Randy-isms

Inspired from the book the Last Lecture by Randy Pausch (must read) Randy died of cancer before which he gave a last lecture which wasn’t about dying but living and realizing your dreams. I found some of the best quotes from the book, reproduced here, gems of wisdom that I would like to carry with me.

“When you see yourself doing something badly and nobody’s bothering to tell you anymore, that is a bad place to be, that means they’ve given up on you. You may not want to hear it, but your critics are often the ones telling you that they still love you and care about you and want to make you better.” Having never been able to handle criticism well (i always felt people are out to get me:)), this made a lot of sense.


"The brick walls in our lives are there for a reason. They are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something."


"If you wait long enough people will surprise and impress you.” When you are frustrated with people, when they have made you angry, it just may be because you haven’t given them enough time.” But in the end, people will show you their good side. Almost everybody has a good side. Just keep waiting. It will come out.”


“Experience is what you get when you dint get what you wanted.”


“Showing gratitude is the simplest and yet most powerful things humans can do. I think that thank – you notes are best done the old fashioned way, with pen and paper.” (This I subscribe to!)


“When you go out in the wilderness, the only thing you can count on is what you take with you.”


“When giving an apology, any performance lower than an A doesn’t cut it.”


This one’s for the girls: It took a long time, but I have finally figured it out. When it comes to men who are romantically interested in you, it’s really simple. Just ignore everything they say and only pay attention to what they do.

ANTS

All of us tend to look up to big people for lessons on how to get better. We are keen to learn the secrets of their success. But we forget that sometimes the biggest lessons in life come from the smallest folks around us. Now that’s a good lesson to remember!
Take ants for instance. Would you believe those small creatures can teach us how to live a better life? Jim Rohn - the great motivational guru – developed what he called the ‘Ants Philosophy’.
He identified four key lessons from the behaviour of ants that can help us lead better lives. Jim Rohn is no more – but his messages continue to inspire. Here then, are the four lessons from Rohn’s ‘Ants Philosophy’.

1. Ants never quit. Have you noticed how ants always look for a way around an obstacle? Put your finger in an ant’s path and it will try and go around it, or over it. It will keep looking for a way out. It won’t just stand there and stare. It won’t give up and go back.
We should all learn to be like that. There will always be obstacles in our lives. The challenge is to keep trying, keep looking for alternative routes to get to our goals. Winston Churchill probably paraphrased the ant’s mindset when he offered this priceless advice: “Never give up. Never, never give up!”

2. Ants think winter all summer. Remember the old story of the ant and the grasshopper? In the middle of summer, the ant was busy gathering food for the winter ahead – while the grasshopper was out having a good time. Ants know that summer - the good times – won’t last forever. Winters will come. That’s a good lesson to remember. When the going is good, don’t be so arrogant as to believe that a crisis or a setback cannot happen to you. Be good to other people. Save for a rainy day. Look ahead. And remember, good times may not last, but good people do.

3. Ants think summer all winter. As they suffer through the unbearable cold of the winter, ants keep reminding themselves that it won’t last forever, and that summer will soon be here. And with the first rays of the summer sun, the ants come out – ready to work, ready to play. When we are down and seemingly out, when we go through what looks like a never-ending crisis, it’s good to remind ourselves that this too shall pass. Good times will come. It’s important to retain a positive attitude, an attitude that says things will get better. As the old saying goes, tough times don’t last. Tough people do.

4. Ants do all they possibly can. How much food does an ant gather in summer? All that it possibly can! Now that’s a great work ethic to have. Do all you can! One ant doesn’t worry about how much food another ant is collecting. It does not sit back and wonder why it should have to work so hard. Nor does it complain about the poor pay! Ants just do their bit. They gather all the food they can. Success and happiness are usually the result of giving 100% - doing all you possibly can. If you look around you, you’ll find that successful people are those who just do all they possibly can.

Follow the four simple steps of Jim Rohn’s ‘Ant Philosophy’ – and you’ll see the difference. Don’t quit. Look ahead. Stay positive. And do all you can.
And there’s just one more lesson to learn from ants. Did you know that an ant can carry objects up to 20 times their own weight? Maybe we are like that too. We can carry burdens on our shoulders and manage workloads that are far, far heavier than we’d imagine. Next time something’s bothering you and weighing you down, and you feel you just can’t carry on, don’t fret. Think of the little ant. And remember, you too can carry a lot more on your shoulders!

FIVE IMPORTANT LESSONS FROM A PENCIL:


EVERYTHING YOU DO WILL ALWAYS LEAVE A MARK.

YOU CAN ALWAYS CORRECT THE MISTAKES YOU MAKE.

WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS WHAT IS INSIDE OF YOU.

IN LIFE, YOU WILL UNDERGO PAINFUL SHARPENINGS, WHICH WILL MAKE YOU A BETTER PERSON.

