Ravings of a Nomadic Mind

Its been 13 years now, a climb up a cliff face ended in a broken back, i wasn't sure I'd walk again, even sitting up again was distant. looking at the first few days wen the realisation dawned that this was it. at sixteen i was a vegetable, or real close. but it is not the injury i want to talk about, it's what came after. Life for the few years after was always rose tinted. nothing absolutely nothing could go wrong, i was invincible, high speed crashes, climbing the same cliff again, falling in love every day, taking a sabbatical from school, going down a 45 degree slope on a bicycle with doggy brakes, taking apart a scooter, nothing and i mean nothing could hold me back. i had realized that life is fickle it looses interest in the blink of an eye so it was never going to get that chance, again. money was never an issue all that mattered was the next escapade. For example when the first time the doctor told me i could walk, i took off from the bed, that very evening, that had been my prison for the last 6 months, when no one was watching me. The spirit was there, so was determination, but my legs had other ideas after resting for so long they didn't really want to do any work. oh and my nervous system was still drunk. I ended on the kitchen floor with a broken glass and water all over. The noise brought the whole family down on me, listening to them you would have thought i was paralyzed again. so as they yelled at me, i had this stupid smile on my face, as i came off my adrenalin high. Mission accomplished. till 2005 i was a tornado and nothing absolutely nothing could stop me. college was to be conquered. I wanted to leave a trace in every place, every life that i touched. Big bold letters that proclaimed that "Shanu was here" my graffiti on life. Indelible and forever.

Some where along the way i forgot the lessons i learnt, life became a series of accomplishments instead of the high. i forgot that i had a respite, a second chance. then came the MBA and the pursuit of the golden career. Everyday anxieties, worries and frustrations came back. Wants and needs grew. Where i was happy careening around on a 100 cc bike i wanted one with a 1000 cc. Backpacking and hitching around Rajasthan wasn't enough, i want to drive around the world. then, Life happened, again. The glowing grades and accolades from my professors turned into biting remarks, the healthy back, turned troublesome, and the glowing some times telepathic relationship turned into a burden, for her. Ridiculed by batch mates, reviled by the professors, and sympathized by my friends. I closed up on my self, i couldn't understand what had gone wrong. I knew or thought that i knew i was one step ahead of life. This couldn't happen. Self pity and recrimination meant that i sat there looking at my life disintegrate with morbid fascination. Family aghast, friends horrified and the rest of the world went on while i sat there, closed up in a room for six months caught up in the view. Treatment for depression followed, transforming to lethargy and every thing attendant. I was still not ready to concede that there was some thing wrong with me. All i knew was the world was out to get me, what had i done to deserve this? Then one day a friend came and yelled at me, it was not recrimination, it was not anger or disappointment. she yelled because being the way i was, was hurting her and my other friends. Seeing her yell and cry was an eye opener, pity turned into disgust. I realized that i had lost sight of my life, lessons learnt at a great price. My reprieve all those years back was forgotten. I stopped taking medication, went out for a ride. cleaned out my closet both literally and mentally. I wanted a job, i wanted to work.


It was a second shot, i was wasting it. MBA was gone, done, over. Now i had to move on. I wanted to believe THE FALL was life changing, it gave me insights that would let me enjoy life more. But i returned to the emotional base line that i had taken off from. Career, money, the next bike, the next acquisition and the next material high was all i was worried about. Life and Vini pulled me back to earth. Its been 3 years now, i started at the bottom, Getting payed in peanuts for free lance jobs, then small firms and higher, Ive grown and Ive grown to respect what life was teaching me all those years ago. It is my life, i am the only one who can find happiness, its sitting on the rocks with a friend, its a drinking binge after four years of alcohol free existence and talking stuff over, its the birth of your best buddy's first child, it's talking to some one after ages and feeling like you had never been away, Its a travelling two nights and a wasted afternoon, just to spent a morning on the beach with a friend, its going on a shopping binge with your niece and not worrying about the rest of the month. There has been a house in between, furniture, and assorted other stuff, oh and i wouldn't have survived if it hadn't been for handouts and loans from friends. but I'm getting there. It's my life I'm going to live it my way, I'm going to wake up every day and be happy for it. There is crazy taxi driver or a loose cliff stone around the corner ready to take it all away. I'm determined, not to loose sight of the lessons that my second chance, my grace, taught me, and if i do you are welcome to knock me on the head.

Que Sera Sera.

"Every one has ghosts that haunt them. failed ideas, stupid decisions, things we could have done differently, people we hurt, people who hurt us. these ghosts chase us through life and every  day. My ghost made sure that i didn't have a normal relationship the last four years. today i learned 

Ghosts will only haunt you if you let them haunt you" 

I bury her today, its over finally. 

