Inertia of writing

I feel clueless about the inertia of not writing. Whenever I think of writing, something tends to pull me back. Maybe because of the fear of what I write may come out as a piece of shit.  Sometimes, it is because I do not have any novel thing to say and feel that my knowledge base is depleted. Overall it has been a challenge. 

The blog writing is different from the answer writing of UPSC examination. As a rule, I should try to begin my day with answer writing rather that keeping it for the end of the day. It is for the reason that at the end of the day, one often feels lethargic and bored. 

Another big challenge has been to get up at 6 and follow my schedule. For this, I need to ensure that I sleep around 11 PM night before. That hardly happens and I wish to be more exacting and hard on this one. 

In past few days, I read some very interesting examples. A rickshaw puller in Punjab wrote a book about his rides with interesting passengers. Similarly, a tenth pass person made a paraglider using waste at home. Such examples are inspiring. It shows one really does not need any degree or qualification if one really wants to do something. All it requires is a dream and action. 

Today, most of us live in a culture of mediocrity and boredom. Most of the IT job junta specifically falls into that category. There are hardly many people who love what they do or what they wish to do. But they just do it. Because it is an easy money earning activity. At some point, I am also part of the lot. In fact, not many of us really know what we love? We do IT because we do not know anything else. And the irony is when we call it a full-life. Therefore, learning and enhancing activity levels and skill levels is essential to actually feel various dimensions of life. 

I have been meeting people in last few weeks. One thing I noticed is just like there is a toilet movement going on in Indian villages, there is a freedom movement going on in the cities. Most of the educated girls demand full freedom in the in-law's place. It's a good trend but for most of us including me its good till the time, it comes into my own backyard. Personally, I fear this brigade of women who call for absolute equality in all walks of life not because I have some male-thinking but because I think it is a radical idea and most of the middle-class families are not prepared to deal with this trend.  Anyway, this topic requires more elaborative blogging. Will write some other time. Have 4 meetings scheduled in the day. So got to be running for the same.

Importance of a vision in life

Many of us live our life without having any vision. For a person with no dreams, no purpose and no objective goals, having no vision may work pretty well. But for someone who dares to dream and take relevant actions, having a vision is as important as a compass to seafarers. Without vision, without the ability to see a distant future, without the idea of a clear path ahead, one may go directionless at any moment.

Vision helps in keeping us motivated in the pursuit of our dream. Everyone goes off the track once in a while. Either girls or money or desire to relax and easing up may slow you down but vision acts as a compass and tells you whether you are on the track or off the track. However, vision is necessary but not the sufficient condition for the accomplishment of a purposeful journey. One need discipline as a force to get back on the track. 

Discipline requires an order of highest degree. It is a rule-based life. Any ace sportsperson in the world is discipline personified. Be it Sachin or Virat or anyone else. Whoever wants to make it big or ace in some walk of life must possess discipline.  But there are many distractors to the discipline. Sleep or lethargy being the topmost. Then desire to venture out, hang out with friends and mediocrity all around keeps drawing us back to the routine ways of life. Nowadays, distraction is served on your laptop itself. You can shop on your laptop, you can virtually meet your friends on the laptop and you can watch movies, videos of all sorts on the computer. 

Therefore, discipline requires willpower. Willpower comes from good child rearing practices. It develops gradually. Willpower certain level of obsessive tendencies in the behavior. But it also generates from a can-do attitude. If you believe that something is just not going to work then eventually you would not like to invest your energies into it. The development of will power hinges on one's belief system. A good belief system leads to better will power. The belief, however, is formed from the vision. Therefore, it is a circular sequence. vision, discipline, will power, belief all four are inter-related and mutually inspiring. 

Description of a dream

I was standing around the corner waiting for her. Usually, she passes from that corner around lunch time but today she had not come. My room was on the third floor of a building which was nearly 20 meters from the street corner. It has a balcony. I often used to sit in the balcony for sunbath after Lunch. It was on one such afternoon when I had noticed her passing by on her bicycle for the first time. I had seen her before also but every time she had wrapped her dupatta on the face and covered her entire body. It was only as late as mid-December when I could see her face for the first time.

Her first sight lasted only for micro-seconds but it was sufficient enough to get my gaze fixated at her face. Her face got registered deep in my heart. Her gleaming half open eyes and graceful look kept appearing in my imagination for the entire day. For the next ten days, I ate my lunch early and used to wait for one glimpse of her in my balcony. She was simplicity personified. Her narrow forehead, dark black eyes, and persistent faint smile gave the impression as if she is too busy immersed in her own world. She had the confidence but a tinge of uncertainty reflected in her ride. Her gaze was fixed on the road ahead, 20 meters ahead of her as if she is living in the moment and not thinking too far ahead. One day I sat for the whole day in the balcony waiting for her to return. It was a frosty day. I wrapped my blanket around and mufflers around my head and sat our there bearing the cold wind. It made me think as if I am on a spy mission on India-Pakistan border where temperature runs in sub-zero in this time of the year. My gaze was fixated on the corner for the entire day and I did not even take a drinks break. But she did not return. Maybe she took some other path back home or maybe afternoon ride was her return journey and she had passed early in the morning itself. However, this would be the most difficult thing to know for someone like me.

