Writing Village: Anecdotes

The Indian God Of Internet

2011-10-28T20:04:00.000-07:00

The internet suddenly conked out – one second I was in maya world and the next back to earth- reflex made me utter the words “ Hey Ram!”Mr Ram exclaims from a-land, “I am not to be called, I come in only if someone steals my data. I take the help of search engines to find where the data is hidden, get GPS coordinates , build a setu and get back the data. So call Mr Krishna”.Dutifully, I call out ‘ hey kirshna’, the blue hue guy pops out and says “hey there, my job is to only say wise things to the internet like :Karmani ave adhikars te--you have the power to act onlyma phalesu kadachana--you do not have the power to influence the resultma karmaphal hetur bhoo--therefore you must act without the anticipation of the resultma sangostu akramani--without succumbing to inaction.And with all the wars here, I am busy, so try Mr Vishnu”Conjuring up the vision of Mr Vishnu, a supine image floating in the ocean , I call out ‘Mr Vishnu, please help”. He peeps at me, and sputters “look, my job is to keep this damn fiber cable in the sea afloat so that the Assanges & the Feds can churn the secrets out. Try Mrs Saraswathy”.Ok, exhausted with all this hopping, I call to Mrs Saraswathy. Draped in red, she floats in and says “wish I could help, but someone forgot to buy me an ipad and I have only a old notebook in my hand, so my knowledge is outdated…sorry, Try Mrs Lakshmi, maybe her wealth can help”Happy to say hello to Mrs Lakshmi, I knock at her locker, she peeps from the key hole to make sure that I am no thief, opens the locker and listens to my woes. Jingling a few coins in her purse, she explains “ I am only an investor in the internet, I take all the risk and then get to listen to customer woes like yours. It’s a risky business and I am sure to lose out even my pension on this investment. The person whose advice one can take, and who has no other monetary motives would be Mr Shiva. Try him, and let me know, I too want to know when I can disinvest in the internet”.Climbing a mountain, I come across Mr Shiva. He sounds his drum, and soulfully says “I am the person who can turn the internet to ashes as I gave it as a gift, I cannot revive it. I gave the internet as a gift to humans, and told them that with this power they can place a hand on any head and they will be able to read brains. I quit this business when they wanted to test it on my head!!!. Go, ask the guy who created the Ether & the bits/bytes, Mr Brahma”.Ok, with a resolve that I will get Mr Brahma to solve my issue, I approach him. I first hear a strange hum, which sounded like the internet hum…got my hopes up but as I drew near, it was Mr Brahma withering in pain emitting noises like ‘ohmmmmmm’. With great concern I ask him if he is OK, he whispers “I created a lot of things, but I am over stressed and ohmming is my body resistance to too much work, please get a new God for the internet”.So I come back empty handed, and now I am going to create the God of internet…two heads?, one?, what would this personification look like……So friends…join me in this endeavor, help design a God of Internet.By Kavita VemuriPart of Dream Weave Walk

Definition of success

2011-08-27T09:39:00.000-07:00

I was the last child of a small-time government servant, in a family of
five brothers. My earliest memory of my father is as that of a District
Employment Officer in Koraput, Orissa. It was and remains as back of beyond
as you can imagine. There was no electricity; no primary school nearby and
water did not flow out of a tap. As a result, I did not go to school until
the age of eight; I was home-schooled. My father used to get transferred
every year. The family belongings fit into the back of a jeep - so the
family moved from place to place and, without any trouble, my Mother would
set up an establishment and get us going. Raised by a widow who had come as
a refugee from the then East Bengal, she was a matriculate when she married
my Father. My parents set the foundation of my life and the value system
which makes me what I am today and largely defines what success means to me
today.

As District Employment Officer, my father was given a jeep by the
government. There was no garage in the Office, so the jeep was parked in our
house. My father refused to use it to commute to the office. He told us that
the jeep is an expensive resource given by the government - he reiterated to
us that it was not 'his jeep' but the government's jeep. Insisting that he
would use it only to tour the interiors, he would walk to his office on
normal days. He also made sure that we never sat in the government jeep - we
could sit in it only when it was stationary. That was our early childhood
lesson in governance - a lesson that corporate managers learn the hard way,
some never do.

The driver of the jeep was treated with respect due to any other member of
my Father's office. As small children, we were taught not to call him by his
name. We had to use the suffix 'dada' whenever we were to refer to him in
public or private. When I grew up to own a car and a driver by the name of
Raju was appointed - I repeated the lesson to my two small daughters. They
have, as a result, grown up to call Raju, 'Raju Uncle' - very different from
many of their friends who refer to their family drivers as 'my driver'. When
I hear that term from a school- or college-going person, I cringe. To me,
the lesson was significant - you treat small people with more respect than
how you treat big people. It is more important to respect your subordinates
than your superiors.

Our day used to start with the family huddling around my Mother's chulha -
an earthen fire place she would build at each place of posting where she
would cook for the family. There was no gas, nor electrical stoves. The
morning routine started with tea. As the brew was served, Father would ask
us to read aloud the editorial page of The Statesman's 'muffosil' edition -
delivered one day late. We did not understand much of what we were reading.
But the ritual was meant for us to know that the world was larger than
Koraput district and the English I speak today, despite having studied in an
Oriya medium school, has to do with that routine. After reading the
newspaper aloud, we were told to fold it neatly. Father taught us a simple
lesson. He used to say, "You should leave your newspaper and your toilet,
the way you expect to find it". That lesson was about showing consideration
to others. Business begins and ends with that simple precept.

Being small children, we were always enamored with advertisements in the
newspaper for transistor radios - we did not have one. We saw other people
having radios in their homes and each time there was an advertisement of
Philips, Murphy or Bush radios, we would ask Father when we could get one.
Each time, my Father would reply that we did not need one because he already
had five radios - alluding to his five sons. We also did not have a house of
our own and would occasionally ask Father as to when, like others, we would
live in our own house. He would give a similar reply, "We do not need a
house of our own. I already own five houses". His replies did not gladden
our hearts in that instant. Nonetheless, we learnt that it is important not
to measure personal success and sense of well being through material
possessions.

Government houses seldom came with fences. Mother and I collected twigs and
built a small fence. After lunch, my Mother would never sleep. She would
take her kitchen utensils and with those she and I would dig the rocky,
white ant infested surrounding. We planted flowering bushes. The white ants
destroyed them. My mother brought ash from her chulha and mixed it in the
earth and we planted the seedlings all over again. This time, they bloomed.
At that time, my father's transfer order came. A few neighbors told my
mother why she was taking so much pain to beautify a government house, why
she was planting seeds that would only benefit the next occupant. My mother
replied that it did not matter to her that she would not see the flowers in
full bloom. She said, "I have to create a bloom in a desert and whenever I
am given a new place, I must leave it more beautiful than what I had
inherited". That was my first lesson in success. It is not about what you
create for yourself, it is what you leave behind that defines success.

My mother began developing a cataract in her eyes when I was very small. At
that time, the eldest among my brothers got a teaching job at the University
in Bhubaneswar and had to prepare for the civil services examination. So, it
was decided that my Mother would move to cook for him and, as her appendage,
I had to move too. For the first time in my life, I saw electricity in homes
and water coming out of a tap. It was around 1965 and the country was going
to war with Pakistan. My mother was having problems reading and in any case,
being Bengali, she did not know the Oriya script. So, in addition to my
daily chores, my job was to read her the local newspaper - end to end. That
created in me a sense of connectedness with a larger world. I began taking
interest in many different things. While reading out news about the war, I
felt that I was fighting the war myself. She and I discussed the daily news
and built a bond with the larger universe. In it, we became part of a larger
reality. Till date, I measure my success in terms of that sense of larger
connectedness.

Meanwhile, the war raged and India was fighting on both fronts. Lal Bahadur
Shastri, the then Prime Minster, coined the term "Jai Jawan, Jai Kishan" and
galvanized the nation in to patriotic fervor. Other than reading out the
newspaper to my mother, I had no clue about how I could be part of the
action. So, after reading her the newspaper, every day I would land up near
the University's water tank, which served the community. I would spend hours
under it, imagining that there could be spies who would come to poison the
water and I had to watch for them. I would daydream about catching one and
how the next day, I would be featured in the newspaper. Unfortunately for
me, the spies at war ignored the sleepy town of Bhubaneswar and I never got
a chance to catch one in action. Yet, that act unlocked my imagination.
Imagination is everything. If we can imagine a future, we can create it, if
we can create that future, others will live in it. That is the essence of
success.

Over the next few years, my mother's eyesight dimmed but in me she created
a larger vision, a vision with which I continue to see the world and, I
sense, through my eyes, she was seeing too. As the next few years unfolded,
her vision deteriorated and she was operated for cataract. I remember, when
she returned after her operation and she saw my face clearly for the first
time, she was astonished. She said, "Oh my God, I did not know you were so
fair". I remain mighty pleased with that adulation even till date. Within
weeks of getting her sight back, she developed a corneal ulcer and,
overnight, became blind in both eyes. That was 1969. She died in 2002. In
all those 32 years of living with blindness, she never complained about her
fate even once. Curious to know what she saw with blind eyes, I asked her
once if she sees darkness. She replied, "No, I do not see darkness. I only
see light even with my eyes closed". Until she was eighty years of age, she
did her morning yoga everyday, swept her own room and washed her own
clothes. To me, success is about the sense of independence; it is about not
seeing the world but seeing the light.

Over the many intervening years, I grew up, studied, joined the industry
and began to carve my life's own journey. I began my life as a clerk in a
government office, went on to become a Management Trainee with the DCM group
and eventually found my life's calling with the IT industry when fourth
generation computers came to India in 1981. Life took me places - I worked
with outstanding people, challenging assignments and traveled all over the
world. In 1992, while I was posted in the US, I learnt that my father,
living a retired life with my eldest brother, had suffered a third degree
burn injury and was admitted in the Safderjung Hospital in Delhi. I flew
back to attend to him - he remained for a few days in critical stage,
bandaged from neck to toe. The Safderjung Hospital is a cockroach infested,
dirty, inhuman place. The overworked, under-resourced sisters in the burn
ward are both victims and perpetrators of dehumanized life at its worst. One
morning, while attending to my Father, I realized that the blood bottle was
empty and fearing that air would go into his vein, I asked the attending
nurse to change it. She bluntly told me to do it myself. In that horrible
theater of death, I was in pain and frustration and anger. Finally when she
relented and came, my Father opened his eyes and murmured to her, "Why have
you not gone home yet?" Here was a man on his deathbed but more concerned
about the overworked nurse than his own state. I was stunned at his stoic
self. There I learnt that there is no limit to how concerned you can be for
another human being and what is the limit of inclusion you can create. My
father died the next day.

He was a man whose success was defined by his principles, his frugality,
his universalism and his sense of inclusion. Above all, he taught me that
success is your ability to rise above your discomfort, whatever may be your
current state. You can, if you want, raise your consciousness above your
immediate surroundings. Success is not about building material comforts -
the transistor that he never could buy or the house that he never owned. His
success was about the legacy he left, the memetic continuity of his ideals
that grew beyond the smallness of an ill-paid, unrecognized government
servant's world.

My father was a fervent believer in the British Raj. He sincerely doubted
the capability of the post-independence Indian political parties to govern
the country. To him, the lowering of the Union Jack was a sad event. My
Mother was the exact opposite. When Subhash Bose quit the Indian National
Congress and came to Dacca, my mother, then a schoolgirl, garlanded him. She
learnt to spin khadi and joined an underground movement that trained her in
using daggers and swords. Consequently, our household saw diversity in the
political outlook of the two. On major issues concerning the world, the Old
Man and the Old Lady had differing opinions. In them, we learnt the power of
disagreements, of dialogue and the essence of living with diversity in
thinking. Success is not about the ability to create a definitive dogmatic
end state; it is about the unfolding of thought processes, of dialogue and
continuum.

Two years back, at the age of eighty-two, Mother had a paralytic stroke and
was lying in a government hospital in Bhubaneswar. I flew down from the US
where I was serving my second stint, to see her. I spent two weeks with her
in the hospital as she remained in a paralytic state. She was neither
getting better nor moving on. Eventually I had to return to work. While
leaving her behind, I kissed her face. In that paralytic state and a garbled
voice, she said, "Why are you kissing me, go kiss the world." Her river was
nearing its journey, at the confluence of life and death, this woman who
came to India as a refugee, raised by a widowed Mother, no more educated
than high school, married to an anonymous government servant whose last
salary was Rupees Three Hundred, robbed of her eyesight by fate and crowned
by adversity - was telling me to go and kiss the world!

Success to me is about Vision. It is the ability to rise above the
immediacy of pain. It is about imagination. It is about sensitivity to small
people. It is about building inclusion. It is about connectedness to a
larger world existence. It is about personal tenacity. It is about giving
back more to life than you take out of it. It is about creating
extra-ordinary success with ordinary lives.

Subroto Baghchi Mindtree Consulting
Part of Dream Weave Walk

The Tablecloth

2011-03-09T22:30:00.000-08:00

Understand that things happen for a reason

The brand new pastor and his wife, newly assigned to their first ministry, to reopen a church in suburban Brooklyn , arrived in early October excited about their opportunities. When they saw their church, it was very run down and needed much work. They set a goal to have everything done in time to have their first service on Christmas Eve.

They worked hard, repairing pews, plastering walls,painting, etc, and on December 18 were ahead of schedule and just about finished.

On December 19 a terrible tempest - a driving rainstorm hit the area and lasted for two days.

On the 21st, the pastor went over to the church.His heart sank when he saw that the roof had leaked, causing a large area of plaster about 20 feet by 8 feet to fall off the front wall of the sanctuary just behind the pulpit, beginning about head high.

The pastor cleaned up the mess on the floor,and not knowing what else to do but postpone the Christmas Eve service, headed home.

On the way he noticed that a local business was having a flea market type sale for charity, so he stopped in. One of the items was a beautiful,
handmade, ivory colored, crocheted tablecloth with exquisite work, fine colors and a Cross embroidered right in the center. It was just the right size to cover the hole in the front wall. He bought it and headed back to the church.

By this time it had started to snow. An older woman running from the opposite direction was trying to catch the bus. She missed it. The pastor
invited her to wait in the warm church for the next bus 45 minutes later.

She sat in a pew and paid no attention to the pastor while he got a ladder, hangers, etc., to put up the tablecloth as a wall tapestry. The pastor could hardly believe how beautiful it looked and it covered up the entire problem area.

Then he noticed the woman walking down the center aisle. Her face was like a sheet. "Pastor,"
she asked, "where did you get that tablecloth?"
The pastor explained. The woman asked him to check the lower right corner to see if the initials, EBG were crocheted into it there. They were. These were the initials of the woman, and she had made this tablecloth 35 years before, in Austria .

