“If you're going to panic, panic constructively”

Panic is the word that I am going to discuss today…! I know we all panic at one or the other way at certain time and situation…but what about panicking even before something happens…mere coz you are a negative thinker!!!!?

“Cowardice, as distinguished from panic, is almost always simply a lack of ability to suspend the functioning of the imagination.” ~ Ernest Hemingway

I have so far in life met two such people…who have no patience and just get panic if things don’t work at the first attempt…! This I am discussing because very closely I have met people like this…and I have seen how they become impatient at certain small things and tell to themselves…’ok cool…down…cool down!! Once this happened in front of me and I was laughing assuming he was joking…but no that’s how he keeps himself out of panicking and still he gets restless …I was wondering if such people suffer from anxiety attack ..or so!

“Anxiety is love’s greatest killer. It makes others feel as you might when a drowning man holds on to you. You want to save him, but you know he will strangle you with his panic.” ~ Anais Nin

The second person I have found is who often kind of gives a warning…I don’t know things are not going to work…we are going to be falling behind schedule…hello!!!! Can’t we at least make an attempt first…? And each time this person gives this red signal I watch out for my project plan and disaster recovery plan. And by the time I find things through my grape wine sources…the guy gives me a smile saying…its working now but am not sure further! C’mon man are you trying my patience or…you are just not confident about anything of yourself!!!

“Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That is laziness. But to keep going when the going is hard and slow - that is patience.”

As they say…in the end…the one who attempts and makes the effort gets to taste the sweetness of success….!
And me as a project manager get to give everyone the good news that we are safely landing :D

“Panic plays no part in the training of a nurse.” ~ Elizabeth Kenny

Now I understand what is working under pressure hahaha….

“A diamond is a chunk of coal that is made good under pressure.” ~ Henry Kissinger

though I never did in my life…as for me work should be enough to keep busy oneself at the same time one should have lots of fun just like I had today….not what I said above but a real fun with jokes and making some new friends @ the helpdesk support guys!!!

“Life, like all other games, becomes fun when one realizes that it's just a game” ~ Nerijus Stasiulis

There is one word which may serve as a rule of practice for all one's life - reciprocity

Its so amazing that sometimes you don’t plan and it turn out to be a wonderful moment :D!!!
Monday morning as usual…there was nothing much to do at work…as most of them were dependable on others…so I had to just make sure if they know there responsibilities…as usual I took off from work….with Jagu in the background singing….

‘kabhi yoon bhi to ho, dariya ka sahil ho poore chaand ki raat ho aur tum aao’…(sometimes it should happen so …should be near the sea shore and it should be a full moon night and at that moment you should come)…something like that ;)

I was thinking of cooking something for dinner…when I got this phone call saying how about dinner out…@ a Ethiopian restaurant….gosh! How can I say no…as I had once and its just so awesome!!!
The evening turned out to be a gala…! We went to this ‘Queen of Sheba’ restaurant…’Sheba’ is one of the tribes in Ethiopia. I had read on the net that the owner of this restaurant came to California to do his Electrical Engineering and then he got into this restaurant business…as his father had the same business in Ethiopia. It was such an authentic and warm feeling to be there. I have a story to tell here about the host –

Memory is a way of holding on to the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose” ~ Kevin Arnold

Sahlu Okbato, who emigrated from his native Ethiopia to the United States in 1991, took over the San Jose Coffee Shop on Aug. 16, 2003, adding Ethiopian food to his offerings in late September.
Although Sahlu grew up in the restaurant business-his late father owned one in Ethiopia-he had no desire to have a restaurant when he came to the United States in 1991. He knew it would be hard work.

“Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute experience.” ~ Paulo Cohelo

After graduating from San José State University in 2000 with a degree in electrical engineering, Sahlu went to work for Compaq. Two-and-a-half years later, the HP takeover left him exploring his options.

Sahlu knew he wanted his own business and listened to friends and family members who told him an Ethiopian restaurant was the way to go. When he saw the current location, he like it and decided to lease it.

But, Sahlu gives all credit to his sister, Lomi, who is the chef in charge of the Ethiopian dishes, and whose loving efforts produce the wonderful food they present. That's why, although he himself works seven-day weeks, he decided in March that his sister deserves at least one day a week off..So, for now Ethiopian food isn't available on Tuesdays.

“Experience tells you what to do; confidence allows you to do it.” ~ Stan Smith

Yes, for me it was a very nice homely atmosphere where I was enjoying the food and at the same time Sahlu sitting beside us telling about the food, about himself…and how things are similar culture-wise South Asia and so on….!

