Air travel has changed the way that we live, work and holiday. Think about it the next time you travel – if your journey took about five times longer, what would you differently?
For one, you might plan better. You would make sure that everything /everybody you wanted to visit was available well in advance and that you had time to cover everything. And for another, you would clear everything else from your schedule – no multitasking or planning to be available for anything else. And since you would be essentially ‘captive’ for the hours/days of traveling, you might actually reach your destination well-rested!
Air travel was supposed to be a blessing. But what happened? Since it’s quick, we can do it last-minute without foresight or detailed planning – sometimes, even cutting the time so close that we’re racked by anxiety! Also, we see no need to clear our schedules because we feel we can always attend to a few calls or e-mails (for the Blackberry addicts). And given all of the above plus the extensive security screenings and inevitable delays, I find few things more stressful than air travel.
Every time I do a one day trip by air to another city, I’m exhausted. I usually have to take an early morning flight and return by the red eye. Add to that the one to two hours I spend at the airport, standing in queues, going through security minus my shoes, belt & laptop, and simply waiting because of delays that are announced in only fifteen minute intervals. If that’s not exhausting enough – what about the hour or so it takes to drive to & from the airport? And the probability is that that during all of this, I’m usually attending to other things on the phone.
Having speeded up our lives, we are all reluctant to slow down. So, we probably won’t revert to slower modes of travel. But could we at least TRY to separate some of the stress from the blessing?
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
FOODIE ON A DIET
How’s this for a contradiction!
People often say, “I love food! I could never go on a diet.” I used to one of these people. When well-meaning and not so well-meaning acquaintances suggested I should try a diet, I bristled. And shut them up with my favourite Garfield quote – “diet is ‘die’ with a ‘t’.” Any one will beat a hasty retreat when you accuse them of trying to kill you!
Yet, the stubborn food lover was forced to re-evaluate when health concerns made my weight the culprit. Terrified, I stood on the scale and agreed to lose 20 kilograms, even if I didn’t know how I was going to do it.
Like all diet-haters, I had built up my impressions of starvation & extreme diets. Since I was taking this path to better my health, losing my health along the way was definitely not to be considered. I decided I would take it slow, gradually increasing my exercise routine and phasing out the ‘bad’ foods till I reached my target.
Three things saved me and kept me on my diet –
1. The high-metabolism plan – eating small meals every 2-3 hours means I spend more time planning meals and thinking about food than I did before.
2. The discovery that giving up calories doesn’t mean giving up taste – healthy food really does taste good! And your food habits can & do evolve! My comfort craving used to be pepperoni pizza, now its poached eggs. And I actually prefer the taste of multi-grain bread to white bread.
3. Scheduled cheating – I allow myself to cheat on my diet occasionally. The only rules are not more than once a week and a limit on quantity. This ensures that I don’t entertain the ‘deprived victim’ mentality, which can lead to the vicious cycle of unhindered bingeing and relentless guilt.
I’m still a few kilograms away from my target, but I’m feeling more energetic and healthy. And I’m still a foodie. I just don’t know which kind of food I love more – the sinful calorie-rich stuff which I get once a week or the simple wholesome stuff that I get to eat every day.
People often say, “I love food! I could never go on a diet.” I used to one of these people. When well-meaning and not so well-meaning acquaintances suggested I should try a diet, I bristled. And shut them up with my favourite Garfield quote – “diet is ‘die’ with a ‘t’.” Any one will beat a hasty retreat when you accuse them of trying to kill you!
Yet, the stubborn food lover was forced to re-evaluate when health concerns made my weight the culprit. Terrified, I stood on the scale and agreed to lose 20 kilograms, even if I didn’t know how I was going to do it.
Like all diet-haters, I had built up my impressions of starvation & extreme diets. Since I was taking this path to better my health, losing my health along the way was definitely not to be considered. I decided I would take it slow, gradually increasing my exercise routine and phasing out the ‘bad’ foods till I reached my target.
