

We screamed and ran out of the room carrying everything that came in our hand and we shut the door. We waited in the living room, trying to contact someone. But we knew no one could come as heavy winds were blowing. The wind had definitely started blowing the mattresses, curtains, and the glass pieces everywhere in the room. The rain was flooding the room. The sounds in the room were horrifying! It was as if a wild animal was trapped inside and was making full attempts to break the door and come out. In all this hurry, my phone fell into the water and got switched off... Now no one could contact me! The winds were getting more and more destructive. 

Our flat has three balconies in total. From the second balcony we could just see everything in white, it was like the color wheel experiment we did in our childhood days. The banners were falling off, we could hear sooo much of noise of things breaking. We tried to stay calm and stay together. We were ready to face whatever comes. 

Sitting idle, a number of thoughts passed in my mind.

If this is my condition, what would be the condition of people in the low lying areas. What would be the condition of people who does not have a roof? What about the animals, the birds ? Why did I have to come just one day before? Why didn't I see the weather forecast? Why did people go to office? Why did my roomie go to office? The weather was sooo bad! why did she go?. I realized everything happens for a reason!. If she hadn't gone, she might have got a severe injury when the glass door broke. I also realized that for mother nature we are one. There is no rich, no poor, no religion, no caste, no creed, no animal, no bird, no human. All are one and all need to stay together and live in harmony! At this point I was just praying for so many volunteers who were brave enough to help the needy. The storm didn't stop them. A big salute! 

The storm settled and we were safe.We searched for rooms to sleep and as always our flatmates were together with us. We pulled together few cots and all of shared the little space we had and tried sleeping. But the glass door was still breaking in my head!.

Though I have seen two bad Decembers' in Chennai. Chennai floods and Cyclone has given me best of the friends and best of the memories in life. Troubles are just temporary. Give it sometime, it will fade away. 

Analogy of a balloon to stay inspired in life

When I was newly married I had the habit of calling bunch of my friends over to my house for lunch or dinner over weekends. No drinks, no TV, no cell phones, so no texting or WhatsApping… just plain lunch or dinner, lots of chatting, sometimes antkakshyari… we used to have loads of fun. My mother was staying with us and she was of great help. All three of us were hyper social, so we used to enjoy those days of extended togetherness almost every weekend. My wife used to look forward to the weekends for initial few months, but later I noticed, she panicked a bit each time we talked about hosting such get-togethers. We even had a small tiff once. My wife enjoyed the support of my mother, so soon it became one versus two. Not that my wife needed my mother’s support to win the argument, she intervened nevertheless. I was just pushed to another room with a warning not to open my mouth for the rest of the afternoon. But there was no ban on listening; after a brief gap I overheard a conversation that remained as a guiding principle both at work and at home for rest of my life…

“You rest a bit, let me make some tea for three of us” – my mother was the first to break the silence. I could sense a mentoring session in the offing.

“I had never cooked for so many people so frequently… so I am getting nervous bou” – we address mother as bou in most part of Odisha.

“I think you are doing a small mistake” – notice the word ‘small’ – that is key to make someone listen!

“What mistake bou?”

“You are beginning with a grand plan in mind. So you are getting started with too many dishes in parallel. Your mind is not tuned to parallel processing. You are losing control and getting into rework loops. And by the time friends arrive you are done with only few dishes with more in incomplete stage. You are getting into a panic mode…”

“What should I do then bou?”

“I think there is an easier way. Just target a simple lunch or dinner to begin with. Like, say, just rice, dalma(Odia version of sambar) and one bhaji.”

“That’s all!”

“Yes, that’s all, but that isn’t all if time permits”… “What I mean is if guests have not arrived by the time you are done with those three dishes you can always add one more. Ask me to chop some brinjal as you put the oil pan on the stove. In no time you would have added an appetiser! And one more thing. Desert is one thing that is not served hot. You could prepare it in the morning in-between our tea breaks. That way you could offer a full three course meal to your friends. The whole point is that you start with a bare minimum plan so that your friends would never return hungry, and most importantly, you will derive confidence from the fact that at least basic requirement has been already taken care of and you will not panic…”

“Bou, this looks so simple. There is no reason it won’t work. I will certainly follow your words next time…”

The hot tea certainly felt special that afternoon…

Just overhearing this mentoring conversation gave me a life lesson for the rest of my life. Each time we invited some guests for dinner or we planned for a large scale party we would plan a simple meal to begin with and then plan on expanding it to suit the occasion, budget and mood, but never the other way around of getting started with a grand plan and scaling it down by forcing ourselves into a panic mode.

The lesson influenced my style at work. I explain this principle to my colleagues with the analogy of blowing balloons in a birthday party. You just blow one balloon, your child will be happy, because it is a complete display by itself. You try another balloon. Blow it a bit bigger. If it bursts your child will be a bit sad, but would still giggle. You at least know how big you can blow the next one. Keep blowing balloons to their maximum sizes, as many as you could to make the entire experience as majestic as possible. But the whole point is you can stop anytime you run out of time, or budget, and still not feel that you fell short of a ‘complete experience’.

That is how a home is built. You begin with a small living room where you can hang out, add a small kitchen to cook, and if you can afford a separate bed room go for it. Then if you have money and space add more bed rooms, else still feel happy and content with what you have.

That is how we wrote complex computer programs. We first wrote a program to compare two numbers and find out the larger number between the two. Then we added one more number to increase complexity and learning. Then we learnt the concept of adding subroutines. The key is, at each stages of our learning we were getting the experience and ‘kick’ from writing a complete computer program that compiled, was bug free, and gave correct output… much like the thrill of blowing one balloon…

One of the best messages I have read in recent times

Time Will Come ! 

New York is 3 hours ahead of California but it does not mean that California is slow, or that New York is fast. Both are working based on their own "Time Zone." 

Some one is still single. Someone got married and 'waited' 10 years before having a child. There is another who had a baby within a year of marriage.

Someone graduated at the age of 22, yet waited 5 years before securing a good job; and there is another who graduated at 27 and secured employment immediately ! 

Someone became CEO at 25 and died at 50 while another became a CEO at 50 and lived to 90 years. 

Everyone works based on their 'Time Zone', People can have things worked out only according to their pace. Work in your “time zone”. 

Your Colleagues, friends, younger ones might "seem" to go ahead of you. May be some might "seem" behind you. Don't envy them or mock them, it's their 'Time Zone.' You are in yours! Hold on, be strong, and stay true to yourself. 

All things shall work together for your good. You’re not late … You are not early ... you’re very much On time! stay blessed.

You Are In Your Time Zone....