Image : Sunshine

Of Icarus In ancient days two aviators procured to themselves wings. Daedalus flew safely through the middle air and was duly honoured on his landing. Icarus soared upwards to the sun till the wax melted which bound his wings and his flight ended in fiasco. The classical authorities tell us, of course, that he was only "doing a stunt"; but I prefer to think of him as the man who brought to light a serious constructional defect in the flying-machines of his day. So, too, in science. Cautious Daedalus will apply his theories where he feels confident they will safely go; but by his excess of caution their hidden weaknesses remain undiscovered. Icarus will strain his theories to the breaking-point till the weak joints gape. For the mere adventure? Perhaps partly, this is human nature. But if he is destined not yet to reach the sun and solve finally the riddle of its construction, we may at least hope to learn from his journey some hints to build a better machine.

During his twenty years on television, Homer Simpson has pursued some interesting business endeavors. But most famously he has made a name for himself as a hapless, but big-hearted, man who always seems to stumble through life by a combination of good luck and compassion from others. And there is another humanistic quality that he always seems to illustrate: a child-like naivety that expresses his good-nature and his undying love for his family. Unfortunately for many, these qualities are not enough to get by in the world - especially during these tumultuous economic times (Note: we are also not cartoons). If we look at The Simpsons, and its main character, we can find some economic guidance - if only by accident. In most cases, practical lessons can be derived from Homer, in the form of ‘what not to do’:

On the Stock Market:
“Buy low and sell high; that’s my motto”.
Sounds easy right? Well, if this were the case, someone as simple as Homer would be able to navigate during the precarious times. But it goes without saying that he has sometimes failed to execute. During one episode, Homer exclaimed (in regards to his involvement in the Pumpkin business):
“This year I invested in pumpkins. They’ve been going up the whole month of October and I got a feeling they’re going to peak right around January. Then bang! That’s when I’ll cash in.”
Obviously, the humor in this situation is apparent, but the message it conveys could not be more timely: study the market as best as you can; take into consideration the associated aspects of the companies and commodities you invest in; and don’t look at the market like a get-rich-quick scheme. Simple enough, right?
Incentive Based Employment
“Son, if you don’t like your job, you don’t strike, you just go in there every day and do it really half-assed. That’s the American way.”
“Son, if you really want something in this life, you have to work for it. Now quiet! They’re about to announce the lottery numbers.”
Unemployment rates are the highest they’ve been in decades and it seems that employee productivity is more closely scrutinized than ever. Many people point to American industry (automotive, specifically) as less competitive and innovative than foreign companies. This, coupled with an overall lackadaisical approach to productivity has been pointed out as a major contributor to the poor state of the American Economy.
In the Episode “You Only Move Twice”, Homer is recruited by a ‘Mr. Scorpio’, a nice man that is the head of a secret organization consumed with world domination. Unknowingly, Homer helps Scorpio build a nuclear reactor that is used to power the latter’s weapons arsenal. From this episode we have this little gem:
“Mr Scorpio says productivity is up two percent, and it’s all because of my motivational techniques. Like, donuts. And a possibility of more donuts to come.”
In today’s economy, the employment marketplace is extremely competitive. Individuals are less likely to compare prospective employers based on incentives, but rather continued employment has itself become the incentive to hard work.