The woman could hardly believe it as the pastor told how he had just gotten "The Tablecloth". The woman explained that before the war she and
her husband were well-to-do people in Austria.

When the Nazis came, she was forced to leave.Her husband was going to follow her the next week.He was captured, sent to prison and she never saw her usband or her home again.

The pastor wanted to give her the tablecloth;but she made the pastor keep it for the church.The pastor insisted on driving her home. That was the least he could do. She lived on the other side of Staten Island and was only in Brooklyn for the day for a housecleaning job.

What a wonderful service they had on Christmas Eve. The church was almost full. The music and the spirit were great. At the end of the service, the
pastor and his wife greeted everyone at the door and many said that they would return.

One older man, whom the pastor recognized from the neighborhood continued to sit in one of the pews and stare, and the pastor wondered why he
wasn't leaving.

The man asked him where he got the tablecloth on the front wall because it was identical to one that his wife had made years ago when they lived in Austria before the war and how could there be two tablecloths so much alike?

He told the pastor how the Nazis came, how he forced his wife to flee for her safety and he was supposed to follow her, but he was arrested and
put in a prison. He never saw his wife or his home again all the 35 years between.

The pastor asked him if he would allow him to take him for a little ride. They drove to Staten Island and to the same house where the pastor
had taken the woman three days earlier.

He helped the man climb the three flights of stairs to the woman's apartment, knocked on the door and he saw the greatest Christmas
reunion he could ever imagine.

True Story - submitted by Pastor Rob Reid who says God does work in mysterious ways

Part of Dream Weave Walk

Vanilla Ice Cream that puzzled General Motors!

2010-07-18T02:53:00.000-07:00

Never underestimate your Clients' Complaint, no matter how funny it might seem! This is a real story that happened between the customer of General Motors and its Customer-Care Executive.

A complaint was received by the Pontiac Division of General Motors:

'This is the second time I have written to you, and I don't blame you for not answering me, because I sounded crazy, but it is a fact that we have a tradition in our family of Ice-Cream for dessert after dinner each night,but the kind of ice cream varies so, every night, after we've eaten, the whole family votes on which kind of ice cream we should have and I drive down to the store to get it. It's also a fact that I recently purchased a new Pontiac and since then my trips to the store have created a problem....

You see, every time I buy a vanilla ice-cream, when I start back from the store my car won't start. If I get any other kind of ice cream, the car starts just fine. I want you to know I'm serious about this question, no matter how silly it sounds "What is there about a Pontiac that makes it not start when I get vanilla ice cream, and easy to start whenever I get any other kind?" The Pontiac President was understandably skeptical about the letter, but sent an Engineer to check it out anyway.

The latter was surprised to be greeted by a successful, obviously well educated man in a fine neighbour-hood. He had arranged to meet the man just after dinner time, so the two hopped into the car and drove to the ice cream store.

It was vanilla ice cream that night and, sure enough, after they came back to the car, it wouldn't start. The Engineer returned for three more nights. The first night, they got chocolate. The car started.

The second night, he got strawberry. The car started.

The third night he ordered vanilla. The car failed to start. Now the engineer, being a logical man, refused to believe that this man's car was allergic to vanilla ice cream. He arranged, therefore, to continue his visits for as long as it took to solve the problem. And toward this end he began to take notes: He jotted down all sorts of data: time of day, type of gas uses, time to drive back and forth etc.

In a short time, he had a clue: the man took less time to buy vanilla than any other flavour. Why? The answer was in the layout of the store. Vanilla, being the most popular flavour, was in a separate case at the front of the store for quick pickup.All the other flavours were kept in the back of the store at a different counter where it took considerably longer to check out the flavour.

Now, the question for the Engineer was why the car wouldn't start when it took less time. Eureka - Time was now the problem - not the vanilla ice cream!!!! The engineer quickly came up with the answer:

"vapour lock".

It was happening every night; but the extra time taken to get the other flavours allowed the engine to cool down sufficiently to start. When the man got vanilla, the engine was still too hot for the vapour lock to dissipate.

Even crazy looking problems are sometimes real and all problems seem to be
simple only when we find the solution, with cool thinking.

Part of Dream Weave Walk

Hand of Hope

2010-07-18T02:27:00.000-07:00

Please read before viewing the picture - it's worth it!

The picture is that of a 21-week-old unborn baby named Samuel Alexander Armas, who is being operated on by surgeon named Joseph Bruner.

The baby was diagnosed with spina bifida and would not survive if removed from his mother's womb. Little Samuel's mother, Julie Armas, is an obstetrics nurse in Atlanta . She knew of Dr. Bruner's remarkable surgical procedure. Practicing at Vanderbilt Univ Med Ctr in Nashville , he performs these special operations while the baby is still in the womb.

During the procedure, the doctor removes the uterus via C-section and makes a small incision to operate on the baby. As Dr. Bruner completed the surgery on Samuel, the little guy reached his tiny, but fully developed hand through the incision and firmly grasped the surgeon's finger. Dr Bruner was reported as saying that when his finger was grasped, it was the most emotional moment of his life, and that for an instant during the procedure he was just frozen, totally immobile.

The photograph captures this amazing event with perfect clarity. The editors titled the picture, 'Hand of Hope.' The text explaining the picture begins, 'The tiny hand of 21-week-old fetus Samuel Alexander Armas emerges from the mother's uterus to grasp the finger of Dr. Joseph Bruner as if thanking the doctor for the gift of life.'
Little Samuel's mother said they 'wept for days' when they saw the picture. She said, 'The photo reminds us pregnancy isn't about disability or an illness, it's about a little person.' Samuel was born in perfect health, the operation 100 percent successful.

Part of Dream Weave Walk

Two Managers

2010-07-18T02:24:00.000-07:00

A woman in a hot air balloon realized she was lost. She reduced altitude and spotted a man below. She descended a bit more and shouted, "Excuse me Sir, can you help me? I promised a friend, I would meet him an hour ago but I don't know where I am."

The man below replied, "You're in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 30 feet above the ground. You're between 40 and 41 degrees north latitude and between 59 and 60 degrees west longitude."

''You must be an engineer," said the lady balloonist.

"I am", replied the man. 'How did you know?'

''Well", answered the lady in the balloon, "everything you told me is technically correct, but I have no idea what to make of your information, and the fact is I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help to me at all. If anything, you've delayed my trip even more."

The engineer below responded, "You must be in Top Management."

''I am", replied the lady balloonist, "but, how did you know?''
"Well," said the Engineer, "You don't know where you are, or where you're going. You made a promise, which you've no idea how to keep, and you expect people beneath you, to solve your problems."

Part of Dream Weave Walk

F A M I L Y

2010-02-14T22:43:00.001-08:00

I banged into a stranger as he passed by,'Oh excuse me please' was my reply.
He said, 'Please excuse me too;I couldn't see you coming.'
We were very polite, this stranger and I.We went on our way and we said goodbye.

But at home a different story is told,How we treat our loved ones, young and old.
Later that day, cooking the evening meal,My son stood beside me very still.
When I turned, I nearly knocked him down.
'Move out of the way,' I said with a frown.
He walked away, his little heart broken.
I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.
While I lay awake in bed,God's small voice came to me and said,'While dealing with a stranger,common courtesy you use,but the family you love, you seem to abuse.
Go and look on the kitchen floor,You'll find some flowers there by the door.
Those are the flowers he brought for you.He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue.He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise,you never saw the tears that filled his little eyes.'
By this time, I felt very small,And now my tears began to fall.
I quietly went and knelt by his bed;'Wake up, little one, wake up,' I said.
'Are these the flowers you picked for me?'
He smiled, 'I found 'em, out by the tree.I picked 'em because they're pretty like you.I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue.'
I said, 'Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today;I shouldn't have yelled at you that way.'
He said, 'Oh, Mom, that's okay.I love you anyway.'
I said, 'Son, I love you too,and I do like the flowers, especially the blue.'

FAMILY

Are you aware that if we died tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days.But the family we left behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives.And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more
into work than into our own family,an unwise investment indeed,don't you think?

So what is behind the story?
Do you know what the word FAMILY means?
FAMILY = (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER (I) (L)OVE (Y)OU

Part of Dream Weave Walk

The Story of Sir Ramick

2010-02-11T03:18:00.000-08:00

A scientist who enjoyed considerable success during the first half of his life was eventually knighted. His name was Sir Ramick. Unfortunately, he developed a mental illness in his early fifties in which he had a split personality: he was a scientist most of the time and a murderer during brief "bad periods".
During his first "bad period", he got into an argument with a taxi driver over the amount of a fare and sliced the driver's throat. He went to jail, was prosecuted, found guilty and placed on death row. On the day of his electrocution, the executioner asked Sir Ramick if he had any last requests. He responded, "I would like to eat 10 bananas before I die." It seemed like a harmless request and so Sir Ramick was granted his wish. He promptly ate 10 bananas and said confidently, "Put me in the chair now." When the executioner flipped the switch, nothing happened. Now, in the country where Sir Ramick resided, there was an unusual law that said if the execution of a death-row inmate fails due to an act of God or any other reason then he should be set free. Sir Ramick happily left the execution facility and went home to work on a new science project.
A month later, he went for a walk during a beautiful evening lit by a full moon. Unfortunately, his bad personality emerged. He grabbed a teen-aged boy and threw him into a wide river. The boy was found dead the next day and Sir Ramick was again imprisoned. On the day of his execution, he again requested to eat ten bananas and again the electrocution apparatus failed to kill him. He exited the facility smiling.
Two months later, the scientist went to church and shot a nun. The community was in an uproar. How could such a violent man be allowed to roam the streets, the citizens complained. They signed a petition to repeal the execution loophole law but it would be at least six months before the government would be able to respond. In the execution facility, Sir Ramick met the executioner for a third time and requested to eat 10 bananas as before. Knowing that Sir Ramick was a superb scientist, the executioner suspected that the scientist somehow was using his scientific knowledge to escape death. After a discussion with other members at the execution facility, Sir Ramick was granted his wish to eat 10 bananas for a third time. And again, the machine failed to kill him when the switch was flipped.
Just before going out the facility's main entrance, the executioner approached Sir Ramick and asked him, "I need to know what's going on. Is it the bananas?" To which, the scientist replied, "No, I'm just a bad conductor."

Part of Dream Weave Walk

The New CEO

2009-12-18T23:35:00.000-08:00

A successful business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business.

Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children,he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together.

He said, 'It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO.I have decided to choose one of you. 'The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued. 'I am going to give each one of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO.'

One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.

Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.

Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing.

By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure.

Six months went by -- still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however.
He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection.

Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot.
But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful -- in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!

When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives.

Jim just tried to hide in the back. 'My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown,' said the CEO. 'Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!'

All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, 'The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!'

When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed - Jim told him the story.

The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, 'Behold your next Chief Executive Officer!

His name is Jim!' Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his seed.

'How could he be the new CEO?' the others said.

Then the CEO said, 'One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds;they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow.

All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with
my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer!'

* If you plant honesty, you will reap trust

* If you plant goodness, you will reap friends

* If you plant humility, you will reap greatness

* If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment

* If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective

* If you plant hard work, you will reap success

* If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation

So, be careful what you plant now;
it will determine what you will reap later..

'Whatever You Give To Life, Life Gives You Back'

Part of Dream Weave Walk

The Tea Cup Story

2009-12-18T23:21:00.000-08:00

Love this story or not, you will not be able to have tea in a tea cup again without thinking of this.

There was a couple who took a trip to England to shop in a beautiful antique store to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. They both liked antiques and pottery, and especially teacups. Spotting an exceptional cup, they asked "May we see that? We've never seen a cup quite so beautiful."

As the lady handed it to them, suddenly the teacup spoke, "You don't understand. I have not always been a teacup. There was a time when I was just a lump of red clay. My master took me and rolled me, pounded and patted me over and over and I yelled out, "Don't do that."

"I don't like it!" "Let me alone," but he only smiled, and gently said; "Not yet!"

Then WHAM! I was placed on a spinning wheel and suddenly I was spun around and around and around. "Stop it! I'm getting so dizzy! I'm going to be sick!" I screamed. But the master only nodded and said, quietly; 'Not yet.'

He spun me and poked and prodded and bent me out of shape to suit himself and then he put me in the oven. I never felt such heat. I yelled and knocked and pounded at the door. "Help! Get me out of here!" I could see him through the opening and I could read his lips as he shook his head from side to side, 'Not yet'.

When I thought I couldn't bear it another minute, the door opened. He carefully took me out and put me on the shelf, and I began to cool. Oh, that felt so good! "Ah, this is much better," I thought.

But, after I cooled he picked me up and he brushed and painted me all over. The fumes were horrible. I thought I would gag. ‘Oh, please, Stop it, Stop', I cried. He only shook his head and said. 'Not yet!'

Then suddenly he put me back in to the oven. Only it was not like the first one. This was twice as hot and I just knew I would suffocate. I begged. I pleaded. I screamed. I cried. I was convinced I would never make it. I was ready to give up. Just then the door opened and he took me out and again placed me on the shelf, where I cooled and waited and waited, wondering "What's he going to do to me next?"

An hour later he handed me a mirror and said 'Look at yourself.' And I did. I said, ‘That's not me; that couldn't be me. It's beautiful. I'm beautiful!!!' Quietly he spoke: 'I want you to remember, then,' he said, 'I know it hurt to be rolled and pounded and patted, but had I just left you alone, you'd have dried up. I know it made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel, but if I had stopped, you would have crumbled.

I know it hurt and it was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if I hadn't put you there, you would have cracked. I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if I hadn't done that, you never would have hardened. You would not have had any color in your life.

If I hadn't put you back in that second oven, you wouldn't have survived for long because the hardness would not have held. Now you are a finished product. Now you are what I had in mind when I first began with you.'

The moral of this story is this: God knows what He's doing for each of us. He is the potter, and we are His clay. He will mould us and make us and expose us to just enough pressures of just the right kinds that we may be made into a flawless piece of work to fulfill His good, pleasing and perfect will. So when life seems hard, and you are being pounded and patted and pushed almost beyond endurance; when your world seems to be spinning out of control; when you feel like you are in a fiery furnace of trials; when life seems to "stink", try this.

Brew a cup of your favorite tea in your prettiest tea cup, sit down and reflect on this story and then, have a little talk with the 'Potter'. You'll be glad you did.Part of Dream Weave Walk

Speaking in French

2009-12-18T22:43:00.000-08:00

A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference that included Admirals from the U.S. , English, Canadian, Australian and French Navies.
At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of Officers that included personnel from most of those countries.Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks when a French admiral suddenly complained that,
whereas Europeans learn many languages, Americans learn only English.

He then asked, 'Why is it that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French?'

Without hesitating, the American Admiral replied, 'Maybe it's because the Brit's, Canadians, Aussie's and Americans arranged it so you wouldn't have to speak German.'

