Category Archive for ‘Life’ at Life as a Knowledge Manager

Archive for the 'Life' Category

My Journey to India - May 2010

Published by Nainil Chheda on June 7, 2010 in Life. 0 Comments

All that I write today is because of the need to share my love for my parents, family and India. After 3 years 3 months I visited India in May 2010 for my brother’s wedding (Reception Ceremony & Wedding Ceremony). It is a long time for anyone to visit one’s own country and it sure brought in some real great memories and experiences for me.

The first few days of me being in India were all about adjustment (including recovering from Jet Lag).

Adjustment to:
1. The weather (hot & humid)
2. The people (extremely socially active)
3. The inflation (high prices met with higher demand for goods and services)
4. The food (spicy, hot and greasy)

My parents tried to make me comfortable as much as possible and I tried to make adjustments to suite both ends.

Weather:
1. The weather in Mumbai was about 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Very hot and humid.
2. To keep myself cool, I drank plenty of water and fluids. Every day I used to drink Coconut Water Juice and other juices including Orange and Black Jamun.
3. At our place using an Air Conditioner every day at home is not considered a necessity. However, considering the weather change from Boston (60F when I left) to Mumbai (85-90F), using Air Conditioner at home was just a matter of choice.

People:
1. People in India are bound by a number of social interactions. What I mean by that is they have too many occasions/functions/parties/birthdays/reminders etc. to attend to. If you don’t attend or are not a part of an occasion, the other person feels hurt and might possibly give you an earful.
2. People care about you. They would make a point that you are well fed, and that your comfort is taken care of.
3. People are turning western and slowly but steadily their cultural habits are changing.
4. People are taking good care of their Maids & those that serve them. (May be because they fear the extra work they will have to do when not having a Maid)

Inflation:
1. The spending capacity of people in India has increased tremendously. What one family of 4 used to spend at a dinner (in a good restaurant) is now what a couple spends.
2. People in India want quick money. (90% of all that I know invest in Stocks)
3. Each shop that you go for shopping (be it clothes or jewelry) the store associate will ask you “How much are you willing to spend? Or what is your price range?”

Food:
1. Possibly one of the best things in India is the variety of food you get. Food tastes different in India. You like the sweetness of the food here.
2. People feed you as if you are not going to get to eat again. You are always offered a dessert at the beginning and at the end of the meal.
3. You will always like what your mother cooks in India and you will always eat the food that you won’t get in Boston (or anywhere else)

What I call adjustments (Weather, People, Inflation, and Food) is probably what I would also call as Life in India.

The Wedding:
1. Hosting a Wedding for 2000 people in India takes a lot of Planning and Patience.
2. Being on a short trip all of our shopping (clothes, jewelry etc) for the wedding is done within 7-10 days.
3. Wedding means you need to celebrate an occasion making sure everyone is happy and that you adjust to the needs of your guests and fellow family members.
4. Wedding celebration includes:
a) Mehendi Celebration - Coloring of hands/legs and body parts with Henna;
b) Sangeet Celebration - A time where both the bride and the groom family meet and sing songs for celebrating the occasion;
c) Main Wedding Ceremony - The priest weds the bride and the groom;
d) Reception Ceremony - To congratulate the newlywed members

The wedding was splendid. It brought back memories from my marriage. One thing that I now advise all those that are getting married is “Enjoy your wedding day”. During my wedding I was possibly lost in all that was happening that I couldn’t take enough time to look around and enjoy the day.

India:
1. (Mainly in Mumbai) every block that I visited had some sort of new building, new bridge or a new mall construction going on.
2. Prices of Land have increased extremely. I believe it’s a bubble and like all markets it will burst. After an upward trend there is definitely going to be a downward trend and prices of land will decrease.
3. Gold prices are at all time high
4. People have been brought up with “Savings” as their base. However lately they are spending more than they are earning
5. People have become choosy. Previously they had only a few selection choices, but now in any market segment they have hundreds of choices to make intelligent decisions.
6. Poor are becoming poorer and the rich are becoming richer.
7. Every retail item will be customized to fit your size/need.
8. Lots of people have ideas but not many have the courage to implement them.

