Rendezvous with life...: May 2012

To choose or not to choose!

Lunch time.Work day.
Our office campus has quite a few canteens with the likes of Saravana Bhavan, Ratna Cafe and the Green Peppers.We stand bewildered as what to choose.

IT Career.A typical Software engineer.
Parthiv went for onsite.I deserve one.I too should consider going to the United States.
Rajesh got a new offer.He has got a hefty package.Almost double the amount what i earn.I should consider making a switch too.
Murugan leads a comfortable life at hometown.Why am i struggling in this place.I should go for a transfer.
Siva quit his software career.He has chosen a new career in writing.Damn courageous.I don't have any passion for this software.I should consider quitting.But what are the alternatives?.
I should stick to my job.It will help me in the long run.

Relationships.A conservative Indian
Which one should i choose ?Arranged marriage or love marriage ?
Relationships.A non conservative Indian
Which one should i choose?Arranged marriage or love marriage or open relationship or live-in or time-pass relationship or secret relationships?

                                           "Most of us make at least three important decisions in our lives: where to live,what to do and with whom to do it.We choose our towns and our neighborhoods,we choose our jobs and our hobbies, we choose our spouses and our friends.Making these decisions is such a natural part of adulthood that it is easy to forget that we are among the first human beings to make them.For most of recorded history,people lived where they were born,did what their parents had done and associated with those who were doing the same.Millers milled,Smiths smith-ed , and little Smiths and little Millers married whom and when they were told.Social structures (such as religion and castes) and physical structures (such as mountains and oceans) were the great dictators that determined how,where and with whom people would spend their lives,which left most people with little to decide for themselves.But the agricultural,industrial and technological revolutions changed all that, and the resulting explosion of personal liberty has created a bewildering array of options,alternatives,choices and decisions that our ancestors never faced. For the very first time, our happiness is in our hands"
-Daniel Gilbert, Stumbling on Happiness.

                                           If Gilbert puts choice as the pedestal of happiness, Sheena Iyengar , author of 'The Art of Choosing' considers choice an art and explains how to use that pedestal.She concludes her book with this afterword:

"Choice is a powerful and motivating idea,but choice does not solve all our problems or meet all our needs.Sometimes choice isn't enough and sometimes choice is too much. ..We want to believe that every choice is important or that we should make all our own choices because this gives us the illusion of freedom and complete control.But all of us have to contend with the limits that we naturally come up against over the course of our lives and we should be prepared to let go of the choices that don't serve us well.I didnt choose my blindness and being blind took many options off the table.......But this bodily condition that i did not choose led me to make the most of what i could choose.It reminds me every day that i must focus on the choices that matter.Balancing hopes,desires and an appreciation of the possibilities with a clear-eyed assessment of the limitations:that is the art of choosing"

                                            Balancing hopes,desires?Appreciation of the possibilities?Clear-eyed assessment of limitations?? Tough job but an art indeed!. If fate still strikes us too hard for that and our choices make us unhappy Nassim Nicolas Taleb(author of 'The Black Swan' and 'Fooled by Randomness') suggests to go to the extreme of choosing stoicism.Few of its principles (as he suggests in 'Fooled by Randomness')are:

"1.Start stressing personal elegance at your next misfortune
2.Exhibit sapere vivere ("know how to live") in all circumstances
3.Dress at your best on your execution day (shave carefully) ; try to leave a good impression on the death squad by standing erect and proud
4.Try not to play victim when diagnosed with cancer (hide it from others and only share the information with the doctor - it will avert the platitudes and nobody will treat you like a victim worthy of their pity;in addition the dignified attitude will make both defeat and victory feel equally heroic.
5.Be extremely courteous to your assistant when you loose money
6.Try not to blame others for your fate even if they deserve blame
7.Never exhibit any self-pity even if your significant other bolts with the handsome ski instructor or the younger aspiring model
8.Do not complain.

The only article Lady Fortuna has no control over is your behaviour.Good luck!"

                                             I found all these authors equally impressive and their works inspiring and since i am still a pre-schooler in these subjects of choice and happiness i have quoted them extensively rather than giving my own opinion.

Good luck ! To choose or not to choose!

References:

How to beat Chennai's heat ?