Part of Dream Weave Walk

The Language of Freedom

2009-12-18T22:41:00.000-08:00

Veer Savarkar( the veteran freedom fighter) once started addressing a public meeting in Hindi at Bangalore.The crowd started shouting " Speak in Kannada. We will hear only in Kannada."

Veer Savarkar replied " Friends, I have spent 14 years of rigorous imprisonment in ill famous Andaman Jail where all freedom fighters were kept in jail. I have learned Bengali from the freedom fighters coming from Bengal, Hindi from those coming from Uttar Pradesh, even gujarati and punjabi. Unfortunately there was none from Karnataka from whom I could have learned Kannada."

Part of Dream Weave Walk

All US military out of France

2009-12-18T22:40:00.000-08:00

At a time when the US President and other US politicians tend to apologize for their country's prior actions, here's a refresher on how some former US personnel handled negative comments about the United States.

JFK'S Secretary of State, Dean Rusk, was in France in the early 60's when Charles DeGaule, the French President, decided to pull out of NATO.
DeGaule said he wanted all US military out of France as soon as possible.

Rusk responded "does that include those who are buried here?

DeGaule did not respond.

Part of Dream Weave Walk

Empire building

2009-12-18T22:39:00.000-08:00

When in England , at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if US plans for Iraq were just an example of empire building by George Bush.

He answered by saying, 'Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders.
The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return.'

Part of Dream Weave Walk

Tsunami Relief

2009-12-18T22:38:00.000-08:00

There was a conference in France where a number of international engineers were taking part, including French and American.
During a break, one of the French engineers came back into the room saying 'Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done?
He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he intended to do, bomb them?'

A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: 'Our carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a day, they can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water from sea water each day, and they carry half a dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck. We have eleven such ships; how many does France have?'
Part of Dream Weave Walk

Passport in France

2009-12-18T22:36:00.000-08:00

Robert Whiting , an elderly US gentleman of 83, arrived in Paris by plane.
At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his carry on.

"You have been to France before, monsieur?" the customs officer asked sarcastically.

Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously.

"Then you should know enough to have your passport ready."

The American said, 'The last time I was here, I didn't have to show it."

"Impossible. Americans always have to show your passports on arrival in France !"

The American senior gave the Frenchman a long hard look. Then he quietly explained, ''Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944 to help liberate this country,I couldn't find a single Frenchman to show a passport to."

Part of Dream Weave Walk

The Nandan Nilkeni Story

2009-12-10T20:55:00.000-08:00

From an INFOSCION to a POLITICION - Nandan's Chronicles ( Nanadan Nilkeni the Infosys Chief, on being elevated to a cabinet rank Minister in Govt. of India.)

My tryst with capturing the life and times of Nandan Nilekani in his new avatar as a Cabinet Minister, here is what he had penned after his first day in the Parliament.

The House was in pin drop silence. I was brimming with anticipation and excitement!!!! Manmohan had informed me that my introduction was one of the important
points of the agenda. I hoped that I will be able to make my speech properly.
After so many interviews and conferences, I was nervous today!!!! After the Speaker indicated that the proceedings of the House could begin, Manmohan formally introduced me to the entire House. He mentioned that as the head of the Unique Identification Authority of India, I was responsible to ensure that each and every Indian had a digital smart card as a proof of his existence.

Manmohan spoke about why I was selected and also some references to the various
projects executed by me in Infosys were mentioned. The House listened with rapt
attention. I was asked to say a few words and I did exactly the same!!! I thanked the
Government of India for having given me this opportunity and I assured the
House that I would strive to successfully deliver this project. The Speaker then formally inducted me into the House and before the proceedings could move any
forward, there was a small commotion on the other side of the hall.

It was Minister of Textiles who had a comment to make before the next point on the agenda. He made a request that I should be attired in a more austere way instead of a
flashy suit. It did not go well with the image of a minister who should live to
serve the common man and should be less ostentatious in his habits. I stood
up to reply. I offered my apologies to the Honourable Minister and assured that I shall be in a more acceptable dress next time. I felt that he was right. We also used to have corporate dress code in Infosys. So it's here as well!!!

I sat down and felt somebody nudging me. I turned around and to my surprise; it
was the former Indian skipper and one of my favourite batsman Mohd.Azharuddin. I remembered that he had recently won the elections. I smiled at him and mentioned to him that I used to like his game very much, shaking his hand. No Rolex, I noticed.

Azhar told me that he would “fix” me an appointment with an Italian designer who had designed his dapper Kurta suit. An Italian designer in Milan doing Kurtas!!!!! I made a note of this and reminded myself to give this example to Friedman for his next book,” The World Markets are flattened”.

Since there was no doubt about the “Fixational” capacities of Azhar, I told him to give me the details and I would consider. The proceedings of the House went on with
numerous bills being debated and passed as I sat as a passive audience waiting for my project’s turn to come up. After the lunch break, it was the moment for me!!!

MY PROJECT”S FIRST REVIEW CAME UP FOR PRESENTATION.

I was at sea. My laptop did not have any reserve power. I went to Manmohan and apprised him of the situation. I was sweating. He calmly replied that this would not be a cause of concern. I was flummoxed!!!! The Speaker asked me to explain to the House on what were my plans for the Unique Identity Project. I replied that I have a plan prepared for 30-60-90-120 days’ milestones and I have presentation to make for which I need a power socket, a projector and a screen. I had no idea what was going to happen after this.

The next couple of minutes were a complete jolt for me. I was completely in a tizzy.

Let me just summarize what happened. A Joint Cabinet Secretary Committee was set
up to judge the feasibility of my request. The Under Secretaries for the Ministries of Power, IT and Broadcasting will prepare a Viability Report after scrutinizing National Security threats to my request. This was because the power socket comes under Power, laptop comes under IT and projector comes under Broadcasting. I have also been told to reconsider my timelines of 30-60-90 days and start thinking in terms of years. Probably, they are right. I did not have the foresight in this matter.

The summary of the issue is that I need to come up with a more inclusive, democratic, comprehensive long term plan for this project to be executed over the next five years. I have also been given a presentation slot 3 months from now (by which the issues related to the power cord etc will also be resolved).
I am filled with mixed reactions.

I was planning for a quick resolution; the management wants a strategic solution.
I come out of the House and text Murthy.
“You won’t believe it but these guys work just like us. I am on a NATIONAL BENCH for the next three months!!!!!!!!”

Part of Dream Weave Walk

The Silent Treatment

2009-12-10T20:22:00.000-08:00

A man and his wife were having some problems at home and were giving each other the silent treatment.

Suddenly, the man realized that the next day,he would need his wife to wake him at 5:00 AM for an early morning business flight.

Not wanting to be the first to break the silence (and LOSE), he wrote on a piece of paper,'Please wake me at 5:00 AM '

He left it where he knew she would find it.

The next morning, the man woke up, only to discover it was 9:00 AM and he had missed his flight.

Furious, he was about to go and see why his wife hadn't wakened him, when he noticed a piece of paper by the bed.

The paper said, 'It is 5:00 AM. Wake up.'

Men are not equipped for these kinds of contests.

Part of Dream Weave Walk

Jack and Jill nursery rhyme

2009-11-28T04:35:00.000-08:00

Two persons hurt in climbing mishap

Here’s how the 24/7 TV news channel would report the Jack and Jill nursery rhyme. All names (except those of Jack and Jill), are fictitious.

Prashant - TV Anchor
Two persons have been injured in a freak climbing accident. Jack and his companion Jill had gone up a hill to fetch a pail of water when Jack fell down and broke his crown. Jill came tumbling after. Live from the hill, our reporter, Amrita Shah, takes up the story.

Amrita Shah
Thank you Prashant. Well, as you say, two persons - Jack and Jill - had gone up a hill to fetch a pail of water. Suddenly, Jack fell down and broke his crown and Jill came tumbling after. Prashant.

Prashant
Thank you Amrita. What do we know about the hill?

Amrita
Not too much. Jack was going up the hill to fetch a pail of water when he fell down and broke his crown. Jill came tumbling after.

[Headline appears at the foot of the TV screen: “hill breaks crown of pail-boy Jack”]

Prashant
What news of Jack and Jill?

Amrita
Prashant, it seems that Jack had gone up the hill to fetch a pail of water. We know nothing about the pail, or how heavy it was but it seems that Jack fell down and broke his crown and Jill came tumbling after. I have here with me, an eyewitness to the accident, Mr Shahid Trivedi. Mr Shahid, tell us what you saw.

Shahid Trivedi
Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water. Jack fell down and broke his crown and Jill came tumbling after.

[Headline appears at the foot of the TV screen: “Boy and girl tumble down hill. Water spilled”]

Amrita
Jack and Jill. What do we know about them? Are they brother and sister? Are they married? Just what were they doing on the hill together?

Shahid Trivedi
Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail a water.

Amrita
And what happened next?

Shahid Trivedi
Jack fell down and broke his crown

Amrita
Go on.

Shahid Trivedi
And Jill came tumbling after.

Amrita
Prashant, there you have it. Two people innocently going about their business to fetch a pail of water when one of them falls down, breaks his crown, and the other comes tumbling after. Back to you in the studio Prashant.

[Headline appears at the foot of the TV screen: “Water errand ends in tragedy”]

Prashant
I have with me in the studio now, Professor Chandrashekar Belagare from the Indian Institute of Applied Hill Sciences. Professor: a hill; Jack; Jill; a pail of water. A tragedy waiting to happen?

Professor
Well that depends on the hill, the two persons, the object they were carrying and the conditions underfoot. Let us look at the evidence so far.

Jack and Jill
Went up the hill
To fetch a pail of water.
Jack fell down
And broke his crown
And Jill came tumbling after.

Clearly, one would suspect that if Jack’s fall was severe enough to break his crown then the surface of the hill must have been slippery or unstable. But I think we’re overlooking something quite fundamental here. Who was carrying the pail? Jack fell down and broke his crown and – this is the key – Jill came tumbling after. If Jack and Jill had been carrying the pail together, would they not have fallen at the same time? The fact that Jill came tumbling after suggests that Jack lost his footing first and perhaps knocked Jill over as he slipped.

Prashant
Professor thank you very much. So there we have it, two persons – Jack and Jill – went up the hill to fetch a pail of water. Jack fell down and broke his crown and Jill came tumbling after. Later in the programme, Osama bin Laden captured in Afghanistan , President Bush says rent-boy menage-a-trois was "just a brief lapse of judgement", and Pakistan launches nuclear warheads against key Indian cities. But next up, join us after the break for a studio discussion about hills, boys and girls and whether water-fetching trips should be supervised. We’ll be right back...

Part of Dream Weave Walk

Is Hell exothermic or endothermic ?

2009-11-28T04:30:00.000-08:00

The following is an actual question given on a University of Washington chemistry mid term.

The answer by one student was so "profound" that the professor shared it with colleagues, via the Internet, which is, of course, why we now have the pleasure of enjoying it as well :

Bonus Question: Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?

Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle's Law (gas cools when it expands and heats when it is compressed) or some variant.

One student, however, wrote the following:

First, we need to know how the mass of Hell is changing in time. So we need to know the rate at which souls are moving into Hell and the rate at which they are leaving. I think that we can safely assume that once a soul gets to Hell, it will not leave. Therefore, no souls are leaving.

As for how many souls are entering Hell, let's look at the different religions that exist in the world today.

Most of these religions state that if you are not a member of their religion, you will go to Hell. Since there is more than one of these religions and since people do not belong to more than one religion, we can project that all souls go to Hell. With birth and death rates as they are, we can expect the number of souls in Hell to increase exponentially. Now, we look at the rate of change of the volume in Hell because Boyle's Law states that in order for the temperature and pressure in Hell to stay the same, the volume of Hell has to expand proportionately as souls are added.

This gives two possibilities:

1. If Hell is expanding at a slower rate than the rate at which souls enter Hell, then the temperature and pressure in Hell will increase until all Hell breaks loose.

2. If Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase of souls in Hell, then the temperature and pressure will drop until Hell freezes over.

So which is it?

If we accept the postulate given to me by Teresa during my Freshman year that, "It will be a cold day in Hell before I sleep with you," and take into account the fact that I slept with her last night, then number two must be true, and thus I am sure that Hell is exothermic and has already frozen over. The corollary of this theory is that since Hell has frozen over, it follows that it is not accepting any more souls and is therefore, extinct......leaving only Heaven, thereby proving the existence of a divine being which explains why, last night, Teresa kept shouting "Oh my God."

THIS STUDENT RECEIVED AN A+.

Part of Dream Weave Walk

Are you being served?

2009-11-28T04:28:00.000-08:00

By the time you read through this YOU WILL UNDERSTAND
"TANJOOBERRYMUTTS"...and be ready for China .
In order to continue
getting-by in China , we need to learn English the way it is
spoken.......................
Practice by reading the following conversation until you are able to
understand the term "TANJOOBERRYMUTTS".

With a little patience, you'll be able to fit right in. Now, here goes...

The following is a telephonic exchange between maybe you as a hotel
guest and room-service...

Room Service : "Morrin. Roon sirbees."
Guest : "Sorry, I thought I dialed room-service."
Room Service: " Rye . Roon sirbees...morrin! Joowish to oddor
sunteen???"
Guest: "Uh..... Yes, I'd like to order bacon and eggs."
Room Service: "Ow ulai den?"
Guest: ".....What??"
Room Service: "Ow ulai den?!?... Pryed, boyud, pochd?"
Guest: "Oh, the eggs! How do I like them? Sorry.. Scrambled, please."
Room Service: "Ow ulai dee bayken ? Creepse?"
Guest: "Crisp will be fine."
Room Service: "Hokay. An sahn toes?"
Guest: "What?"
Room Service: "An toes. ulai sahn toes?"
Guest: "I.... Don't think so.."
RoomService: "No? Udo wan sahn toes???"
Guest: "I feel really bad about this, but I don't know what 'udo wan
sahn toes' means."
RoomService: "Toes! Toes!...Why Uoo don wan toes? Ow bow Anglish moppin
we botter?"
Guest: "Oh, English muffin! !! I've got it! You were saying 'toast'...
Fine...Yes, an English muffin will be fine."
RoomService: "We botter?"
Guest: "No, just put the botter on the side."
RoomService: "Wad?!?"
Guest: "I mean butter... Just put the butter on the side."
RoomService: "Copy?"
Guest: "Excuse me?"
RoomService: "Copy...tea..meel?"
Guest: "Yes. Coffee, please... And that's everything."
RoomService: "One Minnie. Scramah egg, creepse bayken , Anglish moppin,
we botter on sigh and copy ... Rye ??"
Guest: "Whatever you say."
RoomService: "Tanjooberrymutts."
Guest: "You're welcome"

Part of Dream Weave Walk

Anger and Love have no limits

2009-11-09T21:54:00.000-08:00

A Man was Polishing his new car, his 4 year old son picked up a stone & Scratched on the side of the car. In anger the furious man took his child's hand & hit it many times, not realising he was using a wrench.