Three things saved me and kept me on my diet –
1. The high-metabolism plan – eating small meals every 2-3 hours means I spend more time planning meals and thinking about food than I did before.
2. The discovery that giving up calories doesn’t mean giving up taste – healthy food really does taste good! And your food habits can & do evolve! My comfort craving used to be pepperoni pizza, now its poached eggs. And I actually prefer the taste of multi-grain bread to white bread.
3. Scheduled cheating – I allow myself to cheat on my diet occasionally. The only rules are not more than once a week and a limit on quantity. This ensures that I don’t entertain the ‘deprived victim’ mentality, which can lead to the vicious cycle of unhindered bingeing and relentless guilt.
I’m still a few kilograms away from my target, but I’m feeling more energetic and healthy. And I’m still a foodie. I just don’t know which kind of food I love more – the sinful calorie-rich stuff which I get once a week or the simple wholesome stuff that I get to eat every day.
Monday, April 19, 2010
YOUR JOB OR YOUR LIFE
Someone recently told me that a job is just a job – “it shouldn’t infringe on your life.” I have heard this or versions of this statement many times over. It is usually said by the kind of people who have their lives in perfect balance (i.e. have ‘made it’ to wherever ‘it’ is) or older people reminiscing about an earlier strictly 9 to 5 world or people who have never officially worked a day in their lives.
Regardless of who says it, being the recipient of this statement usually leaves me disoriented for considerable time. Why? Well, it’s because my response usually is, “what life?”
Yes, it’s true!
When I first started working I did have other interests. I knew what the latest music was, was aware of current events and had opinions on the latest movies, books, exhibitions, plays, etc. Yet, I was convinced that to advance my career, I had to ‘sacrifice’. I heard stories from senior colleagues about nights & weekends spent in the office which somehow had me convinced that whenever the situation arose, I would have to man up and do the job.
And my friends didn’t seem to have it any different. At least, when I worked late I actually had work to do. My friends had stories of having to stay in office without work just so they wouldn’t be seen to leave before the boss. What’s more, they sometimes went to work on weekends only to show their faces, thus displaying their strong commitment to the company.
Whenever we managed to meet, we all griped about this. This is not the way to live. We should put our foot down. As long as the work gets done, we should not have to give up our evening’s entertainment or night’s sleep. We would resolve to change this but when we went back to work, we never quite got up the courage. What if they fire me? There are plenty of people willing to work like this – they’ll get ahead and I’ll be left behind!
A few years later and I’m beginning to wonder if this was true or was I participating in some kind of mass self-delusion? The truth is that when something is pressing, we always manage to make time for it. Our jobs seem so important to us that they are given priority over all the other things we claim to care much more deeply for – our families, our friends and our passions. Is this really what some unspoken corporate morality is forcing us to do or is it a rationalization for those of us who define ourselves more by our jobs than any by any other parameter?
Think about it. When we meet new people, we no longer first ask ‘where are you from?’ Instead, our first question is ‘what do you do?’ It’s as if we believe that the choice (or compulsion) of a job is the best indicator of who the person is. And this is the same standard we are applying to ourselves.
While I ponder this, I also feel that it seems to be too late to get a life. If I have the energy to do anything once I leave the office, I’m not aware of it! If I get a weekend off, I only want to catch up on my sleep deficit. Even a movie seems like a perfect waste of 3 good hours. And as for writing this blog – it feels like therapy and it might just help me get a little bit better at my job ;)
Regardless of who says it, being the recipient of this statement usually leaves me disoriented for considerable time. Why? Well, it’s because my response usually is, “what life?”
Yes, it’s true!
When I first started working I did have other interests. I knew what the latest music was, was aware of current events and had opinions on the latest movies, books, exhibitions, plays, etc. Yet, I was convinced that to advance my career, I had to ‘sacrifice’. I heard stories from senior colleagues about nights & weekends spent in the office which somehow had me convinced that whenever the situation arose, I would have to man up and do the job.
