मन अथांग…

मला क्षितीजाचं नेहमीच अप्रुप वाटत…जितक जवळ जाव तेवढ़ लांब जातं, पण नेहमी तिथच दिसतं…

I fancy Horizon… It’s so fascinating… The more I try to reach it, it keeps going out of reach. But it is always there…

… Walking red carpet!!!

What’s a job you would like to do for just one day?

There are many jobs that I fancy doing…

A Doctor for example… I find them cool… Boss of their own… It must be a supercool feeling… At least from my pov…

I have mixed feelings for a political leader… At least in India it is a sure way for making wealth… I lack the required stubbornness though…

I don’t fancy flying much, but I won’t mind being a pilot for one day…in my dreams 🙈

I love kids… and won’t mind being  a nursery teacher for a day… I guess one day will be more than enough  😁 …

Actually when one answers for something like liking for one day… Then it is something one fancies but can’t do or become that OR it is something that he/she won’t like doing it or being that lifelong…

I feel qualifications and careers are chosen by an individual’s comfort zone and if something doesn’t suit you there is always an option for switching…

But there is one job almost everyone will like at least for a day… Pretending someone you are not and getting appreciated for it… Of course you get to walk a red carpet for that!!!

The local one…

What are your favorite brands and why?

I don’t exactly recall when I got aware of the word Brand… As a kid, I knew toothpaste as Colgate, Bathing soap as Lux, Lifebuoy, Hamam, Cinthol, Cupboards as Godrej…

As I grew up and liberalisation happened in India, I understood there are more companies for one type of product… But still I didn’t know about Brand…

With more exposure to the world, through newspapers and magazines and articles, television ads I started understanding Brand… But I connected it to a certain lifestyle which surely wasn’t mine… I used to think that Brand is a word for big names and for specific people… Never gave much thought about it though…

Later when I had a chance to teach Management related subjects and Digital Marketing, I got a proper introduction of Brand… I read about stories behind brands, seen some documentaries and those are exciting… Today when I see any innovative ad, I can’t stop admiring the ad makers and the brand … There are many Indian brands which I like a lot… Parle, Haldirams, Lijjat, Godrej and many more… For the International Sony, Samsung etc

Brand is not just about name, it’s about trust… TATA is one name which I guess every Indian admires… Over the years TATA has provided Indians with Quality and budget friendly products… The name makes Indians proud Internationally…

I have observed one thing… With brands there is trust and assurance of quality but many times what you get in the local market, is cheaper and of equal or of more quality… Chitale from Pune is a famous brand in Maharashtra… And their bakarwadi (a spicy snack item) is very much appreciated, but when I compare the same with bakarwadi by Chatrabhujnanaji a sweet shop in Dhule, I like the later more… There are many examples for certain products when the local products are preferable over established Brands… At such times the local items are a Brand for me… What say?

The ups and downs…

What gives you direction in life?

I keep moving ahead… Leaving behind whatever has happened…

Forward is my direction… No, I am no part of the rat race… I just like to move…

My dreams make me move… But not enough to keep me motivated…

My motivation lies in what makes me strong…

What makes me strong gives me direction in life…

My mind lifts my heart when the heart feels low… And my heart keeps my mind on track when the mind is derailed… The ups and downs in life have taught me lessons which make me live life…feel it…enjoy it…

I get directions in life by the ups and downs of life…

Making me strong, motivated and keeps me moving ahead…

Nothing is permanent…

Do you have a quote you live your life by or think of often?

I am fan of quotes… I like reading, listening to quotes by the famous or even by unknowns… I like to create my own as well (I think those are extraordinary 🙈)

I try to absorb and act as per them as much as I can, and surely the quotes inspire in tough times

“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live”

ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

It is one of my favourites…it is on my WhatsApp’s  About as well…

My father was a man of few words… Once he told me that Health is important and should be the priority … I still regret not following it…

He told me Don’t believe everyone easily, In tough times only close relatives help us… I took it as his own experience and thought it wouldn’t be the case with me… But later O realised the depth of it…

Over the years, through hard lessons, I have learnt one thing… Nothing is permanent... So don’t waste moments, live it!!!