At the Hospital, the child lost all his fingers due to multiple fractures.

When the child saw his father with pained eyes he asked, 'Dad, when will my fingers grow back?'

The man was so hurt and speechless.

He went back to the car and kicked it many times.

Devastated by his own actions, while sitting in front of the car he looked at the scratches.

His son had written 'LOVE YOU DAD'.

Next day that man committed suicide.

Anger and Love have no limits.

Always remember, "Things are to be used and people are to be loved"

But the problem in today's world is "People are being USED & THINGS are being LOVED".

Part of Dream Weave Walk

Catch the Bull by its tail

2009-10-30T03:22:00.000-07:00

A young man wished to marry the farmer's beautiful daughter.
He went to the farmer to ask his mission.
The farmer looked him over and said,
"Son, go stand out in that field. I'm going to release three bulls,one at a time. If you can catch the tail of any one of the three bulls,you can marry my daughter."

The young man stood in the pasture awaiting the first bull.
The barn door opened and out ran the biggest, meanest-looking bull he had ever seen.
He decided that one of the next bulls had to be a better choice than this one,
so he ran over to the side and let the bull pass through the pasture out the back gate.

The barn door opened again. Unbelievable.He had never seen anything so big and fierce in his life.

It stood pawing the ground, grunting, slinging slobber as it eyed him. Whatever the next bull was like, it had to be a better choice than this one. He ran to the fence and let the bull pass through the pasture,out the back gate.

The door opened a third time.A smile came across his face. This was the weakest, scrawniest little bull he had ever seen. This one was his bull. As the bull came running by, he positioned himself just right and jumped at just the exact moment.

He grabbed...

but the bull had no tail!

Life is full of opportunities.
Some will be easy to take advantage of, some will be difficult.But once we let them pass (often in hopes of something better),those opportunities may never again be available.So always grab the first opportunity . . .

Part of Dream Weave Walk

That's what friends are for

2009-08-20T04:55:00.000-07:00

Horror gripped the heart of the World War 1 soldier as he saw his lifelong friend fall in battle. Caught in a trench with continuous gunfire whizzing over his head, the soldier asked his lieutenant if he might go out into the "no man's land" between the trenches to bring his fallen comrade back.
"You can go," said the lieutenant, "but I don't think it will be worth it. Your friend is probably dead and you may throw your life away." The lieutenant's advice didn't matter, and the soldier went anyway. Miraculously he managed to reach his friend, hoist him onto his shoulder and bring him back to their company's trench. As the two of them tumbled in together to the bottom of the trench, the officer checked the wounded soldier, and then looked kindly at his friend.
"I told you it wouldn't be worth it," he said. "Your friend is dead and you are mortally wounded." "It was worth it, though, sir," said the soldier. "What do you mean; worth it?" responded the Lieutenant. "Your friend is dead" "YES, Sir" the private answered. "But it was worth it because when I got to him, he was still alive and I had the satisfaction of hearing him say, "JIM........, I KNEW YOU'D COME."

Part of Dream Weave Walk

Triple Filter Test

2009-07-30T05:08:00.000-07:00

In ancient Greece Socrates was widely lauded for his > wisdom.
One day the great philosopher came upon an acquaintance who ran up to him excitedly and said, "Socrates, do you know what I just heard about one of your students?"
Wait a moment," Socrates replied. "Before you tell me I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."
"Triple filter?"
"That's right," Socrates continued.
"Before you talk to me about my student let's take a moment to filter what you're going to say. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what
you are about to tell me is true?"
"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and..."
"All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my student something good?"
"No, on the contrary..."
"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, even though you're not certain it's true?"
The man shrugged, a little embarrassed.
Socrates continued. "You may still pass the test though, because there is a third filter - the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my student going to be useful to me?"
"No, not really..."
"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither True nor Good nor even Useful, why tell it to me at all?"

Part of Dream Weave Walk

It could be heaven or it could be hell

2009-07-30T04:41:00.000-07:00

A man and his dog were walking along a road.The man was enjoying the scenery,when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead.He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years.He wondered where the road was leading them. After a while, they came to a high,white stone wall along one side of the road.It looked like fine marble..

At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight..
When he was standing before it, he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl,and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold.

He and the dog walked toward the gate,and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side.
When he was close enough, he called out, 'Excuse me, where are we?'
'This is Heaven, sir,' the man answered.
'Wow! Would you happen to have some water?' the man asked.
'Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up.'
The man gestured, and the gate began to open.
'Can my friend,' gesturing toward his dog, 'come in, too?'the traveller asked.
'I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets.'
The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog.
After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill,he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence.

As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside,leaning against a tree and reading a book....
'Excuse me!' he called to the man. 'Do you have any water?'
'Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there, come on in.'
'How about my friend here?' the traveller gestured to the dog.
'There should be a bowl by the pump,' said the man.
They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it.
The traveller filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself,then he gave some to the dog.
When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree.
'What do you call this place?' the traveller asked.
'This is Heaven,' he answered.
'Well, that's confusing,' the traveller said.
'The man down the road said that was Heaven, too.'
'Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's hell.'
'Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?'
'No, we're just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind.'

Part of Dream Weave Walk

The Gripe sheets

2009-07-22T01:59:00.000-07:00

After every flight, Qantas pilots fill out a form, called a "gripe sheet," which tells mechanics about problems with the aircraft. The mechanics correct the problems, document their repairs on the form, and then pilots review the gripe sheets before the next flight. Never let it be said that ground crews lack a sense of humor.

Here are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by Qantas' pilots (marked with a P) and the solutions recorded (marked with an S) by maintenance engineers.

By the way, Qantas is the only major airline that has never had an accident.

P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement.
S: Almost replaced left inside main tire.
+++
P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.
S: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.
+++
P: Something loose in cockpit.
S: Something tightened in cockpit.
+++
P: Dead bugs on windshield.
S: Live bugs on back-order.
+++
P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a
200 feet per minute descent.
S: Cannot reproduce problem on ground.
+++
P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.
S: Evidence removed.
+++
P: DME volume unbelievably loud.
S: DME volume set to more believable level.
+++
P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to
stick.
S: That's what they're for.
+++
P: IFF inoperative.
S: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode.
+++
P: Suspected crack in windshield.
S: Suspect you're right.
+++
P: Number 3 engine missing.
S: Engine found on right wing after brief
search...
+++
P: Aircraft handles funny.
S: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right,
and be serious.
+++
P: Target radar hums.
S: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics.
+++
P: Mouse in cockpit.
S: Cat installed.
+++
And the last one
P: Noise coming from under instrument panel.
Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.
S: Took hammer away from midget
Part of Dream Weave Walk

Handling the negative people

2009-02-26T04:19:00.000-08:00

This is something to think about when negative people are doing their best to rain on your parade. So remember this story the next time someone who knows nothing, and cares less, tries to make your life miserable.

A woman was at her hairdresser's getting her hair styled for a trip to Rome with her husband.

She mentioned the trip to the hairdresser, who responded: ' Rome ? Why would anyone want to go there? It's crowded and dirty.You're crazy to go to Rome .

So, how are you getting there?' 'We're taking Continental,' was the reply.
'We got a great rate!'
'Continental?' exclaimed the hairdresser.
' That's a terrible airline. Their planes are old, their flight attendants are ugly, and they're always late.

So, where are you staying in Rome ?'
'We'll be at this exclusive little place over on Rome 's Tiber River called Teste.' 'Don't go any further. I know that place.Everybody thinks its gonna be something special and exclusive, but it's really a dump, the worst hotel in the city!
The rooms are small, the service is surly, and they're overpriced.

So, whatcha' doing when you get there?'

'We're going to go to see the Vatican and we hope to see the Pope.'

'That's rich,' laughed the hairdresser.'You and a million other people trying to see him. He'll look the size of an ant. Boy, good luck on this lousy trip of yours. You're going to need it.'

A month later, the woman again came in for a hairdo.

The hairdresser asked her about her trip to Rome . 'It was wonderful,' explained the woman, 'not only were we on time in one of Continental's brand new planes, but it was overbooked, and they bumped us up to first class.The food and wine were wonderful, and I had a handsome 28-year-old steward who waited on me hand and foot. And the hotel was great! They'd just finished a $5 million remodeling job, and now it's a jewel, the finest hotel in the city.They, too, were overbooked, so they apologized and gave us their owner's suite at no extra charge!'

Well,' muttered the hairdresser, 'that's all well and good, but I know you didn't get to see the Pope.'

'Actually, we were quite lucky, because as we toured the Vatican, a Swiss guard tapped me on the shoulder, and explained that the Pope likes to meet some of the visitors, and if I'd be so kind as to step into his private room and wait, the Pope would personally greet me.

Sure enough, five minutes later, the Pope walked through the door and shook my hand!

I knelt down and he spoke a few words to me.'

'Oh, really! What'd he say ?'

He said: 'Where'd you get the shitty Hairdo?'

Part of Dream Weave Walk

Nail in the Fence

2009-02-24T00:51:00.000-08:00

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His Father gave him a bag of nails
and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back
of the fence.

The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to
drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the ! day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.

The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger,they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out.It won't matter how many times you say "I'm sorry", the wound is still there.
A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.

Part of Dream Weave Walk

Lessons from a Dog

2009-02-19T00:43:00.000-08:00

If a dog was the teacher you would learn stuff like:
1.When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
2.Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
3.Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy. 4.When it's in your best interest, practice obedience.
5.Let others know when they've invaded your territory.
6.Take naps. Stretch before rising. Run, romp, and play daily.
7.Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
8.Avoid biting when a simple growl will do. On warm days, stop to lie on your back in the grass.
9.On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree. When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
10.No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout .... Run right back and make friends.
11.Delight in the simple joy of a long walk. Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough.
12.Be loyal. Never pretend to be something you're not. If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
13.When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
14. And never trust anyone until you have sniffed their butt....

Part of Dream Weave Walk

Bill Gates at Harvard

2009-01-27T21:43:00.000-08:00

Below is the prepared text for Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates's commencement address to the Harvard University class of 2007.
June 7, 2007

President Bok, former President Rudenstine, incoming President Faust, members of the Harvard Corporation and the Board of Overseers, members of the faculty, parents, and especially, the graduates:

I've been waiting more than 30 years to say this: "Dad, I always told you I'd come back and get my degree."

I want to thank Harvard for this timely honor. I'll be changing my job next year and it will be nice to finally have a college degree on my resume.

I applaud the graduates today for taking a much more direct route to your degrees. For my part, I'm just happy that the Crimson has called me "Harvard's most successful dropout." I guess that makes me valedictorian of my own special class I did the best of everyone who failed.

But I also want to be recognized as the guy who got Steve Ballmer to drop out of business school. I'm a bad influence. That's why I was
invited to speak at your graduation. If I had spoken at your
orientation, fewer of you might be here today.

Harvard was just a phenomenal experience for me. Academic life was
fascinating. I used to sit in on lots of classes I hadn't even
signed up for. And dorm life was terrific. I lived up at Radcliffe,
in Currier House. There were always lots of people in my dorm room
late at night discussing things, because everyone knew I didn't
worry about getting up in the morning. That's how I came to be the
leader of the anti-social group. We clung to each other as a way of
validating our rejection of all those social people.

Radcliffe was a great place to live. There were more women up there,
and most of the guys were science-math types. That combination
offered me the best odds, if you know what I mean. This is where I
learned the sad lesson that improving your odds doesn't guarantee
success.

One of my biggest memories of Harvard came in January 1975, when I
made a call from Currier House to a company in Albuquerque that had
begun making the world's first personal computers. I offered to sell
them software.

I worried that they would realize I was just a student in a dorm and
hang up on me. Instead they said: "We're not quite ready, come see
us in a month," which was a good thing, because we hadn't written
the software yet. From that moment, I worked day and night on this
little extra credit project that marked the end of my college
education and the beginning of a remarkable journey with Microsoft.

What I remember above all about Harvard was being in the midst of so
much energy and intelligence. It could be exhilarating,
intimidating, sometimes even discouraging, but always challenging.
It was an amazing privilege and though I left early, I was
transformed by my years at Harvard, the friendships I made, and the
ideas I worked on. But taking a serious look back I do have one big regret.

I left Harvard with no real awareness of the awful inequities in the
world -- the appalling disparities of health, and wealth, and
opportunity that condemn millions of people to lives of despair.

I learned a lot here at Harvard about new ideas in economics and
politics. I got great exposure to the advances being made in the
sciences.

But humanity's greatest advances are not in its discoveries but in
how those discoveries are applied to reduce inequity. Whether
through democracy, strong public education, quality health care, or
broad economic opportunity reducing inequity is the highest human
achievement.

I left campus knowing little about the millions of young people
cheated out of educational opportunities here in this country. And I
knew nothing about the millions of people living in unspeakable
poverty and disease in developing countries.

It took me decades to find out.

You graduates came to Harvard at a different time. You know more
about the world's inequities than the classes that came before. In
your years here, I hope you've had a chance to think about how in
this age of accelerating technology we can finally take on these
inequities, and we can solve them.

Imagine, just for the sake of discussion, that you had a few hours a
week and a few dollars a month to donate to a cause and you wanted
to spend that time and money where it would have the greatest impact
in saving and improving lives. Where would you spend it?

For Melinda and for me, the challenge is the same: how can we do the
most good for the greatest number with the resources we have.

During our discussions on this question, Melinda and I read an
article about the millions of children who were dying every year in
poor countries from diseases that we had long ago made harmless in
this country. Measles, malaria, pneumonia, hepatitis B, yellow
fever. One disease I had never even heard of, rotavirus, was killing
half a million kids each year none of them in the United States.

We were shocked. We had just assumed that if millions of children
were dying and they could be saved, the world would make it a
priority to discover and deliver the medicines to save them. But it
did not. For under a dollar, there were interventions that could
save lives that just weren't being delivered.

If you believe that every life has equal value, it's revolting to
learn that some lives are seen as worth saving and others are not.
We said to ourselves: "This can't be true. But if it is true, it
deserves to be the priority of our giving."

So we began our work in the same way anyone here would begin it. We
asked: "How could the world let these children die?"

The answer is simple, and harsh. The market did not reward saving
the lives of these children, and governments did not subsidize it.
So the children died because their mothers and their fathers had no
power in the market and no voice in the system.

But you and I have both.

We can make market forces work better for the poor if we can develop
a more creative capitalism if we can stretch the reach of market
forces so that more people can make a profit, or at least make a
living, serving people who are suffering from the worst inequities.
We also can press governments around the world to spend taxpayer
money in ways that better reflect the values of the people who pay
the taxes.

