I realized M tagged me a couple of months back, and on my way back to regular writing, this should get me started.
One book that changed your life?
Hmm..books dont change my life, probably influence its course.Currently, The screenplay of Good Will Hunting by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck tops the list. I know it sounds a little queer, but I actually own a copy of this tale about this prodigy, working as a Janitor in MIT and his struggles with himself, his personal and professional relationships and eventually working through his problems.
An Excerpt from the actual transcript:
WILL: Do you play the piano?
SKYLAR: I wanna talk about this.
WIL: No, I'm tryin' to explain it to you. Do you play the piano?
SKYLAR: Yeah, a bit.
WILL: All right so when you--when you look at a piano you see Mozart.
SKYLAR: I see Chopsticks.
WILL: All right, well, Beethoven, okay, he looked at a piano and it just made sense to him. He could just play.
SKYLAR: So, what're you saying? You play the piano?
WILL: No. Not a lick. I mean, I look at a piano, I see a bunch'a keys, three pedals, and a box of wood. but Beethoven, Mozart, they saw it, they could just play. I couldn't paint you a picture, I probably can't hit the ball out of Fenway, and I can't play the piano.
SKYLAR: But you can do my O Chem paper in under an hour.
WILL: Right. Well, I mean, when it came to stuff like that I could always just play. That's the best I can explain it.
The Kite Runner of late has been an inspiring read as well.
2. One book you have read more than once?
Hmmm..the Kite Runner, Love Story, Catcher in the rye, the TinTin collections, the color of water, the diary of Anne Frank.
3. One book you would want on a desert island?
I'd probably want more than one here..Ayn Rand's works The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, my Calvin and Hobbes collection,
4. One book that made you cry?
None that I can think of..though the pursuit of happyness by Chris Gardner had its moments. I am planning to watch the movie this weekend..it stars Will Smith and his son Jaden.
5. One book that made you laugh?
Gods Debris, C n H obviously, Dave Barry's and some of Nick Hornby's works.
6. One book you wish had been written?
I am a big fan of stories being retold. I wish a lot of valued classics could be retold in current premises to accentuate their worth or obtain different dimensions of the fable.
7. One book you wish had never been written?
Some of these annoying British writing with cynics, drug addicts, omniscients, sexpots and the likes..reading which makes you more depressed than before.
8. One book you are currently reading?
Tsotsi, Harry Potter and the sorcerers Stone, the interpreter of maladies, deception point.
9. One book you have been meaning to read?
the remaining books in the Harry Potter series, Scott Adams's Way of the Weasel, Ponniyin Selvan, the works of James Herriot.
10. Tag five people.
Dont Bother..:)
Doctors
I havent been consistent in writing, largely due to the fact that I have been prioritizing work over everything else of late. I am trying to keep myself busy doing a bit of traveling, reading, sorting out my books and music, volunteering at the Hospital and playing some tennis. I love being around at MGH. The place is abuzz with activity throughout the day, and you get to interact with so many people from all walks of life. Its heartwarming to see them contribute their bit towards making someone feel better, physically and mentally.
I recently read about 4 new residents who have joined Brigham and Woman's Hospital this summer.Sarah Billmeier (MD, Surgery) lost her left leg above her knee to bone cancer at the age of 5. That did not deter her from learning to ski and she made it to the US paralympic team at the age of 14, winning medals at different events in France, Norway and in the USA. She completed her MD from Dartmouth college and began her residency this summer at BWH. She hopes to utilize her experiences in healthcare to show that obstacles are meant to be overcome. Sashi Ranganathan (MD, Radiology) graduated from Yale and relocated to Calcutta to work at Prem Dan, run by Mother Theresa's sisters of charity. At Prem dan, she tended to tuberculosis and AIDS affected patients and returned back to the US to complete her MD at the St. Georges University in Grenada.
