“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