If we can find approaches that meet the needs of the poor in ways
that generate profits for business and votes for politicians, we
will have found a sustainable way to reduce inequity in the world.

This task is open-ended. It can never be finished. But a conscious
effort to answer this challenge will change the world.

I am optimistic that we can do this, but I talk to skeptics who
claim there is no hope. They say: "Inequity has been with us since
the beginning, and will be with us till the end because people just
don't care."

I completely disagree.

I believe we have more caring than we know what to do with.

All of us here in this Yard, at one time or another, have seen human
tragedies that broke our hearts, and yet we did nothing -- not
because we didn't care, but because we didn't know what to do. If we
had known how to help, we would have acted.

The barrier to change is not too little caring; it is too much
complexity.

To turn caring into action, we need to see a problem, see a
solution, and see the impact. But complexity blocks all three steps.

Even with the advent of the Internet and 24-hour news, it is still a
complex enterprise to get people to truly see the problems. When an
airplane crashes, officials immediately call a press conference.
They promise to investigate, determine the cause, and prevent
similar crashes in the future.

But if the officials were brutally honest, they would say: "Of all
the people in the world who died today from preventable causes, one
half of one percent of them were on this plane. We're determined to
do everything possible to solve the problem that took the lives of
the one half of one percent."

The bigger problem is not the plane crash, but the millions of
preventable deaths.

We don't read much about these deaths. The media covers what's new
and millions of people dying is nothing new. So it stays in the
background, where it's easier to ignore. But even when we do see it
or read about it, it's difficult to keep our eyes on the problem.
It's hard to look at suffering if the situation is so complex that
we don't know how to help. And so we look away.

If we can really see a problem, which is the first step, we come to
the second step: cutting through the complexity to find a solution.

Finding solutions is essential if we want to make the most of our
caring. If we have clear and proven answers anytime an organization
or individual asks "How can I help?" then we can get action and we
can make sure that none of the caring in the world is wasted. But
complexity makes it hard to mark a path of action for everyone who
cares and that makes it hard for their caring to matter.

Cutting through complexity to find a solution runs through four
predictable stages: determine a goal, find the highest-leverage
approach, discover the ideal technology for that approach, and in
the meantime, make the smartest application of the technology that
you already have whether it's something sophisticated, like a drug,
or something simpler, like a bednet.

The AIDS epidemic offers an example. The broad goal, of course, is
to end the disease. The highest-leverage approach is prevention. The
ideal technology would be a vaccine that gives lifetime immunity
with a single dose. So governments, drug companies, and foundations
fund vaccine research. But their work is likely to take more than a
decade, so in the meantime, we have to work with what we have in
hand and the best prevention approach we have now is getting people
to avoid risky behavior.

Pursuing that goal starts the four-step cycle again. This is the
pattern. The crucial thing is to never stop thinking and working and
never do what we did with malaria and tuberculosis in the 20th
century which is to surrender to complexity and quit.

The final step after seeing the problem and finding an approach is
to measure the impact of your work and share your successes and
failures so that others learn from your efforts.

You have to have the statistics, of course. You have to be able to
show that a program is vaccinating millions more children. You have
to be able to show a decline in the number of children dying from
these diseases. This is essential not just to improve the program,
but also to help draw more investment from business and government.

But if you want to inspire people to participate, you have to show
more than numbers; you have to convey the human impact of the work
so people can feel what saving a life means to the families affected.

I remember going to Davos some years back and sitting on a global
health panel that was discussing ways to save millions of lives.
Millions! Think of the thrill of saving just one person's life then
multiply that by millions. ? Yet this was the most boring panel I've
ever been on ever. So boring even I couldn't bear it.

What made that experience especially striking was that I had just
come from an event where we were introducing version 13 of some
piece of software, and we had people jumping and shouting with
excitement. I love getting people excited about software but why
can't we generate even more excitement for saving lives?

You can't get people excited unless you can help them see and feel
the impact. And how you do that is a complex question.

Still, I'm optimistic. Yes, inequity has been with us forever, but
the new tools we have to cut through complexity have not been with
us forever. They are new they can help us make the most of our
caring and that's why the future can be different from the past.
The defining and ongoing innovations of this age biotechnology, the
computer, the Internet give us a chance we've never had before to
end extreme poverty and end death from preventable disease.

Sixty years ago, George Marshall came to this commencement and
announced a plan to assist the nations of post-war Europe. He
said: "I think one difficulty is that the problem is one of such
enormous complexity that the very mass of facts presented to the
public by press and radio make it exceedingly difficult for the man
in the street to reach a clear appraisement of the situation. It is
virtually impossible at this distance to grasp at all the real
significance of the situation."

Thirty years after Marshall made his address, as my class graduated
without me, technology was emerging that would make the world
smaller, more open, more visible, less distant.

The emergence of low-cost personal computers gave rise to a powerful
network that has transformed opportunities for learning and
communicating.

The magical thing about this network is not just that it collapses
distance and makes everyone your neighbor. It also dramatically
increases the number of brilliant minds we can have working together
on the same problem and that scales up the rate of innovation to a
staggering degree.

At the same time, for every person in the world who has access to
this technology, five people don't. That means many creative minds
are left out of this discussion -- smart people with practical
intelligence and relevant experience who don't have the technology
to hone their talents or contribute their ideas to the world.

We need as many people as possible to have access to this
technology, because these advances are triggering a revolution in
what human beings can do for one another. They are making it
possible not just for national governments, but for universities,
corporations, smaller organizations, and even individuals to see
problems, see approaches, and measure the impact of their efforts to
address the hunger, poverty, and desperation George Marshall spoke
of 60 years ago.

Members of the Harvard Family: Here in the Yard is one of the great
collections of intellectual talent in the world.

What for?

There is no question that the faculty, the alumni, the students, and
the benefactors of Harvard have used their power to improve the
lives of people here and around the world. But can we do more? Can
Harvard dedicate its intellect to improving the lives of people who
will never even hear its name?

Let me make a request of the deans and the professors the
intellectual leaders here at Harvard: As you hire new faculty, award
tenure, review curriculum, and determine degree requirements, please
ask yourselves:

Should our best minds be dedicated to solving our biggest problems?

Should Harvard encourage its faculty to take on the world's worst
inequities? Should Harvard students learn about the depth of global
poverty, the prevalence of world hunger, the scarcity of clean water, the girls kept out of school, the children who die from diseases we can cure?

Should the world's most privileged people learn about the lives of
the world's least privileged?

These are not rhetorical questions you will answer with your
policies.

My mother, who was filled with pride the day I was admitted here
never stopped pressing me to do more for others. A few days before
my wedding, she hosted a bridal event, at which she read aloud a
letter about marriage that she had written to Melinda. My mother was
very ill with cancer at the time, but she saw one more opportunity
to deliver her message, and at the close of the letter she
said: "From those to whom much is given, much is expected."

When you consider what those of us here in this Yard have been given
in talent, privilege, and opportunity there is almost no limit to
what the world has a right to expect from us.

In line with the promise of this age, I want to exhort each of the
graduates here to take on an issue a complex problem, a deep
inequity, and become a specialist on it. If you make it the focus of
your career, that would be phenomenal. But you don't have to do that
to make an impact. For a few hours every week, you can use the
growing power of the Internet to get informed, find others with the
same interests, see the barriers, and find ways to cut through them.

Don't let complexity stop you. Be activists. Take on the big
inequities. It will be one of the great experiences of your lives.

You graduates are coming of age in an amazing time. As you leave
Harvard, you have technology that members of my class never had. You
have awareness of global inequity, which we did not have. And with
that awareness, you likely also have an informed conscience that
will torment you if you abandon these people whose lives you could
change with very little effort.

You have more than we had; you must start sooner, and carry on
longer. Knowing what you know, how could you not?

And I hope you will come back here to Harvard 30 years from now and
reflect on what you have done with your talent and your energy. I
hope you will judge yourselves not on your professional
accomplishments alone, but also on how well you have addressed the
world's deepest inequities on how well you treated people a world
away who have nothing in common with you but their humanity.

Good luck.
Part of Dream Weave Walk

Surviving 26/11

2009-01-26T21:34:00.000-08:00

letter from somoeone who was in the Taj Mahal Hotel Mumbai during the terrorist attack on 26/11 and managed to escape..

Dear all,

My heartfelt thanks to you for your support and wishes during the horrific experience. I havent yet had a chance to connect with everyone and hence this bulk mail - this is so not my way of doing it. My apologies for that.

I want you to know that this is NOT a mindless forward but a straight message from someone you've known.

I wont go much into details of what happened that night. To cut the long story short - I was holed up in my room at the Taj hotel the fateful night of the terrorist attack. Managed to escape by the skin of my teeth at around 4 am - in sheer denial of allowing fire and smoke to swallow me. By gods grace I managed to make the run down 6 floors and some few metres without the devil in my way.

You can imagine how happy I am to be here typing this away. ( For anyone who wants to know the gore - let me know. I have the full story and transcripts of my SMSes recorded for posterity - to keep my anger burning and reminding me of my purpose)

I thought I'd leave a few messages which might be of help to all good people.

In the modern day world, risks are a plenty. Terrorists, tsnunamis, earthquakes - the list can go on. None of these check on your profile, company, religion, class or seniority when they hit. They just hit. And we know now it can happen anywhere. Here are a few things we could all do to keep it safer and better.

Firstly, value your family and friends. Two things I strongly recommend you check on
1. Make sure you are covered well by insurance. Even if you are well off - leave them better off if the unfortunate were to happen.
2. Let them know details on things like bank accounts, investments etc. Keep a folio with your spouse and close family.
3. Use every waking moment to cherish what you have - family, friends, nature. Stay smiling, laughing and caring.

Admittedly these arent things I thought about deeply till now. I shudder at the thought of what if.

Lets move from the philosphical to the more practical.

There are a few lessons that I want to share

1. When in a hotel or a new place - please NOTE where the FIRE EXIT is. The fire exit route saved my life. I had no clue of where it was and why I ran where I did. Why I turned left or right. Providential escape for me - nothing more. I've stayed in hotels for years and dont remember ever paying attention to this. Its a few seconds invested that can save you from big trouble.
2. Insist on taking a room in the outer periphery - where the fire brigade can reach you. My room was on the inside and I tell you what - there was no chance the fire brigade would ever reach me. They would have always been a few yards but several hours away. Ever thought of this detail.
3. A key item on your survival kit is your cellphone. I give it to Apple for developing the Iphone - a real smart gadget. Whatever your phone - a critical checkpoint is battery life. Often we wait for battery to go down before charging. Dont ! Keep it full charge all the time. All the SMSes saved my senses and maybe even my life.
4. I learnt for the first time that when running through fire and/or smoke - run bending down and wrap a wet blanket around. I did that thanks to a friend who advised me. Its a different story I chucked the blanket thinking that the cops would gun me down mistaking me for a terrorist. Good tip nevertheless.
5. Dont miss the aspect of staying fit - in running shape. Can help you and maybe even you can help someone.

Last few days I have heard/read a lot about peace marches and candles and politician bashing and police bashing and whatever else. I am sure a lot of energy will go in all that. Having been there I can only say that every soul - the cop, the fireman, the medico and even the common man on the street was doing the best he could. I dont blame anyone. I am sure good will prevail over evil in the long term. The short term blips we cannot avoid.

I have a lot to say and yet not much more. God is the greatest and leads to the ultimate destiny. I am thankful for all that has been and all that there is now.

Happy to be writing to you and wish you and the family best for times ahead.

Am sure we will be in touch. Till then.

Regards

Part of Dream Weave Walk

A Violinist in the Metro

2009-01-19T21:26:00.000-08:00

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that housand of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk. A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition. No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars. Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston and the seats average $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of an social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?

Part of Dream Weave Walk

THINK before you speak...

2009-01-16T21:13:00.000-08:00

Have you ever spoken and wished that you could immediately take the words back...

Here are the Testimonials of a few people who did....

FIRST TESTIMONY:

I walked into a hair salon with my husband and three kids in tow and asked loudly,
"How much do you charge for a shampoo and a blow j * b?"
I turned around and walked back out and never went back.
My husband didn't say a word...
he knew better.

SECOND TESTIMONY:

I was at the golf store comparing different kinds of golf balls. I was unhappy with the women's type I had been using. After browsing for several minutes, I was approached by one of the good-looking gentlemen who works at the store. He asked if he could help me.

Without thinking, I looked at him and said , "I think I like playing with men's balls."

THIRD TESTIMONY:

My sister and I were at the mall and passed by a store that sold a variety of candy and nuts. As we were looking at the display case, the boy behind the counter asked if we needed any help.

I replied, "No, I'm just looking at your nuts."

My sister started to laugh hysterically. The boy grinned, and I turned beet-red and walked away. To this day, my sister has never let me forget.

FOURTH TESTIMONY :

While in line at the bank one afternoon, my toddler decided to release some pent-up energy and ran amok. I was finally able to grab hold of her after receiving looks of disgust and annoyance from other patrons.

I told her that if she did not start behaving "right now" she would be punished.

To my horror, she looked me in the eye and said in a voice just as threatening,

"If you don't let me go right now, I will tell Grandma that I saw you kissing Daddy's pee-pee last night!"

The silence was deafening after this enlightening exchange. Even the tellers stopped what they were doing. I mustered up the last of my dignity and walked out of the bank with my daughter in tow.

The last thing I heard as the door closed behind me, were screams of laughter.

FIFTH TESTIMONY:

Have you ever asked your child a question too many times?

My three-year-old son had a lot of problems with potty training and I was on him constantly.

One day we stopped at Taco Bell for a quick lunch in between errands. It was very busy, with a full dining room. While enjoying my taco, I smelled something funny,I
so of course I checked my seven-month-old daughter, and she was clean.

Then I realized that Danny had not asked to go potty in a while. I asked him if he needed to go, and he said "No".
I kept thinking "Oh Lord, that child has had an accident, and I don't have any clean clothes with me."

Then I said, "Danny, are you SURE you didn't have an accident?"

"No," he replied.

I just KNEW that he must have had an accident, because the smell was getting worse.

So, I asked one more time, "Danny, did you have an accident?"

This time he jumped up, yanked down his pants, bent over, spread his cheeks and yelled "SEE MOM, IT'S JUST FARTS!!"

While 30 people nearly choked to death on their tacos laughing, he calmly pulled up his pants and sat down.

An older couple made me feel better, thanking me for the best laugh they'd ever had!

LAST TESTIMONY:

This one had most of the state of Michigan laughing for 2 days and a very embarrassed female news anchor.

What happens when you predict snow, but don't get any?

We had a female news anchor who, the day after it was supposed to have snowed and didn't, turned to the weatherman and asked:

"So Bob, where's that 8 inches you promised me last night?"

Not only did HE have to leave the set, but half the crew did too, they were laughing so hard!