Nirav Vakharia (MD, Internal Medicine) graduated from Case Western and spent 2 years teaching 7th and 8th grade kids and eventually researched policy initiatives for the goverment. He then relocated to Burma to train educators in refugee camps there, and returned back to commence at Harvard Medical School.For Michael Westerhaus (MD, Internal Medicine), a service trip in Mexico made him realize he wanted to directly work with patients than performing research. He spent a year volunteering at a health care camp in Uganda, returned back to the US to pursue his MD at HMS. He spends his summers in Uganda, researching HIV transmission and working with AIDS patients.
4 diverse backgrounds, 4 unique experiences and 4 inspiring individuals.
I recently read about 4 new residents who have joined Brigham and Woman's Hospital this summer.Sarah Billmeier (MD, Surgery) lost her left leg above her knee to bone cancer at the age of 5. That did not deter her from learning to ski and she made it to the US paralympic team at the age of 14, winning medals at different events in France, Norway and in the USA. She completed her MD from Dartmouth college and began her residency this summer at BWH. She hopes to utilize her experiences in healthcare to show that obstacles are meant to be overcome. Sashi Ranganathan (MD, Radiology) graduated from Yale and relocated to Calcutta to work at Prem Dan, run by Mother Theresa's sisters of charity. At Prem dan, she tended to tuberculosis and AIDS affected patients and returned back to the US to complete her MD at the St. Georges University in Grenada.
Nirav Vakharia (MD, Internal Medicine) graduated from Case Western and spent 2 years teaching 7th and 8th grade kids and eventually researched policy initiatives for the goverment. He then relocated to Burma to train educators in refugee camps there, and returned back to commence at Harvard Medical School.For Michael Westerhaus (MD, Internal Medicine), a service trip in Mexico made him realize he wanted to directly work with patients than performing research. He spent a year volunteering at a health care camp in Uganda, returned back to the US to pursue his MD at HMS. He spends his summers in Uganda, researching HIV transmission and working with AIDS patients.
4 diverse backgrounds, 4 unique experiences and 4 inspiring individuals.
Whats in a Name?
Due to unspecific reasons, I changed the name of my blog to arkatva.blogspot.com from das-zeitgeist.blogspot.com. In between these two, there were a couple of insignificant addresses which I would rather not talk about.
Arkatva is a sanskrit word which means brightness, and I will try to continue keeping the zeitgeist amalgamated in these pages.
Arkatva is a sanskrit word which means brightness, and I will try to continue keeping the zeitgeist amalgamated in these pages.
Kiss and Make Up
Today was a day which you wish never happened, but realise you never had a choice in the first place. I was late for work ( Late and Latest tactic did not hold good this time around). I commenced working on some protocols, but realised I had to send a courier home. I located a UPS store in downtown Boston, and took some time off in the afternoon to get this done. I got off at the wrong T station, traversed the entire downtown, got lost ( I would done better navigating the chakravyuha)and retraced my way to the UPS store.
Afternoon was even "better". Things werent completed on schedule and the protocol was messed up. Guilt and remorse was blowing in the wind. Onyi asked me why I had to cramp so much in a day. She said she always made sure that she Kept It Short and Simple.
Now, who would not want a kiss like this.
Afternoon was even "better". Things werent completed on schedule and the protocol was messed up. Guilt and remorse was blowing in the wind. Onyi asked me why I had to cramp so much in a day. She said she always made sure that she Kept It Short and Simple.
Now, who would not want a kiss like this.
Mom Chips in...
"Sucess is....going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm"
Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Or-CUT!
Quote of the week
" I really dont like this Orkut. Its the virtual equivalent of shouting across a busy road"
AJR
" I really dont like this Orkut. Its the virtual equivalent of shouting across a busy road"
AJR
Once upon a time in Kentucky
The last time NJ and I worked out a trip together, we got stranded for 2 days in a snowstorm, almost got arrested while consipiring to rob a Family Dollar store, missed our bus back to Chicago, took a taxi to outrun the bus and board it in Cincinatti. Wonder whats going to happen next month..
