Being a rival... Take Home #342

Rather than being an enemy, being a rival is helpful and important. By being an enemy, you will end up planning for someone's defeat. whereas by being a rival, you will plan it for your own win. 

On Job... Take Home #341

The difference between putting someone on job and getting the job done from someone is success. 

Solving the problems... Take Home #340

Pointing fingers at each other in critical times is for no good. Solving the problems collectively has a fun in itself and gives immense work satisfaction. Of course it shall be understood where it started going wrong! Once the problem is resolved, there will be enough time to dig through and find out where and how it all started and how it can be avoided in future. 

Concern... Take Home #339

The concern what a person shows for you in tough times is what the concern that person has for you.

Politeness... Take Home #338

Whatever may be the position that your hard work, talent and opportunities put you in, it must always be remembered that it is important to be polite with people. You may have the point right, but to convey it, politeness is one of the ways with highest success rate. 

Impression... Take Home #337

Trying to change the impression through actions is better than trying to do so by giving an explanation. Belief that you can do it is important while you try. 

Patience... Take Home #336

Patience is what you wait while you fight for your right. Its not the wait that you do, especially in hesitation and fear, before you start fighting for your right. Thoughtful wait before starting the fight is a fair exception anyway. 

Ways to gain the clarity of thought

When in no clarity, people often tend to lose their control over what they say or write. When is comes to telling someone something, it still appears somewhat comfortable. Whereas when it comes to put it in writing, it takes lot of time sometimes and at times, that time never ends. All this is no sin. It's just a limitation of a human being. When thousands of things around you shall be addressed by you, life appears tightened up like never before. You have to buckle up to give your best in that particular situation. There are ways to reduce the pressure upon yourself to some extent. 

Having the mind and body coordination is one of the ways to keep our thoughts clean to some extent such that the target thought appears somewhat clear. Exercising regularly and practising certain yogic kriyas is helpful.

Getting used to think over different dimensions and perspectives to the given thought  is another way to be open in deciding the way forward with full acceptance from within. Reading some self help books adds the writers experiences and hence our experiences while reading those books will be helpful at certain crucial deciding moments. 

Reading autobiographies and biographies is another effective solution that I know and have experienced while facing and solving problems. As we read through the pages and the life stories of the prominent personalities, we experience life for its many interesting dimensions that were not in our vicinity until then.

Like wise, there can be many more ways. I will have to sign off here as it's time to work now. Think about the above. You will yourself be adding different ways to that of the above. It's not difficult, it just that it takes time to spend for yourself, only for yourself. After all, your life is your first aim winning which is the most important to give your best to others or to contribute your best to the organisation or the society. 

Consistency in success... Take Home #335

Performance obviously matters; along with that character does matter too. One of these two without the other, signals no signs of consistency in success.

At the Lords...!

In all excitement and casual hurry I opened the Cricinfo web page yesterday, after I suddenly recollected that the match at the Lords was almost in India's hands after the day four. Last few overs of the first session of day five were going on at that time. India had no wicket yet for the day. The runs required to win for England were just 149 with six wickets in hand and two sessions of play left. Obviously, I shut down the web page and got along with my work. 

One late in the evening when I came to know about the match status again, I quickly switched on the TV and turned on star sports. Team India was already celebrating. Dhoni had one of the stumps in his hand, which is his regular way of signing to the world his happiness after a win. Some of the other young players were ecstatic. Going onto each other, they made the celebrations look enough crazy. 

Ishant Sharma turned this match as one of his life's important matches. Bhuvaneswar Kumar did that trick too, which probably is his career's most important performance and has come at an apt stage of his international career. Jadeja, is a Sir, really. Rahane must be watched out for, in the rest of the tournament. Murali Vijay impressed me this time, unlike after any of his earlier Knocks.

All in all, it has been a good team show. They must celebrate this success, which they might have already done by this time. Keep it up guys. What happened in the last England tour will not be easily forgotten. Please do compensate to some extent at least. All the best. Well done, so far. 