Part of Dream Weave Walk

Mother's Touch

2008-11-23T01:54:00.000-08:00

BEING A MOTHER...

After 17 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie. She said, 'I love you, but I know this other woman loves you and would love to spend some time with you.'
* * *
The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my MOTHER, who has been alone for 20 years, but the demands of my work and my two boys had made it possible to visit her only occasionally.
* * *
That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie.
* * *
'What's wrong, aren't you well,' she asked?
* * *
My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news.
* * *
'I thought it would be pleasant to spend some time with you,' I responded. 'Just the two of us.'
She thought about it for a moment, and then said, 'I would like that very much.'
* * *
That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last birthday on November 19th.
* * *
She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angel's. 'I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed,' she said, as she got into that new white van. 'They can't wait to hear about our date'.
* * *
We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes could only read large print. Half way through the entries, I
lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips 'It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small,' she said. 'Then it's time that you relax and let me return the favor,' I responded.
* * *
During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation- -nothing extraordinary but catching up on recent events of each other's life. We talked so much that we missed the movie.
* * *
As we arrived at her house later, she said, 'I'll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you.' I agreed.
* * *
'How was your dinner date ?' asked my wife when I got home.
'Very nice. Much more so than I could have imagined,' I answered.
* * *
A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn't have a chance to do anything for her.
* * *
Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place mother and I had dined. An attached note said: 'I paid this bill in advance. I wasn't sure that I could be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two
plates - one for you and the other for your wife.. You will never know what that night meant for me.

I love you, son.'
* * *
At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: 'I LOVE YOU' and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life is more important than your family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off till 'some other time.'
* * *
Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back to normal after you've had a baby.... somebody doesn't know that once you're a mother, 'normal' is history.
* * *
Somebody said you learn how to be a mother by instinct .. somebody never took a three-year-old shopping.
* * *
Somebody said being a mother is boring ....
somebody never rode in a car driven by a teenager with a driver's permit.

Somebody said if you're a'good' mother, your child will 'turn out good'....
somebody thinks a child comes with directions and a guarantee.
* * *
Somebody said you don't need an education to be a mother.... somebody never helped a fourth grader with his math.
* * *
Somebody said you can't love the second child as much as you love the first .... somebody doesn't have two children.
* * *
Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother is labor and delivery....
somebody never watched her 'baby' get on the bus for the first day of kindergarten ...
or on a plane headed for military 'boot camp.'
* * *
Somebody said a mother can stop worrying after her child gets married....somebody doesn't know that marriage adds a new son or daughter-in- law to a mother's heartstrings.
* * *
Somebody said a mother's job is done when her last child leaves home....
somebody never had grandchildren.
* * *
Somebody said your mother knows you love her, so
you don't need to tell her....

somebody isn't a mother.

Part of Dream Weave Walk

The Witch

2008-10-28T02:32:00.000-07:00

Young King Arthur was ambushed and imprisoned by the monarch of a neighboring kingdom.. The monarch could have killed him but was moved by Arthur's youth
and ideals. So, the monarch offered him his freedom, as long as he could answer
a very difficult question. Arthur would have a year to figure out the answer and, If after a year, he still had no answer, he would be put to death.
The question was: What do women really want?

Such a question would perplex even the most knowledgeable man, And to young Arthur, it seemed an impossible query. But, since it was better than death, He accepted the monarch's proposition to have an answer by year's end.

He returned to his kingdom and began to poll everyone: The princess, the priests, the wise men, and even the court jester. He spoke with everyone, but no one could give him a satisfactory answer. Many people advised him to consult the old witch, For only she would have the answer. But the price would be high as the witch was famous through out the kingdom for the exorbitant prices she charged.

The last day of the year arrived and Arthur had no choice but to talk to the witch. She agreed to answer the question, but he would have to agree to her price first.

The old witch wanted to marry Sir Lancelot, The most noble of the Knights of the Round Table, And Arthur's closest friend! Young Arthur was horrified. She was hunch-backed and hideous, had only one tooth, Smelled like sewage, made obscene noises, etc.

He had never encountered such a repugnant creature in all his life.. He refused to force his friend to marry her and endure such a terrible burden,But Lancelot, having learnt of the proposal, spoke with Arthur. He said nothing was too big of a sacrifice compared to Arthur's life. And the reservation of the Round Table. Hence, a wedding was proclaimed and the witch answered. Arthur's question thus: 'What a woman really wants?'

She said, 'Is to be in charge of her own life.'

Everyone in the kingdom instantly knew that the witch had uttered a great truth.

And that Arthur's life would be spared.
And so it was.

The neighboring monarch granted Arthur his freedom.And Lancelot and the witch had a wonderful wedding.The honeymoon hour approached and, Lancelot, steeling himself for a horrific experience, entered the bedroom.

But, what a sight awaited him.The most beautiful woman he had ever seen lay before him on the bed.The astounded Lancelot asked what had happened.The beauty replied that since he had been so kind to her when she appeared as a witch, She would henceforth be her horrible and deformed self only half the time. And the beautiful maiden the other half.
'Which would you prefer? She asked him.
'Beautiful during the day .... or at night?'
Lancelot pondered the predicament.
During the day he could have a beautiful woman to show off to his friends,But at night, in the privacy of his castle, an old witch!
Or,
Would he prefer having a hideous witch during the day? But by night a beautiful woman for him to enjoy wondrous, intimate moments with?

(If you are a man reading this...) What would YOUR choice be?
(If you are a woman reading this) What would YOUR MAN'S choice be?
What Lancelot chose, is given below:

BUT... make YOUR choice before you scroll down below... OKAY?

Noble Lancelot, knowing the answer the witch gave Arthur to his question,He said that he would allow HER to make the choice herself.

Upon hearing this, she announced that she would be beautiful all the time.Because, he had respected her enough to let her be in charge of her own
life.

Now... what is the moral to this story?

The moral is...
1) There is witch in every woman no matter how beautiful she is !
2) If you don't let a woman have her own way, things are going to get ugly.

So, always remember:
IT'S EITHER 'HER WAY' OR IT'S 'NO WAY' !!!
Part of Dream Weave Walk

Anecdote 22: A cup for coffee

2008-09-11T23:37:00.000-07:00

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life. Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to hot coffee. When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for each of you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups and were eyeing each other's cups. Now if life is coffee, then the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, but the quality of Life doesn't change. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee in it." So, don't let the cups drive you... enjoy the coffee instead.

Part of Dream Weave Walk

Anecdote 21:That is the way to do it

2008-08-22T18:58:00.000-07:00

Great Political spin:

Subject: Hillary's Great Uncle

Judy Wallman, a professional genealogical researcher, discovered that Hillary Clinton's great-great uncle, Remus Rodham, was hanged for horse stealing and train robbery in Montana in 1889.

The only known photograph of Remus shows him standing on the gallows.

On the back of the picture is this inscription:

Remus Rodham; horse thief, sent to Montana Territorial Prison 1885,escaped 1887, robbed the Montana Flyer six times. Caught by Pinkerton detectives, convicted and hanged in 1889.'

Judy e-mailed Hillary Clinton for comments.

Hillary's staff sent back the following biographical sketch:

'Remus Rodham was a famous cowboy in the Montana Territory.
His business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and intimate dealings with the Montana railroad. Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to service at a government facility, finally taking leave to resume his dealings with the railroad.

In 1887, he was a key player in a vital investigation run by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency. In 1889, Remus passed away during an important civic function held in his honor when the platform upon which he was standing collapsed.'

And THAT is how it's done folks

Part of Dream Weave Walk

Anecdote20: Golf Balls and Sand

2008-08-21T01:58:00.000-07:00

A professor stood before his Philosophy class and had some items in front of him.

When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full.

They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar.

He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full.

They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.

Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

He asked once more if the jar was full.

The students responded with a unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand.

The students laughed.

'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

'The golf balls are the important things - your God, family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions - things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

'The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car.

'The sand is everything else--the small stuff..

'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.

'The same goes for life.
'If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

'Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.

Play with your children.

'Take time to get medical checkups.

'Take your partner out to dinner.

'Play another 18.

'There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal.

'Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter.

'Set your priorities.

'The rest is just sand.'

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled. 'I'm glad you asked.

'It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a cup of coffee with a friend.'

Part of Dream Weave Walk

Anecdote19: Taking Men for shopping

2008-08-14T03:40:00.000-07:00

Question Why women should not take men shopping against their will

Answer: This is why women should not take men shopping against their will.

After I retired, my wife insisted that I accompany her on her trips to Wal-mart. Unfortunately, like most men, I found shopping boring and preferred to get in and get out.

Equally unfortunately, my wife is like most women - - she loved to browse. Yesterday my dear wife received the following letter from the local Wal-Mart.

Dear Mrs. Samsel,

Over the past six months, your husband has been causing quite a commotion in our store. We cannot tolerate this behavior and have been forced to ban both of you from the store. Our complaints against Mr. Samsel are listed below and are documented by our video surveillance cameras.

1. June 15: Took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in people's carts when they weren't looking.

2 . July 2 : Set all the alarm clocks in House wares to go off at 5-minute intervals.

3. July 7: Made a trail of tomato juice on the floor leading to the women's restroom.

4. July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official voice, 'Code 3 in Housewares. Get on it right away.'

5. August 4: Went to the Service Desk and tried to put a bag of M&M's on layaway.

6. August 14: Moved a 'CAUTION - WET FLOOR' sign to a carpeted area.

7. August 15: Set up a tent in the camping department and told other shoppers he'd invite them in if they would bring pillows and blankets from the bedding department.

8. August 23: When a clerk asked if they could help him he began crying and screamed, 'Why can't you people just leave me alone?'

9. September 4: Looked right into the security camera and used it as a mirror while he picked his nose.

10. September 10: While handling guns in the hunting department, he asked the clerk where the antidepressants were.

11. October 3: Darted around the store suspiciously while loudly humming the 'Mission Impossible' theme.

12. October 6: In the auto department, he practiced his 'Madonna look' by using different sizes of funnels.

13. October 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browsed through, yelled 'PICK ME! PICK ME!'

14. October 21: When an announcement came over the loud speaker, he assumed a fetal position and screamed 'OH NO! IT'S THOSE VOICES AGAIN!'

And last, but not least.

15. October 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door, waited awhile, then yelled very loudly, 'Hey! There's no toilet paper in here.'

Regards,
Tom Richards
Walmart Manager

Part of Dream Weave Walk

Anecdote 18: The Bond

2008-08-10T09:58:00.000-07:00

Little girl and her father were crossing a bridge.
The father was kind of scared so he asked his little daughter,
'Sweetheart, please hold my hand so that you don't fall into the river.'
The little girl said, 'No, Dad. You hold my hand.'
'What's the difference?' Asked the puzzled father.
'There's a big difference,' replied the little girl.

'If I hold your hand and something happens to me,
chances are that I may let your hand go.
But if you hold my hand, I know for sure that no matter what happens,
you will never let my hand go.'

In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind,

but in its bond.

Part of Dream Weave Walk

Anecdote17: Winning

2008-08-02T23:05:00.000-07:00

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning disabled children,the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question:"When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?"The audience was stilled by the query.The father continued. "I believe that when a child like Shay, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes, in the way other people treat that child."

Then he told the following story:
Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew wereplaying baseball. Shay asked, "Do you think they'll let me play?" Shay'sfather knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to play,it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.
Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play, not expecting much. The boy looked around for guidance and said,"We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning."Shay struggled over to the team's bench put on a team shirt with a broad smile and his Father had a small tear in his eye and warmth in his heart.The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning,Shay's team scored again Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat.
Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible 'cause Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly,much less connect with the ball.However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing the other team putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least be able to make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay.As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ballright back to the pitcher.The game would now be over, but the pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the head of the first baseman, out of reach of all team mates.
Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, "Shay, run to first! Run to first!" Never in his lifehad Shay ever ran that far but made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second!" Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to second base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder hadthe ball, the smallest guy on their team, who had a chance to be the hero for his team for the first time. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions and he too intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.
All were screaming, "Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay" Shay reached third base, the opposing shortstop ran to help him and turned him in the direction of third base, and shouted, "Run to third! Shay, run to third" As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams and those watching were on their feet were screaming, "Shay, run home! Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the "grand slam" and won the gamefor his team.That day, said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world.

Shay didn't make it to another summer and died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his Father so happy and coming home andseeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

Part of Dream Weave Walk

Anecdote16: The Survey

2008-07-30T04:22:00.000-07:00

A man owned a small farm in Wisconsin.

The Wisconsin State Wage & Hour Department claimed he was not paying proper wages to his help and sent an agent out to interview him.

'I need a list of your employees and how much you pay them,' demanded the agent.

'Well,' replied the farmer, 'there's my farm hand who's been with me for 3 years. I pay him $200 a week plus free room and board.

The cook has been here for 18 months, and I pay her $150 per week plus free room and board.

Then there's the half-wit who works about 18 hours every day and does about 90% of all the work around here.

He makes about $10 per week, pays his own room and board, and I buy him a bottle of bourbon every Saturday night.

He also sleeps with my wife occasionally.'

'That's the guy I want to talk to --- the half-wit,' says the agent.

'That would be me," replied the farmer
Part of Dream Weave Walk

Anecdote15:Help Me!

2008-07-26T04:15:00.000-07:00

This is a true story from the Word Perfect Helpline, which was transcribed
from a recording monitoring the customer care department. Needless to
say the Help Desk employee was fired; however, he/she is currently
suing the Word Perfect organization for 'Termination without Cause'.

Actual dialogue of a former WordPerfect Customer Support employee.
(Now I know why they record these conversations! ):

Operator:'Ridge Hall, computer assistance; may I help you?'

Caller:'Yes, well, I'm having trouble with WordPerfect.'

Operator:'What sort of trouble??'

Caller:'Well, I was just typing along, and all of a sudden the words went away.'

Operator:'Went away?'

Caller:'They disappeared. '

Operator:'Hmm So what does your screen look like now?'

Caller:'Nothing.'

Operator:'Nothing??'

Caller:'It's blank; it won't accept anything when I type.'

Operator:'Are you still in WordPerfect, or did you get out??'

Caller: 'How do I tell?'

Operator: 'Can you see the C: prompt on the screen??'

Caller:'What's a sea-prompt?'

Operator:'Never mind, can you move your cursor around the screen?'

Caller:'There isn't any cursor: I told you, it won't accept anything I type.'

Operator:'Does your monitor have a power indicator??'

Caller: 'What's a monitor?'

Operator:'It's the thing with the screen on it that looks
like a TV. Does it have a little light that tells you when it's on??'

Caller:'I don't know.'

Operator:'Well, then look on the back of the monitor and find where the power cord goes into it. Can you see that??'

Caller:'Yes, I think so.'

Operator:'Great. Follow the cord to the plug, and tell me if it's plugged into the wall.