It happened December 2004. I was tormented with excess work and took a break to visit family in Chicago. It transpired to me that SS lived pretty close by and it would be a great time to drop by her place. I roped in NJ and a plan was made.
I missed my flight to Chicago on saturday evening, thanks to my last minute shopping spree. Dad used to say I never learn. He's the kind who reaches the station an hour before a train departs, and here I was, trying to catch a flight fifteen minutes before it took off. His laughter still rings in my ears.
I rescheduled my flight for sunday morning and spent a day and a half with my cousins. I met NJ on monday evening at Union Station to take a greyhound bus to Lexington, KY. We were supposed to get back on thursday and I was flying back to Ruston on saturday. We reached Lexington on a cold tuesday morning and had a wonderful time with SS, who was getting ready for a short vacation to India. Come wednesday night and we were ready to head back to the windy city. SS, who had borrowed her friends car, drove us to the bus station and we were stationed in the parking lot of a mall, waiting for the bus to arrive.It was cold and we decided to wait in the car itself. Barely 15 minutes had passed,we heard sirens and two police cars pull behind us. I panicked and got out of the car, only to get back in when a voice bellowed through the loudspeaker " GET BACK INTO THE CAR AND DO NOT GET OUT UNTIL WE SAY SO..". Yeah whatever.
Here we were, inside the car clueless about what was going on. SS had another problem , the car was not hers. Two policemen walk towards us. SS rolled down the window and we were bombarded with a zillion questions. Apparently, the family dollar outlet in the mall noticed us in the parking lot and realised we were there for quite a while. The paranoid owners telephoned the cops thinking we were waiting to rob them ( Family dollar of all places). We had to show the cops our bus tickets and IDs for him to believe us. Actually he dint, one of the cars left while the other waited till we boarded onto the bus. We did not board the bus eventually, because of a snowstorm in Ohio and Indiana. All roads leading out out of Indianapolis were blocked and there was no way of us reaching Cincinatti, leave alone Indianapolis and Chicago. Here we were, in Lexington, toubling SS who hadnt even commenced her packing. The following day was spent at home looking at each others faces.
We found out that there was a bus leaving for Chicago on Friday morning though. SS dropped us off at the bus station a little earlier, and since we had some time on hand, we walked across to walmart to grab something to eat and buy a discman. As we come out, the Chicago greyhound bus departs right in front of our eyes. I had to be on that bus as the next one was only in the night and I had to catch a flight out of Chicago the following morning at 6. We knew that the bus had a stopover at Cincinatti. We pooled all the money we got, rented a taxi,scared the wits out of SS, made the driver break every speed limit on the ice covered interstate, and boarded that bus five minutes before its departure. We made it to Chicago that evening at around 6. Everyone was happy, NJ got home safely and SS successfully completed her packing. I almost missed my morning flight, but thats another story.
A jinxed trip? No way. I got to spend quality time with two of my most favorite people in the world, missed buses, endured snow storms and house arrests and had a whale of a time.Thats all I wanted.
(I still dont regret buying that discman for altogether different reasons.)
P.S: To all who stumble upon this page and spend a couple of minutes perusing it. Please let me know what you think, it does wonders.
P.P.S: I dedicate this post to my co-accuseds. This wouldnt have happened without you two. I still miss the Karagatta "car" though. Thanks for one hell of a ride.
DPK
It happened December 2004. I was tormented with excess work and took a break to visit family in Chicago. It transpired to me that SS lived pretty close by and it would be a great time to drop by her place. I roped in NJ and a plan was made.
I missed my flight to Chicago on saturday evening, thanks to my last minute shopping spree. Dad used to say I never learn. He's the kind who reaches the station an hour before a train departs, and here I was, trying to catch a flight fifteen minutes before it took off. His laughter still rings in my ears.