Something’s that make you feel you are in India:
1. Sign on the back of a truck “Horn OK Please”
2. Sign on the back of a truck “Mera Bharat Mahan”
3. Driving without giving signals and Driving in the middle of the lane.
4. Sign in a store “Fixed Rate. No Guarantee. No Exchange. Eatables Not Allowed”
5. Sign on the Auto Rikshaw (Meter Box) “Don’t Touch Me”
6. Road Speed 30 Km/Hr - People Drive @ 65 Km/Kr

Some tips and memorable lessons that I was taught by my elders during this trip:
1. Learn to Adjust and Compromise and you will lead a fruitful life
2. Enjoy your life as you get chances because these will be your memorable times that you will remember for years to come
3. Exercise or at least take a walk to keep your body fit and fine. You will never know when the rust of time will make you incapable of being how you are today
4. In India, even a person that is not as educated as one is makes millions. What good is anyone one if he/she who has studied abroad with higher education but cannot beat the street smart.
5. Take risks. When you have get an opportunity take it as Opportunity strikes very softly.

What I have seen can be easily described as “Organized Chaos“. It is crowded, chaotic and full of interesting people, but you still love it. May be this trip was one of my most mature trip as I understood how I lived and what I miss the most.

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What an exciting time to be alive!

Published by Nainil Chheda on February 12, 2009 in Life, Organization and Technology. 0 Comments

A few years ago my grandfather was showing me a four-in-one pen. He said, “Look at that - blue, red, green, black! It’s like having four pens in one! What an exciting time to be alive!”. I looked at him and smiled.

A few days ago, I was speaking with a colleague about “Digital Whiteboards” and how they have evolved from being a simple electronic whiteboard to a smart whiteboard with an inbuilt printer. (The digital whiteboard is an electronic version of a dry-erase board.) I remember the good old school days where we had a Black Board, and our teachers used a white chalk to write the notes for the class room. Things have certainly changed. To know more about the digital white boards; check this Video: M.I.T. Digital Drawing Board

Things sure have changed!

The most successful (technological) inventions till date have been telephone, computer, television, automobile, camera and of course the light bulb.

In recent times I have seen the following areas show progress :

1. GPS Navigation Systems (e.g. GPS)

2. Eco-friendly cars (e.g. Hydrogen Vehicle)

3. Wireless Broadband Internet (e.g. Verizon Broadband)

4. Electronic Toll Collection System (e.g. MTA - FAST LANE Program)

5. Intelligent Robots (e.g. Sony Robots)

I have always embraced technology and innovation. I might not know every aspect of the technology or the product but my thirst to learn new things will never stop. If I ever stop embracing technology and innovation, I will retire. (This is a very bold statement to make. But it’s true.)

Time Magazine recently announced it’s list of best inventions for the year 2007.

The areas where the inventions are being concentrated are:

Applying solar energy to conservative use
Building eco-friendly cars
Using nano-technology
Video Gaming, Mobile Technology and Space Technology (Rocket Science)
Architecture Mobilization

We don’t always realize how technology has changed our lives. It has made our lives simpler and it sure is an interesting age to live in! It is our experience which makes us “believe” that things are possible and it is the realization from our experience which makes us lead a complete life.

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Open your Portal of Life and find the Creative Genius

Published by Nainil Chheda on February 11, 2009 in Life. 0 Comments

Here is a synopsys of Elizabeth Gilbert’s narration of “Creative Genius” in her 20 minutes speech @ ted.com

A different way to think about Creative Genius - By Elizabeth Gilbert

Elizabeth a very prominent book writer discusses the hidden secret behind her success which has connections with the ancient Greek & Roman civilizations.

Best Seller. Now What? If you have succeeded at first, everyone expects you to be afraid of the work that you have previously accomplished. Will you be able to surpass the previous success?
Creative people are sometimes mentally unstable with magnificient young minds
Fear of Genius: Your best performance is behind you.
Genius and Daemons: Greece believed creativity came from a divine spirit called “Daemon”. Romans believed a magical entity who would invisibly assist an artist and shape the work (called Genius).
Being & Having Genius: Being a Genius is a mistake because it is too much responsibility for a single entity. Having Genius makes you have an imaginary spirit which helps you rub a fairy juice on your projects.
Letting Genius Catch you: Don’t try to find Genius, let the Genius find you. Some ideas come to you from other uncontrolled impulses. Genius is some moment which could be called as “This is it”, “Time would stop”, “Everything would be aligned”, “You are light from within”, “Magic”, “Glimpse of God”. Open the portal of your life and let yourself into a totally different level where you have the most brilliant moments which would be wonderous.
What are you to do for the rest of your life?: It is not always that the most extraordinary aspects of your life came from you. You have been loaned the extraordinary aspects of your being from an unimaginable source to be passed on. Share the knowledge.
Do your job: Don’t be afraid. Don’t let anything change what you do and have the stubberness to keep showing up.