Outperform yourself... Take Home #334

Keep trying to outperform yourself every time you play. Bring out the best game from within. Success cannot stay away from you for longer. So as satisfaction. 

It was Team Germany, to celebrate the last!

Germany was the team to celebrate the last at the Soccer world cup, Rio 2014. It was one of the most deserving wins by a team that I'd seen  in any of the sport tournaments in the recent years. Consistently dominating throughout the tournament,  they had outperformed many a teams during their world cup juncture. During their journey towards the historic moment, if they had done too much damage to any team , that's undoubtedly to the Team Brazil. Whereas its natural for a team to win and another team to lose in a game, what happened during those ninety minutes in the soccer field during that semi final match between Brazil and Germany will remain as an unforgettable surprise to the soccer lovers. Brazil might have to put every effort to achieve back their game and hence glory. Hope they will do that soon, very soon, to make the Olympics a must watch for the Brazilians, if not for anything else, for the Olympic gold in the football event. 

Congratulations to the Team Germany for the awesome display! And to their coach, a big cheers. 

Messi has one more chance in the form of the Olympics to win the most important medal of any sports person's life. All the best to him and his team, the world cup runners up, Team Argentina.

Thank you FIFA for another memorable event. Except the timings of the matches, in Indian Standard Time of course, the aura about the tournament had been fantastic and energizing.

Closing it here, I'm looking forward for the upcoming big sport event, the Commonwealth Games, 2014, Glasgow. Hope it will be enjoyable. All the best to the team representing India at the Glasgow games!

To inspire a team... Take Home #333

Well defined goals, roles and responsibilities among a group of people who work for a common cause allow them to be a team. Now, managing and inspiring such a team to work as a team is easier as well as effective than doing so with a group of people who are named as a team for a cause without having clarity about their roles and responsibilities. 

Wish to be so... Take Home #332

It might not be always possible to be a podium finisher. Being one of the best competitors is important and possible every time if one wishes to be so. 

Be productive... Take Home #331

Out of all the ways to address a problem, only few can solve it in all deserving peace. Whereas its always important to resolve problems, peacefulness is ever productive. Take the least possible time to find out that one way, which you believe, that works for you! Be productive in life as much as you can.

Finally, Rain turns up :)

Rain is finally here at Pune. After all that problem due to the water-shortage, the rain is up again to complete the task of filling all the dams, canals and rivers in the surrounding areas of this amazing city. 

It's been almost six years of stay at Pune for me, yet this time there has been the first of its kind wait for the rain. Water supply has been so low these days that the taps have the flow only for couple of hours in the wee hours of the day. Waking up at five in the morning and completing the regular household tasks has been the routine of mine in the past couple of weeks. If not anything else, this routine somehow made me desperate to wait for the rain, like never before. On the other side, the blackish clouds in the day used to give new hope but the night used to shine in the light of the moon and stars. Finally, couple of days back it all started for this season. Today's promising clouds and the rain confirmed it. The rainy season has started for this year! 

It's going to get green out there. The scenery will once again be back, hopefully. There are many outing places around Pune. One cannot wait more to roam around. Looking forward for yet another green season!

Humiliation... Take Home #330

Humiliation hurts when taken to heart. But humiliation is also something that can hardly be avoided from reaching heart. 

Nevertheless, humiliation is not strong enough to restrict the self-healing power of the heart, which helps people in making some inspiring comebacks. 

PS: Dedicated to the Brazilian soccer fans. Your team will fight back, just give them their time and continue to show the moral support. 

Leadership... Take Home #329

Leadership is an everyday's practice which blossoms in companionship, and not in solitude. It shall be understood that neither the selective performances can be given nor that there is a finale as such!

Benefit of doubt... Take Home #328

To keep up the relationships that you value the most, do not judge your partner. Either try and understand him or give him a benefit of doubt. We can make the most out of our lives through relationships. Being judgmental is only harmful. 

