The Two Sides To Practicality

Being practical, as the oxford dictionary likes to call it "A sensible and realistic approach to a situation or problem". Now Realistic, I agree, because no problem can be solved hypothetically! But sensible, now that's where I wonder.. When someone is being practical they are actually mostly numbing down their senses, say their emotions (how it might affect me, the world and yada yada), prejudices, instincts (that gut feeling you can't ward off) and a lot of other things which comes in the way of a logical solution to the problem. Many a time, practical thinkers have been branded as head strong, moral less or sometimes even soul less! Various situations get various names and it’s mainly pointed out by the ones who bear the brunt of this practicality. The practical being himself is however unscathed, his interlude of logical thinking being an easy mask for his own selfish purposes or escaping a pang of guilt and sorrow, thereby following the mantra "You forget your emotional side for once and get drawn to just plain old logic"

Practicality when accepted as a way of life, often lessens the scars of emotional trauma and the meaningless taunts your pessimistic mind sometimes hurls at you; such people most often don't regret their decisions or their outcomes. If followed it until their death, they mostly die with no regrets. Eventually, it has its own pros and cons. So what would you prefer?

A random chat with my 11yr old self!

Off late I have been obsessed with the concept of time travel, courtesy too many sci-fi movies on the similar lines! The other day while sorting out some of my old pictures, I gazed at myself during my 'awkward phase' of growth, that stupid grin and hideous sense of fashion (how I envy the kids today!) completely unaware or bothered about how her life would turn up. I instantly wished I could go back in time and talk to this care free girl. Just to probably know how my mind worked about 12 yrs back and maybe give some tips on better dressing and zit control! Since time traveling is not possible, or at least, not yet.. I figured, I can definitely write about this, after all everything is possible in the amazing world of literature!

So here it goes, conversation with my 11 year old self.

Present me- Hi there! umm OK, before you cream me with one of your newly learnt Karate moves.. its me Neha, I mean you, I mean you 12 years in the future.

11yr old me- Huh? I hope this is a dream! Yup I'm definitely dreaming.. so I'll keep away the ideas of attacking you.. So, how are you and most importantly what are you doing?

Present me- I'm doing good, well right now.. working in a software company.

11yr old me- Software? but we don't even like computers! Don't you remember that horrible computer teacher and her impositions! I thought we resolved to not go on the same path!

Present me- That was a long time ago, well.. atleast for me.. and IT is fun you will like it eventually.

11yr old me- But, but I thought our dream field was Biotech! Did you ditch that finally?

Present me- Hmm, I did.. until recently, but there were other issues and finally ambition had to take the back seat.

11yr old me- Are you kidding me? So you did follow our dream till the very last and gave up finally? Wow.. you suck!

Present me- Shut up! Do you even know anything about the passion you just grew so fond of?

11yr old me- Of course I do! 'Biotechnology is the science of creation of.."

Present me- Gosh stop it! you and I both know that definition is made up! It's just some random Hi-fi sounding biological terms which vaguely talk about cloning!

11yr old me- Huh! Atleast I am passionate about something, I have an aim!

Present me- Aim of what? Cloning humans and sending them to the 'Bermuda Triangle'? Not only is that very unethical and absurd but also impossible!

11yr old me- What? you can't clone a human being?

Present me- Nada..simply impossible, just like your chances of ever getting that admission letter from 'Hogwarts!'

11yr old me- Psshh (rolling eyes) I knew that!

Present me- Yeah right! but yeah please don't lose heart and stop following your dreams.

11yr old me- I'll do that, like I have a choice anyway!

Present me- Alright I will have to leave now, please stop wearing those hideous t-shirts, you'll thank me for that. Also, if you don't quit performing surgeries on those zits with your bare hands, you will regret it!

11yr old me- Aren't you a mother! Why don't you try improving your sorry state of life. Seriously, its no fun for me to work hard and end up like THAT!

Present me- Sheesh, I don't take advices from kids!

11yr old me- Haha right! You do realize that I am a figment of your imagination! So basically your imagination is an equivalent of a 11yr old!

Present me- Darn! Why can't you just play along! You called it dream isn't it?

11yr old me- Oh right OK.. So just for curiosity's sake.. Do you get to meet the love of your.. I mean, Our life?

Present me- Haha, that.... I will let you figure out eventually! ;)

Mind Games! -- Part 2

Dear Mind –Gaming  Boss,

Like any other bunch of excited newbies we were super kicked about finally entering the corporate world.. set aside the warning signs and countless advises we kept a positive outlook towards this new environment, bustling with an enthusiasm quotient equivalent of a puppy’s! However, we doubt you even bothered to notice all this.. it being pretty much of a yearly routine, you’re evidently apathetic to any rookie behavior. So you carry on with an air of ‘managerial’ experience until some delusional rookie makes a mistake of asking about the nature of his work or even worse, his pay! Oh the nerve! So this follows by you ruthlessly dodging us and when confronted anyways, simply waving us off by a mind boggling answer which would actually turn out to be totally bogus and irrelevant.

What really baffles us, is that, this very trait in particular is so common among people up at the management side.. its almost as if you had classes (and I’m taking about Mind gaming 101 sorts!) teaching you this wicked witch craft. If god forbid this does turn out to be true, then you better find a safe place to hide, because we are watching and we are learning, we will climb the ladder soon (probably by attending the same B- school you had gone to or better!) Maybe even teach you how it is to really be a good boss, by simply 'managing' the people who work for you. Ever considered that?

Sincerely,
Your 'rookie' (but not for long) employees!