"It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice." ~Author Unknown

I am going to go there again…n again…but my happiness about this experience had to come to my blog…! It was such an unusual thing that we were not rushed with bill …in fact we didn’t feel as if we were in a restaurant…the ambience is just authentic with Ethiopian art work…in short I was in love :D with everything.

"Today I bent the truth to be kind, and I have no regret, for I am far surer of what is kind than I am of what is true." ~Robert Brault

“A goal is a dream with a deadline.”

I was just rushing to some place when I saw this big line-up and I got curious to know on a Sunday morning what is this line-up for ? ‘Excuse me’! please, may I know why this line-up is for ? ‘. A guy while pushing another person in front said – they are giving visas to go to Pakistan :D !

“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”

I rushed and stood in the line to get a visa to Pakistan! …it took a while but was worth to be in the line as I got the visa…! I saw it was 6 p.m. and I had so many things to do! I rushed home started packing all my clothes and necessary things that I will need while I am in Pakistan…!

“I will prepare and some day my chance will come.”

Everything was so quick …that I didn’t realize when I reached Pakistan….it was unbelievable …I saw this old guy who was feeling so cold and was looking very hungry and tired…I gave him one of my jacket…without saying much…everything was through the gestures of eyes and facial expression when…the guy asked me…what should I give you in return….and I said ‘Please Pray for me’!

“Love is an attempt to change a piece of a dream-world into reality.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

And I got a big smile when I saw he has no teeth in his mouth….dark brown skin with a dirty white turban and a ‘dhoti’ on him….and a cotton kurta…unshaven gray beard…with this thick eye-glasses, but all that was caught was his smile…!
And I woke up…my eyes wide-open…Yes guys it was a dream to Pakistan!

“Excellence can be obtained if you:
…care more than others think is wise;
…risk more than others think is safe;
…dream more than others think is practical;
…expect more than others think is possible.”

It is so fresh in my mind that I thought to put in words here :D
Even though I didn’t go to Pakistan, this picture is from Pakistan :D!

“You see things; and you say, “Why?” But I dream things that never were; and I say, “Why not?” ~ George Bernard Shaw

Practise as if you are the worst, perform as if you are the best ;)

Have you ever been felt that you are torturing your Manager with your high performance…!?!

"Performance stands out like a ton diamonds. Non performance can always be explained away" ~ Harold S Geneen

It seems like…there is a trend in this project…where things takes place at a slower rate…and my quick and on time deliverables…were more or less considered as a headache…:D, as what to give next task :D…

"Let your performance do the thinking" ~ H Jackson Brown Jr.

yes, and guess what…yesterday I was given a task which has lot of meetings for requirement gathering and understanding the process flow and procedures to be written…and all this made me so excited that I have something where I can spend time …but guess what….due to some unavoidable circumstances….everything got postponed…!

“Happiness is not something you postpone for the future, it is something you design for the present” ~ Jim Rohn

I am not sure was it good or bad…as sitting in my cubicle…staring at the pc screen…where I cannot log on to any other sites…or even personal emails…:( ….clock was just not ticking right…when I started staring at the tissue box which was lying on my desk…it had this flower and the humming bird….don’t know what striked to my mind and I started sketching…;) …..and am proud for something like what has come out ;)

“You can chain me, you can torture me, you can even destroy this body, but you will never imprison my mind” ~ MK Gandhi

I think…one can do a lot even from nothing…;)….

"Art is making something out of nothing and selling it." ~ Frank Zappa

I had this productive day today….a poetry and these pictures…came out of my wandering passionate mind…:)

“I know but one freedom and that is the freedom of the mind” ~Antoine de Saint

The busy have no time for tears

“I thought that I had no time for faith nor time to pray, then I saw an armless man saying his Rosary with his feet”

I am a bit busy with my new project…and hence my absence…am touched by my readers and friends around here…I am away but not far from you all …:D as you all live in my heart ;)

“Love is missing someone whenever you are apart, but somehow feeling warm inside because you are close in heart”

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right!

Its celebration time everywhere…whether its North America, Middle East or even South Asia…people are in celebration mood…

" Tolerance and celebration of individual differences in the fire that fuels lasting love"

I remember in Toronto, the moment Bisakhi comes…all Punjabi crowd…used to celebrate it just like as if there are in Punjab…! There is this radio program which is called ‘punjabi leharein’ a very awesome program with some good educational tips on finance, songs, management and positive thinking aspirations…and in those some times I used to hear people calling and expressing there love for there country and the festivals and food that they miss out there…!

Here there is nothing like that. May be on weekend’s people do have programs but….its not a long weekend !