Caller:'Yes, it is.'

Operator:'When you were behind the monitor, did you notice that there were two cables plugged into the back of it, not just one??'

Caller:'No.'

Operator:'Well, there are. I need you to look back there again and find the other cable.'

Caller:'Okay, here it is.'

Operator:'Follow it for me, and tell me if it's plugged securely into the back of your computer.'

Caller:'I can't reach.'

Operator:'Uh huh. Well, can you see if it is??'

Caller:'No.'

Operator:'Even if you maybe put your knee on something and lean way over??'

Caller: 'Oh, it's not because I don't have the right angle - it's because it's dark.'

Operator:'Dark??'

Caller:'Yes - the office light is off, and the only light I have is coming in from the window.

Operator:'Well, turn on the office light then.'

Caller:'I can't.'

Operator:'No? Why not??'

Caller:'Because there's a power failure.'

Operator:'A power....... .. A power failure? Aha, Okay,we've got it licked now.

Do you still have the boxes and manuals and packing stuff your computer came in??'

Caller: 'Well, yes, I keep them in the closet.'

Operator:'Good. Go get them, and unplug your system and pack it up just like it was when you got it. Then take it back to the store you bought it from.'

Caller:'Really? Is it that bad?'

Operator: 'Yes, I'm afraid it is.'

Caller:'Well, all right then, I suppose. What do I tell them??'

Operator:'Tell them you're too f --- ing stupid to own a computer!!!! !

Part of Dream Weave Walk

Anecdote14:The Resignation

2008-07-15T04:11:00.000-07:00

"Apparently an actual letter of resignation from an employee at Zantex Computers, USA, to his boss. His boss apparently resigned very soon afterwards!"

Dear Mr. Baker,
As an employee of an institution of higher education, I have a few very basic expectations. Chief among these is that my direct superiors have an intellect that ranges above the common ground squirrel. After your consistent and annoying harassment of my co-workers and myself during the commission of our duties, I can only surmise that you are one of the few true genetic wastes of our time.
Asking me, a network administrator, to explain every little nuance of everything I do each time you happen to stroll into my office is not only a waste of time, but also a waste of precious oxygen. I was hired because I know how to network computer systems, and you were apparently hired to provide amusement to myself and other employees, who watch you vainly attempt to understand the concept of "cut and paste" for the hundredth time.
You will never understand computers. Something as incredibly simple as binary still gives you too many options. You will also never understand why people hate you, but I am going to try and explain it to you, even though I am sure this will be just as effective as telling you what an IP is. Your shiny new iMac has more personality than you ever will. You walk around the building all day, shiftlessly looking for fault in others. You have a sharp dressed useless look about you that may have worked for your interview, but now that you actually have responsibility, you pawn it off on overworked staff, hoping their talent will cover for your glaring ineptitude. In a world of managerial evolution, you are the blue-green algae that everyone else eats and laughs at.
Managers like you are a sad proof of the Dilbert principle. Seeing as this situation is unlikely to change , I am forced to tender my resignation; however I have a few parting
thoughts.
1. When someone calls you in reference to employment, it is illegal to give me a bad recommendation. The most you can say to hurt me is "I prefer not to comment." I will have friends randomly call you over the next couple of years to keep you honest, because I know you would be unable to do it on your own.
2. I have all the passwords to every account on the system, and I know ever password you have used for the last five years. If you decide to get cute, I am going to publish your "favourites list", which I conveniently saved when you made me "back up" your useless files. I do believe that terms like "Lolita" are not usually viewed favourably by the administration.
Thank you for your time, and I expect the letter of recommendation on my desk by 8:00 am tomorrow. One word of this to anybody, and all of your little twisted obsessions will be open to the public. Never mess with your systems administrator. Why? Because they know what you do with all th
at free time!

Part of Dream Weave Walk

Anecdote13: Living it Backwards

2008-07-10T04:08:00.000-07:00

Subject: "Next Life" by Woody Allen

In my next life I want to live my life backwards. You start out dead and get that out of the way. Then you wake up in an old people's home feeling better every day. You get kicked out for being too healthy, go collect your pension, and then when you start work, you get a gold watch and a party on your first day. You work for 40 years until you're young enough to enjoy your retirement. You party, drink alcohol, and are generally promiscuous, then you are ready for high school. You then go to primary school, you become a kid, you play. You have no responsibilities, you become a baby until you are born. And then you spend your last 9 months floating in luxurious spa like conditions with central heating and room service on tap, larger quarters every day and then Voila! You finish off as an orgasm!

I rest my case.

Part of Dream Weave Walk

Anecdote12: Loans!

2008-07-06T04:02:00.000-07:00

New Orleans lawyer sought an FHA loan for a client. He was told the loan would be granted if he could prove satisfactory title to a parcel of property being offered as collateral. The title to the property dated back to 1803, which took the Lawyer three months to track down.

After sending the information to the FHA, he received the following reply (actual letter):

"Upon review of your letter adjoining your client's loan application, we note that the request is supported by an Abstract of Title. While we compliment the able manner in which you have prepared and presented the application, we must point out that you have only cleared title to the proposed collateral property back to 1803. Before final approval can be accorded, it will be necessary to clear the title back to its origin."

Annoyed, the lawyer responded as follows (actual letter):

"Your letter regarding title in Case No. 189156 has been received. I note that you wish to have title extended further than the 194 years covered by the present application. I was unaware that any educated person in this country, particularly those working in the property area, would not know that Louisiana was purchased, by the U.S., from France in 1803, the year of origin identified in our application.

For the edification of uninformed FHA bureaucrats, the title to the land prior to U.S. ownership was obtained from France, which had acquired it by Right of Conquest from Spain. The land came into the possession of Spain by Right of Discovery made in the year 1492 by a sea captain named Christopher Columbus, who had been granted the privilege of seeking a new route to India by the Spanish monarch, Isabella. The good queen, Isabella, being pious woman and almost as careful about titles as the FHA, took the precaution of securing the blessing of the Pope before she sold her jewels to finance Columbus' expedition.

Now the Pope, as I'm sure you may know, is the emissary of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and God, it is commonly accepted, created this world. Therefore, I believe it is safe to presume that God also made that part of the world called Louisiana. God, therefore, would be the owner of origin and His origins date back, to before the beginning of time, the world as we know it AND the FHA. I hope you at the FHA find God's original claim to be satisfactory.

Now, may we have our loan?"

The loan was approved.

Part of Dream Weave Walk

Anecdote11: The Curtain Rods

2008-06-30T04:00:00.000-07:00

She spent the first day packing her belongings into boxes, crates and suitcases.

On the second day, she had the movers come and collect her things.

On the third day, she sat down for the last time at their beautiful dining room table by candle-light, put on some soft background music, and feasted on a pound of shrimp, a jar of caviar, and a bottle of spring-water.

When she had finished, she went into each and every room and deposited a few half-eaten shrimp shells dipped in caviar into the hollow of the curtain rods.

She then cleaned up the kitchen and left. When the husband returned with
his new girlfriend, all was bliss for the first few days.

Then slowly, the house began to smell.

They tried everything; cleaning, mopping and airing the place out.

Vents were checked for dead rodents and carpets were steam cleaned.

Air fresheners were hung everywhere. Exterminators were brought in to set
off gas canisters, during which they had to move out for a few days and in
the end they even paid to replace the expensive wool carpeting. Nothing worked.

People stopped coming over to visit.
Repairmen refused to work in the house.
The maid quit.

Finally, they could not take the stench any longer and decided to move.

A month later, even though they had cut their price in half, they could
not find a buyer for their stinky house.

Word got out and eventually even the local realtors refused to return
their calls.

Finally, they had to borrow a huge sum of money from the bank to purchase
a new place.

The ex-wife called the man and asked how things were going.

He told her the saga of the rotting house. She listened politely and said
that she missed her old home terribly and would be willing to reduce her divorce settlement in exchange for getting the house back.

Knowing his ex-wife had no idea how bad the smell was, he agreed on a
price that was about 1/10th of what the house had been worth, but only if
she were to sign the papers that very day.

She agreed and within the hour his lawyers delivered the paperwork.

A week later the man and his girlfriend stood smiling as they watched the
moving company pack everything to take to their new home........ .

And to spite the ex-wife, they even took the the curtain rods!!!!!!

I LOVE A HAPPY ENDING, DON'T YOU?

Part of Dream Weave Walk

Anecdote10: What is Love?

2008-06-23T23:42:00.000-07:00

'How long will you be poring over that newspaper? Will you come here right away and make your darling daughter eat her food?'

I tossed the paper away and rushed to the scene. My only daughter Sindu looked frightened. Tears were welling up in her eyes. In front of her was a bowl filled to its brim with Curd Rice.

Sindu is a nice child, quite intelligent for her age. She has just turned eight. She particularly detested Curd Rice. My mother and my wife are orthodox, and believe firmly in the 'cooling effects' of Curd Rice!

I cleared my throat, and picked up the bowl. "Sindu, darling, why don't you take a few mouthful of this Curd Rice? Just for Dad's sake, dear. And, if you don't, your Mom will shout at me.'

I could sense my wife's scowl behind my back. Sindu softened a bit, and wiped her tears with the back of her hands. 'OK, Dad. I will eat - not just a few mouthfuls, but the whole lot of this. But, you should...' Sindu hesitated. 'Dad, if I eat this entire Curd Rice, will you give me whatever I ask for?'

'Oh sure, darling'.

'Promise?'

'Promise'. I covered the pink soft hand extended by my daughter with mine, and clinched the deal.

'Ask Mom also to give a similar promise', my daughter insisted. My wife slapped her hand on sindu's, muttering 'Promise', without any emotion.

Now I became a bit anxious. 'Sindumma, you shouldn't insist on getting a computer or any such expensive items. Dad does not have that kind of money right now. OK?'

'No, Dad. I do not want anything expensive'. Slowly and painfully, she finished eating the whole quantity. I was silently angry with my wife and my mother for forcing my child eat something that she detested.

After the ordeal was through, Sindu came to me with her eyes wide with expectation. All our attention was on her. 'Dad, I want to have my head shaved off, this Sunday!' was her demand!

'Atrocious!' shouted my wife, 'a girl child having her head shaved off? Impossible!'.

'Never in our family!' my mother rasped. 'She has been watching too much of television. Our culture is getting totally spoiled with these TV programs!'

'Sindumma, why don't you ask for something else? We will be sad seeing you with a clean-shaven head.'

'No, Dad. I do not want anything else', Sindu said with finality.

'Please, Sindu, why don't you try to understand our feelings?' I tried to plead with her.

'Dad, you saw how difficult it was for me to eat that Curd Rice'. Sindu was in tears. 'And you promised to grant me whatever I ask for. Now, you are going back on your words. Was it not you who told me the story of King Harishchandra, and its moral that we should honour our promises no matter what?'

It was time for me to call the shots. 'Our promise must be kept.'

'Are you out your mind?' chorused my mother and wife.

'No. If we go back on our promises, she will never learn to honour her own. Sindu, your wish will be fulfilled.'

With her head clean-shaven, Sindu had a round-face, and her eyes looked big & beautiful.

On Monday morning, I dropped her at her school. It was a sight to watch my hairless Sindu walking towards her classroom. She turned around and waved. I waved back with a smile. Just then, a boy alighted from a car, and shouted, 'Sinduja, please wait for me!'

What struck me was the hairless head of that boy. 'May be, that is the in-stuff', I thought.

'Sir, your daughter Sinduja is great indeed!' Without introducing herself, a lady got out of the car, and continued, 'That boy who is walking along with your daughter is my son Harish. He is suffering from ... leukaemia.'

She paused to muffle her sobs. 'Harish could not attend the school for the whole of the last month. He lost all his hair due to the side effects of the chemotherapy. He refused to come back to school fearing the unintentional but cruel teasing of the schoolmates. Sinduja visited him last week, and promised him that she will take care of the teasing issue. But, I never imagined she would sacrifice her lovely hair for the sake of my son! Sir, you and your wife are blessed to have such a noble soul as your daughter.'

I stood transfixed. And then, I wept. 'My little Angel, will you grant me a boon? Should there be another birth for me, will you be my mother, and teach me what Love is?'
Part of Dream Weave Walk

Anecdote 9: The Smoke Signal

2008-05-22T00:14:00.000-07:00

A ship got wrecked. The lone survivor managed to stay afloat on a wooden plank. He clung on to his haversack wherein he had been able to stuff in a couple of his personal belongings. On the second day he floated onto a tiny island. It seemed to be totally uninhabited. The man wandered about on the island looking for signs of human life. But there were none. Finally he broke off some branches from the trees and using the rope from his haversack, he made a small shelter for him to sleep. He had only a change of clothes, some chocolates and some medicines etc. He picked wild fruits and berries to eat. He found some sugarcane growing. He peeled some with his teeth and kept aside some to be used as a stick to protect himself from wild animals. Days passed.

One day, he put his shoes and clothes into his ‘hut’ and went into the sea to bathe. He enjoyed the swim and lay basking in the sun for a while. He wondered if he would be rescued, or would he live here for ever. He said a silent prayer, “Oh God! Please help me!” Strangely, all these days it had not occurred to him that he should pray!

When he went back to his hut he was shocked to see that it had caught fire. The hut and his clothes, food, shoes; all his worldly belongings had gone up in smoke! In the burning debris he spotted his magnifying glass and realized that the burning heat of the sun on the magnifying glass had probably triggered off the fire. The man wept. He said, “Oh God! I prayed to you for help. How could you do this to me?” A short while later he spotted a small ship. Two sailors in a small rubber dinghy were rowing vigorously towards the island. The man was stunned! The sailors stepped on to the island and came towards him, smiling. “We have been looking for survivors from the ship wreck, for so many days. At last we have found you.” “How did you find me?” the man asked haltingly.

They said, “We saw the smoke from your fire!”

Part of Dream Weave Walk

Anecdote 8: Attitude is everything

2007-10-10T20:05:00.000-07:00

Jerry was the kind of guy you love to hate. He was always in a good mood and always had something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, " If I were any better, I would be twins!"

He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?"

Jerry replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, 'Jerry, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.' I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life."

"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested.

"Yes, it is," Jerry said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut way all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live life."

I reflected on what Jerry said. Soon thereafter, I left the restaurant industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, I heard that Jerry did something you are never supposed to do in a restaurant business: he left the back door open one morning and was held up at gunpoint by three armed robbers. While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness, slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local trauma center.

After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body.

I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, " If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?"

I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place. "The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door," Jerry replied. "Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live, or I could choose to die. I chose to live."

"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked.

Jerry continued, "The paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the emergency room and I saw the ex-pressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read, 'He's a dead man.'

"I knew I needed to take action."

"What did you do?" I asked.

