How to Stop Worrying and Start Living ???

I was coming back from India after a 5 week long vacation. I was at the Shamshabad airport - baggage checked-in,done with security check and waiting at the gate. I had more than an hour before the boarding starts. I was wandering in the terminal searching for a place to do something so that I can kill some time (didn't want to put-on my iPod/iPhone). I saw some interesting food place called "Khao Galli", got a "Filter Coffee",and a bottle of water. On my way back to the gate I saw a book store, "Odyssey" (it is a book store chain in India). I was never into reading books, so I never bought/borrowed one. Even if some gifts me a book, it will just be lying like any other piece of item in my room. Though I am not into reading books, I always wanted to make it as a habit, but was never successful. Since I had nothing else to do, I went into the book store. I passed through fiction, non-fiction...etc...etc...and directly went into section of books like personality/self development, life changing...kind of books. I was searching like I had something in my mind. I found few books that had some interesting titles and one of them was "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living". The other books were about marriage and commitments, and I will not be talking about it this time.

Coming back to the book I picked first, "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living". I didn't pick this because I need it. Not that I don't worry and my life is perfect. I do worry about somethings at sometimes, but I don't stop living. I kind of also learned to deal with worries over the past few years. If you have read my previous posts some of them talk about troubles/problem/worries in life, and how we don't deal with them and just give up. I started to read this book at the airport and continued it after boarding the flight. May be this is the first book(non-academic) that I have read with so much interest and concentration. I was so much into it. I read couple of chapters and I liked most of it, because I already follow most of the rules and formulas that were listed in the book to manage/minify worries in day-to-day life.

But the main magic formula by Willis H. Carrier, was something I liked the most because knowing or unknowingly that is the formula of my life from a really long time. I know a lot of people who follow this, and also know a lot of people who should follow this. Tt is really simple, check it out.

"When ever you worry about something. Try this:
1. Ask yourself, "What is the worst that can possibly happen if I can't solve my problem?
2. Prepare yourself mentally to accept the worst--if necessary.
3. Then calmly try to improve upon the worst--which you have already mentally agreed to accept."
- Willis H. Carrier

It's been a week since I last read this book, I am back to my routine life and kind of shelved the book, but I will go back to it and finish it, because I didn't buy this book for myself, I will pass this on to my friends who might need it.

Square root of 3

I am not a big fan of Harold and Kumar movies, but they are OK.
I saw the Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay movie last weekend, I don't want to talk about the movie, but I really liked the poem that Kumar says towards the climax which he wrote long back while working on some calculus problems. I thought it was written for the movie, but actually when I searched for it, I came to know that it was written by David Feinberg, a writer who also happens to be a mathematician.

Here is the peom:

I’m sure that I will always be
A lonely number like root three

The three is all that’s good and right,
Why must my three keep out of sight
Beneath the vicious square root sign,
I wish instead I were a nine

For nine could thwart this evil trick,
with just some quick arithmetic

I know I’ll never see the sun, as 1.7321
Such is my reality, a sad irrationality

When hark! What is this I see,
Another square root of a three

As quietly co-waltzing by,
Together now we multiply
To form a number we prefer,
Rejoicing as an integer

We break free from our mortal bonds
With the wave of magic wands

Our square root signs become unglued
Your love for me has been renewed

-David Feinberg

Me, Myself & Movies - How it all started...

This post is written in Telugu (language).

nenu sagam jeevitham cinemalalo gadipesa,
jeevitham lo sagam paatalu cinemalalo chadivesa.