And my friends didn’t seem to have it any different. At least, when I worked late I actually had work to do. My friends had stories of having to stay in office without work just so they wouldn’t be seen to leave before the boss. What’s more, they sometimes went to work on weekends only to show their faces, thus displaying their strong commitment to the company.
Whenever we managed to meet, we all griped about this. This is not the way to live. We should put our foot down. As long as the work gets done, we should not have to give up our evening’s entertainment or night’s sleep. We would resolve to change this but when we went back to work, we never quite got up the courage. What if they fire me? There are plenty of people willing to work like this – they’ll get ahead and I’ll be left behind!
A few years later and I’m beginning to wonder if this was true or was I participating in some kind of mass self-delusion? The truth is that when something is pressing, we always manage to make time for it. Our jobs seem so important to us that they are given priority over all the other things we claim to care much more deeply for – our families, our friends and our passions. Is this really what some unspoken corporate morality is forcing us to do or is it a rationalization for those of us who define ourselves more by our jobs than any by any other parameter?
Think about it. When we meet new people, we no longer first ask ‘where are you from?’ Instead, our first question is ‘what do you do?’ It’s as if we believe that the choice (or compulsion) of a job is the best indicator of who the person is. And this is the same standard we are applying to ourselves.
While I ponder this, I also feel that it seems to be too late to get a life. If I have the energy to do anything once I leave the office, I’m not aware of it! If I get a weekend off, I only want to catch up on my sleep deficit. Even a movie seems like a perfect waste of 3 good hours. And as for writing this blog – it feels like therapy and it might just help me get a little bit better at my job ;)
Saturday, April 10, 2010
I always thought that if I ever killed anyone it would be a taxi driver!
City dwellers all over the world might relate to this frustration – overcharging and reckless endangerment are only part of the problem. Many taxi drivers seem to think that their cabs are buses – they can decide where they want to go and at which point they will condescend to drop you. Add to that a rude abrasive manner and the fact that they seem to disappear magically when it starts to rain!
Seems pretty straight-forward, right? So, where’s the contradiction in that?
Something changed the way I felt about taxi drivers. And that something is this brilliant work by flickerpixanimations called ‘Horn Ok Please’. The story follows a day in the life of a Mumbai city taxi driver and succeeds in showing the world from his point of view.
After seeing this video, my perspective changed dramatically. I now feel empathy for this person, who is struggling against the odds to make it in the big city and has it so much tougher than the passengers he ferries.
So, do I still get angry at taxi drivers – occasionally, yes! But, that irrational homicidal tendency has been replaced by a willingness to see the situation from his point of view and cut him a break, now and then.
Bravo flickerpixanimations! You have changed a small part of the world and saved lives… those of the taxi drivers I might have killed ;)
Seems pretty straight-forward, right? So, where’s the contradiction in that?
Something changed the way I felt about taxi drivers. And that something is this brilliant work by flickerpixanimations called ‘Horn Ok Please’. The story follows a day in the life of a Mumbai city taxi driver and succeeds in showing the world from his point of view.
After seeing this video, my perspective changed dramatically. I now feel empathy for this person, who is struggling against the odds to make it in the big city and has it so much tougher than the passengers he ferries.
So, do I still get angry at taxi drivers – occasionally, yes! But, that irrational homicidal tendency has been replaced by a willingness to see the situation from his point of view and cut him a break, now and then.
Bravo flickerpixanimations! You have changed a small part of the world and saved lives… those of the taxi drivers I might have killed ;)
Monday, March 29, 2010
AATANKWADI YA SAINIK?/TERRORIST OR NATIONALIST?
Ateet ke gham mann mein jhoolte hain,
Jawan khoon khaulta hai –
Sar par ab junoon hai sawaar,
Ab pakdenge khud insaaf ki talwaar!