W-holidays 😊

What is your favorite holiday? Why is it your favorite?

I love holidays… Any of it, the whole of it…

Had I been a kid (biologically), I would have said Diwali holidays are my favourite… Cause I used to write that in essays and those were really enjoyable…

Don’t know why but things change, after getting trapped in a job, my answer for my favourite holidays has changed…

With every new year and purchase of the new year’s calendar, the first thing I do is check the holidays… Nope, First thing that I check is, On what day is my birthday 😇? …and then I check for holidays…

With the change of month, I redo the counting of holidays… I look for forthcoming festivals…

More the red dates, the more I smile… 😁… Same applies to the new week also…

No need to say Sunday is my favourite day…

Obviously if it’s free or planned with some enjoyable activities, holidays are favourite… But when you ought to do something which is not enjoyable, you try to forget those holidays… Like I try forgetting holidays during which  I had planned surgeries  😕…

For me, holiday is me time, family time, friends time  and I look forward to having it as much as I can… Not that I skip work for planning holidays… (Sometimes I actually do that 🙈, forget that I mentioned it)…

So, I am a holiday person and all the holidays are my favourite… Any of it, Whole of it 😊

… every weekend 😁

Have you ever been camping?

I haven’t ever been to actual camping…

In school we had an educational picnic, we visited one dam, ate our lunch, played and returned home in the evening…

So what’s every weekend about?

Peppa Pig is the reason… My 5 year old daughter watches it and I have to participate with her in her playing… We… Me, my daughter, her soft toys and small animal figures… have to plan and go camping… Where we eat, have activities, have fun and yes there is a camp fire also… This is expected on weekdays also but somehow I manage to convince the boss and go camping every weekend 😁…

When the going gets tough…

When do you feel most productive?

Strange, but in the past I have been most productive when I had tough times… Desperate to get out of the hurdles… Maybe because my mind didn’t have much time to waste or the willingness of not letting go till sigh of relief… I was productive…

Can’t pray to be in a similar mess all the time to be productive … Can I???

It’s one’s decision to be what one wants to be… Every individual will have her/his own perspective about being productive and their own ways/methods of being productive, and that individual have to stick to the plan which makes her/him productive…

As for me, when I wake up early and start with the routine, I feel more productive… The morning vibes do wonders to me…

When one knows the pattern of being productive, one can always push a bit to get going when the going gets tough…

…Kuch tum kaho, Kuch hum kahein

What topics do you like to discuss?

With me you can discuss anything… Literally anything… Not like I am very knowledgeable (though with my sincere looks people misinterpret me to be one)… It’s just, if I know the subject I will be in the conversation, and I am a good listener if I am not aware of it at all …

And, if someone is in her/his favourite company discussions has no limits… Isn’t it?

… breaking the shell

When is the last time you took a risk? How did it work out?

These days everything is risky … Everything you do can be like taking a risk…

Staying at home, Going out of home, Commuting, Working, Not working… Threats seem to be lurking out there hidden somewhere… You don’t feel it?… Lucky you!… I do feel them… How do I handle it?… I just open my eyes and say “Bring it on, I am ready…“

You don’t have to do bungee jumping, dive in deep waters, Investigate a hideous crime,  be in the war front or simply pull out stupid stunts for taking a risk.. even when you dare to act out of your routine is a risk…and one must feel the thrill

Everyone is different in terms of emotional level… What’s too normal for some might not be so easy or risky for others… Breaking the shell matters…

…come what may!

Describe a risk you took that you do not regret.

I dream to be carefree… Confident… Adventurous…. But haven’t been successful much…

I can’t even affirm that I have taken much risk in life till this point…

So whatever I did, though I didn’t repent afterwards, there were moments when I was doubtful about it… And I think it is very much normal for an average human being like me… I am no Saint after all …

But yeah, I have stopped crying over it… These days I am doubtful before doing something, but afterwards I am ready… come what may!!!