TO BE THE BEST PENCIL, YOU MUST ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE HELD AND GUIDED BY THE HAND THAT HOLDS YOU.

Having recently read the book “The Magic” by Rhonda Byrne, I cannot pen the words the difference the book AND the power of gratitude has made in my life. Gratitude is now my best friend and the book is one of my most treasured possessions. All it takes is just two words – THANK YOU. Not a day goes by where I do not document my blessings what’s more; I have experienced the rewards for it. (No Kidding!) :) The book also made me dig out an old mail I received on Gratitude, a simple reminder to be grateful for the little things in life.

Today, upon a bus, I saw a girl with golden hair
I looked at her and sighed and wished I was as fair.
When suddenly she rose to leave,
I saw her hobble down the aisle.
She had one leg and used a crutch
But as she passed, she passed a smile.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine
I have 2 legs, the world is mine.
~~~
I stopped to buy some candy
The lad who sold it had such charm
I talked with him a while, he seemed so very glad
If I were late, it'd do no harm.
And as I left, he said to me,
"I thank you, you've been so kind.
It's nice to talk with folks like you.
You see," he said, "I'm blind."
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have 2 eyes, the world is mine...
~~~
Later while walking down the street,
I saw a child with eyes of blue
He stood and watched the others play
He did not know what to do...
I stopped a moment and then I said,
"Why don't you join the others, dear?"
He looked ahead without a word.
And then I knew, he couldn't hear.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have 2 ears, the world is mine.
~~~
With feet to take me where I'd go.
With eyes to see the sunset's glow,
With ears to hear what I would know,.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I've been blessed indeed, the world is mine.

Thoo!

I love to eat. When I crave for that something specific, nothing, not wild horses, would keep me from getting it. I am known to wake up at 2 a.m. to eat ice cream in the dark, go out when sick with fever satisfy an urge to eat a potato bun at the bakery – in short, I won’t rest till I had my fill. A female version of Jughead if there ever was one

Usually I have very few deterrents between food and me but recently I found one that put me off what I was craving for, before you could say the word Pani-puri!

I woke up one morning with visions of spicy chaat at a place in Jayanagar in Bangalore. I stay 14 kms away and a plate costs just about ten rupees. Did that stop me from getting what I want? Nope! If it is chaat I want, it is chaat I’ll get (with some shopping thrown in AFTER eating first).

So there I was in an auto, almost wiping the drool off my face, putting up with the long distance, traffic jam, just for a plate of spicy chaat when I lost my appetite half way through the journey real quick!

The reason? Aaaaack thoooo!!

Between my place till the time I reached my destination 14 kms away, I lost count of how many times the auto driver spat out of the auto. Huge globs of shiny phlegm, on and on it went.

Past experiences of questioning the auto drivers as to why they spit ended up with them justifying their act to the point that would put any argument to rest – ranging from “what’s wrong?” to “I feel like it, I’ll do it.” So this time I just kept quiet.

Slowly the visions of savoring spicy chaat shifted, the tummy stopped rumbling, and rather than wipe off the drool, I found it difficult to wipe the disgusted expression off my face.

There was a rule in the paper by the authorities that people who spit will be fined but I can bet the category of people who do spit have never read a paper in their lives.
My feelings about the rule? Thoo!

Here’s the serenity prayer with a twist to all the people who spit in my city

God, Grant me the Serenity to accept the things I can not change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to hide the dead bodies of those people I had to kill
Because they pissed me off with their spitting.

FRESH FISH SOLD HERE.

This story is quite popular and has been around for ages. Here is my version of it, where I have added a lot of characters and conversation:)

Once upon a time, in a little village, there lived a man whose business was to sell fish, and so he did. Every morning, he used to sort out the best catch, arrange them up neatly for people to buy in a little space in the village market. Just outside his shop, he had a little black board that stood blank, and a white chalk to write with by its side. (Quite unlike the white board and colorful markers we get these days).

Along came the village policeman. His wife wanted to cook fish curry for him that night when he returned home from work so she had sent him early in the morning to buy fish from the market. The village policeman bought the fish, and then he happened to glance at the black board while the man was wrapping up the fish.

“What’s the use of having a board here and keeping it blank? You might as well write something on it. How about advertising what you sell?” he remarked before leaving.

The shopkeeper thought over this, took up the chalk and wrote FRESH FISH SOLD HERE in bold capital letters.

Soon along came the village headman’s wife. She was someone who simply couldn’t resist commenting on everything and everyone and most people, even in the village, avoided her. She took one look at the board and said, “What do you mean by HERE? Everyone known that your fish is sold HERE and not there and not anywhere else. Quite evident isn’t it?” She remarked smugly.

The shopkeeper thought over this, took up a wet rag and wiped out the word HERE from the words, so it read now as FRESH FISH SOLD in bold capital letters.

Along comes little Somu, a mischief monger if there ever was one and one cheeky lad. He read aloud what was written on the board and in his usual cheeky voice said, “Uncle, Uncle, what do you mean by fresh fish sold? Who gives fish away for free in a market? It is not like you are generous Karna from our mythology, we all know you are here to do business!!” and so saying he quickly ran away before the shopkeeper could think of a fitting reply.