nenu oka friend tho chat chesthoo naaku telugu cinema meedha unna abhimanam (pichi) vyakthaparusthoo cheppina vakyam idhi. Koncham athiga undachu kaani adhi nijam.
naaku ooha thelisinappati nunchi naaku cinemalu ante pichi. naaku 5 years unnappudu chiranjeevi's State Rowdy movie vachindhi, appatinunche chiranjeevi fan nenu :). appudu naaku final exams sarigga gurthuledhu kaani LKG no UKG no :). Maa nanna exams ayyaka cinemaki theesukoniveltha ani chepparu. exams ayyaka theatre ki velthe aa roju tickets dorakaledhu, aa roju boruna varsham kurusthundhi, cinema choodalsindhe ani nenu edavatam start chesa, maa nanna velli manager tho matladi tickets emayina dorukuthayemo ani prayathnincharu, kaani kudaraledhu, manager edho thikkaga vaagadu, maa nanna vaditho godava pettukunnaru, kotta boyaru kooda, akhariki cinemaki vellaleka poyamu. Appudu inka thappani paristhithullo pakka theatre lo preminchukundham ra cinema ki......aaahaaa kadhu kadhu appatiki aa cinema ekkada undhi....Qayamath se Qayamath Thak cinemaki vellamu. Bahusa naaku choosanu ani gurthunna first hindi cinema anukunta adhi. Marasati roju malli maa nanna state rowdy cinemaki ticketlu advance ga book chesi naaku cinema choopincharu anukondi. Idhi gurthuvachinappudalla maa nanna naaku hero laga kanipistharu, chiranjeevi cinema choospinchalani naakosam antha kashtapaddaru/fight chesaru ani. silly ga unna sincere ga chepthunna :P.

Aa tharuvatha choosina cinemalu ekkuva gurthuledhu kaani, naaku 6-7 years appudu Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari movie vachindhi, theatre lo choosi untanu kaani gurthuledhu. Aa cinema video tape eppudeduppudu release avuthundha ani aathruthaga edhuruchoose vaadini. prathi roju maa inti dheggara unna video shop ki velli vaadini adigindhe malli malli adigevadini, "jagadeka veerudu athiloka sundari cassete vachindha uncle". Adhi 1991 anukunta exams ayyaka summer holidays, friends tho aatalu adi, edhurintlo cinemalu choosi adapa dhadapaga enjoy chesthoo unna time adhi. appatlo maa intlo TV undatame ekkuva, appatiki cable ledhu anukunta Dooradharshan okate dikku. Pandhula pempakam, grama dharshini, urdhu sanchika karyakramalu choodaleka video shop lo nunchi cinemalu thechukoni maa edhurintlo VHS player lo pillalu andharam cinemalu choosevallam. Nenu prathi roju aa video shop ki velthoone undevadini, adhi naakoka mini-swargam laaga. edhuru choosi choosi akariki okaroju Jagadekaveerudu Athiloka Sundhari tape vachindhi ane news naa jeevitham lo merupu la merisi, urumu la urumi, vanala kurisi vasantha kokila ganam la vinipinchindhi, anthe parugu paruguna video shop ki velli ventane aa tape thechukoni oka 2-3 rojullo aa cinema ni oka 10-15 sarlu choosi untanu. Aa tharvatha eppudoo Jurrasic Park movie vachindhi, idhi kooda theatre lo choosina gurthu ledhu, kaani adhi kooda video rent chesukoni choosamu, adhi naaku thelisi nenu choosina naa first hollywood movie anukunta. Appatlo aa cinema chaala nachindhi.

Aa tharuvatha konni vela cinemalu choosina ee modati cinema theepi gnapakaalu ala manasulo nilichipoyayi...

Inka cheppukuntoo pothe chaala undhi, andhuke deeni bhagalu ga vibhajinchi samarpisthunnanu. Opika unantha varaku chavukondi, meeku cinemala meeda abhimanam unte, mee gnapakalanu nemaruvesukondi.

Tharuvayi bhagam nunchi, naa jeevitham lo vividha ghattalalo cinemalu, naa jevitham payina vaati prabhavam, aa cinemala nunchi manam nerchukodagina manchi vishayala gurinchi vyakthaparusthanu.

Possibility vs. Probability

If you try for something, there is a good chance (probability) that you might get it.
But, if you never try there is no chance (not possible) of getting anything.
I can start this with a simple example. Say, a jackpot lottery has been announced. If you go and buy a lottery ticket there is probability that you might win the lottery (you never know). If you don't get the ticket it is definitely not possible (impossible) to win the lottery, and probability is zero(0). But, if you do buy the ticket then there is a "1 in n" probability for you, and it doesn't matter though the odds against you are "n-1". It doesn't mean you have to keep shelling out money on lottery tickets, it is just a metaphor :). Grab that chance in life though if it is 1 in million probability.