I rescheduled my flight for sunday morning and spent a day and a half with my cousins. I met NJ on monday evening at Union Station to take a greyhound bus to Lexington, KY. We were supposed to get back on thursday and I was flying back to Ruston on saturday. We reached Lexington on a cold tuesday morning and had a wonderful time with SS, who was getting ready for a short vacation to India. Come wednesday night and we were ready to head back to the windy city. SS, who had borrowed her friends car, drove us to the bus station and we were stationed in the parking lot of a mall, waiting for the bus to arrive.It was cold and we decided to wait in the car itself. Barely 15 minutes had passed,we heard sirens and two police cars pull behind us. I panicked and got out of the car, only to get back in when a voice bellowed through the loudspeaker " GET BACK INTO THE CAR AND DO NOT GET OUT UNTIL WE SAY SO..". Yeah whatever.
Here we were, inside the car clueless about what was going on. SS had another problem , the car was not hers. Two policemen walk towards us. SS rolled down the window and we were bombarded with a zillion questions. Apparently, the family dollar outlet in the mall noticed us in the parking lot and realised we were there for quite a while. The paranoid owners telephoned the cops thinking we were waiting to rob them ( Family dollar of all places). We had to show the cops our bus tickets and IDs for him to believe us. Actually he dint, one of the cars left while the other waited till we boarded onto the bus. We did not board the bus eventually, because of a snowstorm in Ohio and Indiana. All roads leading out out of Indianapolis were blocked and there was no way of us reaching Cincinatti, leave alone Indianapolis and Chicago. Here we were, in Lexington, toubling SS who hadnt even commenced her packing. The following day was spent at home looking at each others faces.
We found out that there was a bus leaving for Chicago on Friday morning though. SS dropped us off at the bus station a little earlier, and since we had some time on hand, we walked across to walmart to grab something to eat and buy a discman. As we come out, the Chicago greyhound bus departs right in front of our eyes. I had to be on that bus as the next one was only in the night and I had to catch a flight out of Chicago the following morning at 6. We knew that the bus had a stopover at Cincinatti. We pooled all the money we got, rented a taxi,scared the wits out of SS, made the driver break every speed limit on the ice covered interstate, and boarded that bus five minutes before its departure. We made it to Chicago that evening at around 6. Everyone was happy, NJ got home safely and SS successfully completed her packing. I almost missed my morning flight, but thats another story.
A jinxed trip? No way. I got to spend quality time with two of my most favorite people in the world, missed buses, endured snow storms and house arrests and had a whale of a time.Thats all I wanted.
(I still dont regret buying that discman for altogether different reasons.)
P.S: To all who stumble upon this page and spend a couple of minutes perusing it. Please let me know what you think, it does wonders.
P.P.S: I dedicate this post to my co-accuseds. This wouldnt have happened without you two. I still miss the Karagatta "car" though. Thanks for one hell of a ride.
DPK
Commute Catalysts
I call them my commute catalysts.
Starting with the 7: 10 bus pilot lady who welcomes me aboard. Hossain, the gentleman who hands out the morning daily at the T station,Mr. Hager, the security at MGH who has his thought for the day every morning and ensures that I am on time for the shuttle in the evening. I am still counting...
These people dont know who I am, but a smile or a simple nod from them makes a whale of a difference.I've heard that good company on a journey makes it shorter.These people make mine enriched,eventful and most importantly, worth it.
Look around...they might be just around the corner...maybe, you are one yourself.
Starting with the 7: 10 bus pilot lady who welcomes me aboard. Hossain, the gentleman who hands out the morning daily at the T station,Mr. Hager, the security at MGH who has his thought for the day every morning and ensures that I am on time for the shuttle in the evening. I am still counting...
These people dont know who I am, but a smile or a simple nod from them makes a whale of a difference.I've heard that good company on a journey makes it shorter.These people make mine enriched,eventful and most importantly, worth it.
Look around...they might be just around the corner...maybe, you are one yourself.
Goodbye Mr. Goldy Locks
AN ERA ENDS AT WIMBLEDON..