Link: http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/453

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Matilda - Poem of the Week

Published by Nainil Chheda on February 10, 2009 in Life and Literature. 0 Comments

MATILDA

by: Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953)

WHO TOLD LIES, AND WAS BURNED TO DEATH

MATILDA told such Dreadful Lies,

It made one Gasp and Stretch one’s Eyes;

Her Aunt, who, from her Earliest Youth,

Had kept a Strict Regard for Truth,

Attempted to Believe Matilda:

The effort very nearly killed her,

And would have done so, had not She

Discovered this Infirmity.

For once, towards the Close of Day,

Matilda, growing tired of play,

And finding she was left alone,

Went tiptoe to the Telephone

And summoned the Immediate Aid

Of London’s Noble Fire-Brigade.

Within an hour the Gallant Band

Were pouring in on every hand,

From Putney, Hackney Downs, and Bow.

With Courage high and Hearts a-glow,

They galloped, roaring through the Town,

‘Matilda’s House is Burning Down!’

Inspired by British Cheers and Loud

Proceeding from the Frenzied Crowd,

They ran their ladders through a score

Of windows on the Ball Room Floor;

And took Peculiar Pains to Souse

The Pictures up and down the House,

Until Matilda’s Aunt succeeded

In showing them they were not needed;

And even then she had to pay

To get the Men to go away!

It happened that a few Weeks later

Her Aunt was off to the Theatre

To see that Interesting Play

The Second Mrs. Tanqueray.

She had refused to take her Niece

To hear this Entertaining Piece:

A Deprivation Just and Wise

To Punish her for Telling Lies.

That Night a Fire did break out–

You should have heard Matilda Shout!

You should have heard her Scream and Bawl,

And throw the window up and call

To People passing in the Street–

(The rapidly increasing Heat

Encouraging her to obtain

Their confidence) — but all in vain!

For every time she shouted ‘Fire!’

They only answered ‘Little Liar!’

And therefore when her Aunt returned,

Matilda, and the House, were Burned.

“Matilda” is reprinted from Cautionary Tales. Hilaire Belloc. 1907.

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Overshare - the 2008 Word of the Year

Published by Nainil Chheda on February 7, 2009 in Life, Management and Technology. 0 Comments

Information is always overwhelming. However when information is turned into knowledge it is a gift. With my role as a Knowledge Manager, I feel it is important for people to understand when information is “Overshared”. Is this a good thing?

The 2008 word of the year is both a noun and a verb: overshare. It basically means it is when a person gives you more information than you want or need to know.

I believe in information transpancy, sharing of knowledge and accepting the fact that being accessible to others makes life simpler.

Sharing of information can be classified into:

Personal
Work Related
Social
Other

One must group his friends and collegues into various catagories. I have choosen to share my information to various groups (social networking) in the following fashion:

Personal:
1. Website: www.nainil.com
2. Blog: www.nainil.com/blog
Friends:
1. Facebook (id: nainil)
  http://www.facebook.com/people/Nainil-Chheda/630638930
2. Orkut (id: nainil@gmail.com)
Work Related:
1. LinkedIn (id: nainil)
  www.linkedin.com/in/nainil
2. Blog
  www.nainil.com/blog
Social Networking:
1. Twitter (id: nainil)

The level of discrete information that I share about myself is limited to the nature of the service and to the level of information I am willing to disclose about myself.

On my Website: I have information related to my areas of interest, my research activities, my vision, my resume and some images that I cherish.

On my Blog: I record my experiences with technology, quality control, policies, management as well as topics such as game theory and geological sediments.

On my Twitter profile: I update the various articles I read, videos I watch and document anything which helps me understand a concept/theme .

Never have I felt that I overshare my information. I tend to give data which is precise and to the point.