In most cases I see people (including me) saying it is impossible to do something. In most cases that "something" is something than can be possible. But the probability of getting it done might be less.
Let's get into some Mathematics (most people hate it but I like it):
If something 'might' be possible then the probability comes into play. It means that the value of probability is greater than zero (and less than 1 :)). If something is not possible then the probability of it happening is zero. So this means that possibility and probability are dependent. Also when it is possibly it is either 0 or 1, if it is probably then it is between 0 and 1.

So when do we say or decide that something is impossible. It is quite obvious that it all depends on how we think. For example, when I ask, "what is the probability of getting heads when I toss a coin". We all would think and say it is 50% (or 1/2). What would be the probability of not getting either heads or tails and you would think it is not possible. But lets think differently(crazily), what if I tossed the coin in big pile of sand like a sand dune, or on the top of deep water. Take sand for instance, it might be heads or tails or it might land vertically or it might even get lost (even if I find it, it is tough to say what the result was). So, it is not that easy to say something is not possible.

I was watching this movie "Pursuit of Happiness". Will smith is divorced, left with a 8-9 year old kid struggling to get a job (working as a intern/trainee). One day when there is football game and kid is big fan of the game. he keeps asking his father if they can go to the game. But the father is more worried about selling his self-designed equipment to make some money to at least survive for next few weeks. The kid keeps asking and the father was replying "possibly". The father asks his son to make sure he understood. "So what does possibly mean?". The kid replies "something like probably". Father says, "No, probably means there is a good chance we might go, possibly means we might or we might not go. The father asks again, "So what does possibly mean?".The son replies in despair, "it means we are not going". At the end of the day though his father could not sell the machine he manages to take him to the football game. The father was trying to create a hope that he might fulfill his sons wish and he was trying for every possible way. The son on the other side did not believe his father and thought it was possible.

Just like this, in most cases in our lives if we want to get/do something we tend to think about the result and the odds against us even before we try to do it and we end up thinking it is not possible, finally we do nothing and just give up. Most of the things that we want to do are possible, it just depends on the way how we measure the odds in favor and against us, it's all just in our mind. Let me give you an example. Say, you are in a basket ball court, how hard would it be to throw the ball in the basket from one end to the other. What would be the probability? Is it really possible? The probability is definitely 1/2. But talking about the possibility, yes definitely it is possible if you are really good at it. Let's just think, all you have to do is calculate the distance between you and the basket, the speed and angle required considering the wind direction(if any) and the force at which you need to throw it. It might need lot of practice to get all this, but can be done, it is possible. Anything you want to do in life is just like that.

If some thing is possible it is no more probable, if something is probable it might be possible. Possibility or Probability, no matter what it is, but it is your ability to make something possible.


P.S: This might not make sense at all. Please ignore if it doesn't. In either case leave a comment.

Kalalo...

This post is written in Telugu (language).

కనులు మూసి తెరిచే దాక కలలో నిలవై కలవరపెదతావు
కనులు తెరిచిన క్షణం నుంచి మదిలో ఊసువై ఊరేగుతావు
కదలి వెళ్ళిన చోటల్లా మెదిలే ప్రతి ఊహవి నువ్వే
కవితలో రాసిన ప్రతి అక్షరానికి స్పూర్తివి నువ్వే
కలలో ఉండిపోతనంటే కలకాలం నిదురపోనా
నిజమై వస్తానంటే నిదురమరచి వేచి ఉండనా

నాకు నువ్వు నచ్చినంత ఇంకెవరు నచ్చలేదు
నిన్ను నేను ప్రేమించినంత ఇంకెవ్వరు చెయ్యలేరు
అని నేను నీకు ఎప్పుడూ చెప్పకనే చెబుతూ ఉన్నా...
దానికి నువ్వుచెప్పని బదులు నాకు వినిపిస్తూ ఉన్నా...
ప్రతి క్షణం ఇదే బ్రహ్మలో బతికేస్తున్న
ప్రతి రోజు అదే కలలో నీకై ఎదురుచూస్తున్న

నా నీడై నావెంటే నువ్వు వస్తున్న...
నీ జాడ తెలియక నేను నిన్ను వెతుకుతున్న
నా కంటిపాపై కన్నుల్లో నీవే నిండి ఉన్నా...
నా కంట కన్నీరై కరిగిపోకు ఏ నిమిషాన
నా ప్రతి అడుగు నన్ను నీ వైపే నడిపిస్తున్న...
నా ప్రతి కలలో నేను నీకై ఎదురుచూస్తున్న