-NELLY, Heart of a Champion
Source: www.wimbledon.org/ reuters
The saddest part about rooting for our favorite athletes is that we fail to comprehend the fact that time isnt always there on their side. When Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal met on center court on saturday. I supported the man who revolutionized the game right from neon cycling shorts to meteoric returns of serve, with over 20 years of professional tennis experience and making his 14th and final wimbledon appearance. Facing this legend, was a twenty year old talent pile, fresh from his victory over the numero uno at Rolland Garros. Rafael Nadal was 2 months old when Andre Agassi made his debut at the US open in 1986 and 6 years old when Agassi won his first grandslam at wimbledon in 1992.
The fact that age prevailed over experience is old news, and Nadal was gracious enough to let the legend get his due. After a few waves to the crowd, signing some autographs and a rare on court interview, the man was gone. His spirit, tenacity and attitude never will.
Quoting Agassi, " I think this was a place that first taught me to respect the sport, really. It's been a privilege to be out there again for one last time. "To say goodbye, for me, this means as much as winning."
So long and thank you for everything you brought into the game, Andre.
Ain't no way they can stop me now
Cause I'm on my way, I can feel my ring coming
It's the blood of a champion, pumping
Deep inside my veins, too much pride to be running
I'ma give what I can and more, even if
My blood, my sweat, and my tears don't mean nothing
It's the heart of a champion in me
-NELLY, Heart of a Champion
Source: www.wimbledon.org/ reuters
The saddest part about rooting for our favorite athletes is that we fail to comprehend the fact that time isnt always there on their side. When Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal met on center court on saturday. I supported the man who revolutionized the game right from neon cycling shorts to meteoric returns of serve, with over 20 years of professional tennis experience and making his 14th and final wimbledon appearance. Facing this legend, was a twenty year old talent pile, fresh from his victory over the numero uno at Rolland Garros. Rafael Nadal was 2 months old when Andre Agassi made his debut at the US open in 1986 and 6 years old when Agassi won his first grandslam at wimbledon in 1992.
The fact that age prevailed over experience is old news, and Nadal was gracious enough to let the legend get his due. After a few waves to the crowd, signing some autographs and a rare on court interview, the man was gone. His spirit, tenacity and attitude never will.
Quoting Agassi, " I think this was a place that first taught me to respect the sport, really. It's been a privilege to be out there again for one last time. "To say goodbye, for me, this means as much as winning."
So long and thank you for everything you brought into the game, Andre.
Blues
The bad thing about not blogging for a while is the obvious, the good thing is you have a lot more to harp about than before.
before signing off, the man of steel returns and what a comeback its been..
up, up and away...
before signing off, the man of steel returns and what a comeback its been..
up, up and away...
Binary
Sipping on a chat with AB recently..
I was ranting on how things werent shaping up as it should have been. At one point of time when there was a faint light in a distance, and I managed a small smile. She indicated that you should feel good about it, for it is an achievement by itself, make a scene, let people know, treat urself.
as I was pondering over it, I realised that my perception of success is binary, maybe I should realise there is a lot between the 1 and the 0. I will.
I was ranting on how things werent shaping up as it should have been. At one point of time when there was a faint light in a distance, and I managed a small smile. She indicated that you should feel good about it, for it is an achievement by itself, make a scene, let people know, treat urself.
as I was pondering over it, I realised that my perception of success is binary, maybe I should realise there is a lot between the 1 and the 0. I will.
187
"God,
Grant me the serenity to accept things I cannot change, the courage to change things I can and the wisdom to know the difference."
- Samuel. L. Jackson, 187
A befitting end to a great day. Amen
Grant me the serenity to accept things I cannot change, the courage to change things I can and the wisdom to know the difference."
- Samuel. L. Jackson, 187
A befitting end to a great day. Amen
Soccer Soccer!!
