The tale of the three fish

You might have heard this story from the Panchatantra (Translates to "Five Principles". It is a very insightful ancient Indian collection of inter-related animal fables) in one some form or the other. If you haven't, here it is:

Three fish lived in a pond. Their names were Anagatavidhata (which in Sanskrit translates to "future maker"), Pratyutpannamati (translates to "ready minded") and Yadbhavishya (translates to "whatever happens"). We ll call them Future , Ready and Whatever for simplicity and humour. ;) Anyway, back at the pond, some fishermen were passing by and wondered aloud, "Hey, we have never seen this pond. It seems to be full of fish. It is now evening. Let us come at dawn tomorrow and bag as many fish as we can."

Hearing the fisherman, Future called a meeting of all the fish and told them, "Haven't you heard what the fishermen were saying? We must move out of this pond tonight itself. As the wise men have said weak men should flee when a strong man invades or seek refuge in a fort. There is no alternative."

"While that is true, you are worrying yourself too much. When they come, I will figure something out" said Ready. 

Loudly laughing, Whatever said, "I am too busy, I will worry about it later."

So, Future left. The fishermen came. And Ready and Whatever got caught. 

Ready had a plan though, and pretended to be dead, and luckily, the fisherman noticed and threw him away quickly. Whatever however, was not ready and died in the net.

--

My dad often used to call me Yadbhavishya to make fun when I was young in an effort to convince me to plan in advance.. so it was one of those stores I will never forget. So, when I was at home, it popped into mind. The lesson contained is undoubtedly a wise one, and we would have heard / realized it at some point..  

But only this time did a different angle to this struck me that I felt was worth sharing. 

Future could also be called "Plan for the worst"

Ready could also be called "Plan for the average case"

And Whatever could also be called "Plan for the best case"

All three types of people can succeed, but only those who plan for the worst can succeed consistently, and these are the great achievers we remember through time.

Lunar eclipse and misinformation

Be superstitious. I am no one to judge. But please dont spread wrong information about things you know nuts about to justify your superstition.

Today evening, there is a lunar eclipse and I am at my grandparents house. As will be the case in any typical south indian brahmin household, there are umpteen number of rituals associated with the lunar eclipse. Interestingly, today is also Karthigai, (one of) the supposed birthdays of Lord Muruga. He is important in south India. So, there are the usual sweets and rituals that also have to be performed. 

Here are a few for your amusement. The sudden disappearance / redness of the moon must have been a scary phenomenon back then, so these rules were cooked up to "protect" us:

1. There will be no cooking done starting 4 hours before eclipse. Since the eclipse occurs from 8-9, dinner cant be made. 

2. You are not supposed to eat food cooked before eclipse, after the eclipse => You should start cooking at 9pm.

2a) If you really cannot cook at 9pm, you can cook before the 4 hour deadline, and put darbai (erm, enchanted dried leaf)  (this was probably an evolution because people found 9pm cooking annoying)

3. Immediately after eclipse, everyone must have a head bath.

Now, there is this bloke on a TV show who talks about the required astrological / other random belief-ical precautions one should take every day. Many religious people like my grandparents watch it sincerely to know what superstition they must follow every day. Now if he stuck to superstition, I would laugh him off. But today he tells everyone (after stating the rules above and more), 

"It is even scientifically proven that UV rays increase during lunar eclipse. So, this enters your food and makes it bad for consumption. So, put dried leaf on top to protect"

Now seriously, WHY do you need to bring science inside? Next, I have to hear my grandfather tell me how the ritual makes "modern" sense because of increased UV rays. The amount of bullshit spewed by these "scholars" is staggering. Just stick to your domain, dear astrologer dude (and every other person who broadcasts information), just talk about stuff in YOUR domain of expertise and we will be happy. You go publicly talk about things you know nuts about, you spread bullshit. And you know what, bullshit is MUCH harder to fix than ignorance.

Receiving help

I am bad at receiving help, especially if I didnt ask for it. I instinctively reject it. The rationale being, I dont want to owe anyone anything if I can help it.

Not all help is bad. Of late, I have found that helping someone unconditionally (without any expected returns.. even implicitly) gives me maximum satisfaction. I think it would apply to most of us too. And that satisfaction is further enhanced by a thankful receiver. So for me to help and be satisfied by it, the receiver should accept it. He/she plays a big role in the process. 