                                   Every morning i get woken up by my sticky sweaty skin despite the fan running in full speed.Adding to this is the power cut which makes sure that i along with other chennaites experience the full brunt of chennai heat.Few anthropologists proclaim that this is a god given gift for chennai which checks too many people staying in chennai and raising its population.Yet we have to live with it and beat it.Here are ten ways to beat Chennai's heat.

TOP TEN WAYS TO BEAT CHENNAI'S HEAT:

Number 10

Always sit straight

                        Lean on your chair and you will find the chair suddenly drawing its wet tongue and licking you.Yaayike! you may feel but its your own sweat not the chair's.So always sit straight.

Number 9

Sleep naked

                        If you do not have an air conditioner at home and you sleep under the fan, better sleep naked as any kind of cloth you wear will make you feel clumsy and disturb your sleep .This is how primitive men slept, so do not feel uncomfortable.

Number 8

Always hold a big water bag on your back

                       Wear a water bag on your back and operate your throat to make a hole, and pierce a tube drawing water from the bag for constant supply of water, else you will have to waste the whole day just drinking.

Number 7

Have a hand fan

                      On travelling to my cousin's home on MTC bus i wondered why no one invented a hand fan to beat chennai's heat.As a strange coincidence i saw my cousin using a hand fan to fan her baby.Buy a hand fan as it could be very handy while travelling

Number 6

Do not travel by MTC bus

                         Travelling by an MTC not only makes you experience the aroma of your own sweat but also that of your peer travellers.So better stay indoors and if you have to travel for work prefer office bus.

Number 5

Keep taking bath

                        You might not have a water heater at home but open your shower and you will get to know you dont need one.Again once you finish your bath you will start sweating again so dry yourself and bathe yourself again and again and again ......

Number 4

Have a summer doctor

   Just like family needs a family doctor, chennai's hot summer needs a summer doctor as you will develop skin rashes, pimples , dizziness etc. I had to take sick leave on a day due to dizziness caused by dehydration

Number 3

Do not make big movements

                               Walk slowly, never run even if your 9 o clock office bus just leaves before your eye and you could very well catch it if you run.No! do not do it! Its better to stay home than to face the repercussions.Talk slowly too as talking fast can increase your heart beat and make you sweat.

Number 2

Stay at office for long hours and demand over time payment

   This is for those like me who do not have air conditioner at home. Stay for long hours at office and pretend that you work hard so that you can demand for over time payment which can be used further to buy drinks to cool your body down while at home.

Number 1

Tell yourself that 'Everything is Maya!'

                                Life is an illusion says Swami hmmm... some Swami.So tell yourself that the chennai heat is just an illusion and not really true.It is your mind which perceives so and you have to get out of this maya.

All the Best!!

Valaku en 18/9 - Movie review

                                 Velu , a poor, downtrodden boy being pushed by circumstances to leave his school education and work for a tyrannical muruku (snacks) company and later leave the same as the owner hides his parents death to keep him working in the company.He then works with a street vendor selling idlis.
                                 Dinesh , a rich playboy teenager who seduces Aarthi to take secret pictures of her and enjoy it with his school friends.

                                 Jyothi , a silent poor girl working as servant maid at Aarthi's home who mistakes Velu for a womanizer.

                                 Aarthi , a middle class teenager who gets attracted to Dinesh and about to fall in love with him.

STORY
                                 Valaku en 18/9 is a matrix of the above four characters' life stories.The movie starts with Jyothi getting admitted in hospital having been subjected to acid throwing.Police arrive on the scene and interrogates Velu.
                                  The movie spirals back on a flashback showcasing Velu's difficult background,his work under the tyranny of muruku company owner, his parents' death, his running away from the muruku company , his rescue by a sex worker who helps him join a idli shop, Jyothi and her mother mistaking him for womanizing, his love for Jyothi.The script then falls back to the interrogation at the police station.
                                   Aarthi comes on her behalf and expresses her suspicion on Dinesh to the inspector.The movie spirals back again on a flashback showcasing Aarthi getting seduced by Dinesh, Aarthi falling in love, finding his true character before proposing,expressing her rage against him and Jyothi getting acid thrown on opening Aarthi's house door.The script then falls back to the interrogation at the police station.
                                    The inspector doing the interrogation shows sympathy for Velu,gathers evidence against Dinesh and confirms his guilt on throwing acid at Jyothi mistaking her for Aarthi.On an unexpected twist, the hitherto honest and sympathetic inspector falls to bribery and brainwashes Velu to accept the crime deluding him with an offer of helping Jyothi regain her face.Velu accepts the crime for his love.
                                     What follows is a heart throbbing climax.
SCREENPLAY
                          I enjoyed the tightly woven,non boring screenplay which has been crafted with love by Balaji Sakthivel particularly the juggling of scenes to and fro spinning it along the interrogation of Velu and Aarthi.At interval i felt as if the movie had just started and it was too quick for an interval but such was the screenplay.

