Category: Life

Next time you are in a group – say, with friends, colleagues at work, any group at all, it does not matter – pay close attention to who talks the most. Then try to find out what percentage of that was useful information. I can bet that in most cases, 80% of the time was hogged by very few people producing less than 20% of useful information. I am not against the talkers. Some of those close around me are. In fact they are the ones who keep a conversation going, the energy level up and the world spinning. It …

There are some amazing parents in the animal kingdom. Several birds try to deflect the predator’s attention to their young ones by making themselves a possible prey. The Giant octopus who lays the eggs, tends to them without eating and dies off. Orangutans, Polar bears and elephants who invest time and energy running into years to ensure that their offspring stands a good chance. Parenting is a required genetic trait, but there is one animal that outshines all when it comes to worrying and strategising about their progeny’s future – Humans. Depending on who you ask, today’s parents spend several …

Just as a fun pass time activity, I have always wondered how to measure the cost associated with our happiness. My theory is that we first need to have “Happiness Points” ranging from 0 to 100 for each of our experience / feeling / product etc. The points can range between 0, which brings you no happiness at all to a maximum of 100 meaning a great ecstasy of happiness that you can revisit again and again. This point system should consider every form of happiness that you derive out of the thing under condideration. Let’s take an example to …

So, I was wondering how shallow most of the time we are with whatever it is that we are doing. It is like we are under an imperius curse and chug along as it takes us. Technically we are not to be blamed as most of us are just helpless preys of a life style pushed on to us by others with different motivations. When was the last time you did something deep, like with complete focus and attention, without anything or anybody disturbing you or vying for your attention every few minutes. If you had answered the above question …

Why is it always that the first handful of mutton biriyani, the tastiest? Could it be the expectation building up to it or the miriad of smells that keep increasing your hunger exponentially till that point. Whatever the reason, isn’t that feeling heavenly – why can’t we have the same content blissful feeling last the entire meal. Why do we have to spoil the fun by eating to the point of plenty. I do a great many experiments with myself – the way I eat, how much I eat, when and amount of water I take in and many more. …

In our feudal society there is no dearth of examples for Master Slave relationships. We see people opening car doors for their masters, holding umbrellas for the chief, constables doing menial jobs for inspectors and their wives and maids made to work all day without holidays for paltry sums of money. We even have the time tested slave, a housewife, who does everything for her husband and kids, but does not even receive the respect she deserves. Now, Imagine for a moment, that suddenly the roles get swapped- the master becomes the slave and the slave becomes the master. How …

Everything comes with an expiry date, including us. We all know that taking a medicine past its expiry date will do more harm than good. But, without giving it any thought, we are not only consuming but administering so many ‘medicines’, well past their expiry dates. These ‘medicines’ or rather ideas, notions, beliefs and practices, were once meant to cure a problem during a different age, in a different context. Those problems may not exist anymore or might need different solutions, but we are just stuck to the same old ideas. They could be in different forms in different fields …

Of late, I am seeing this funny thing where people are so stressed and pressurized to be happy or make others happy on an important day – say Birthday. If it were not for some of them being my close friends, I could almost enjoy it like a stand up comedy. Often times the monotonocity and drama that surrounds the special day is in itself worth exploring. We have the Birthday Man or Woman (all grown up you see), who gets wished through all modes of communication possible (phones, whatsapp, in-person and even SMSes from Finance companies). Those who call …