Information if left idle is not of any value. When we put our thoughts to process information we gather knowledge. Being a Knowledge Manager, I have learned to value the boundaries of information. Only some can be shared while other must be cherished by a limited group of members.

With an increase in the level of understanding, individuality and personification of data, “Overshare” is the term which needs to be catered to the market.

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Giving Credit to the Right People

Published by Nainil Chheda on February 5, 2009 in Life, Management and Organization. 0 Comments

I work in a company with a varied set of team members. We depend on each other to make the right choices and deliver the right services. We all try to deliver products, services and processes to our team members and the clients. Yet, I often ask myself “Is there any tangible product which comes out of my work?”.

Here’s the way I think about my work:

* I am a “Facilitator”. I help in getting people the right correct answers. It does not mean I am always the one who is giving these answers.
* I am a “Shovel Supplier”. I supply the tools and services that others need to make their lives easier.

Every day I receive emails, phone calls and have people come to my desk asking for all sort of answers. I might know a few of these answers as I might be involved in the project. However most of the times I am asked for the right direction. I am asked if I can point them to the right person who can do the job. I am asked if I can get an answer for the questions they have.

While looking for an answer to a question, I tend to involve various other team members. Many a times they give me an answer which is complete. I inturn transfer the answer to the team member who requested it. So, I diligently perform my duties, find the answers and convey the same to the team member who has requested the same.

Does this mean:

* I did all the hard work to get the answer?
* I have the answer to every question?
* I am the one to be praised and thanked?

The answer is No. I believe, in an ethical business environment where all the members involved while providing a solution should be respectfully thanked. The effort is a group effort and the right person deserves the credit. I always try to remember what our old folks used to teach us “It’s always good to give than to receive”.

While on a project, I make sure that I broadcast the efforts of the other team members who helped me find the answer to the main requesting party .This leads into a “Win-Win” situation. It keeps the requestor informed and the efforts put in by the other team member are also brought to light which acts as a motivational factor.

This sure does not mean that I (the facilitator) do not deserve a part of the credit. However, considering the nature of my job I choose to do the right thing and take credit only for the things that I deserve.

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A Follower of the KISS Principle

Published by Nainil Chheda on February 2, 2009 in Life, Management, Organization and Technology. 0 Comments

“Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler” - Albert Einstein

During my Masters in Information Systems at the Fox School of Business @ Temple University, I was introduced to “Strategic Process Management” and “User Interactive Site Design”. The first concept taught was to Keep it Sweet and Simple (K.I.S.S).

With 12 years of Web Application Development experience, I have had the opportunity to look at both:

Processes which are complicated
User Interfaces which do not make sense

Many a times, we try to bring an “Open Forum” approach into our organization. This could lead to:

Multiple Members Contributing to a Project (too many cooks spoil the broth)
Complicating the project in the early stages of formation/development
Everyone has a request to meet their needs. This could over burden the project.

The chain of thought is to make life easier and simpler for both the developers and clients. Design simplicity should be a key goal and any unnecessary complexities should be avoided.

Product Design

Here is a great link on “What is Simple Design“. It shares information about: Agile Development, YAGNI - You Aren’t Gonna Need It; Design Patterns, Code Smells, Simple Design and Test Driven Development (TDD), Once-And-Only-Once, Don’t Repeat Yourself (DRY), Communication, Single Responsibility Principle (SRP), Open Closed Principle (OCP), Liskov Substitution Principle (LSP), Interface Segregation Principle (ISP), Dependency Inversion Principle (DIP), Tell Don’t Ask, The Law of Demeter, Triangulate, Influence from Functional Programming, Tests don’t lie and Prototyping.

With everything that I try to manage, I tend to Keep it Simple. This allows me to focus on other core aspects of business which can lead to increase in productivity and sales. Being a follower of the KISS Principle makes my activities at Work and Life much enjoyable and productive.

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It’s not Personal. Its Business!

Published by Nainil Chheda on January 31, 2009 in Life, Management and Organization. 0 Comments

Michael Corleone: [to Sonny] It’s not personal, Sonny. It’s strictly business. — The Godfather (1972)

In an office environment, there are often times when :

1. It is difficult to negotiate with a client/colleague
2. Someone gets fired
3. Emotions (sometimes excitement, anger etc.) are spilled out

There is nothing personal when it comes to business. In an environment where accountability and ownership fail, people sometimes run into a brick wall. The only recourse is to find another way around it and gain insight on how impersonal business can be.