CAST
                                   All the new faces have done extreme justice to their roles with Velu my favourite followed by Jyothi.He has fitted so well into his character and is the protagonist of this movie.

WARNING
Its disturbing that we don't live in an egalitarian society and this movie might brush your philosophical rants on it(Of course only if you believe society should be egalitarian ).

Valaku en 18/9 - cannot be solved probably.

Ki mu Ki pi - Book Review

                                I stumbled upon this book title while watching 'Neengalum vellalam oru kodi' on Vijay TV. When actor Suriya threw this question 'Which one of these books was penned by Madhan?' my mind got excited at the word Madhan and then at the peppy book title 'ki mu ki pi' obviously after the TV celebrity gave the answer.I have always been curious to read any one of Madhan's writings having admired his intellectual conversations.And this book did not disappoint me.I will probably read more tamil books from here on, thanks to Madhan.

Intellectual pleasure
                                 May be one can measure the pleasure of reading by the amount of intellectual stimulation it provides.And this did provide me that adding to dribbling my imagination.
                                 Did you ever know,
that human beings were not even on earth's timeline when dinosaurs were roaming around?
or that the first human being was not a man but a woman?
or that Neanderthal and Homo-sapiens were entirely different species of man and the former became extinct?
or that life originated in africa and other countries were born only because our ancestors walked out of africa?
or that all continents were joined by land once until a slight increase in global temperature caused sea level to arise and seperate continents?
or that the law system so prevalent all over the world was started by an Babylonian king Hammurabi?
or that the most civilized civilization was in INDIA at Sindhu valley ?
or that Athens was the birth place of democracy but still treated women not more than as agencies who carried babies?
or that the birth place of cinema and modern medicine is Greece?
or that when Socrates faced his superiors boldly and drank poison his disciple Plato escaped out of Athens fearing execution?

                         Madhan doesn't dictate these as knowledge snippets but rather walks us through history like a jolly ride showing all these during the journey..

History looks like a evening mokkai(chat)
                          Unlike traditional history lessons this turns out to be an evening mokkai(chat) with Madhan as he covers the boredom with humor drawn from current life situations.His casual narration made me complete this book in two sittings (it can be completed in a single sitting infact).Even if one doesnt enjoy history he would do so after reading this.

Added to my shelf.Worth a read!!

Filter Coffee with Saithapetta Sathasivam

FACT:
In the same period of time a Madras Tamilar can convey 1.5 times that of a Madurai,Tirunelveli Tamilar and 3 times that of an Erode Tamilar and 5 times that of a Coimbatore Tamilar (depending on the length of the drawl like 'yaeeeeeeenunga?')
-anonymous

ஹாய் சைதாபேட்ட சதாசிவம் எப்படி இருக்கீங்க ?

படு சோக்கா ஈக்றேன் பா ..நீ எப்டி அண்ணாத்த ஈகிற?

நான் ரொம்ப நல்லா இருக்கேன்.எங்க ஷோ லே கலந்துகிட்டதுக்கு ரொம்ப நன்றி.
எப்படி feel பண்றீங்க ?

show என்னமோ குஜாலா தான் ஈகுது. ஆனா மெட்ராஸ் சம வெயிலா ஈக்குது பா. வூட்டாண்ட சொல்லிகினு travel செஞ்சு இந்தாண்ட வர்ற சொல்லயும் சம காண்டாயிடுச்சு.வேர்துகுனே குந்திகினு ஈகிறேன் பா.right u இன்னாத்துக்கு வர்ற சொன்ன நீ. புள்ளைங்கள இஸ்கூலுக்கு ready பண்ணனும்.இன்னா வேணும் உன்கு.