The shopkeeper thought over this, took up a wet rag and wiped out the word SOLD from the words, so it read now as FRESH FISH in bold capital letters.


Ratna was the village belle whose main activity each day was to cook for a large household of twenty people!! Along she came with thoughts of making fish curry for the entire household when she saw the sign on the board. “What do you mean by “fresh fish?” she commented, “Are you selling stale fish by any chance and want to hide that fact? Fish has to be fresh else who would buy them” and so saying, took her packet of fish and went away.

The shopkeeper thought over this, took up a wet rag and wiped out the word FRESH from the words, so it now read as FISH in bold capital letters.

Kanthamma was the oldest woman in the village. Some believed she was more than a hundred years old. Yet she had more energy and enthusiasm than all the youngsters of today. She loved a good gossip and would never hesitate to dole out advice whether it was needed or not. Along she came, with her walking stick and chewing on betel leaves. As she passed the shop, she held up her hand to her nose. “Poooh!” she said, “what an awful smell.” Then she looked up and saw the sign that said just one word FISH. “Well young man” she said to the shopkeeper, it is quite apparent that you are selling fish. Why I could smell it a mile away and it almost made me retch!! You don’t need to tell the world you are selling fish!” and so saying, she walked away, still holding her nose.

The shopkeeper thought over this, took up a wet rag and wiped out the word FISH from the words, so now there the blackboard stood, blank and empty as before.

A man in his early thirties came by. No one knew who he was. No one had seen him before. “Probably from the next village” thought the shop keeper to himself. The man went up and bought fish from the shop keeper. Just before he turned to go, he saw the black board with its white chalk by the side, empty with not a word written on it.

“I say young man” said the man to the shop keeper, “I am not one to comment on anything.” He said, “but I couldn’t help noticing the board with nothing written on it. “

“What’s the use of having a board here and keeping it blank? You might as well write something on it. How about advertising what you sell?”


THE BEGINNING

HOW THE SUN CAME TO STAY IN THE SKY.

Many, many, many, many, many years ago, there was no sun in the sky. It was just one large black patch with no sun, no moon and no stars. You’d think the earth was pretty dark right? Wrong! There was plenty of light on earth, not from candles or electricity. You see, people those times were born with their own individual sun.


Yes, every person carried their own sun, a ball of light, which hovered a little above their head, just like a halo. It was a lot like our portable emergency lamps we have these days, only it was already there when there were born and which grew as the child grew. It wasn’t too bright or too hot, but just right, just enough to light up wherever the person went. Each sun had a life of its own.


Of course there were the wind and the rain, but that didn’t hurt the balls of light and they shone bright as ever.


People those times, and there weren’t too many of them, were a happy, contented lot. They didn’t know what it meant to get angry or yell. They haven’t experienced envy or greed.


It was a peaceful world.


However, as time passed, more and more people were born and occupy space on this earth. The number of suns also increased.


The more the people, the more the jostle for space, the need to nudge the other person out, giving rise to emotions and thoughts they never experienced before, (not very pleasant ones either). Fights began, and didn’t die down, but lasted and lasted and passed through generations. At each generation, the person was still born with a sun, a halo above their heads, only so faint that one could hardly see it.


At this point, a strange phenomenon began to take place. The light above the heads of the people, all began to float up higher and higher into space.


For every lie uttered, for every hustle for space, for every moment of anger, for every word that hurt, the balls of light floated higher and higher.


Did the people notice this? Yes they did. Did they care? Not at all. As long as there was light above them, what did it matter? They had more important things to attend to here or so they thought.


Time passed and as more and more people came into being, higher went the lights till they were all scattered bits of lights against the sky.



Then the balls of light, (remember they had a life of their own), had a meeting. In this meeting, one large ball of light decided that rather than shine in bits and pieces, scattered all over the sky, how about merging as one big light? And let’s build ourselves right here, no more being down there on earth they thought.


All the other balls of light agreed at once. They were quite happy to comply with this decision. Not once did any ball of light claim that it wanted to shine on its own.


And so, the big ball of light approached the wind and with the help of the wind that went whooooooosh…they all blew towards each other as a giant, great ball of light, bright and dazzling, that could reach out to the whole world.


However, the sun could not work all day and needed to rest and then the moon was created, but that’s another story.


For now that’s how the sun came to be as one ball of light in the sky and till date it works as one to light up the world.


What do you think happened to the people down here on earth? There continued to be more and more of them, with no more suns of course for once the suns merged, the people born down here no longer had their own suns.


And till date, unlike the sun, we are yet to learn to work as one to light up the world.