Today I read this email that was circulated @ work… :D

“India office will be closed tomorrow April 13th and on Friday April 14th in observance of Good Friday. UK office will be closed on April 14th for Good Friday and April 17th for Easter Monday”

gosh!!! And we don’t get any offs….:( what a life!!!
Well, I would like to wish everyone in the world a Happy ''eid milad-un-nabi” , Happy Easter and a very best of New Year to all..!

"The object of a new year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul"

“Life is like a rainbow. You need both the sun and the rain to make its color appear”

I guess Saturday made me a bit of greedy…and didn’t I say the other day I read…’greed is healthy’ ;) …well I tried to and hence rushed Sunday morning the moment I got free with my domestic routine work and got out…on another drive!

“To greed, all nature is insufficient”

It was cloudy and all of a sudden started raining heavy…did I say that I love rains :D…well I do…in fact the only sad part is that …I can’t get wet in the rain…as I was driving…and already people look at me weirdly since they make out some how that I am not from the Bay area ;)…and hence I decided to go to the book store…Borders.

“Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain”

I remember whenever it used to rain…I used to make some excuse not to take any umbrella or raincoat with me…and thus gets a fair opportunity to get wet! Its different story that later I do get the scolding too from my mom. So you see life is not all that rosy as you think: D…. one has to pay taxes for everything…lol!

“A poet is someone who stands outside in the rain hoping to be struck by lightening”

When I used to come home with all my hair wet…my mom used to get worried for me getting cold etc and hence she used to dry my hair with the towel…and then she used to prepare ginger tea with hot pancakes or pakoras…and boy my favorite books used to be my company. I still remember my study table was near the window…and I often used to get lost outside …looking at those birds…that are freely chirping around and sitting on the bars of the window just to tell me…how unfortunate I am being tied up in my room!

“It is never too late to have a happy childhood” ~ Tom Robbins

Yesterday’s rain made me remember all that and I wanted to get some books that I have been suggested by one of my fan ;) and my friend from Canada.
Guess what, @ Borders you have the café too…I went and searched for the books…grabbed a coffee and a oats n raisin cookie and in the cozy kids corner there was this kids chair where I sat and enjoyed my cookie, coffee and my book: D!!!

“A book is a gift you can open again and again” ~ Garrison Keillor

I couldn’t get ‘The Zahir’ ~ By Paulo Cohelo…which I am in desperate situation to read…as I was searching this on the net…I read a briefing about it and guess what…Paulo Cohelo is my favorite author …as I have read his Alchemist and Eleven Minutes too!

Some how I had an opportunity to get the book ‘Birdsong’ ~ Sebastian Faulks …believe me it’s a brilliant, harrowing tale of love and war…! I have only started…so it will have another post and another aftermath in this blog ;)

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go” ~ Dr Seuss

Happy reading friends

Every child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged of man. ~Rabindranath Tagore

“O, Wind, if winter comes, can spring be far behind?”

Yesterday was yet another weekend, and I had no special plans…still everything seemed like falling in place :D

"When you discover your mission, you will feel its demand. It will fill you with enthusiasm and a burning desire to get to work on it" ~ W Clement Stone

Sun was bright and shiny…after a fresh warm shower…I just came out at the backyard…and felt its been ages…that I got a time to look at the flowing river …the water is showing the ripples coming in and disappearing away…and the sun with its shiny rays…just tries to tickle your eyes…I was just lost in those waves…mind was totally at its meditation…!

"Meditation is the tongue of the soul and the language of our spirit" ~ Jeremy Taylor


It was a good day…and I could really feel spring has sprung : D finally!
Spring is nature’s way of saying,” let’s party”! ~ Robin Williams

After that….it was me, my camera and my car :D….it was a traveler in the neighborhood just trying to catch up with those beautiful mountains …and my road map was those mountains and directions were the roads :D

"The mountains are calling and I must go"


Is it so small a thing
To have enjoy'd the sun,
To have lived light in the spring,
To have loved,
to have thought,
to have done ~Matthew Arnold

I am adding pictures and it will speak what my heart and mind is not able to put in words…the moment when you feel this is dream and you want to enjoy fully without uttering word…I become emotional when its nature…I remember those days when I used to go for hiking and grab those jungle fruits…which were wild still sweet to eat :D!!! Watch out for the show ;)



The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created spring ~ Bern Williams








Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems

Joy in looking and comprehending is nature’s most beautiful gift ~ Albert Einstein

Beyond the mountains there are mountains again!