In many instances, when a mistake is pointed out :

The person gets all worked up;
The person gets defensive;
There is a cold-war situation in the environment;
Things are not taken in a positive fashion;
Negative work environment only creates a destructive pattern to erode the success. “Do I loose a friend when he/she points out my mistakes? How can I trust the person? Do I give up a friend because of a conflict of interest at work?” — We are all victims of such thinking.

An escalated matter (to the management) is sometimes required to get things done. Yet if this option is chosen all the time you will not be ale to earn the respect and get things done in the future.

To avoid such thoughts here are some tips:

Personal life situations should not affect your business decisions.
Remember that business is an impersonal entity.
Accept your mistakes and be honest.
Look at the big picture and think about the company first.
Find a recourse of action to avoid business matters affecting your personal life.

Remember: It’s not personal. It’s Business!

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Obama Inauguration - The Change We Need - Who Moved My Cheese?

Published by Nainil Chheda on January 20, 2009 in Life, Management, Organization and Politics. 0 Comments

Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek - President Barack Obama (Change.gov)

Today, Hundreds of thousands of people have gathered on Washington’s national mall for the inauguration of Barack Obama as America’s 44th president. Today is a day in History, where change will be the focus of the new presidency era.

At my previous experience as a “Customer Service Representative” at DirectI, my lead (Bhavin Turakhia) had a unique way of motivating his team. Even with his busy schedule, he used to always boast about his ability to complete any given book in 2 weeks.

Every year he used to:

Organize education seminars for employees
Share his knowledge
Encourage employees to read books
Give us a Gift (during mid-year review)

This was no ordinary gift. Even though in monetary terms the gift was only worth Rs. 145 (US $4.5) it was more valuable than any other incentives I have ever received. It was a book called “Who Moved My Cheese?” by Dr. Spencer Johnson (Indian Edition).

Who Moved My Cheese? tells the story of two mice (Sniff and Scurry) and two “little people” (Hem and Haw) trapped in a maze. Cheese is a metaphor for whatever you want in your life. For the mice, it’s cheese. For the “people” it could be success, happiness, or financial security.

About this book :

It is a very short book about Change (about 100 pages).
Can be completed in less than an hour. (Large Font, Lots of White Spaces)
It is written in a very simple English (for all ages)
“Who Moved My Cheese?” has been used in hundreds of companies to demonstrate to employees what the “right” attitude should be. Go along with change. Adapt. Be flexible.
Everyone should read this!

It Teaches:

Change Happens
Anticipate Change
Monitor Change
Adapt To Change Quickly
Change
Enjoy Change !
Be Ready To Change Quickly & Enjoy It Again.

Quick Preview - PowerPoint:

Change doesn’t come from Washington. Change comes to Washington. - President Barack Obama

Are you ready to change the world? I am committed to do my part and looking forward to it!

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Greed is Good

Published by Nainil Chheda on January 16, 2009 in Life. 0 Comments

I think one of the most misunderstood things about business is that people are greedy and selfish. Greed acts as a motivational factor in choosing the best at the best price.

Greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right; greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms, greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge — has marked the upward surge of mankind. - Gordon Gekko in Wall Street (1987).

At Work:

Do we stop selling? No.
Do we stop competing? No.
Do we stop growing and expanding our network? No.

In personal life (I believe) we are all greedy. We want the fame and the fortune; we want to move to a higher direction in life and we want to be the only one who is better at doing things.

Balancing life by being greedy and by being content is very important. Being content / satisfied helps in fulfilling life and Greed helps us in enriching life.

“At the end of the day, anybody who thinks there’s a reward for nothing, ends up losing.” - Kerry Stokes.

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Failure Is Success Rounded Down

Published by Nainil Chheda on January 15, 2009 in Life. 0 Comments

It took me 6 rounds of job interview sessions and some real strong recommendation to receive my job at eClinicalWorks LLC. The good thing is that I received the job (i.e. success); the bad part is that I had to prove myself 6 times before being chosen for the job (i.e. failure).

