I admit it. I am a big fan of No Reservations hosted by Anthony Bourdain. I watch it online whenever I can catch hold of any episodes. He is my inspiration for writing this blog. Truth be told I got the idea of this blog from his show itself.
As can be expected from me my biggest obsession is food. That is one of the reasons I can relate to him eating pills to be able to eat his favorite food ----- the one, the only PORK..... Pig in any form makes Mr. Bourdain salivate in the most disgusting ways. He eats it all. Skin to the rectum (yeah I know). But I have to give credit where it is due. The meat must taste good. Not that I a devout Hindu (guffaw) would know anything about that (Big sarcastic Hey Bhagwaan here!!).... But my reason to talk about his love for the meat is to emphasize the unabashed love, passion and affection he has for his particular choice of food.
So I would like to profess my love for food. Not just one food group. Being a Hindu has taught me to be very inclusive towards everything........ including all kind of food sources. I think the biggest culprit in this digression are the months empty of House, Law and Order, The big bang, CSI and all the other sitcoms which I forget. What do you watch when do not have a steady source of gibberish to watch? You look for other gibberish. So you embark on a youtube trip and search for "interesting" videos to watch. But I could have watched anything from Britney meltdown (that must be old) to Konkona and Ranvir breakup (is it official?). But in my defense, being away from home gives you bigger opportunities to eat non-indian cuisine. So you look for how it is made and so you search for videos and then youtube people suggest more videos and the chain goes on. You see where I am going with this? Yes in the end it is a downward spiral to looking one meal being cooked in different ways or the same way by different people. As someone up there (I think he/she is commonly referred to as GOD) did do the mistake of giving me brains, however minuscule it might be; I am bound to use multiple methods in the same process and get the thing working best for me.
The situation right now is so dreadful that I have started maintaining a book for writing down the recipes I learn and try....... Yes....... I kid you not!! I dream about food more often than I would like to. I mean why can't I dream about boys like normal girls or work like demented researchers?? Why oh why?
My brother is going to be here next week for 10 days along with my sister in law and I have already planned the first 8 meals they will eat.... OK I lied, I planned the first 15 meals. And it gets interesting from here. My sister in law is a vegetarians and my brother is not. You get the picture. I am considering to readjust my career path and become a chef. I need help.............. But not really. I like to cook and love to cook for people I care for. So I would not like to give it up for anything.... (maybe a Nobel?) It is a great way to tell people 'I love you' and that is the best thing about it.
So I am a self confessed foodie. I love food in all shapes and forms as long as it is edible and the best gift I can get a freshly cooked meal from anyone in the world.............. and I want it for free!!
Friday, 9 July 2010
The Secret
After 6 years of unsuccessful struggling with the workings of multiple human minds to bring about harmony at any part of my infinitely small existence I have the secret. Never take work seriously. No seriously.... Just hear me out.
So this is my theory (Stolen from someone close but I think they wouldn't mind!!). I figured if you don't take work personally you handle the setbacks and stupid people egos very very easily. One of my elders said that I should never let my professional ethics and behavior get affected. Even if it means having no friends at work. I realized it was one of the most sound advises he would ever give for the rest of my work life in his lab (yeah yeah my boss).
Best part is when you stop taking work personally you have a distance from that part of your life. It helps you think a lot clearly in everything concerning work. Even my experiments which nowadays don't seem to work that well are much better planned. Now I don't dispute the fact that one year might have taught me a lot but now I see that and would like to work on it.
But more importantly now I just don't get affected by what people say. I listen to all kinds of criticism towards my work and working habits from the "seniors" but the moment I think they have started to sound ridiculous I just nod my head and pretend to listen. The end result is that people are much calmer next time I talk to them and its much easier to get back to them and ask them again the same thing and get a much saner answer.
Now I am not saying this always works. Sometimes the feeling of ill-will is so deep that one show-down does not seem to change much for the entire equation of the being. But sometimes its just ridiculously funny. I think I will put these stories in the blog once I am out of here. I mean with all due respect to the people I work with, but sometimes they are just such asses. The tragedy is some of them know this and sometimes also acknowledge it in one of the frank conversations (which are few and far apart) I have had. But consider almost everything as a pride issue. I mean why? Isn't research all about learning something new.............. about everything.
Please do not consider the above as gibberish... I have tried and tested this and see this to be a very effective way to deal with polarity and politics in the lab. Its not fun to be in the middle of these stalwarts. They are in their work and research in the past. Its very humbling to work with these guys, being the youngest (research-wise) between these people is a great learning experience. But a little less pride and aggression will take them a lot farther. But then again the way we have to work in most of the research world makes one like that. I guess "publish or perish" makes you take work personally.
I have decided that I would work in research as long as I don't become a person like them. I would much rather be a mediocre researcher with real weekends rather than one of those whose entire world will come crashing down if their work goes the wrong way.... I have seen them and its not a pretty sight. Seriously guys take it easy.. The only person you compete with is your own ambition. Don't let work be your only identity.
What say?
So this is my theory (Stolen from someone close but I think they wouldn't mind!!). I figured if you don't take work personally you handle the setbacks and stupid people egos very very easily. One of my elders said that I should never let my professional ethics and behavior get affected. Even if it means having no friends at work. I realized it was one of the most sound advises he would ever give for the rest of my work life in his lab (yeah yeah my boss).
Best part is when you stop taking work personally you have a distance from that part of your life. It helps you think a lot clearly in everything concerning work. Even my experiments which nowadays don't seem to work that well are much better planned. Now I don't dispute the fact that one year might have taught me a lot but now I see that and would like to work on it.
But more importantly now I just don't get affected by what people say. I listen to all kinds of criticism towards my work and working habits from the "seniors" but the moment I think they have started to sound ridiculous I just nod my head and pretend to listen. The end result is that people are much calmer next time I talk to them and its much easier to get back to them and ask them again the same thing and get a much saner answer.
Now I am not saying this always works. Sometimes the feeling of ill-will is so deep that one show-down does not seem to change much for the entire equation of the being. But sometimes its just ridiculously funny. I think I will put these stories in the blog once I am out of here. I mean with all due respect to the people I work with, but sometimes they are just such asses. The tragedy is some of them know this and sometimes also acknowledge it in one of the frank conversations (which are few and far apart) I have had. But consider almost everything as a pride issue. I mean why? Isn't research all about learning something new.............. about everything.
Please do not consider the above as gibberish... I have tried and tested this and see this to be a very effective way to deal with polarity and politics in the lab. Its not fun to be in the middle of these stalwarts. They are in their work and research in the past. Its very humbling to work with these guys, being the youngest (research-wise) between these people is a great learning experience. But a little less pride and aggression will take them a lot farther. But then again the way we have to work in most of the research world makes one like that. I guess "publish or perish" makes you take work personally.
I have decided that I would work in research as long as I don't become a person like them. I would much rather be a mediocre researcher with real weekends rather than one of those whose entire world will come crashing down if their work goes the wrong way.... I have seen them and its not a pretty sight. Seriously guys take it easy.. The only person you compete with is your own ambition. Don't let work be your only identity.
What say?
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