Every time I come home, my parents, grandparents, relatives fuss over me. Mom asks, what do you want? More food? Pillow? Are you ok? You want water? Lot of unconditional help is offered. And what do I do?

I say, no thanks. If I am really busy, I might even give a dont-bother-me look which is not exactly polite.

So, the question here is do I mind some water/pillow/food? In most cases, no I dont mind it but then I dont need it either.  I d rather not be disturbed.

If I say YES, mom gets to help me, and I get to help mom help me. And perhaps i suffer minor distraction. It's a win-win anyways.

If I say NO, mom doesnt get to help me, and I get distracted anyways and I miss the satisfaction.

Logic says, why waste their time when you dont need their help... heart says you are missing the point.

My learning:

If unconditional help is offered and does not inconvenience you greatly, take it. And say thank you! 

By the way, a big thanks to everyone who has received my help graciously! It has given me a lot of pleasure! :)

The world is amazing!

It is really funny the way he says it, but he has a very very good point.

(Got it from here : http://sivers.org/sharing - great blog. I love his simple style! :) )

Last class..

Yesterday, I attended my last class in university without even realizing it. 

It was the Chinese oral exam. Well, that was not strictly a class, so lets see.. it was the Chinese class 2 weeks ago. (I stopped attending other classes).

And today I will be finishing my last assignment!

A close friend of mine graduated 6 months ago and left for the US to work. He was feeling.. sad I guess and emotional. The way you feel when you leave your parents to come to a foreign country. It was rather unusual of him but this was his first home away from home, and he would be leaving the place, the environment, friends... indefinitely for quite sometime. He was starting a new life. This was not an exchange. When he came back, he wouldnt be the carefree student, but a responsible worker!

Now, I am not leaving this place anytime soon, but I will definitely miss this important chapter of my life. I have been doing a course I liked, I did fairly well academically, enjoyed my courses, and learnt a LOT both inside and outside of my course. I extended my study for 1 additional semester, partly to buy some time and partly to finish my minor. And this additional semester, i decided to explore. Besides, the 2 modules I had to do to graduate, I finally decided to learn Chinese.  I also did a math module "purely for fun". Both were very satisfying and enjoyable!! On the side, I worked on my startup. Half sem through, I was working mostly and studying by the side. Towards the end, I have completely lost interest in the studying part (except the "purely for fun" math module). I am learning much more from my startup. Assignments feel like a waste of time (who cares about this code? It is not going to help anyone.. I might as well work on something more useful!). For the first time, I went to demo my project and the tutor gave me pity marks because nothing worked. For the first time, I skipped assignment submissions completely. For the first time, well I did a lot of firsts. Some of which I d rather keep to myself ;) Things that a lot of people generally do much earlier in University. 

My point is, I have withdrawn myself from university gradually. It wasnt like I spent 4 years mugging my ass off and then suddenly started working. I spent 4 years half studying, and 1 semester 1/4th studying.. and its time to jump off. It feels right. I dont want to study any longer and I feel I have had my fill!!

But even so, the protection of the uni was nice. There was this safety net that made sure you wouldnt fall too bad. Mistakes resulted in bad grades not lost money / lawsuits. You were still a student. Responsibilities were minimal. And now, in a couple of weeks, I throw that protection away to explore the big bad world all on my own :) I feel a bit scared, but also confident that I will be able to pull through.. I feel a little nostalgic but also happy to be moving on...

I dont know where this will lead - I would definitely not have predicted my current state 4 years ago - but I am sure it will be as much fun as the years that preceded it. As I see it, the process counts as much as the result! And the only thing affecting the process is my attitude! :)

Rescue time..

A friend/lifehacher introduced me to this neat little app called RescueTime. I have been using it for a month now.. it sits in the background and observes what you are doing. then your activities are categorized into -2 to 2 points. -2 being very distracting and +2 being very productive. Then it shows neat little graphs on how your spend (waste) your time every day.

My biggest learning from the exercise was how much time was wasted in email. I knew I was spending more time that I should.. but when I saw I was spending close to 4hours per day at the email, it gave me quite a shock. 

I have made emails a -1 activity since then, and my mind has responded by subconsciously classifying email as a distraction - so now there is a guilt feeling, sense of self betrayal etc. when I spend too much time on email. I dont keep a browser tab on emails all the time. I switch on 3G on my phone only when I really need it, and life is much better! :) 

Do try RescueTime! 

Geek joke! :D

Person 1: What's the integral of 1/cabin?     

Person 2: A natural log cabin.     