Failure has many flavors:

Failure to meet expectation
Failure to anticipate
Failure to process and complete a task

Here is a quick recollection of the areas where I have failed :

As a Student : In my 10th grade I failed in “English Language” as a subject. (Reason: Attention span of a moth)
As a Coordinator : In my previous experience as a “Development Coordinator”, I was not able to perform my duties. (Reason: Half knowledge is dangerous)
As a Project Manager : The most important aspect of being a Project Manager is constant follow-up. I have had incidences where I have missed following up on a project.
As a Network Team Member : I have failed in making sure the team follows the best-practices for Internal Communication.
As a Knowledge Manager : One of the responsibilities of a Knowledge Manager is efficient transfer of knowledge amongst various departments. I failed to do so.

Failure is directly proportional to the mistakes one makes.

Here is what have I learned from my failed experiences / mistakes :

Always admit your mistakes.
Accept responsibilities and follow-up.
Work to understand why it happened and what the factors were.
Never give up (keep on trying until you succeed).
Try not to make the same mistakes again.
Effective communication is the key to success.
Learn from the past and move on with life.
Learn from the mistakes of others.

In life, to be honest, I have failed as much as I have succeeded. Despite the pain and the stress of the failure, there is always a learning curve which one must embrace. This is what we call experience.

“Experience is the name every one gives to their mistakes.” — Oscar Wilde

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Color Blindness is my Strength

Published by Nainil Chheda on January 12, 2009 in Life. 1 Comment

Some Facts

At age 8, I gained interest in coloring using Crayons.
At age 13, during our drawing/coloring test, I was scolded by my parents for not being able to identify the color “Black” from “Dark Blue”.
In my 8th grade (age 14), I could not identify red litmus paper from blue litmus paper (litmus test - chemistry). I was diagnosed as being “Color Blind“.
At age 17, I could not choose “Specialized Textile Engineering” as my profession as one of the key requirements was the ability to identify colors.

Meaning: Color blindness is the inability to see certain colors in the usual way.

Symptoms:

Trouble seeing colors and the brightness of colors in the usual way.
Inability to tell the difference between shades of the same or similar colors.

Treatment:
There is no known treatment.

Lessons Learned from being Color Blind

Think Simple : I spend less time on materialistic items like choosing the right color for the clothes I wear. Being color blind, I have been trained to wear a combination of “Light & Dark” (a light shirt and a dark trouser or vice-versa). My wife still wonders how I manage to buy any clothes within 5 minutes
Adaptability: While driving I see the “Green” Light as the White Color. I have tuned my mind by prompting it to stop the car every time I see the “Third” light (lit) in the signal.
Positive Nature: Every Fall Season, I travel with my friends and family to see the Fall Colors. Obviously, I don’t get much out of it because all the colors on the trees look the same to me. However I take the trip in a positive way and I try to cherish every moment of my life.
Learning: Through my current condition, I have a better understanding of Ophthalmology and Color Blindness.
Section 508 Compliant : Being color blind, I help various organizations and companies make their product “Disability Compliant”. I provide supervised guidance on which colors to use and which not to use while designing a website or a product.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” from A Return to Love, by Marianne Williamson.

I believe that even though I am Color Impaired, I believe the Color Blindness condition has taught me to lead a positive balanced life and I choose to see it as my strength.

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Inspired by The Movie - Kung Fu Panda

Published by Nainil Chheda on January 8, 2009 in Life and Quotes. 0 Comments

A while ago, I watched the movie — “Kung Fu Panda“. I just wanted to give everyone an advice here: if you weren’t planning on seeing this movie, you should think about reconsidering. It was a light, visually interesting and pretty entertaining.

I have a tendency of learning from movies. Each week, I try to watch a movie (both for entertainment and learning purposes). Being a big fan of the movies, I have more than 150 Original Movie DVD’s (I don’t believe in Piracy).

Movies provide us with a great diversion from our everyday life. They provide us with questions and sometimes answers to the daily facts of life.

