A random collection of Reflections on my experience of life...

Monday, August 11, 2008

Beauty

It seems to me that whatever else is beautiful apart from absolute beauty is beautiful because it partakes of that absolute beauty, and for no other reason. Do you accept this kind of causality? Yes, I do. Well, now, that is as far as my mind goes; I cannot understand these other ingenious theories of causation. If someone tells me that the reason why a given object is beautiful is that it has a gorgeous color or shape or any other such attribute, I disregard all these other explanations—I find them all confusing—and I cling simply and straightforwardly and no doubt foolishly to the explanation that the one thing that makes the object beautiful is the presence in it or association with it, in whatever way the relation comes about, of absolute beauty.
I do not go so far as to insist upon the precise details—only upon the fact that it is by beauty that beautiful things are beautiful.
This, I feel, is the safest answer for me oranyone else to give, and I believe that while I hold fast to this I cannot fall; it is safe for me or for anyone else to answer that it is by beauty that beautiful things are beautiful.
- (Plato, Phaedo, 100c-e)
Don’t you agree? I do.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Multiple Personalities

There is this magical connotation attached to the word 'personality'.
Everyone is obsessed with it, without exception.

From concerns of a first impression, to job prospects to even social interactions, personality is always at the forefront.
And the only thing that's constant about it is change.

With all the experience that life brings our way, we change; and so does our personality. But somewhere on this transition, we leave behind footprints and memories of what we were earlier.


From when I've arrived at bangalore, its been almost a new start.
Even though I wouldn't say I'm a hard-working-student here at IISc (am I? :-D), my every effort here is in trying to prove just that to my mentor and guide. Back at hostel, though, my sincere room-mate believes I'm a party freak and night-life addict who just comes back to the hostel for the night, late, and goes off in the morning (sometimes even staying all the night out, and almost more regularly recently!). I would've told him that its not really regular parties that keep me up every night, if it werent for this strong urge to play along... I'm still trying to understand the source of this great urge to 'play along' so to say. Probably its fun to just let people make assumptions and see how things go on. And probably it brings the fun back into your life and makes it a little more entertaining.

And again, there's this veteran owner of a chain of restaurants here who thinks I've just entered college. Of course he would, I had figured that while seeking accommodation, rather than explaining people about the concept of summer internship, I'd rather blend into the crowd and become a college-goer looking for a decent dorm. And now its fun to see him advising me about college life whenever theres an opportunity for an interaction between us. Again, wouldnt it spoil the fun if I told him I was 3/4th of my way through college already?

Of course, all of us have differing personalities. We are different to different people, and different at different situations. Some are radically different, while the others are far more subtle. But here's one thought worth deliberating: what if somehow one or more of these personalities came to a clash? Imagine if, say the veteran restaurant owner somehow turns out to be a relative of my faculty guide at college (O.o) Such are the what-ifs which convince one to live a simple and transparent life, void of inconsistencies. But living on the edge somehow seems to be a fascinating exercise for me (of course, only when taken lightly and not on a very serious note). Probably just adds a little spice to the mundane life we have. Or probably I'm just too idle to be thinking up all this (then again, if I wouldnt be so jobless, I wouldnt be writing this post).

I guess its time to try and figure out which of these personalities probably got someone to puncture my cycle tyre today morning...

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Random Musings...

'convince the unconvinced'
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There was once this eccentric professor at college who was known for his absurd obsessions especially when it came down to testing the students for what they had learnt in a semester long course of Philosophy and spiritualism.

It was one such occasion, when the professor handed out test questions to all of his class students. The paper had just one question. Before the start of the exam, he had placed a wooden chair atop a table. The question asked the students to argue and prove that the chair did not exist using all the profound knowledge they had supposedly gained after the Philosophy course.

While all the students were busy jotting down theories, arguments and counterarguments to prove the nonexistance of the chair, one student had surprisingly finished the paper and handed it back within a minute. Considering him to be an ill-prepared student sure to flunk, the others continued on their quest. From buddhist non-materialistic view of the world to the various other analogies, the students profoundly related them to this particular chair, all in an effort to imply its non-existence.

Later after the exam, when the results were announced, it came as a surprise that apart from that one student, the professor didn't consider anyone worthy of having completed the course.

Upon request of the answer sheet, it was found that his paper had a one-line answer "What Chair ?"
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A little snippet I found adorned on someone's gtalk status :-P

Positive thinking is....

A little bird up in the sky,
U look up & it shits in your eye,
U dont mind & U dont cry,
U just thank god that...cows dont fly!!!!!
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I'm Looking for a dream...



I'm looking for a Dream
a glad respite yet a true calling...
savouring memories, so close and yet so far
Its not easy, not now or ever, to be me

I'm just here to find
the better part of me
and I realize I'm the kind
who was never meant to be

"close the world,think it through
is this, really, who is you?
not today, not tomorrow
maybe when your time is through...

They won't tell you,neither can I
it's your prerogative, learn to Fly
You are the one, just haven't figured it out yet
there's still Time, take the Plunge, make a Bet"

Im looking for a Dream
A Vision of hope, without judge
a glad respite yet a true calling...
until I find, decide and take the plunge...


Friday, May 23, 2008

Bangalore Calling

After a semester (rather eventful one), I find myself in Bangalore this summer, as a research intern at SERC(Supercomputer Education and Research Centre), IISc.

Barely did I come here that it began to rain. A glad respite from the unrelenting heat in goa.

Just got my accommodation fixed up at a pretty decent dorm.
Still waiting for more bitsians to join me. Itll definitely not be lonely with friends and college-mates around. Some will be coming around the end of this month, while others will be coming in july (PS2). Till then, its working time. (The pic on the left is the main building - IISc)


Bangalore is a pretty nice place to be, quite contrary to what one would expect of a growing metropolitan. The photograph on the left is that of a botanical garden close by. I would love to share my experience here at bangalore (or rather bengaluru now), but that will be some other day. Here is a short description by a once-upon-a-time blogger; but IISc has changed a lot since then.

A pretty random post. So ill end it up pretty randomly with a song that echoes through me right now:
Enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think.
Enjoy yourself, while you’re still in the pink.
The years go by as quickly as a wink.
Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself. It’s later than you think.
(180 version of Enjoy Yourself from The Specials)

Sunday, May 4, 2008

On Letting go...

To let go isn't to forget, or to ignore. It doesn't leave feelings of anger or regret. Letting go isn't about winning,losing ,giving in or giving up. It isn't about loss or defeat. To let go is to cherish the memories, &to overcome and move on & have confidence in d future. Letting go is learning & experiencing. To let go is to 2b thankful for the exp that made you laugh, made you cry, and made you grow. It's about all that you have, all that you had, and all that you will have. To let go is to open a door, and to clear a path 2 set yourself free.

Thursday, May 1, 2008

The 3rd year

This post is a later update to serve as a substitute for the missing continuum in my sporadic posts...
The 3rd yr whizzed by with Quark 2k8 occupying most of the time and effort spent.
Was also involved in Evangelizing sun technologies and learning and using them as the Sun Campus Ambassador and coordinator of Sun Club.
LUG-BITSGoa (Linux Users Group) also grew in activities and structure.
Also qualified for the nationals of IC08. Waves and Spree also fell in the same semester, so activities were on a high.

Next, looking ahead into the internship @SERC, IISc, Bangalore.

End of update...