Thoughts, interesting facts, hopes, observations, quotes, etc. May you find something here that stimulates you and resonates with you. Email me at roshan.bharwaney@gmail.com
9.05.2006
9.03.2006
9.01.2006
I have a friend who was put on the list of missing after the World Trade Center attacks by one of his friends. They were both in Pennsylvania, no where near the places attacked. It has had a number of repercussions. For example, if someone finds out that he was on the list and offers sympathies/condolences, he can't really say, "well actually my friend thought it'd be funny and put my name down as a joke." It's dark humor, but I have to say it's quite original. I wonder if his name will be read out somewhere.
8.25.2006
The US leads the world in the proportion of 35- to 64-year-olds with college degrees, but it now ranks seventh among developed nations for 25- to 34-year-olds (NY Times).
The younger generation is lagging educationally compared to the baby boom generation. Tuition costs are going up faster than income and inflation. It's not a good trend. What's happening to the competitive advantage of the US? It's not just that other nations are catching up, the US is losing ground.
The younger generation is lagging educationally compared to the baby boom generation. Tuition costs are going up faster than income and inflation. It's not a good trend. What's happening to the competitive advantage of the US? It's not just that other nations are catching up, the US is losing ground.
8.19.2006
With the exception of Harry Potter, management books, self-help books and biographies of the rich and powerful are the best-selling books in China. Just an indicator of how pragmatic people are this side of the world (I'm in Hong Kong now). If I lived in Asia I think the side of me that does things for intrinsic rewards would be stifled.
8.15.2006
8.08.2006
On a recent conference call, while I was explaining something I noticed I was gesturing with my free hand. I was amused after I noticed this. When communicating in person, gestures, expressions and body language help us to understand each other. Most of communication is non-verbal. But over the phone was my hand-waving helping? Do people gesture as much in person as when on the phone?
8.05.2006
Sometimes I imagine (hallucinate?) that my phone is ringing when I'm in another room. I think I can hear it faintly, but it's just my imagination. Maybe I have psychic powers - and I'm sensing that people want to call me. Or maybe, more likely, I'm too used to answering calls and just have expectations that my phone should be ringing.
8.03.2006
Successive approximation
Nothing is ever going to be perfect - so it's better to get something together and running quickly and make improvements as you go along than to keep wondering if it's right/perfect before you begin/launch. Reflection is seductive and can hinder or trap us, while action takes courage.
This is related to the 80:20 rule. The last 20% of a project takes 80% of the time/effort. One can make huge strides quickly.
Nothing is ever going to be perfect - so it's better to get something together and running quickly and make improvements as you go along than to keep wondering if it's right/perfect before you begin/launch. Reflection is seductive and can hinder or trap us, while action takes courage.
This is related to the 80:20 rule. The last 20% of a project takes 80% of the time/effort. One can make huge strides quickly.
7.31.2006
The tumult in the heart
keeps asking questions.
And then it stops and undertakes
to answer
in the same tone of voice.
No one could tell the difference.
Uninnocent, these conversations start,
and then engage the senses,
only half-meaning to.
And then there is no choice,
and then there is no sense;
until a name
and all its connotation
are the same.
- from The Conversation, by Elizabeth Bishop
I saw this in the subway. It's poignant in an ambiguous, secretive way. We tend to see ourselves in art, and I did get the feeling that this poem encapsulates what's going on in my life right now. But egocentrism aside, I do have a story.
keeps asking questions.
And then it stops and undertakes
to answer
in the same tone of voice.
No one could tell the difference.
Uninnocent, these conversations start,
and then engage the senses,
only half-meaning to.
And then there is no choice,
and then there is no sense;
until a name
and all its connotation
are the same.
- from The Conversation, by Elizabeth Bishop
I saw this in the subway. It's poignant in an ambiguous, secretive way. We tend to see ourselves in art, and I did get the feeling that this poem encapsulates what's going on in my life right now. But egocentrism aside, I do have a story.
7.27.2006
7.24.2006
I plan to go to a Russian bath house with some friends sometime in the near future. I've never been to any sort of bath house before, let alone a Russian one. I look forward to having a big guy (probably called Sergei or Vladimir) whack me with birch tree branches. That's supposed to be part of the experience. It's supposedly relaxing, but I suspect I may start laughing...
7.20.2006
Charles Foster Kane: You know, Mr. Bernstein, if I hadn't been very rich, I might have been a really great man.
Thatcher: Don't you think you are?
Charles Foster Kane: I think I did pretty well under the circumstances.
Thatcher: What would you like to have been?
Charles Foster Kane: Everything you hate.
Thatcher: Don't you think you are?
Charles Foster Kane: I think I did pretty well under the circumstances.
Thatcher: What would you like to have been?
Charles Foster Kane: Everything you hate.
7.17.2006
Since I was a child I've had dreams where I'm Spiderman and I'm chasing after or being chased by villains. Spiderman isn't even my favorite superhero, I don't know why it happens. It happens almost as often as dreams involving my martial arts.
In last night's episode, Juggernaut and some other villain were overpowering me in a subway car. I "gave up" and told them that they were just too strong for me, trying to trick them. They thought I was finished, and muttered to each other that they should go to their headquarters. They left the train on 72nd Street, while I remained looking in a daze or knocked out. When the train started moving and left the station, I pulled open the doors and leapt out, clinging to the wall beside the train. I then crawled up to the ceiling and started moving back to the station. I tried to follow them based on the tracer I had left on Juggernaut's clothing, hoping to learn where their headquarters were. I was a bit confused... it didn't look like I was in New York.
In any case, I woke up because some construction work began outside my window. I wanted to call the police... I think they've been starting too early.
In last night's episode, Juggernaut and some other villain were overpowering me in a subway car. I "gave up" and told them that they were just too strong for me, trying to trick them. They thought I was finished, and muttered to each other that they should go to their headquarters. They left the train on 72nd Street, while I remained looking in a daze or knocked out. When the train started moving and left the station, I pulled open the doors and leapt out, clinging to the wall beside the train. I then crawled up to the ceiling and started moving back to the station. I tried to follow them based on the tracer I had left on Juggernaut's clothing, hoping to learn where their headquarters were. I was a bit confused... it didn't look like I was in New York.
In any case, I woke up because some construction work began outside my window. I wanted to call the police... I think they've been starting too early.