Everything is the product of one universal creative effort. There is nothing dead in nature

Nature is neutral

Nature is an infinite sphere whose center is everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere ~ Blaise Pascal

There are no rules of architecture for a castle in the clouds

“Life is a train of moods like a string of beads; and as we pass through them they prove to be many colored lenses, which paint the world their own hue, and each shows us only what lies in its own focus” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Mountains cannot be surmounted except by winding paths.

“He who climbs upon the highest mountains laughs at all tragedies, real or imaginary” ~ Friedrich N

Faith will move mountains

“Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility”

Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love

There are these couples…who often fight …at least they argue so much and that makes one feel they always fight. But at the same time they love each other so madly…! It was in the afternoon when the door knocked and she opened the door…it was hubby who had come to have lunch…just because it gives him an opportunity to be with his wife…(how sweet)!

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.
~ Alfred Tennyson

He just goes in the kitchen to grab the food and asking his wife if he can take out some food for her too. She quietly says no as she had a late breakfast. He eats while his wife sits beside…and they converse …something happens and they start arguing!
The wife feels she hates to meet the boss in her hubby and hubby doesn’t realize if that happens sometimes accidentally, both argue and hubby leaves the home saying…I will not come hence for lunch …as I only come for you!
This makes the wife feel guilty…but still she stands on her point that- he should be 'hubby' when he enters the home. (That’s not wrong either isn’t it?)

"I admit thoughts influence the body." ~ Albert Einstein

Well…its evening and there’s no phone calls usually it would have been crossed at least the maximum 5 calls…today wife thought he is angry so am I!
Wife tries to cook something special for hubby and around 7.30 p.m. she gets a call…she thinks it’s the usual call when hubby gets out of work…so she picked it happily just to hear that, “I will be a bit late today!”
Puts the wife off and she just says ‘sure’! And disconnected the call.

Life is a quest and love a quarrel ...

She is angry now but not for the fight but for her hubby not coming to home on usual time. She was eagerly waiting for his arrival so that she can surprise him with her cooking! However, she decided to make herself busy by reading a book and show hubby how she is not bothered by his coming late from work!

"I have yet to hear a man ask for advice on how to combine marriage and a career" ~ Gloria Steinem

The time on the clock is 9.15 p.m. Hubby opens the door with the keys and gets in the home without giving a look at her. She also turns her back to show how engrossed she is in the book. The moment hubby comes after he freshens up in the room, she immediately gets off to her room…hubby asks where are you going and she says..’Am coming, in a minute!’
She goes upstairs in her room and just to realize hubby is following her. She quickly changes and gets back on the stairs and the moment both look at each other a smile spreads across their face…the eyes speaking to each other as how much they waited to be together!
When love beckons to you follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions
May wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams
As the north wind lays waste the garden.
For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you.
Even as he is for your growth So is he for your pruning.
~ Khalil Gibran

The whole story tells us how much does it takes to make up :D…just a smile…or that care and desperation to talk to each other…I think such fights should be welcomed as it brings them together isn’t it?

Why love if losing hurts so much? We love to know that we are not alone.

My thought for them is fight so much till it brings you more and more close to each other…but not the fight that will take you away from each other!

"The Grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for." ~ Allan K Chalmers

“Faith is the daring of the soul to go farther than it can see”

I am a soul with so many passions and dreams...and as I cross the paths in life...I feel ...there is so much to do and so much to see...When will I be able to do all...How am I going to fulfill them...my passions which are the true strength of my life...!

“There is no end. There is no beginning. There is only the passion of life.” ~ Fedrico Fellini

My hobbies, my passions, my dream.... all these make a big hurricane inside me ...and I feel I must set my soul free....!

Attack life, it's going to kill you anyway. -- Steven Coallier

Yeah! That’s how I am feeling...I guess its the moment when we think there is so much to do and you wonder if the time is too short...:) you want to deliver all and yet you want it on time...but want to be prepared for the next one too!!!

“If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

Does life goes as per our project plan? Even projects do have uncertainty so does life...!
I need to make a plan for my life too...

In the thoughts..
In the preparation...
I let my soul free
With a wisdom to search
To fulfill the desires
Which makes my day n night
Turbulent with the task n time
~ Dawn

I used to have an open mind but my brains kept falling out.

Today...basically there was nothing serious work that I had...and my mind was upto playing some pranks ;)
I spent sometime reading a book 'What It Felt Like' ~ by Henry Allen, by the time I reached to the chapter where it says - Morning again - greed is healthy...I remember reading about greed for money at keshi's blog and here it was ironical so...something mischievious happened...and I thought to play my pranks on someone ...;)

“An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea.” ~ Buddha

My morning started with some cool jokes which I received from my ex-colleague and a friend in Canada ...a very hillarious, funny with great sense of humor...! This guy has no limits...and I really miss those morning afternoon coffee times..:)!

