Plan Hazy, Plan General

I have a plan. A plan for everything, no matter what. And, it's worthless.

There are just too many things that are out of control, too many unknowns. Shit will happen yes, but you cannot possibly know of what consistency!

So, realize that your plan is just a plan and not more important than what's actually happening around you. Realize that your Plan was just a figment of your imagination at an earlier point of time when you didn't know what was gonna happen. Plans are based on inaccurate estimates of an unknown future.

Plan Hazy, Plan General. Things will be ready when the time is ripe, and not sooner. Especially in creative endeavors, omni-plans more often than not will kill the goose.

A plan gives you a sense of importance and provides you an illusion of control. "No matter what happens, I know what to do"

Plans also give you something to put the blame on. "I failed because things didn't go according to plan." Re-read... "I failed" - that was probably the key and more true part of that statement. Things rarely, if ever, go according to plan. And if they do, then it is because you over-estimated and over-allocate something somewhere.

Time-bound plans based on sequential completion of minute tasks are the worst of all. There are people who plan like I will drink water at 10, pee at 12, drink again at 1230, pee again at 230 and so on... because they "know" that it takes 2 hours for that process. This is no way to live! You drink when you are thirsty and when you can, and pee when you wanna go and you can. Such micro-planning piles on the pressure unnecessarily and causes errors and unnecessary disappointment.

But still, people overplan - plan to a granularity that borders on the ridiculous. First A happens, then B happens, then C, then D... What exacerbates the situation is when you associate deadlines with each of them. (hmm.. interesting word...dead..line..) Isn't it enough that A,B,C,D.. happen? Why worry about the order in which they happen?

Take things as they come. Take stock and do what's possible. You can run but you can't hide from reality. You can track everything but you can't plan. Beware the OmniPlan! Beware even more the OmniMicroPlan!

- Thomas Jay Cubb
(Thanks to Grasshopper Madhu for raising the question: What should I do now? Nothing's going according to plan)

Insignificance

Here is a bitter pill to swallow:
"If not you, it's just another you."

Special Creatures
We are born and grow up thinking we are special. However, the blunt truth is that you were born out of an accidental collocation of random elements. Momma's blue-eyed boys keep hearing things like "you are so cute!", "that was superb" even when things were anything but! Hear something repeatedly enough and you start to believe, even the impossible.

The programming of self-belief is actually a survival tactic that is wired in to our genes; the world needs us to survive for otherwise there will be no world! :) If you were to confront the truth of your utter insignificance too early in life, you definitely would not survive for too long; the world needs its assholes. Of course, there is this possibility (very improbable, since most of us have to be average) that you, in fact, are very special and you need that self-belief to deliver your goods; the world needs your output (not you, I have to remind). It just increases the odds.

My Way Or...
We refuse to accept the randomness and illogicality of it all; we need to feel special. Realize that there might be no higher purpose, there might be no meaning, and there is nothing you can do about it, nobody even cares. So, we invent benevolent (someone who cares), anthropomorphic (someone like our special selves) gods and say that Ours is the One True Way. What we are really doing is worshiping ourselves (Our Selfs) to feel happiness and comfort.

..The HighWay
Hinduism, insofar as I know such things, is the only faith and embraces the concept and truth of insignificance. It accepts multiple faiths, even atheism :) There are many gods and you are free to worship the gods of your choice, and in the way that you choose to. Even the gods pray to other gods...

My interpretation of this - polytheistic tolerance is possible only if you accept the fact that what you believe in doesn't really change anything. Do what you need to, to feel happy and good about yourself, while you're here. You are insignificant in the universal scheme of things. The universe goes on with or without you.

Cubbism
Accept the truth and the reality of your insignificance. The sooner you do this, the sooner you will find happiness. Happiness is the absence of conflict.

End Pillow
So, your account was hacked, eh? At least, somebody thought you were important enough and that you had important secrets! The more plausible explanation is less comforting: that you were just one among the people the hacker chose in order to establish his significance! Hey, but he chose you, didn't he?

MMA2 Song

Song written about work, Hindi verse.
Sung to the tune of "Socha Hai" from Rock On

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M M A 2 (Hindi)
Dhamas Jekab
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(26) Yes Franck!