"Well, there was a big, burly nurse shouting questions at me," said Jerry. "She asked if I was allergic to anything. ' Yes,' I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breathe and yelled, ' Bullets!' Over their laughter, I told them. 'I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead."

Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully. Attitude, after all, is everything.

Part of the Dream Weave Walk 1999-2007

Anecdote 7: Elephant Ride

2007-09-22T02:32:00.000-07:00

I arrived at the elephant camp and saw Mai, the 37-year-old female who I was destined to ride, chomping on her lunch: banana tree. It was something to watch Mai and her companion lifting up pieces of banana tree trunk with their trunks, crunching down as the juice squirted out, and then systematically removing all of the meaty parts. This is what they do all day long, the trainer told me. A typical elephant consumes 200-300 kg every day. They sleep only about five hours a day and spend the rest of their time eating and, in this case, earning their keep. I was told that Mai was the laziest elephant of the bunch, ate the most, and had a few neurotic quirks, such as getting upset if anyone'elephant or human'walked behind her.

Since I have always had nothing but positive feelings toward elephants, I decided to go for a trek when I was traveling in Northern Thailand. Elephants are revered in Thailand, believed to possess magical powers as reported in a variety of myths. Their image is ubiquitous, second only to the King. I even met a Thai girl who had a pet elephant.

Mai came into the trekking business late in life, at age 34, and for this reason was not so well trained. This came as a disappointment as I was told this during a moment of unnerving turbulence after I had gotten on. The trainer said that she was in a bad mood because we had interrupted her meal. But he said that she would cheer up soon when she realized that we picked the river rather than the jungle route. Another point in my favor was that I chose to go bareback rather than on a mounted chair, which the trainer said she hated. Going to the river meant that Mai could take a bath. As she lumbered along, I held on tightly to the rope tied around her and tried not to look down too much because it was a long way. The texture of her coarse, prickly skin also took some getting used to. The ride was bumpy till we got to the river; the trainer said elephants can run 60 km an hour, but I told him that I was quite comfortable at the steady 4 km an hour clip that we were moving at. I think it's rare for elephants to run because, well, they usually don't have a reason, being so big and hard to bully. They tend to move at a leisurely, elephantine pace.

When we got to the river, I was surprised when the trainer took my bag and glasses because I had no intention of bathing myself. But it soon became clear that that was what Mai had in store for me. Once she was given the signal to descend, she began shaking like a dog drying itself, sending my riding partner and me crashing into the river. The trainer scolded her and told me to get back on. The point of this exercise was for me to be sitting on her while she went down into the water, gently rolled over to her side, dunked her head in, and then gracefully came back up with me still on her. This is exactly what the neighboring better-trained elephant was doing, but Mai, understandably, preferred to go through that routine without the burden of bearing a human. The trainer encouraged me to climb back on in an effort to iron out this kink, so I gave it another go. I was told to wrap my legs around her neck and grip her big, flapping ears. And this time, after giving a few shakes, Mai began to writhe intensely until I was thrown off. Undeterred, I climbed back on and went through this again, much like a cowboy at a rodeo. And a third time I was thrown off, this time hurtling through the air landing farther away. We decided to let her have her bath in peace.

And then, refreshed, she carried us back to the elephant camp to return to her meal.

Contributed by: Daniel Krieger

Part of the Dream Weave Walk 1999-2007

Anecdote 6: Isis and his chain

2007-09-14T23:32:00.000-07:00

My name is Arul, and I live in Gurgaon with a dog named Isis. Isis is a genetically challenged Dalmatian. He grew up and spent almost all his life in the company of an overweight bachelor. I guess the nature vs. nurture phenomenon coupled with his not having too many doggy friends to interact with, has cast a predisposition on his world view- he thinks that he is human and believes with all his heart that I am his pet. I call him Isis and he calls me “Bow Wow”. I guess Isis has defined me with the best faculties of his vocabulary because most of what he says is “Bow Wow”. This is a parable about the chain that comes between us.

Isis has a strained relationship with his chain. He hates it and feels limited by it. However; the fact of the matter is that the chain comes into play only in occasions where his freedom would be hazardous to him and the rest of the universe. In such moments he fails to realize that the chain is not the story of his life. The limits of the chain often save his life. The length of the chain and the amount of freedom he gets is determined by how much freedom is safe and good for him in the given situation.

Isis looks at other dogs in the neighborhood, dogs that do not have a chain attached to their necks and he asks them with the questioning eyes; “Why don’t you have a chain? Why don’t you have a “bow wow” attached to you? Does your life without a bow wow make you happy??? ” When the other dogs ask him what the chain is for he explains that it is a widget he uses to bend my will to match his, to make me go where he wants to go. To drag me around and showoff to the world that he has a 2 legged pet that is fully under his control and dogipulations. I guess, he even feels called to make a public display of how he can use the chain that holds him back to take me where he wants to go. I have to admit that he does do a great job of it. He exercises an effort that would compel a super laden caravan through the eye of a needle.

Every morning Isis loves the sound of me picking up his chain. He argues with every nerve in my body that tells me to go back to sleep. He performs a gleeful prance between me and the door to urge me to go against the laws of the universe which clearly state that: more sleep is equal to a better option than walking a hyperactive cross between a Dalmatian and a creature of unknown origin. He loves to take me for a walk. On days when it is sufficiently early and the traffic is less, I take Isis for a walk without his chain and that makes him the happiest dog in the Dogdom. He runs about the street looks at other people and tries to jump on them and invite them to also be his pets. The people, for some strange reason, do not exactly respond the way he expects them to. Slowly and surely he seems to be learning to face rejection with his tail. He understands that not all potentially competent 2 legged pets are willing to dedicate their entire existence to the singular purpose of his happiness, but he has the dogged persistence of an insurance sales man. He leaves the non-respondents with an attitude of, “it is ok if you do not want to be my pet, I am not losing anything, I guess you have thought about it and I guess your ok with the consequences of not being my pet.” He proceeds to display enjoyment of freedom by zigzagging around me across the road. Isis loves it when I let him enjoy his Dogness without restraint.

Now when he is bounding about in carefree abandon he occasionally meets another dog that seems to speak his language. Isis sees something louche in this. He cannot handle another creature sharing his language, I guess it makes him vulnerable and maybe it also affects his sense of significance; which is obviously that he is the only terrestrial creature that can declare to the world the unique message; “Bow Wow”.

Isis is a brave dog; he will bite and dismember anything that threatens his Dogness. Cell phones, TV remote controls, pens, rugs, bones and numerous members of the harmless material world have crumbled between his jaws for the simple sin of not satisfactorily affirming his Dogness. Isis will not tolerate any creature questioning or challenging his doghood. He charges and gets into a fight. Isis is very clear about the healthy way to fight. His fights are all about I win and you lose. Somehow Isis has again been learning the hard way that, some dogs fight back, especially if they are dogs that have lived their lives with out a human in their house. I do not know if Isis resents the protected environment I have given him but I know that when the war of dogs gets beyond what he can handle he whimpers and comes running to me with his tail between his wobbly legs. The other dogs back off when they realize that Isis has a human attached to him with a chain. The moment he hears the snap clasp of the chain on his collar; he is transformed. His dropping tail starts wagging, his frightened eyes sparkle with confidence and his whimpers turn into aggressive declarations of his dogly message to the world- “Bow Wow”. He declares to the chainless quadrupeds with an improvization of David’s discourse with the uncircumcised Goliath. “Look you chainless fauna”, he says. “I have bow wow with me, don’t you dare challenge me”. He keeps turning around to check if I am there to support his claims and the more he see me around the more confident he gets. Once again he strains at the chain to take me where he wants to go but I also believe that in his heart he is happy to have a chain that holds me close to him.

The chain that confines him, defines him. It defines his existence in the universe and affirms to him that he is; and yes that he is the one and only Isis and he is reminded that I am indeed his one and only pet “bow wow”.

Contributed by: ~Arul Baliah

Part of the Dream Weave Walk 1999-2007

Anecdote 5: Isis speaks…

2007-09-14T23:31:00.000-07:00

My name is Isis. I am a normal. I walk on four legs. I live in a house. I have a large pet. I call it "Bow Wow". Bow Wow is not normal. It walks on two legs.

Bow Wow thinks I am it's pet. I do not argue with it. I don't say it; I show it that I am boss. I tell it what it should do. I explain how I want the world and the house to be. Bow Wow has a big ego and thinks that it knows what is best. I have to be very patient with Bow Wow.

It is not easy to understand what Bow Wow is saying. It does not speak like I do- barking, growling and howling. I sometimes try to read its mind. I find it boring. I just stop with telling it what ever I want. Sometimes I listen to the things it says to me but it often does not make much sense.

Bow Wow calls me a different name every time it speaks. Sometimes it calls me "Isis". Sometimes it calls me "sit". Sometimes it calls me "come here". There are sometimes it calls me stupid things like "dogling" and "doglet". I don't mind what it calls me, I know that everything that Bow Wow says pertains to me and so I just respond. By responding to its call I am trying to train it to fulfill my desires. Of course Bow Wow probably thinks that it is the one that is training me. Ha!

I love it when it calls me walk. I love those moments because I get to take Bow Wow out of the house. Bow Wow is insecure. So I have to drag it around at the end of a chain. I try to teach Bow Wow good manners like growling at strangers and chasing moving objects.

I hate it when Bow Wow calls me "no". It turns all savage attacks me with one of its 2 upper legs that it does not use for walking. It is difficult to understand Bow Wow's feelings. It does not have a tail.

I like to make Bow Wow happy. It chose to be my pet. I remember the day it came to take me from my mother. I was happy that out of all the puppies my mother had, Bow Wow chose me. Lucky Bow Wow!

Bow Wow chose my name long before I was born. That's is why I am stuck with a female name that reads "sisi" backwards. Bow Wow fixed it by getting me fixed. I resent the way Bow Wow just runs my life without my counsel.

I wish I could teach it to become more like me. That way it would probably improve the chances of us being able to relate with each other. Both of us would be on the same page.

One day it happened. Bow Wow got down on all fours. It was great to have it at my level. It was strange because when Bow Wow was exactly the way I am but very different. It remained Bow Wow while it became like me. We had fun. I bit it and it did not bite me back. I thought it would last forever. It didn't.

Bow Wow went back to becoming it's self and I have remained the same as I always was. One thing has changed. I am able to relate with Bow Wow better because I can see that it knows what it feels like to be normal like me. We can now be friends.

I still need to go to Bow Wow to teach it about my life and the way I want things to be. It helps to remember that Bow Wow probably understands me because it has seen the world as I see it. It gives me the hope that Bow Wow will start doing things my way. Bow Wow is after all not that smart. A very slow learner I should bark. It still cant speak like me and it has not tail and it is still up there calling me different names, including that horrible "no" name.

The only thing different is that something in me changes and makes me want to try being like Bow Wow, whenever I think of how Bow Wow stepped down from it's not so normal stand to relate with me. Bow Wow has been like me once upon a time in the past. I can look forward to the future where one day Bow Wow and I will be on the same level again.

Contributed by: ~Ta'fxkz (formerly known as Arul Baliah )

Part of the Dream Weave Walk 1999-2007

Anecdote 4: What is Love?

2007-09-14T23:24:00.000-07:00

I once met love and he spoke to me; there are things that the eyes just cannot see, they say that the eyes are the gates to the soul but sometimes love is blind.

Love is the shadows that lurk in the night, love is the Sun that shines so bright.

Love is what you make it to be, but only you can set love free.

So if love is a song please sing it to me; if love is freedom than let me be.

If love is a fairytale than show me a happy ending, if love is a dream, than let me sleep, if love is silence than don't say a peep, it's all in how we perceive it, we have to believe in it.

So what is love? That's up to you.

I want to share my love, but with who?

Contributed by: ~ Becky Heidt

Part of the Dream Weave Walk 1999-2007

Anecdote 3: Perceptions

2007-09-12T01:21:00.000-07:00

I was sitting in the waiting room for my first appointment with a new Dentist.I noticed his DDS diploma, which bore his full name.Suddenly I remembered a tall handsome dark haired boy with the same name had been in my high school some 40 odd ears ago. Could it be the same guy that I had a secret crush on, way back them?

Upon seeing him, however, I quickly discarded any such thought. This balding gray-haired man with the deeply lined face was' was to old to have been my classmate'.

HMMM .or could he ?? ?

After he examined my teeth, I asked him if he had attended the Morgan Park, High School.
"YES. YES, I did. I had a MUSTANG," He gleamed with pride.

"When did you graduate?" I asked.

He answered, "In 1969. Why do you ask?"

"You were in my class!" I exclaimed.

He looked at me closely.

Then that ugly old wrinkled man asked,

"What did you teach?"

Part of the Dream Weave Walk 1999-2007

Anecdote 3: 21st Century

2007-09-08T20:58:00.000-07:00

It was my first message of the day and my boss wanted to know if I had received all the transcripts from her interview with one of her clients.

I had already downloaded them and they were permanently stored on my computer.

So I e-mailed her back and said, yes, I got them all and was already starting to work on them.

And then because we had a good working friendship, I chit-chatted with her and told her how I was going to contact the literary agency from New York City about my book to see if they were going to accept it.

I made a joke on how I was going to take her and her husband to my movie premiere when I got the good news.

Soon I got another e-mail back from her and she told me that she was crossing her fingers while she typed, that my book would be accepted and how funny I was. I was laughing and I could picture her laughing too, in her office.

I got up and faxed the work receipt to her and right afterwards, she faxed back a new client profile. I checked my e-mail, and the New York literary agent gave me the thumbs down.
I told her right away when she called a few minutes later.

My cheeriness didn’t drop so much when she tried to lift my spirits. A few minutes later, it was back to work as usual and then it dawned on me---here I was working away with a wonderful woman like she was in my own office and she was 3,000 miles away, and what more, another country. We were working together, and yet, in two different countries.

What a marvelous world that we live in that we can do that and I hope I can proudly tell my grandchildren about that someday how it was in the early 21st century.

Contributed by: Kelly Cyr

Part of the Dream Weave Walk 1999-2007

Anecdote 1:Revelation

2007-09-08T01:28:00.000-07:00

While discussing this story with a friend one day, she mentioned how the Lord had recently showed her to pray for Him to open her eyes as He did Hagar's. I thought about what my friend had said, and I too began to ask God to open my eyes. I cannot begin to list all the things the Father has shown me since that first time I asked for opened eyes! I am now seeing more opportunities, blessings, things about myself I need to change to become more Christ-like and Christ-centered, ways to bless others and more! It has also encouraged me to worship the Father more than ever, as I see His hand in my life everywhere I turn. That worship has brought me into a new closeness with the Father.

This new prayer has truly changed my life. I would like to challenge you, dear reader, to ask our Heavenly Father to open your eyes as well. I can promise you that it will bless you greatly, and make the Father's presence more real to you than ever

Contributed by:~ Cynthia Bailey Rug