Person 1: No, a houseboat you forgot to add the c!

24 hours

We just had a 24 hour marathon at work, since we realized we were moving waayy to slow for a startup. 

It was 3 of us - 8pm Fri night to 8pm Saturday night. I realized immediately that for the whole thing to work, some structure was required. 

So this is what I tried.

1. We sat in such a way that all of us could see each other's laptops.. ie noone could goof off.

2. We sat outside in the open actually - no AC, but good powerpoints and internet.. sometimes it was sweaty.. but once we got into the groove, we couldnt bother about the weather. In such time, I guess it is helpful if there is a natural breeze around and it is not too cold. 

3. The prohibited list - this was critical. We made a list of things that were banned. They included email, chat, facebook, games, blogs. These were banned even during breaks. And if anyone was caught violating the ban, a starbucks treat was due (noone violated :) ).

4. 1 hour work, 10 mins sharing. This was great at creating momentum.. after a while, we got so absorbed though that we forgot about the breaks :)

5. Blog - we had a little company blog where we decded post stuff through the night.. it provided some  humour and relief..  I hit upon this only half way through.

6. We shifted places now and then (For dinner etc) to allow some stretching - it gets really tiring if one sits at the comp non stop for long periods.

7. Once we were done, we take 3 days fully off.

All in all, it was a hugely successful session! I am so full of energy 2 hours AFTER we finished the marathon. Would definitely recommend it if you feel things are moving slow in your startup/group/project. But, remember - the structure and environment are key!

To share or not to share, that is the question!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHopJHSlVo4

We have generally been told about the peer pressure factor that pushes us to achieve a goal. A lot of apps exists and a lot of productivity techniques revolve around that. Why, even my last blog post was based on making a public commitment. 

But then I think he has a point. Take for example, the last time I told someone I was going to jog 3 times a day. I did do it for a while, but after a point, I had proved half the point, and failing wasnt THAT embarassing so I stopped for whatever reason.. noone noticed, and I quietly swept it under the carpet. 

People make and break commitments around us all the time. So what is the big deal - especially if it wont hurt anyone but ourselves? [A jar sometimes helps the cause - more on that in another post ]

A couple of months back, I told MYSELF that I would sleep and wake up on time. I didnt want to publicize only break the commitment later. I have been sticking to it quite well with nothing to motivate me but a desire to set a standard for myself! People have started noticing.. and the delayed gratification has given me even more inspiration!

I guess there is a balance then - perhaps based on the circumstances, the type of goal and also the type of person you are! 

(Do watch the other videos on his channel if you are interested in doing something on your own.. he adds a very fresh perspective!)

Not being lazy

A lot of people have asked me to continue my blog. They told me it was nice. I didnt share my blog with them, nor did I speak about it in any way. It was entirely self-initiated on their part. The least I can do is to show them my appreciation!

But first, why havent I written anything for 3 months?

We all have our excuses! I list them here for your (and my) entertainment (and reflection) 

1. After Federer lost the Wimbledon, I started losing interest in life.  And when he lost the US Open after having 3 match points, life lost its meaning. :(

Nah just kidding!

2. I dont like writing. 

Well, I did write a fair number of blog posts of my own volition. I suddenly lost interest? I often write long emails.. I dont like writing essays.. but noone asked me to write long essays, so that leads to

3. Actually, I dont mind short posts, but once I start writing I go into so much detail that I lose interest at some point. 

Well then, this is an opportunity to learn a useful skill (being concise in writing), isnt it? 

4. Umm. I have nothing to write about.. <voice getting feebler>.. I didnt have time actually .. <feebler>.. wanted to.. you know...  <too feeble to comprehend>...  OK FINE! I've been lazy!

Bingo!

Conclusion:

1. Dont be lazy

2. Keep it crisp

And that's how it shall be!

Adios!

The champion falls..

But real champions remain champions even in defeat.

Your legacy will live on, Roger Federer!

And hats off to you, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. That was definitely inspiring! :)

The next karate kid

Its an old movie, but I just watched it on TV.  Its a simple story about an impatient girl and her old caretaker who teaches her to get focussed through karate, and helps her stand up for herself.

There were however, some very memorable quotes

"Fighting not good. Somebody always gets hurt"

"Ambition without knowledge is like a boat on dry land"

"The answer is important only if the right question is asked"

Lots of meaning in all 3 of them :)

Would definitely recommend the movie for light viewing..