Beete kal ke karz aanewaale kal se chukwayenge,
Aage dekhnewalon ko peeche mudwayenge:
Yeh duniya hil jaayegi,
Humein pehchaan mil jayegi!
Mann ka chor karta hai shor
Aur leader ki baatein karti hain zor.
Par dil mein dabbi awaaz kehti hai, “batta,
Iss sab mein masoomon ki kya hai khatta?”
Past sorrows have gripped my mind,
My young blood is restless for action –
My head is obsessed now,
To hold the sword of justice!
I will make tomorrow pay off yesterday’s debts,
I will force those facing forward to look behind:
The world will be shaken,
We will get recognition!
The thief of my mind is creating havoc
And my leader’s words insist on action.
But a voice buried deep in my heart asks,
“What is the fault of the innocents?”
Jawan khoon khaulta hai –
Sar par ab junoon hai sawaar,
Ab pakdenge khud insaaf ki talwaar!
Beete kal ke karz aanewaale kal se chukwayenge,
Aage dekhnewalon ko peeche mudwayenge:
Yeh duniya hil jaayegi,
Humein pehchaan mil jayegi!
Mann ka chor karta hai shor
Aur leader ki baatein karti hain zor.
Par dil mein dabbi awaaz kehti hai, “batta,
Iss sab mein masoomon ki kya hai khatta?”
Past sorrows have gripped my mind,
My young blood is restless for action –
My head is obsessed now,
To hold the sword of justice!
I will make tomorrow pay off yesterday’s debts,
I will force those facing forward to look behind:
The world will be shaken,
We will get recognition!
The thief of my mind is creating havoc
And my leader’s words insist on action.
But a voice buried deep in my heart asks,
“What is the fault of the innocents?”
Thursday, March 25, 2010
SAYING WHAT YOU MEAN = MEANING WHAT YOU SAY
Many people, as they grow older, like to say that younger generations don’t have respect. They lament that we’re losing those niceties of courtesy & convention that defined previous eras, when men were ‘gentlemen’ and women were ‘ladies’ not ‘bros’ and ho’s’ as is the recent colloquial trend.
I strongly object to women being referred to as ‘ho’s’ but I suspect that this is only because I too am growing older and remember a time when the sound had sleazy connotations. Societal conventions of behavior, sexual & otherwise, have changed. Promiscuity without a professional angle is no longer frowned upon but laughed at or even admired. So, perhaps the implication of being called a ‘ho’ is not as insulting as one burdened with past baggage, such as I, might believe.
The loss of hypocritical niceties, on the other hand, is something I can relate to. How many times have you met someone new who gushes warmly only to look through you the next time you see them? Or conversely, have you had someone say something mean and then laugh it off saying they didn’t really mean it? If you live in the Punjabi-dominated North of India, it probably happens all the time!
My childhood memories are peppered with such instances….
- My sister in tears and my grandmother saying, “I didn’t mean to call you golguppy – yeh toh mohkaul tha!” (fatty – this was only teasing)
- My parents driving from end to end in Delhi to meet relatives who didn’t appear as thrilled to see them as they had previously claimed they’d be
- An aunt grabbing hold of me and saying how worried she is about my welfare, only to walk off when I start talking
When you can’t tell the difference between what people say and what they actually mean, it leads to confusion & chaos. The people who are too polite to express how they actually feel build up castles of resentment. Those who are misled into believing that they are genuinely like-able and popular, if not checked, can become obnoxious and entitled. Where, then, are the strong social ties that such courtesy is supposed to elicit?
To people who say I’m anti-social, I say, I’m honest. If I’m happy to see you that’s how you’ll see me behave and if I’m not – well, I won’t pretend just to save your feelings. Isn’t better to know first-hand, which people you genuinely have a chance to connect with and which people are, in the spirit of frankness, a lost cause?
I maybe mean but I mean it!