---------------------------------------
Kanulu moosi theriche dhaaka kalalo nilavai kalavarapedathavu
kanulu therichina kshanam numchi madhilo ossuvai vooreguthavu
Kadhali vellina chotalla medhile prathi oohavi nuvve
kavithalo raasina prathi aksharaaniki spoorthivi nuvve
kalalo undipothanante kalakaalam nidhuraponaa
nijamayi vasthanante nidhuramarachi vechi undanaa

naaku nuvvu nachinantha inkevaru nachaledhu
ninnu nenu preminchinantha inkevvaru cheyyaleru
ani nenu neeku eppudoo cheppakane chebuthoo unna
daaniki nuvvu cheppani badhulu naaku vinipisthoounna
prathi kshanam idhey brahmalo bathikesthunna
prathi roju adhey kalalo neekai edhuruchoosthunna

naa needayi naavente nuvvu vasthoo unna
nee jaada theliyaka nenu ninnu vethukuthunna
naa kanti paapai kannullo neeve nindi unna
naa kanta kanneerai karigipoku ye nimishana
naa prathi adugu nannu nee vaipe nadipisthunna
naa prathi kalalo nenu neekai edhuruchoosthunna

nuvve kavali

This post is written in Telugu (language).

vesavilo vennela la vennela lo velluva la
vekuva lo melakuva la melakuva lo O kala la
kila kila pade koyila gala gala pare yerula
mila mila merise tharala thala thala poose puvvula
nuvvala undi pove naa gundelo ella velala

ningilo mabbula merupula mymarapula
oohallo ooyala urumula chinukula
nelapayina nenila unnane edarila
ningi nunchi chinukula nela payiki digi raa ila
nannu nuvve cherali nalo nuvve ekam kavali


muvvala siri muvvala...sandadi neevalla
navvula chiru navuula...savvadi neevalla
harivillu rangula siri mallela vaagula
chirugali la nuvvala chiguraakula nenila
nannu nuvve thakali naa pranam nuvve kavali

P.S.: I wrote this about 4-5 years ago

Indians at Oscars

Finally, the day has come when India made it presence felt at the Oscars. I am as happy and proud as every other Indian. Though "Slumdog Millionaire" is not an Indian/Hindi film, most part of it definetly has the Indian/hindi cinema kind of narration. It felt like hollywood has taken a leaf from Indian/hindi cinema. I can say "Slumdog Millinaire" is a mature Indian movie made in hollywood (by a British director). Still we can't take any credit for it. But definitely we enjoy its success. It was great to see AR Rahman, Gulzar and Resul Pookutty winning oscars. It was even great to see AR Rahman perform in Oscar ceremony.
I was reading a lot of news about oscars the next day and found some facts which I didnot even know before. I would like to share some it.

The only category where an Indian has previously (before 2009) won an Oscar is costume design, by Bhanu Athaiiya for Gandhi. (Shekhar Kapoor directed film Elizabeth - The Golden Age won an award for costume design and Alexandra Byrne was the costume designer.)
Satyajit Ray was awarded academy (Oscar) honorary award for his contribution to world cinema in 1992.
Although some movies Like Mother India(1957), Salaam Bombay(1988) and Lagaan(2001) made it to Oscar Nominations in Best Froeign Language Film category, none of them won.
List of Indian submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film

Actually it is not possible for Indian movies to enter Oscars, because Oscars are only for Hollywood movies. Best foreign language film is the only category were an Indian movie can win a oscar. We have great technicians, directors and actors like Mani Ratnam, Ashutosh Gowarikar, Deepa Mehta, Mira Nair, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Shekhar Kapur, P.C. Sreeram, Shyam Benegal, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Aamir Khan, Kamal Haasan, AR Rahman and many more (tough to name all of them) who have made there presence felt to the global cinema. They can only make it to Oscars if they work for Hollywood movies (like AR Rahman, Gulzar and Resul Pookutty). So Oscar does not define the quality of work they do. I would like to see more technicians and actors like this who will make mature movies and make it a point to the global audience.

P.S: This article includes information from different websites and some of my views. The information provided might be incorrect.