The strange truth of the student life is we turn nocturnal animals. I hardly remember when was the last time when I had seen the sun rise. I think it was in June when I had an exam in the morning shift and given my under preparation, I decided to do a night out. Not to mention, I ended up spoiling the exam. I felt so sleepy in the exam that I could not lift my pen after the second hour and literally slept in the examination hall. Only when the finish bell rang, I got up and saw the classroom was empty as everyone had left the room. The invigilator came and took away my paper without disturbing my sleep. Maybe he understood the blissfulness of the sleep from his early days as a student. Quite considerate of me. Anyway, that time is gone. Nowadays I am having sleepless nights due to her. There is a sense of curiosity, sense of desire to know about her. So finally I decided to wait for her at the corner of the street.

Budget classes

My Economic survey and Budget classes got over. It was wonderfully learning and teaching experience. The students were all experienced. In total, I have taken almost 60 hours of original classes in last 4 months. Every single topic I discussed was novel and non-repetitive. As a result, I feel depleted and thus I strongly feel the need to refill my knowledge tank so that I can deliver better and different content for my other classes.

Another thing I realized was the importance of being organized and on the top of the things in the class. Organization help students in absorbing content in more complete fashion. Further, one should not be eager in answering every question of the students. It often leads to distraction in the class.

Classes were electric in nature. A lot of discussions, a lot of energy and lot of fun. It genuinely helped me in understanding students psyche. I am sure that I will be improving on this in future. As characteristic of my classes, people who were reluctant and hesitant to speak in the class became the most vocal contributor in the class. This was the most satisfying thing in the class.

In the process, I lost track of my own routine and could not cover current affairs in last few days. Largely because of my after class meetings and lethargy in the early morning and late evening schedules. It was the bad part for me. Meetings were important but not at the cost of my own schedule of 5 hours. I realized that how important it is to be reticent, isolated and focussed while preparing for a competitive examination.
Now the challenge lies in making a new beginning. How to do that is a challenge? So without wasting time, I would rather kickstart myself onto this new challenge.

Rahul Gandhi 2.0

Political leaders wear so many different masks that it becomes difficult to understand their true faces. At times, Modi is so honest and looks determined and committed. Then suddenly Kejriwal's speeches look promising and inspiring. But then as time passes, new situations arise. These situations uncover a new face of these leaders every time. Sometimes, Modi looks very brutal and punishing and at other times, he looks like a saint with a generous heart and magnanimous vision.

Just like Modi has transformed himself post-Godhara, there is one leader who has undergone a similar level of transformation in his body language, speeches, and political actions. However, he has not received a similar level of positive media coverage. Most of the internet forums are filled with cheap and funny jokes about him. He is famously called Pappu and most of the time, public is seen trolling him on twitter or facebook. But a deep study of his speeches reveals the becoming of a different kind of political personality in the recent times. One would have already guessed. He is none other than Rahul Gandhi.

Rather than calling him Rahul Gandhi, it would be more appropriate to call him Rahul Gandhi 2.0. This newer version of him looks more resolved, committed, mature and courageous. His political jibes have got Modi like creativity and imagination. Be it the Bathroom remarks on PM or ridiculing of Achche din slogan, he has been able to deliver the message loud and effective.

Amid all these media managed front end drama, one should not miss his organizational skills. He has been able to convince other parties in putting up a united front against BJP. This is a massive achievement and this was considered the prime reason for his victory in Bihar. Though he has failed in bringing Bahenji onboard but she has always preferred to walk alone after bitter experience from her partnership with BJP. So this can be excused.

The UP elections are going to be a litmus test for Rahul Gandhi. His coalition is running favorites in the betting market. But challenges are bigger. When the election began, even I considered Akles baiya and Rahul baba as a favorite but slowly the winds are changing. Modi's undercurrent is spreading fast in the villages and among the poorer section of the society. Therefore the fight between the two is neck to neck battle.

Amid all these push and pulls of the election, one thing is distinctly noticeable about Rahul Gandhi. Despite so much criticism, so many doubts about his leadership skills and a lot of skepticism, he has not backed out and has been able to transform himself. This speaks volume about his courage and attitude. The ability to bear the political and social criticism is one of the most important and useful skills a political leader has. It is good to see Rahul Gandhi possessing such skills.

I do not know whether he would be prime minister or not but he is surely a leader who deserves more respect and space in media. Especially Rahul Gandhi 2.0 has the abilities to play a meaningful role in the parliamentary democracy either as prime minister or leader of ruling combination or even as leader of opposition. Long live Rahul Gandhi, Long live Indian democracy.