Friday, March 19, 2010
MUMBAI – CITY OF CONTRADICTIONS & CHAOS
If you are not Indian and have heard of Mumbai, it’s probably because of 2 reasons –
1. Slumdog Millionaire – the Oscar-winning movie set in the city, that celebrates the ultimate victory of good karma
2. 26/11 – the shocking terror attacks that exposed the city’s vulnerability
However, if Mumbai were to be known for only one thing, that one thing should be the resilience of its citizens. The approximately 19 million Mumbaikars, as we like to call ourselves, share a spirit that slows down or stops for no one.
Despite the shock of random shooting at a major train station, many Mumbaikars got right back on the trains the day after 26/11. In fact a lot of them travel hanging out of a crowded train just to get to work on time – a risk probably far more likely to be fatal than a terror attack. What’s more, they travel this way twice a day…because as we say in India, sab chalta hai (it all works)!
This attitude is largely why India’s primary wealth-generating city has crumbling infrastructure. We are so busy working hard to chase our personal karmas that we don’t have time to ask questions or having posed them, search for appropriate answers. Questions such as…
- Why the city that stops for no one comes to a standstill every year, in every monsoon, every time it rains continuously for over an hour?
- Why the city with the largest tax contribution doesn’t have a single road free of potholes?
- Why the small bridge to solve a small part of Mumbai’s traffic congestion took over 11 years to build and is still not complete?
After all, we are a city of professionals – we go about our own work and leave it to others to do their own. So what if our politicians define their priority jobs differently from what we’d like them to – such as…
- Changing the names of landmarks and roads to the point where it is near impossible to identify a place from its correct postal address alone
- Pitting Maharashtrians against non-Maharashtrians, a concept that should have no place in secular India and cosmopolitan Mumbai, whose growth is driven by the confluence of different communities and cultures
I love Mumbai – every Mumbaikar does, but sadly, we love the city in our own selfish ways. We want the city to improve in many ways but we feel that our part in this ends with pointing fingers & finding flaws.
Will we ever wake up to our responsibilities in a city that never sleeps?
1. Slumdog Millionaire – the Oscar-winning movie set in the city, that celebrates the ultimate victory of good karma
2. 26/11 – the shocking terror attacks that exposed the city’s vulnerability
However, if Mumbai were to be known for only one thing, that one thing should be the resilience of its citizens. The approximately 19 million Mumbaikars, as we like to call ourselves, share a spirit that slows down or stops for no one.
Despite the shock of random shooting at a major train station, many Mumbaikars got right back on the trains the day after 26/11. In fact a lot of them travel hanging out of a crowded train just to get to work on time – a risk probably far more likely to be fatal than a terror attack. What’s more, they travel this way twice a day…because as we say in India, sab chalta hai (it all works)!
This attitude is largely why India’s primary wealth-generating city has crumbling infrastructure. We are so busy working hard to chase our personal karmas that we don’t have time to ask questions or having posed them, search for appropriate answers. Questions such as…
- Why the city that stops for no one comes to a standstill every year, in every monsoon, every time it rains continuously for over an hour?
- Why the city with the largest tax contribution doesn’t have a single road free of potholes?
- Why the small bridge to solve a small part of Mumbai’s traffic congestion took over 11 years to build and is still not complete?
After all, we are a city of professionals – we go about our own work and leave it to others to do their own. So what if our politicians define their priority jobs differently from what we’d like them to – such as…
- Changing the names of landmarks and roads to the point where it is near impossible to identify a place from its correct postal address alone
- Pitting Maharashtrians against non-Maharashtrians, a concept that should have no place in secular India and cosmopolitan Mumbai, whose growth is driven by the confluence of different communities and cultures
I love Mumbai – every Mumbaikar does, but sadly, we love the city in our own selfish ways. We want the city to improve in many ways but we feel that our part in this ends with pointing fingers & finding flaws.
Will we ever wake up to our responsibilities in a city that never sleeps?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
