That day ...

That day , like most days , my eyes moved stealthily just to catch a small glimpse of her - - she was there , gently holding a rose in her palms. The dainty flower, radiant as the vivd sight in my memory, lying blissfull and silent at the center of her attention.

Ensconced in a green chair ,her arms outstretched a tad ,elbows resting calmly on the office table.Brown hair in slight curves hung over her forward leaning shoulders ..fingers softly turned the slender stem of the yellow flower ...the slow movement appeared to turn back time ...taking her away ...thoughts, as if transparent, floating question in a whisper ...

It was women's day and I realised something that morning.

Rahul

AND NOW ITS YOUR TIME.......

Hour of wolves feasting on manflesh,
Fed & let loose by nocturnal allies & backstabbing neigbours,
Self proclaimed Men of god end lives in the name of God.

Lost sons & daughters long for vengance .
A home divided within,
Hyenas & vultures dressed in white appear in no time .
Nation's jugular bleeds, heart weeps & blood gushes from stabbed back.

Long into the night sons answer call of duty,Innocents relieved ,
Terror is smoked out and killed by count.
Anxiety doused, Anger still pulsating in the viens .

We do not rejoice. Songs of victory are coming none.
We mourn the dead & lend silence for the brave.
We look to crying mothers and to the heavens ...He is not unjust.

Make your prayers ......when we come after your brothers.
God is on our side.
And even if he's not....... make no mistake ..... We will bring you down .

Rahul

posted on www.perspective-goal.blogspot.com on 30th Nov 2008. ( couple of days after Mumbai attacks)

The scribbling of a Sunday afternoon....

Watching Howard Hughes happened while my remote worked overtime .

The condition on a late Sunday morning is much like meditation - when your body is completely relaxed , the mind remains in state of active alertness . Like a ninja .. still like lake water but ever conscious of impending danger. Similar is the situation when you've been lying motionless on couch for time untold and the remote in tandem with your mind moves from one channel to other .....Ever alert to the first signs of boredom and spryly moving to next .. this is when u also take deep breaths ..yaaaawwnnnnn!

Following a such a breath of life .. I stumbled upon Howard Hughes's story on the history channel . Howard used to design and construct planes . Also an ace pilot he was known to test flight his own designs when not making movies and planning industrial expansion.

Nov 1, 19 something( post world war II) entire country watched the largest water plane get ready for maiden run in the California waters. H4, as it was called ,was clearly a herculean effort . Critics believed that the plane of this size can never take off . It was three times the size of largest aircraft known to be commissioned for the US air force .

It took five years of non stop work from Howard’s team. While the aircraft was in its last stage of assembly, Howard was test piloting another lighter aircraft. A technical snag in the flight caused Howard to stay in air longer than expected. It is said that he continued with the flight to understand more of the problem ensuing a crash landing in one of the house. This is the third time he tricked death.

H4 project came in middle of whirlwind of government charges against Howard on many contracts he executed for the air force. Howard defended it with all his force .The trauma lasted 6 months.

Back to H4, the plane was finally ready... and amidst all criticism and pressure Howard took H4 into the ocean. The plane was to be run on taxi with 100 reporters on board and an inspector from the aviation ministry.

Howard was categorically told NOT to fly as certain hydraulics remained to be tested. Howard turned on all the engines and pushed the aircraft near take off velocity. While the world waited in anticipation if the H4 could fly, the inspector’s cold eyes would record incident in log and cause h4 to be grounded for ever. Howard also knew it could risk the lives of all on board.

He pushed it further..... H4 was airborne... and the country erupted in joy as the live commentator broadcasted the scene sitting in the cabin.

It was the only flight H4 ever made. ….But Howard proved every single disbeliever wrong !

History does not get made on couches.... but blogs do . ..he he !!

Rahul

CRESTS & TROUGHS

Pinnacle, peak , summit , zenith call it what u will .. but only a few scale to the top.!!

Let me present myself as a subject in a hypothetical situation to illustrate a point.I like to draw & paint ( This preoccupation, however, has been locked up and stored in the attic long ago ,much like blankets during summers ).

I dabble with brushes well enough for my own people. So my friends tell me .On the other hand , my ability on the dance floor, is limited to an unheard genre which rythmically vacilates between bhangra and break dance of the 80s. It would be rather safe to say that chintu has two leet feet. I cant dance with ease.Its uncomfortable zone for me.

Given a week of undivided attention of qualified instructors in the two diciplines.. along with my complete willingness to improve my abilities to colour a canvas and set the dance floor on fire ...... Where according to you i would stand to perform better ??For anyone who has seen me during the pgp program would know that my hands would come out more dexterous than my feet .

Keeping examples involving ammateur authors aside :it is much easier to improve on things "you like" as compared to stuff you feel is "just not u".Its no doubt that i would have come out a better dancer than before but am sure my paitings would have reached a completely different level.

Strengths and Weaknesses, my friends am talking about these two themes.We tend to be concious of our weaknesses more than pur strenghts.Strengths are taken for granted . Weakness occupies the mind.We tend to work more on our weaknesses .. strengths are left alone to slowly rust and turn brittle.

Strengths are outcomes of intrinsic themes which one enjoys doing for long hours and consistently but without monotony and strain. These themes need to be chisled with hard work to give shape to a statue of super achiver. Work on weakness make zeroes come to averages.

Super achievers work on the recognised advantages.Weaknesses also need to be worked on ,but only to the extent of hiding the dust under the carpet.

Sachin has a weakness for full length ,on target deliveries which have known to crash on to the stumps on more than one ocassion. But dont his immpecable straight drives make every cricket lover stand up and cheer .The master has some weaknesses but he is GOD because he has exalted his strengths .

..........................................................................................................Rahul.