To lead your life... Take Home #327

Being happy from within neither means being complacent nor unambitious. It just means that you are strong enough to lead your life. 

Rain, please come soon!

It's been almost six years of stay at Pune for me. The month of June and the rain never missed coming together. Changing the date in calender, taking out the umbrella to clean and put it in the hand bag used to happen simultaneously. This time too, calender date was changed, umbrella was cleaned and put in the bag but rain, it did not turn up in June, except some quick showers. Based on the weather forecast, the second half of June was spent thinking that in July it will be there for sure, abundant enough fill in the dams, rivers, canals, storage tanks etc. Now, the first week of July is gone and there are no signs of black clouds as yet. In the afternoons, it still feels as if we are in the month of May! The news paper says there are no water for farming. Only for drinking they are available. Water shortage was not a regular case here earlier, but these days, the supply is only for one time in a day. For women like me who are used to the wash basin usage, its getting tougher and tougher to see no water coming out of the null. Situation is even difficult for a family with more than two people at home. 

All this is happening in July and this is something strange! It has started raining in many other locations in India. When I was in Trivandrum last month, it rained day in and day out. That was the first monsoon for me for this year and I did not imagine it would be my last for next one month too! 

Hopefully it will rain soon! There is very much need for water. Only a busy season for rain can work the things out here, it seems. Before I close this post, I'd like to mention that I'm in full hope to keep this as the last post on rain before it really rains here. Rain, please come soon!

Chak De India - This post is not a movie review!

I heard about this movie For the first time in our laboratory back in IITDelhi. One of the friends who had watched the movie started saying some portion of the story. Sports interest me now and even during those days in IIT it was nothing different. The moment I heard a bit of the story in which India would lose to Australia with a 7-0 goal difference, I decided to move myself away from that story telling scene. I did proceed from there to watch the movie. My Hindi was not that good during those times. All I could get from a Hindi movie after watching it for one time was its plot, a few dialogues and of course the emotions. I used to get the feel of the entire movie after watching it couple of times more, and with the help of few query clarifications from my north Indian friends.

I was not so fond of Sharukh Khan, same it is now as well, but since the movie did display the Kabir Khan more than that of Sharukh Khan, I was impressed by that character and the way it was portrayed. I got so attached to all those girls who played different roles as the Indian hockey team players. Hockey suddenly too over my otherwise cricket liking mind. 'Chak De' was one of the inspiring captions of that time everywhere including in the hands of the audiences at the cricket stadiums. 

Later on it was learnt that the movie was inspired by the real life incidents of a former Indian Hockey player. He must have been so proud and would have had tears in his eyes at number of occasions while he watched the show. Shaking hand with the opponent team's player at the end of the match after a loss was not so professionally understood by many people. Whether it really happened in his life or not, but the incident shown in the film is nothing wrong. And if it happens in a India-Pakistan match, people feel that it was how such a scene must be understood, so pity! Times have changed. Games and the sportive spirit of player is somewhat more understood these days, that's what I believe. 

Later I watched Chak De India many a number of times. But recently, there have been certain thoughts about teaming up people with different attitudes and setting up the differences among them. Since a week or so, I've been recollecting the last scenes of the match in which the coach Kabir Khan would call the team's both main forwards and speak. I thought of watching the movie again. Today, I've done that. After almost couple of years I watched it. 

Teaming up people is not easy for the coaches or the leaders. But that's not impossible too. Effort shall be put in at right time with right spirit. Of course, the team members have to give their try but the initiation must happen some where. When the coach or the leader takes the lead, it will be quicker than waiting for one of the members to undergo that thought process of patching up and initiate. The way out can be left out to the members but they must be told of the fact that they cannot continue with their differences. People are basically understanding. Certain ice walls between them need to be broken to open up with each other. Once that done, they won't look back and the team will move forward. 

