Soma Purana

You can't say "I will produce a masterpiece" and then produce it. It doesn't work that way. I read twice a masterpiece called Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk and saw the movie too. The movie comes no where near the book. A masterpiece is a product that touches your nerve. It has the ability to obliterate the difference between reality and fiction. I was so impressed by Caine Mutiny I got hold of another of Wouk book Winds of War. It was a flop in my mind. There are exceptions of course. probably Shakespeare. Or, Kumaravyasa He could write thousands of truly masterpiece poems. I read Eric Ambler's Dirty Story which is a fabulous book. Again I was so impressed I bought another of his novels The Light of Day. That was great too. I got one more of his novels called Topkapi. All three Ambler's books I read were great.

I don’t consider doing nothing, just sitting on one’s butt fulfilling. I don’t consider doing what every Joe does fulfilling. I consider doing or at least try doing what every Joe doesn’t do fulfilling. A friend I know quit his IT job, does odd things. He decided one day to go to far north in snowy Himalayas to take a film-making course. How many people take film making course in Himalayas? He says, he “struggled alone.” I think struggling is the essence of life. Struggle and feel it. What is great in struggle-free? Like water flowing down a slope; that is just gravity, an external force moving you. It is more worthwhile trying to find a way to move by yourself, unaided. You will move little but it is entirely on your own. More fulfilling, more authentic. The wold is full of Joe’s. They are a sorry bunch, mindlessly moving together. Don’t expect any adoration from them. Why should you? You should feel pity for them. A couple of examples: I had a friend in IT, she got disg...

Saw Jobs in theater and Changeling on TV. I saw Steve Jobs in Bell Labs two decades ago. He had come to Labs to show his NEXT computer; he had left Apple at that time. I was blown away by the richness of his NEXT computer. I don't think he sold NEXT much at all. In fact I had seen one Next computer in Labs, one of the MTSs had it. I vividly remember Jobs' style. Seeing the movie reminded me of his walking style and his bent back stature. The movie was simply superb. It reflects American spirit and gives the viewer a glimpse of why America is great. America has at any time thousands of Jobs though not as spectacularly successful, but driven with zeal and energy all the same. Can you think of an invention in the last 50 years or so that came from a company outside of the US of A? I don't believe that people like Jobs, Gates don't exist elsewhere, but there is something in American culture and psyche that cultivates such men and women. The movie brought back sweet me...

On 8/17/13 Sat, all three of us (Pari, Neera, and me) spent time with Mary Jarvis at Plainsboro Bikram yoga studio. It was all-day affair. It started with the class which ran for more than 2-hours, but of course, with a lot of of time in between postures while Mary talked. After the class we had an hour-break. After the break, Mary spoke and spoke. There were many demonstrations of several postures by some outstanding students from Voorhees' studio  and Fenlon Lamb our instructor here. Mary made us redo some of the postures, but this time with special instructions. It was, all in all, a very good day spent.