Rambouillet se aati callein
Franck farmaaye Haan kar daalein
Khoon paseena sahi.
Leavon ki hai bas to khwabein
Lambi hoti jaati raatein
Build hota kyon nahin

Museebaton se ham na darein
Kaarnamon se timesheet bharein
Baat banta hain yoon
Apne apne modules liye
Namumkin ko mumkin kiye
Sun hi lo kuch stereo

M M A 2 . . . Project ka naam hai
M M A 2 . . . Haan tujhe kaam hai
M M A 2 . . . Kiya nahin to karo abhi

Janvari ya farvari
Behte hai sab delivry
Khoon paseena nahin.
USB se gaane sun lo
MP3 ya WAV bhi chun lo
Bajta hai sab audio

M M A 2 . . . Conti ka jaan hai
M M A 2 . . . Mistral ka shaan hai
M M A 2 . . . Suna nahin to suno abhi

Sannata sunayi nahin deta
Aur kharabi dikhayi nahi deta
Neeche hai sab kabhi
M C I P Queue!

(bridge)

Rambouillet se aati callein
Franck farmaaye Haan kar daalein
Khoon paseena nahin.
USB se gaane sun lo
MP3 ya WAV bhi chun lo
Bajta hai sab audio

Museebaton se ham na darein
Kaarnamon se timesheet bharein
Baat banta hain yoon.
Aansoon hai behlana kyon
Euro behte aatein to
Sun hi lo kuch stereo

M M A 2 . . . Conti ka jaan hai
M M A 2 . . . Mistral ka shaan hai
M M A 2 . . . Suna nahin to suno abhi

(x 2)

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Being Actively Proactive

Adjective: proactive - (of a policy or person or action) controlling a situation by causing something to happen rather than waiting to respond to it after it happens

Here's how to be actively proactive:

1. Pesky
Do not mind your own business. Keep asking: "How can I help?", "Can I help?" etc

2. Snoopy, Sneaky
Overhear and help!

Art Razor

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TJ's Art Razor
1. Art comes from the heart and inspires further art.
2. Art is not artifice.
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Art, based on what it portrays and conveys, may be classified as:

1) What-is
Represents reality as it is. This is not a simple level to achieve. Needs to contain poignant, accurate and unobvious observations.

2) What-can(not)-be
Elements of fantasy thrown in to the mix. A parallel world is created by the art-piece, possibly with its own rules and paradigms. The more it seems like reality, the higher its quality.

3) What-should-be
Nuggets of wisdom and presentations of perfection, showing us what is wrong with our reality. This needs to be subtly mixed in, otherwise it will irritate.

The best art blends elements of all three and needs to be interpretable at all three levels.

Half-Baked Microwave Tips

HALF-BAKED MICROWAVE TIPS

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Your microwave can be used for more things than just reheating stuff. This pinch of theory might be what's needed to set you on your way!

HYPOTHESES

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1. CLOSED LID PRINCIPLE

Closed lid ensures that things get cooked properly. (Heat retention)

2. OPEN LID PRINCIPLE

Open lid = food just gets heated. Of course if you heat it long enough , things might get cooked, but prefer to apply Principle 1!

a) Use open lid for reheating.

b) Open lid for initial mixing of masala (or base) with oil == the aroma spreading.

3. PASSIVE COOKING PRINCIPLE

Cooking continues for 2-3 minutes after you turn off power (if lid is closed).

LAB NOTES

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1. For cooking rice. Add Rice and water in the ratio: 1: 2 (min) . Depending on the type of rice, water needs to be 2 to 2.5. And remember, 2 cups of rice will be enough for 3 people.

2. Cut chicken, potato & carrots into smaller pieces before cooking. Chicken in a gravy takes 15-20 minutes on medium (depending on the size of the pieces).

3. Don't add too much salt or water; it increases cooking time. Add these only, say, 2-3 minutes from the end.

4. Don't always put the oven on maximum. Medium has a meaning too!

5. Prefer to slightly undercook than to overcook. That is, if you see, say, 10 minutes in a recipe don't make it 12 or 15, just to "make sure" that things get cooked "properly".

6. For better results, stir contents at 6 minute intervals or so - to ensure proper heat circulation and so that the contents

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DISCLAIMER: These are experimental findings From TJ's Microwave Lab.

Use at own risk! ;-) Author shall not be forced to partake of failed applications.

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Net Games

1. Don't try to win the point on your serve directly. Don't try too hard for that ace! It could lead to cheap points being given and takes away some of the fun.

2. Look and hit.

3. See where your opponent is, just after he hits his shot and just before you hit yours.