By the way, who don't someone make Chak De India-2? May be for the upcoming cricket world cup in 2015 at the down under and for the Olympics'16 at the Rio De Joneiro! 

It's not anyone's sport!

Look at that, years of punishing practice and all it results in is a goal which can win the game and sometimes the world cup! Soccer and Hockey, they share this similarity. Especially the Soccer, with all that running to do across that wider field for that one ball not to be touched with hands, passing the ball on by keeping in mind the opponents' Jersey colour, it's not anyone's sport! Fitness of the body and alertness of the mind are I think the key parameters that guide every player to do what they have to do. One more interesting fact is, one needs to have the eye on the ball and along with that one must not overlook the opponent team's player whom your body might be colliding in. If they are the last minutes of a tie and if the opponent player is in the penalty area, one must be doubly careful about any unintended movements of his body parts. You never know, on eventual moment of your own leg can defeat you and your team. 

The TEN numbered player is the critical. Among Indian cricket fans, this number is pretty famous. There might not be any confusion about it. But when it comes to the jerseys of the two teams and the way they keep changing colours, its definitely difficult firstly to remember which Jersey colour is of which team and secondly, if your favorite team must run towards your left or right to score a goal. We are too much of a cricket watching nation. Every time the ball goes out of the boundary, it's time for the cheer leaders. In Soccer, there are plenty of meanings for the ball going out of the field. It touches the goal net occasionally. Out of all those very less times it touches, there could be the 'off-side' faults too.  

Coaches are the busy people in suits and ties. Referees are even busier species. Amidst the louder cheering of the fans and the twenty two players that surround, taking smart decisions especially on Penalties and Red-cards is not as easy job as that appears. Third umpire review is not available unlike cricket where umpires need not be so tough with themselves. Goal keeper's job is incomparable! One moment of failure to estimate the direction and speed of the ball that races towards him can do sufficient damage, correcting which might or might not be possible in the same game. On top of that, the memories of that lost ball do not leave that quickly. Well, that's part of their game and they might handle it easily too, as they grow up in the game. 

As I write this, Argentina have played tremendously dominating game out there against Belgium. They are through to the Semi finals and they say that's for the first time ever that Brazil and Argentina both are in semi finals of a world cup. Argentina await the winner of Netherlands vs Costa Rica. The other semi final clash is set up already. Its between the hosts, Brazil, and the visitors from the Europe, Germany. Its going to be tough, I guess and strongly hope. May the best win. 

Movie: BOBBY JASOOS - A lot short of yet another heart stealing act by Vidya Baalan!

It's true, when you watch a movie for less than hundred rupees you will have nothing much to complain. If it entertains, it's a bonus. If it is boring, its like cost saving.  Having said that, I'm thinking if the amount that we pay for the ticket plays any role in setting up our expectations of the movie! I think it plays some where to some extent at least. I watched the show of Bobby Jasoos this morning paying less than hundred, and that's for sure a cost saving start to this weekend.

Vidya Baalan  has been the major attraction for the film. As well in the film. The 'Bobby' make-up is longer than any other one she has had in the movie. Rest all are of shorter time ones and at the same time, very bold ones. Vidya did well and so as the make up man. The Hyderabadi Hindi slang was very well adopted by all the characters of the film. I've my own doubts if Vidya Balan suited for that role of a detective-career oriented girl from a conventional muslin family. However, I'm sure, no one else could have suited better than her, from the list of her contemporaries. To take the script to audience, a big star was needed by the director. 

The script has half clarity. The other half has been taken cared, supposedly, by Vidya Baalan. Mrs. Baalan always does justice for the role she is given. She has done so one more time in this movie, but the story telling should have been a lot better. The settings could have been a little more sophisticated. The songs were not at all impressive, to be very frank, I wish they were not there. There is fun in many of the dialogues, but unfortunately you will have to search for it, the humor did not get to me so instantly you know! 