"A conclusion is simply the place where someone got tired of thinking."

I did some pranks at home..and it was fun to trouble...;)...I was looking for some more...lol!
By now enough fuel was there for me to begin...and the timely phone call...lol! Since I was home...it was a wrong number...that I had to deal with...! ;)

The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.

Guess what...the person straight calls and start giving explaination to me only thing was all the time he was calling me look sunshine Michelle :D................!
I didnt speak a word but gave my nodd through my voice as hmm un huh..etc...! And it literally took 30 mints when my hand started hurting and I said...dear Michelle's sweetypie..(thats what he referred to)....this is a wrong number!!!!!!!!!

Not a shred of evidence exists in favor of the idea that life is serious.

OMG ....I dont know what happened...he just started crying...I thought probably its the embarassment...so I started helping him but he said...Michelle......dont do this to me !!!!!!!!!!!!

Love is temporary insanity curable by marriage

I decided not to play pranks on the phone ;)...as now I feel so bad for him :( But still...I am being a naughty kid ...lol

The world is a tragedy to those who feel, but a comedy to those who think. - Horace Walpole

“A happy life is one spent in learning, earning, and yearning"

This story is of my middle school...and I thought this pic fits in perrrfect for the incident..!!!
It was our Science class and Mrs Sinha somehow used to love me so much as I always used to score full in her subject.

What the teacher is, is more important than what he teaches. ~Karl Menninger ;)

Even in class, when she used to ask questions, I was the one who used to be ready with logical answers..;)!!! Some how we both knew about ourselves and about eachothers thoughts for eachother :D

The best teachers teach from the heart, not from the book. ~Author Unknown

One morning..Mrs Sinha, was finishing her syllabus quickly ...when my next seat partner started writing something on my rough note...(this was the usual ways to talk in between the lectures...oops did KL read that ...lol)!

“It takes two to get one in trouble.” ~ Mae West

Couple of exchanges and finally we were caught..probably Mrs Sinha was not getting my 100% attention ...lol...I stood up and she asked me what's going on...? I was in a dilemma as what to say...should I be in trouble or should I put my friend in trouble...both the things are ethically wrong ...lol, my silence made both of us to go through the punishment..and guess what...it was a Biology class and she made us to sing a Hindi song....lol

“The stage was our school, our home, our life.”

My friend started singing as she thought its better to finish n get back to seat...but for me...it was embarassing ....after that Mrs Sinha always teased me 'Bacche mann ke sacche' (meaning-kids with a true angel heart)!

“Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school.” ~ Albert Einstein

Our class was so good that Mrs Sinha consequently asked for being our class teacher for 3 years ...;)

“One trouble with trouble is that is usually starts out like fun”

“Best friends are the siblings God forgot to give us”

I can say I was busy...these days..but with so many things...:) !!! But for sure all in search of my friends...yes..its not that I dont have any...but somehow I was so keen to search my school friends...my University friends...and I was just trying to use the internet..the all possible modes of alumini websites...! And I was so surprised that actually I found one of my classmate who was in 7th grade with me :D !!!!

“Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart”

One thing I noticed about myself was..that I was so engrossed in searching that...I actually lived all those moments and days of my childhood till my University days..:)...as I was remembering...each persons name started coming in my mind and...all these days I was in those sweet memories...I can say I was on a journey to childhood :D!!!

“Good friends are like stars.... You don't always see them, but you know they are always there”

When I discuss about my childhood...I have heard some people think am living in past...and they say oh...she has not come out of it...but my ask is tell me...dont you just love a good experience..

“You can clutch the past so tightly to your chest that it leaves your arms too full to embrace the present.”

Whether its a restaurant experience..or a good customer service..we do remember...though not that lasting...and one always remembers the bad customer service experience and then we spread the word of the mouth :)...!

“The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.”

I love to cherrish good things and hence I love to talk about my childhood, my school days...college days...it was so awesome and am sure we all do have such memories...

“You have to know the past to understand the present.”

As there was this fun in getting tensed for your exams...there was this fear of getting wacked by your teacher for not doing homework..:)...complete your journals...help your friends...those practicals...where you did learn at the same time you had so much fun ....with your small mischiefs.. I just loved the way I was few teachers favourite student ;)...I was such a reserved and nice student ....can't believe now myself...I was like that once :D

“When it hurts to look back, and you're scared to look ahead, you can look beside you and your best friend will be there”

Its just a treat to myself and to my friends ..with a toast with you all :)
Cheers

"It's hard to be humble when you can jump, stunt, and tumble! ~Author Unknown"