Enterprise
“All my life I’ve had one dream, to achieve my many goals.”
“If something’s hard to do, then it’s not worth doing.”
It’s no secret that a lot of wealth is created during a recession. The winners are those enterprising individuals who take calculated risks, work hard, and stay focused. Consequently, they succeed while those around them fail or struggle to stay afloat. These are those times. Homer, according to his above sentiment, would fail - flat on his face. But when you least expect it, from the vault of ‘Homer Genius’ comes this:
“All right, let’s not panic. I’ll make the money by selling one of my livers. I can get by with one.”
Sacrifice: an important virtue in enterprise and in personal finances. Much of the literature that has been created on finance in the last year has stressed cutting out unnecessary spending. Of course, this might be a stretch, but Homer shows that sometimes personal sacrifices are warranted, especially when the well-being of one’s family is at stake. Even, if we only have one liver. (Note: Mint does not, under any circumstances, endorse the selling of vital or semi-vital organs).
Business and Personal Ethics
“Marge, don’t discourage the boy! Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It’s what separates us from the animals! Except the weasel.”
This first quote would be less funny if Homer were able to weasel out of anything. The bottom line, however, at the marketplace or in your personal finances, is to live up to your responsibilities. This will help to curtail any need to weasel out of dodgy situations, ie: collections, bankruptcy loop-holes, foreclosures, et al.
“Oh no! What have I done? I smashed open my little boy’s piggy bank, and for what? A few measly cents, not even enough to buy one beer. Wait a minute, lemme count and make sure…not even close!”"
Homer’s curve is less than steep. There must be an easier solution! Perhaps it requires thinking to oneself, “What would Homer do?” Then, do the polar opposite.
Understanding Cash-flow
Homer: “Look at this Marge, $58 and all of it profit. I’m the smartest businessman in the world.”
Marge: “Its food bill today was $300″
Homer: “Marge, please, don’t humiliate me in front of the money”
Many will remember this episode as the one where the Simpsons have a elephant living in their backyard, and with which Homer has the less-than-brilliant idea to sell elephant rides at $2. After only one day, Marge wisely pointed out that the food bill for the elephant was $300 - more than the day’s total revenue. After realizing this, Homer upped the price to $500/per ride. Consequently, his customers decided to go elsewhere.
Economics 101: If a company continues to lose money, it will eventually go out of business. Marge’s explanation of the cost of food was enough to pull the plug on this business (that likely did not have a business plan anyway). This principle can be applied to an individual’s finances - if you spend more than you make, you’ll eventually be in debt. The longer you keep spending, the more you’ll be in debt.
Innovation, Marketing and Adapting to a Changing Marketplace
“Oh they have Internet on computers now?”
Part of staying relevant, is staying on par with the development and adoption of new technology. For many businesses in the last decade, this has included developing an online portal through which goods and services may be purchased. For others, it may simply offer information and a way to contact businesses. In today’s world, this may mean an immersion to sites like Twitter, where individuals can interact with businesses and each other in new and unconventional ways.
“How is education supposed to make me feel smarter? Besides, every time I learn something new, it pushes some old stuff out of my brain. Remember when I took that home winemaking course, and I forgot how to drive?”
With learning new technology comes learning new skills. They may be one and the same, but in all circumstances, businesses, as well as their employees, continually need to evolve. For the former this may be necessary for growth; for the latter this is necessary to remain employed. The fact of the matter is that individuals across the board ought to always be on the lookout for ways to make themselves more competitive than others through their skill set. For prospective workers, an employer will likely be interested in hiring someone who can take on multiple responsibilities and is well-rounded.
Financial Solvency and Living Below Your Means
If not at home, the Simpson patriarch can often be found at Moe’s Tavern, drinking with his buddies. In fact, it seems that Homer is at the pub daily or almost daily. This begs the question: “Is this affordable for the head of a single-income family with four dependents?”
Of course the more Homer blows as a percentage of of his paychecks on Duff, the less he would have to spend on necessities for the family, such as: housing, food, clothing, a retirement fund, insurance and so forth. This is not rocket science, but if this type of behavior became the norm, frustrating intra-marital discussions (intervention) would likely be inevitable. Homer is unabashedly blue collar, and does not likely have the means to a life he is illustrated to be living.
“Bart, with $10,000, we’d be millionaires.”
Obviously not knowing the value of money can set oneself up for financial insolvency. Of course, this is not surprising to hear from the man who drinks daily, finds donuts rewarding, and steals from his own children’s’ piggy banks…
Debt Management
In a recent and timely episode, titled, ‘No Loan Again’, the Simpsons are facing foreclosure. Not surprisingly, Homer’s understanding of a Home Equity Line of Credit is far from comprehensive, and is the primary source of his financial woes:
“It’s a secret thing called a home equity loan. I get all this cash…and the house gets stuck with the bills!”
And, later when discussing the foreclosure with his mortgage broker:
“When you gave me that money, you said I wouldn’t have to repay it ’til the future. This isn’t the future. It’s the lousy, stinking now!”
All good things come to an end. And Homer’s feelings are not uncommon, especially with the credit and real estate markets where they are at. While it may be too late for others, this illustration of mindless spending can serve as a reminder, that debt does not magically go away, and tomorrow will one day come - as will the debt collectors.
Source
Homer Economicus: Using The Simpsons to Teach Economics” Joshua Hall, WVU, Journal of Private Enterprise. 165-177. April 2005

Smile, its good for you. 

well all the wars, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq and a dozen other and then there is the recession and we haven't even got to our own little turf wars. but you know what i don't care, i really don't. Life goes on it will go on. Every time some one says we have to do this or that to save the planet i can't help laughing at them, you know why, because the planet will be here no matter what we do. It was here before we arrived and it will stay after we have gone or left, what ever the case may be. Its life is going to be measured on a scale that we can never comprehend. So bullshit to you kind sir, what we need to know and do is that if we don't stop and change we blow our legacy to dust. OK rant over. 

i want to show some thing to you guys, I've been listening to these songs for some time and every time i do it makes me smile. 

http://playingforchange.com/ check out this project. For lack of a better word, its beautiful in its simplicity, some street artistes, a few laptops and a little equipment and we can still create magic. This has to be our legacy, when we leave the planet or fade to dust, this has to be our legacy. its beautiful. I might have exaggerated a little but tell me if these songs don't put a smile on your lips.