Costumes were not that good too except very few. Hairstyles were pathetic! The supporting roles share equal importance, that's one of the balanced acts in the movie. Ali Fazal and his smile are the special attraction. In one of the reviews I read, it was said that one could not help it than falling in love with Vidya Balan but someone else impressed me! That's Ali. Not many expressions were there for him as per the script but I thank whatever were there, because most of them were either to get innocent or to smile. Both suited him the best. 

All in all, its an entertaining movie with a lot missing. Now that's tough if you ask me, what's missing! No audience can clearly state it. Something more could and should have been there for that to become yet another heart stealing performance by Vidya Baalan. 

Crisis situation... Take Home #326

Crisis situation opens up the opportunity to learn perhaps the maximum that can be learnt in the shorter span of time. The most valuable part of learning, which otherwise can never be possible, is about the people that who have time and guts for you. 

The frienships grow during such times live longer! 

Commitment... Take Home #325

Give enough time for yourself before committing to someone. Once committed, put every effort to fulfill the commitment from there on. Life and people cannot be the same all the time. A strong wish to fulfill the commitment can work wonders. 

Peacefulness & Happy living

Waking up early in the morning to the freshness of thoughts is a real bliss. It has to be experienced personally to discover how peaceful one can feel from within. The morning breeze is a special attraction. It waves so fresh that you realize the freshness of breath and its magic on your thoughts and hence your way of life. 

Peace of mind is not an easy gift these days that one give to himself. A lot keeps happening around you. More than a lot keeps going in your mind. Amidst all this, getting involved in everything and still staying untouched of anything at psychological level is not so possible. However, its not important either. It takes necessary practice at physical and psychological arenas of oneself. It needs to be worked out thoroughly. After all its about happy living. I guess, anything can be done for that. 

Physical exercises keep the body ready for supporting the mind to be thoughtful. An hour spent in a day for ourselves is sufficient enough to live well as well as to let live others same way. Yoga can be another way, which I've started practising recently. I think it gets the body and mind onto the same terms! It controls many unnecessary thoughts not by restricting them from occurring to you but by opening  up the other possible perspectives of the happenings, so that you know what's a necessary response and what not. Well, I also believe not just doing some exercises or yoga everything will set well in place. It takes a lot of your own thoughtfulness, determination towards your own well being, alertness towards the life situation and awareness of the same to the core. Only then something will workout, I think. Being able to do so is absolutely blissful, one must only experience this from within. It does not also happen in a blink of an eye! Practicing is the only way. Along with that one must believe in its results. It need not be a blind belief, which is not accurate also. Belief to an extent of a thought and hope that it might work for you is sufficient. Rest will be done by your body and mind. 

Hope the peace and happy living irrespective of the situations fill in the lives of the billions! May things fall in place for that! 

Anything and everything... Take Home #324

One can learn from anything and everything. But that does not mean one should leave the job that he is responsible for and start doing anything and everything. Doing so is so addictive that one needs to be told of the fact that what he is doing is which he is not supposed to be doing. Otherwise, it appears pretty much appropriate. Actually it is not that inappropriate too until that does not cause any concern for anyone and to the very job that is intended for him. 

The first impression... Take Home #323

First impression is majorly consists of what pre-occupies your mind based on your experiences/knowledge and minorly of what and how the other person is at the given moment. 

How wise it is to live upon such impression is one's very own opinion. Keeping up the openness and trying to understand the other person better can reduce the damage to some extent if any! Thank the intellectual portion of your brain if you are right at the first instance. 

Arguers...

Argument appears unnecessary when you are a spectator. The same argument appears as if its everything for you when you are one of the arguers. Its not the situation but the role that we choose for ourselves makes the difference. However, when its your responsibility to calm down the arguers and if you accept that responsibility, you can not stay back like a spectator for longer time. The midway has to be found out by you being in a responsible position. Letting it happen the way it is or leaving it to the wisdom of the individuals might be intellectually accurate but not so productive all the time.