Crisis Of Implementation...!

Now that (Thanks to the Dental Surgery I had early this week) my volume knob has been forcefully turned down for 3 days, I feel so different (read rejuvenated) for I am certainly not used to staying quiet for periods more than few minutes ! Since past 48 hours, the numerous thoughts emanating from my otherwise chattering mind have subsided quite well and I must admit that everything around seems so strange. Never before I was able to appreciate seemingly small things around me - like vivid colours of the fruits and vegetables while going for shopping at local market, notice shopkeepers strange 'n' different expressions while I pay for the goods purchased, genuinely appreciate home made food by focussing more on its taste rather than taking about my US' experiences or enjoy listening to the latest hits ! My initial reaction to the suggested (My dentist Dr. Suhana Gupta is brilliant by the way) abstinence from solid food and speech was hostile ; afterall for the first time I am really short of time and I have so much on the agenda - visit old friends, meet relatives, go for few treks around Mumbai, buy and read many bestsellers, explore latest restaurants, call up close pals but then life is all about surprises - isn't it?

Anyways, on a positive note the past 2 weeks of my dental treatment has left me with oodles of energy, bunch of crazy ideas and plenty of matter for my blogs and sketches. For now I would like to share a few pointers that might help in keeping our teeth strong, clean and healthy (Wish I was receptive to health related tips before :))

• Destination Cleanliness : Brushing our teeth regularly atleast twice a day is a MUST.
• A Matter Of Habit : Most of the Gen-X food we devour contains cheese, butter, oils and other substances that tend to stay in our mouths for an extended period of time. My Doc says one should rinse mouth 7 times after every meal.
• Vitamin C to the Rescue : Vit C builds up the tensile strenth of teeth. So have more yum lemonades or feel free to sprinkle more lime juice as a seasoning on processed food.
• Boost Fibre Intake : All dieticians suggest a Fibre Rich diet for a healthier heart. I'll just add that most of the unprocessed Fibre rich foods are relatively harder to chew which means more exercise for the teeth ! And yes the darker the vegetable, the more the natural fibre content in it.
• Irrigate Often : Using Oral Irrigators that aim a stream of water at your teeth to remove food particles is better than using toothpricks.

That said, the challenge lies in implementing these tips and many others. But on second thought beautiful smile doesn't come without efforts :D

"Memorable Moments just come and go like ripples in a stream"

Colours Of India...!

I am truly enjoying every moment of my stay here in India. Everyday interactions with Shopkeepers, Bus Conductors, fellow Passengers in Train and Grocery Store Owner reinforces the age old saying of "Unity In Diversity" - I see perfect execution of this concept right in front of me everyday. Four of the 7 people I met today were of different culture / geographic locations - yet they were all so cheerful about the upcoming Navratri Celebrations [A Hindu Festival Of Worship & Dance]in Mumbai !! Have things changed for the better in India or have I turned more observant oflate? Well, guess that question appears better without an answer :) Enjoy the Colours Of India and stay tuned for fresh updates from India !

Colours Of India - Photo Show

(Photo Courtesy Steve McCurry)

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."

Coffee With Helmi...!

This post was one of the things I wanted to do upon arriving in India and needless to say I have never been more happier at pushing the "Publish" button !

I have always had a fascination for Flying though honestly it would take few more years before I get to fly a plane on my own (my childhood fantasy). Anyways, I was wondering just a while ago that sometimes during our travel junkets we bump up against distinguished fellow travellers and few minutes of conversation can leave you phenomenally enriched. There have been times when an informal chit-chat on a plane has made me feel ('enlightenment') as if I am attending an Open World conference :)

Speaking of bonds, last 9 hours have been absolutely fantastic for me !! As of now, I'm sitting here at the Luftansa VIP Lounge at the Frankfurt Airport. After a marathonic flight from US, I am so glad that I got time to breathe, to renew, to relax, to think, text my friends and to take notes (my fav past time). Call it coincidence or my good luck- two absolutely wonderful co-passengers I met on board Luftansa Flight LS-421 taught me more about Games People Play(You & Me inclusive) everyday to emerge as winners on personal and professional fronts. I was both awed and surprised at some of the facts and revelations during our conversations. Here are few excerpts:

Helmi Lanza is one of the most charming lady I've ever met. This lady-an Austrian who's now settled in Boston was heading to Austria to meet her family and was super excited about this seasonal reunion. The fact that her cousin (now settled in Australia) was flying over to Austria thrilled Helmi equally. Anyways, after exchanging plesantries - we talked about how life in the perceived land of opportunities[read USA] has been for the outsiders. I was surprised to learn that few issues I faced during my initial stay here resonated with those she faced years ago !!But on the brighter note, we realised that in general things have improved a lot ! Cuisine was the next area we discussed; and when I proudly declared myself to be a reasonably good cook she laughed out loud and asked me more about Indian Food, Spices, Tradition etc. We also shared some hilarious memories during our respective stay in US though from my side the conv. mostly centred around my now famous 'Cooking Experiments'. The conversation we had can be best summarised as "Culture Fusion" & thanks to Helmi - I so much wish to visit Austria now:). I was a little (or may be lil' more) disturbed since past few days for I had this dozen in Qs in my mind about some strange choices people make after moving to US and I showered her with them in anticipation of clues that might steer me towards the correct answers. Here are few Qs I asked:

• Other than promise of a better and relaxed life, what motivates immigrants/non-immigrants to extend their stay in US?
• What extra value people add to the society around them or to their country / family by contunuing their stay here? Inspite of so many opportunities for contribution - Libraries, NGOs, Teaching Volunteering, Event Management at College Festivals - people gravitate more towards new Malls, Las Vegas or Bowling - Why ?
• Why do so many people restrict themselves to just their field of expertise? I mean being an expert is kool but why not try new things , take few risks and venture into the unknown sometime?
• I have heard many folks that they miss their countrymen, their culture and feel lonely so much in USA. Is it true? If they seriously do - what are they supposed to do?

Very patiently she offered her logical explanations - I loved each one in totality except answer to last one ofcourse....she said Youngsters should get married soon to avoid boredom and related anxieties - Well, I am so glad my relatives back in India didn't meet her :) Guess I gotta finish this post abruptly for the Lufthansa Crew just made an announcement for boarding the connecting flight from Frankfurt to Mumbai - my heart is racing so fast at the mere thought of meeting family & friends after 2 years....something tells me I will have an amazing time in India !! Here I come....Yippee....! Oh and yes - wish you a safe and eventful trip Helmi!!

"What is life? An illusion, a shadow, a story or a dream?"

Less Than Perfect...!

Back in school we (Me, Ankit, Varun, Yash) used to silently admire the American & European logistics companies like - Fedex (Federal Express), UPS (United Parcel Services), DHL (Dalsey, Hillblom and Lynn) etc. I mean for providing overnight delivery with near 100% accuracy and speed - you sure have to me more than "smart". Personally, what impressed me about these companies was the way they utlised technology to reduce total cycle time and achieve better efficiencies ! This was few years ago when services like Consignment Tracking via Email, Mobile, Pager Alerts were still innovations at large (atleast in Asia) !

I remember having mentioning my reverence for these companies so many times to my Sugandha (Our Comp Sc Faculty) in high school and she always responded with a smile and asked "Thats great ! But which of these companies is the best or which one is your favorite and why?". Well, I didn't have an answer to her question then but my association with Service industry has sure helped me in narrowing down my choices over the years. Anyways note the conversation below:

Customer A : Hey I was supposed to receive my shipment 2 hrs ago...what happened?

Store Agent: Sorry Sir, but we have no updates in our system against your tracking number.

Customer A : What do I do next, I was supposed tor receive some sensitive docs and I have aplane to catch.

Store Agent: We understand your concern sir. Can you call 1-800-FEDEX ?

Customer A : I what? Can you do that for me pls...I am really anxious right now.

Store Agent: We can't use back office phone sir.

Customer A : Hey do you know how much important this package is to me right now? Wish I had visited UPS Store.S

Store Agent (Angry): You can still visit UPS Store if you want.

Customer A (Very Disturbed): Alright Bye-Gd Day ! (Aggghhhhhhhh)

Customer A then rushes out from Fedex Kiosk, grabs his cellphone and punches in 1-800-FEDEX hastily. After 5 minutes of "Dial 1 for this, 2 for that...", Customer A manages to find a Fedex Rep and explains his situation. I spotted this scene at the nearby FedEx Kinkos this morning and seriously wished to suggest the following to that Store Agent:

• When someone is angry - just nodding head and being a listener helps.
• When someone tells you - you are bad or someone is better than you, they simply look for your response on the statement. So take a moment before bursting - taking a breath or two helps. Do we really need to react?
• The problem with disappointing Customers is that - you loose not one but atleast 10 customers. Think about it - I am sure the ratio of your positive to negative experiences with Fedex and the alike is more than one. Yet as individuals we always accentuate more on the negative!
• Amidst firece competition, you can simply distinguish yourself quickly by the kind of service you provide than the tools / technologies you use. Hey afterall anyone can be trained to use a tool or a device isn't it ? But very few people can be trained to provide superlative service using those tools and empathy.
• Before declaring a customer as "Exceptionally Crazy" - do a role revesal. Lets say that you had a plane to catch in few hours and your DL/PP shipment hasn't arrived yet - Would you have behaved differently? If yes then suggest the same to customer and yes Calm him down !

This conversation lasted for just 5 mins but it sure made quite an impact on me ! I really wish that Store Agent was a little more patient and polite with the Customer A or wish I had handed a hard copy of this to Customer A. On the brighter side - I am confident that there's phenomenal room for improvement even in the seemingly near perfect logistics industry.

"Do we utter things in a manner that makes them or us memorable?"