BigV and X

One of the best things about home are the long chats I have with dad! We discussed this on the way to buy vegetables..  I felt it was worth sharing!

Now consider this large village BigV. Lets say 200 sq.kms big. It has a variety of resources and can generally sustain itself. Now, in BigV a certain item X is very important. It is a religious/cultural symbol and every household in BigV is expected to have X. As BigV grows, it needs more and more of X and there isnt enough X within BigV.

Now what does BigV do? It buys X from other villages. Now, the interesting thing about X is, it has very little use outside BigV. So all other villages produce X and sell it to BigV. Sometimes directly (when BigV has what they want) and sometimes indirectly ie. sell X to someone else, who sells it to BigV (this happens when BigV doesnt have what they want). Since BigV is among the largest villages, and it is growing rapidly, the demand for X is also growing rapidly. The supply of X cannot keep up and hence X has become quite valuable. People hoard X so they can sell it to BigV later. Everyone knows that the people of BigV want X really badly, and they ll buy it no matter what the price. So the value of X keeps going up.

All villages thus produce X to satisfy BigV's growing demand and the people of BigV spend a considerable amount of their effort producing goods that can be exchanged for X (because X has become quite expensive, you see). And the amount of X in BigV keeps increasing (because it is not a consumable). 

You might ask - why is X so important to the people of BigV? If BigV stopped hoarding X, they can probably use their time and effort for better things.

Yes very true. But thats how cultural/religious symbols are. Not always logical. :)

Now, consider the following:

Supply of X will run out soon. What happens then? Everyone in BigV cant have X anymore. Will it lose its value?

Or what if say, 200 years later, culture changes, and X loses its importance in BigV? 

In either case, what happens to all the X that is stored in BigV? Is it worthless now? And what of all the effort the people of BigV made to acquire X? Gone to waste?

And finally, what is the point?

BigV is India and X is gold!

Only around 10% of the gold produced in the world is used in industry. Everything else, is for invesment and jewellery. 

The current price of gold is USD1500 for 31 grams.

India buys 20% of the gold produced every year. (around 500 tonnes. Which translates to USD 25 billion per year. Which is 2% of India's GDP)

10% of all the gold ever produced (around 13,000 tonnes) is in India.

So, what happens when gold loses its symbolic value? 

Vibes

When you are minding your own business, and others near you are minding their own business,  things are not as disconnected as they might seem. Vibes get passed around, and these vibes impact everyone.

It is not important to be positive only when you are interacting with other.. it is important to be positive when you are interacting with yourself. It does make a difference to the environment around you!

Calvin (of the Hobbes fame).. such a mood lifter! :)

If you are feeling disillusioned / annoyed / frustrated / depressed, go to http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/, keep reading. Calvin's devilish innocence is sure to bring a smile to your face. 

Calvin is definitely my favourite comic (followed closely by Asterix). Both are witty and satiric in a way, but Calvin is much more. It is a celebration of the child in every person, of innocence and of unbridled imagination - all three being one of the few sources of pure joy! No wonder Calvin puts a smile on my face everytime I meet him.

All hail Spaceman Spiff! And yes Stupendous man as well! :)

Do you own copyright to work you do in your spare time?

Looks like in the IT industry, its not the case..

Nice article:

http://answers.onstartups.com/questions/19422/if-im-working-at-a-company-do-they-have-intellectual-property-rights-to-the-stu/20136#20136

Synthesized Happiness..

http://lifehacker.com/5719077/avoid-added-stress-by-just-deciding-and-moving-forward

Interesting! Also makes sense in a way :)

Truth

"Na ayam pravachanena labhyo. Na medhayo, na bahunaa shruthena."

Truth is not attained through lectures, through academic degrees, nor by group discussions. It is attained when we will to attain it. That is when it reveals itself to our joy!
- mundakopanishad

Another profound one..

The universe..

"Om eesaavaasyam idagam sarvam. Yat kincha jagatyaam jagat."

Every moving object in the universe, including the moving universe, is indwelt, pervaded, enveloped by it!
-Isavasya upanishad.

This was written at a time when they didnt know about the solar system.. when the earth was at the center of the universe... they didnt know about galaxies, red giants, the big bang, curving spacetime or blackholes..  particles, atoms, photons, quarks were unknown.. It was looong before even calculus was developed. And yet, they were able to imagine the concept of infinity soo beautifully. And come up with concepts that increase in relevance with each passing day as our knowledge "grows".

It's just amazing!