வேற ஒன்னும் இல்ல சதாசிவம் . மெட்ராஸ் பாஷா பத்தி ஒரு ஸ்பெஷல் ப்ரோக்ராம் பண்ணலாமேன்னு

உங்கள கூபிட்டோம் .மெட்ராஸ் பாஷைய பத்தி உங்க கருத்து என்ன?

அது சொல்லி தான் வர சொன்னியா அண்ணாத்தே. இன்ன சொல்றது. நான் கூவ ஆரம்பிச்சா போய்கினே இருபேன். கப்சா விடுறேனு காண்டாயிடாத நீ. மெட்ராஸ் பாஷா மாதிரி world ஆண்ட ஒண்ணுமே கடயாது .எங்கள மாதிரி தமிழ் இங்கிலீஷ் கலந்து கூவ முடியுமா எவனாச்சும்.ஒரு

dommai ஆலும் முடியாது. example சொல்றேன் கேளு. எவனாச்சும் over ah கூவுனானு வெச்சுக்க . 'டேய் மொள்ளமாரி இன்னா sound விட்றியா' அப்டினு கனைபோம் .யாராச்சும் sentiment ஆயிட்டான்னு வெச்சுகோ 'இன்னா feelings ah மாமா ?' அப்டின்போம். figure ah பாத்தா 'look விடுறியா ' அப்டின்போம். இப்டி நறிய ஈகுது பா.

அற்புதம் ah சொன்னீங்க சதாசிவம். அது மட்டும் இல்ல. மெட்ராஸ் பாஷை
அப்டினாலே

எல்லாருக்கும் முதல்ல ஞாபகம் வர்றது

கெட்ட வார்த்தைங்க தான். அத பத்தி கொஞ்சம் சொல்லுங்களேன்.

அது சும்மா நீண்டுகினே போவும் மாமு. கைத , கஸ்மாலம் , பேமானி, சோமானி, சாவுக்றாகி , பொறம்போக்கு, முடிச்சவுக்கி, மொள்ளமாரி இப்டி நறிய ஈகுது பா. இதெல்லன்காட்டியும் ஓ*தா தான் சம bad word .இன்னாத்துக்கு அதெல்லாம் remind பண்ற. எனக்கு mood spoil ஆயிடும் பா.

மன்னிச்சிருங்க சதாசிவம். ஓகே சதாசிவம் உங்களுக்கு சினிமா பாக்குற
பழக்கம் உண்டா??

இன்ன அண்ணாத்தே மொக்கையா question பண்ற . Cinema இல்லாமே தமிழ் நாடே கடயாது .matter uku வா நீ.

ஓகே ஓகே சதாசிவம். உங்களுக்கு புடிச்ச நடிகர் யாரு?

நம்ம கமல் ஸாரு தான் பா. சும்மா ரவுண்டு கட்டி மெட்ராஸ் தமிழ் பேசுவாரு பாரு . மத்த actors கு டப்பா டான்ஸ் ஆடிடும். ஸாருக்கு அதெல்லாம் சல்ப matter u . அவரு act பண்ண movie ல இருந்து ஒரு comedy scene u போடு அண்ணாத்தே .

கண்டிப்பா சதாசிவம். உங்களுக்காக ஒரு காமெடி சீன் போடுறோம்...

சரி சதாசிவம் ஷோ ஓட முடிவுக்கு வந்துட்டோம். இந்த ஷோ ரூல்ஸ் படி நீங்க ரசிகர்களுக்கு எதாவது song dedicate பண்ணனும். என்ன song dedicate பண்ண விரும்புறீங்க?

ஜோரா நம்ம language song podu அண்ணாத்தே. நம்ம fans பாத்து ஜல்சா பண்ணட்டும் . ..அப்போ நான் கலண்டுகிறேன் பா. வர்டா மாமு .

கண்டிப்பா சதாசிவம் ரொம்ப நன்றி நீங்க இந்த ப்ரோக்ராம் லே
கலந்துகிட்டதுக்கு.
வூட்டாண்ட அல்லாரையும் விசாரிச்சதா சொல்லுங்க.

(Show ends)

Reference:
http://slangmela.pbworks.com/w/page/9837645/Chennai%20Slang