Kshema's 7 Quick Takes Friday (Volume 18)

--- 1 ---

A very hectic week! Sometimes it is nice to have a very busy work week. Some new beginnings, though not without issues, but ending in a positive note. Temps are moderate. Looking forward to a cool October.

--- 2 ---

“To find a career to which you are adapted by nature, and then to work hard at it, is about as near to a formula for success and happiness as the world provides. One of the fortunate aspects of this formula is that, granted the right career has been found, the hard work takes care of itself. Then hard work is not hard work at all.” 

― Mark Sullivan

We have some edupreneurs who are building something called "EduXtree". Its an online education portal developed by a bunch of young engineers. It also aims at serving the purpose of a guide to make a right career choice for school children upto higher education level. As a part of it, they are conducting a survey on "Career Choice and Satisfaction"; short, yet a good start. I took it too. A friend of mine said we would have benefited better if we had such help during our school days. Indeed! We need to encourage schools to take up this kind of approach and start early. Children need to be exposed to different kinds of professions and the variety of career options they can exercise, instead of their parents deciding for them. Having said this, I also would like to say that both parents and children should work together for this purpose simply because of the reason that children need guidance; not diktat! We started this exercise quite early with our daughter; perhaps as early as when she was 10. Our close association with academics helped us in this matter. First we understood various undergraduate and graduate programmes and to what professions would they lead. Then we started to inform her about various professions and their pre-requisites with respect to educational qualifications. Then came role plays, discussions on "what produces what?" followed by like and dislikes, occupational hazards, risk factors etc. SWOT analysis has been an essential component in identifying her strong and weak areas; We started with a broad base of all the subjects she studied till she completed her high school and then adopted elimination method. Making way through the subjects of her dislike, we reached to her strong likes. To bring out her talents was a challenging job for us. During this process, we sometimes lose energy, money, patience and may be, temper also at times. Aim was to make her comfortable so that she becomes confident. At the same time we also made her to understand the importance of academics, higher education and the need to be serious and meritorious. This exercise is a continuous process, time consuming, evolutionary in nature and needs a lot of patience and perseverance on parents' part. Little more than an year and off she goes to traverse a path well built with hard work........ to shine like a star in her choicest career!! No matter, it may be one amongst many, but I am sure she will be happy. Children's happiness is what parents yearn for, isn't it?

PS: I request you all to take this survey and help our young colleagues to help yourselves.

--- 3 ---

The chicken or the egg?

"You do what you love or you love what you do. What makes you happier amongst the two?" is a question I often come across. It was posed by one of my young friends recently. Some interesting answers were also seen. Opinions ranged from - the first one being freedom while the second one to be "acceptance" camouflaged "compromise" to one phenomenon leading to the other. Nice. I am still thinking about it as I feel there can be a long debate on this topic. It can and will apply to almost everything in life, not just one's career or profession. Rather, it is an open ended question which will attract multiple answers that would vary with time. Well, presently I am loving what I am doing :)

--- 4 --- 

The inherent librarian

My maternal grand father had a library of his own. The works that adorned his collection mostly were either religion or fiction. My mother inherited his reading habit. She used to read a lot of fiction itseems. I am told she had very good general knowledge and awareness of current happenings. Plus she was a great singer and an awesome cook. Above all, I understood that she was a very good organizer. I am sure to have inherited all of her qualities, talents and skills. My dad used to regularly buy me children's magazines and good story books; and my granny would happily take the responsibility of making me to read them and also generate enthusiasm in me to await the next issue. The popular ones that I read were Tinkle, Chandamama, Wonder World etc. Tinkle was published by Amar Chitra Katha (ACK), whose story books my dad used to buy for me. As a child I actively participated in ACK's social events like competitions etc. The Chandamama is a legendary magazine loved and read by children and adults equally. Thus, over years I collected some very handsome collection of magazines with an intention of getting the issues bound and having my own library. On one of our regular vacation visits to my maternal grandparents, my dad thought of helping my maternal cousins with their English language skills. What next? He donated my precious magazines to them! I remember very well how much I cried over it. How could he do this to my precious library collection! What was more shocking to me was to learn that my uncle, instead of making my cousins read them, had sold them off to a hawker!! Time and again I expressed my displeasure and unhappiness with my dad. But what is lost is lost forever. There was no way of getting them back. To this day I believe it was those magazines and story books that aided in developing of good reading habit in me and also helped inculcate good values too! And the legacy continues.... sometimes I wonder if I was born to become a librarian.

--- 5 ---

This week's recipe

Bottle Gourds

"A bottle on the guard"! One of our humble gourds, the bottle gourd, is also known as calabash or the squash, and as lauki, ghiya, doodhi, aanapakaaya, sorakaya etc. in Indian languages. No dearth for the culinary preparations that can be had from this one humble fellow. Starting from a variety of curry preparations, lentil combinations, yogurt combos, chatnis/dips to sweet dishes, that too in much less time 'coz it cooks very easily. I guess Lauki ke kofte and dudhi halwa are the famous preparations. When I do not understand what to buy, I bring home this trusted partner. What's more? Health benefits are wonderful, especially for heart and blood pressure. Can read more here and here.

The best curry preparation my family likes, I am going to share with you today.




Ingredients:

1. Diced bottle gourd - 2 large cups

Another variety of bottle gourd

2. Chopped green chillies - 1 or 2 (depending upon the variety)
3. Asafoetida - a pinch
4. Garlic cloves (optional) - 2 small
5. Skinned and split black gram - 1 tsp.
6. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
7. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
8. Grated fresh coconut (optional) - 2 tbsp.
9. Milk (skimmed) - 1/2 cup
10. Salt - to taste
11. Oil for cooking - 1-2 tsp.

Now for the method:

In a thick bottomed pan, drizzle the cooking oil and temper it with chopped green chillies, asafoetida, garlic cloves, black gram and cumin seeds. Let the black gram roast in the oil and then add the curry leaves. Add diced bottle gourd and let it cook for some time. The gourd will leave some water and will become soft. Now you can add the salt and simmer for a while. Add milk and mix it well. You will see that the milk will disintegrate. It is due to the presence of salt. No problem. Simmer and let the curry cook for a while. Check the consistency of the curry. If you like it flowy, you can turn off gas; otherwise wait till the milk is absorbed. Finish it with grated fresh coconut. If you like you can sprinkle some fresh curry leaves as a topping. This curry tastes good with rice, as well as with rotis.

--- 6 ---

This week's book(s)

I am presently occupied with some design stuff. Design of buildings, interiors etc. Not exactly the architecture or construction part, but what goes inside the building. Just started my research, therefore I'll share, in the coming weeks, details of the books I am referring to and those which interest me. Nothing for today.

--- 7 ---

This week's media clip 

Do not have a specific reason, but this song has been on my mind and tongue for quite some time. May be it is the magic of its music. It is from an old Telugu movie "Aatmeeyulu", meaning "loved ones"; of 1969..... even before I was born! The musician Late Sh. Saluri Rajeswara Rao was a great soul and a soulful musician who gave music to hundreds of songs. Those who know Telugu will surely enjoy his music; and those who cannot understand Telugu, I am sure, will also appreciate the sweetness in his music.

Wishing you a happy weekend and a great work week ahead!!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!