Here's a football joke...do not abuse me if the facts are wrong..remember, it is just a joke, not sacrilege against soccer
The Japanese, Korean and Chinese footballers pray to god to find out their chances of qualifying for the world cup. The Japanese go first and ask about their chances, god says maybe after 25 years. The Japanese are so upset that they start crying
Next, Koreans ask god about their chances, he says maybe after 50 years. This upsets the Koreans so much, that they arent able to contain their dismay and tears.
The Chinese footballers go next and on the wake of Japan's and Korea's dissappointment anticipated the worst case scenario. They asked god when they will be able to qualify for the world cup finals.GOD STARTED BAWLING!!!!
This joke was told to me by my Chinese colleague who was deeply upset by her country's non performance. She asked me whether India played good football and what their chances were. The eternal optimist that I am, I just smiled but did not mention about the time god had a nervous breakdown when the Indians posed the same question.
The Japanese, Korean and Chinese footballers pray to god to find out their chances of qualifying for the world cup. The Japanese go first and ask about their chances, god says maybe after 25 years. The Japanese are so upset that they start crying
Next, Koreans ask god about their chances, he says maybe after 50 years. This upsets the Koreans so much, that they arent able to contain their dismay and tears.
The Chinese footballers go next and on the wake of Japan's and Korea's dissappointment anticipated the worst case scenario. They asked god when they will be able to qualify for the world cup finals.GOD STARTED BAWLING!!!!
This joke was told to me by my Chinese colleague who was deeply upset by her country's non performance. She asked me whether India played good football and what their chances were. The eternal optimist that I am, I just smiled but did not mention about the time god had a nervous breakdown when the Indians posed the same question.
Swagatam
For starters, views expressed in this post as well as subsequent posts (if I bring myself to write any) are solely mine and does not reflect anyone's opinion or anything else. I know it doesnt really make a difference because people rarely read disclaimers but what gives.
Finally I managed to write my first post. I decided on this title after a exhaustive elimination process ( some of the titles which made it, but rejected to avoid duplicate included sine-qua-non( my fave), ephemeral panacea so on and so forth). But this word remained indelible since it reflected my perspective on awareness and expression.
Zeitgeist is a german phrase which means spirit of time. I will let wikipedia take over from here in elucidating more about it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeitgeist
I remember telling SS that blogging's for software professionals, and they get paid for it. It was meant as a joke and not to ruffle some feathers. I humbly ate my words after following a lot of writing over the last few months. I was moved, inspired, angered, amused and motivated by a lot of them, which made me realise there is more to blogging than knowing about how someone's colleague picks his nose and slurps his coffee.
I percieve the writing I follow as a reflection of an individual's character and spirit,indefatigable in their own way. This is why I decided to be part of the zeitgeist.
Do I have to do this? I'll know the answer soon..till then let me wallow.
This post is dedicated to my jawan buddy, who knew what he wanted and worked his way to get it. Lieutenant body, we are proud of u.
Finally I managed to write my first post. I decided on this title after a exhaustive elimination process ( some of the titles which made it, but rejected to avoid duplicate included sine-qua-non( my fave), ephemeral panacea so on and so forth). But this word remained indelible since it reflected my perspective on awareness and expression.
Zeitgeist is a german phrase which means spirit of time. I will let wikipedia take over from here in elucidating more about it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeitgeist
I remember telling SS that blogging's for software professionals, and they get paid for it. It was meant as a joke and not to ruffle some feathers. I humbly ate my words after following a lot of writing over the last few months. I was moved, inspired, angered, amused and motivated by a lot of them, which made me realise there is more to blogging than knowing about how someone's colleague picks his nose and slurps his coffee.
I percieve the writing I follow as a reflection of an individual's character and spirit,indefatigable in their own way. This is why I decided to be part of the zeitgeist.
Do I have to do this? I'll know the answer soon..till then let me wallow.
This post is dedicated to my jawan buddy, who knew what he wanted and worked his way to get it. Lieutenant body, we are proud of u.
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