Here are a few memorable/motivational movie quotes:

1. Kung Fu Panda “The Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift. That’s why they call it the present.”
2. Finding Neverland “Porthos dreams of being a bear, and you want to shatter those dreams by saying he’s *just* a dog? What a horrible candle-snuffing word. That’s like saying, “He can’t climb that mountain, he’s just a man”, or “That’s not a diamond, it’s just a rock.” Just.”
3. Shawshank Redemption “Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.”
4. The Godfather: Part I “Never tell anyone outside the family what you’re thinking again!”
5. The Godfather: Part I “Fredo, you’re my older brother, and I love you. But don’t ever take sides with anyone against the Family again. Ever.”
6. The Godfather: Part I “Do you spend time with your family? Good. Because a man that doesn’t spend time with his family can never be a real man. ”
7. The Godfather: Part I “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.”
8. The Godfather: Part II “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.”
9. The Godfather: Part III “Just when I thought I was out… they pull me back in.”
10. Blow “Life passes most people by while they’re making grand plans for it.”
11. Edward Scissorhands “Sweetheart, you can’t buy the necessities of life with cookies.”
12. The Aviator Mother says “We don’t care about money here.” Howard Hughes replies, “Well, that’s because you have it.”
13. Jerry Maguire “The key to this business is personal relationships.”
14. Jerry Maguire “If this [points to heart] is empty, this [points to head] doesn’t matter.”
15. Jerry Maguire “I hated myself… no, I hated my place in the world.”
16. Jerry Maguire “So this is the world, and there are almost six billion people on it. When I was a kid, there were three. It’s hard to keep up.”
17. Jerry Maguire “I love the mornings! I clap my hands every morning and say, ‘This is gonna be a great day!”
18. Pulp Fiction “Uncomfortable silences. Why do we feel it’s necessary to yak about anything in order to be comfortable?”
19. Wall Street “Stop going for the easy buck and start producing something with your life. Create, instead of living off the buying and selling of others.”
20. Wall Street “Sun-tzu: If your enemy is superior, evade him. If angry, irritate him. If equally matched, fight, and if not split and reevaluate.”
21. Wall Street “Life all comes down to a few moments. This is one of them.”
22. Wall Street “The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right, greed works. Greed captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.”
23. Wall Street “What’s worth doing is worth doing for money.”
24. Wall Street “I don’t throw darts at a board. I bet on sure things. Read Sun-tzu, The Art of War. Every battle is won before it is ever fought.”
25. Wall Street “The most valuable commodity I know of is information.”
26. Wall Street “It’s not always the most popular person who gets the job done.”
27. Wall Street “You know what my dream is? It’s to one day be on the other end of that phone.”
28. No Reservations “That restaurant (work) is all I have. It’s what I am.” Nick disagrees and replies, “It’s only a small part of you”.
29. Office Space “Oh, and remember: next Friday… is Hawaiian shirt day. So, you know, if you want to, go ahead and wear a Hawaiian shirt and jeans.”
30. Boiler Room “Anybody who tells you money is the root of all evil doesn’t have any. You become an employee of this firm, you will make your first million within three years. I’m gonna repeat that - you will make a million dollars.”

As a person who likes to learn from life, I choose to learn from movies and my surroundings. So, watch movies, entertain yourself and learn from them.

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Resolutions for 2009

Published by Nainil Chheda on January 3, 2009 in Life. 1 Comment

2008 was a year of:

Blogging
Setting my priorities
Vacation trips (Orlando, FL)
Family Gathering
Team Building
Understanding the Financial Market
Election (Barack Obama - President)

With 2008 gone so fast, I have realized that every moment that I spent touches my family, my work, my thoughts and the rest of the world.

For 2009, I choose to:

Personal:
- Spend more time with my family
- Plan my vacation(s) ahead of time
- Watch meaningful TV shows like “Leave it to Beaver” (which teach us something good)
- Work hard on keeping in constant touch with my Friends
- Observe controlled emotions
- Workout twice/thrice a week and observe a controlled diet
- Make big decisions and plan for the future
Work:
- Write a white paper on “Healthcare Today“
- Gain deeper product knowledge
- Try to optimize inter-departmental communication by developing better tools
- Write a white paper / presentation on “Organization Security“
- Try to push the concept of “Don’t Be Evil” - Both Internally (within the organization) and Externally (to our clients)
- Learning more about HIE (Health Information Exchange)

2009 is going to be very important for observing Presidential Influence in the current economic situation, managing finances, making big decisions which will affect my future and helping me communicate my thoughts out in the open. I look forward for a happy and prosperious 2009!

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Leisure

Published by Nainil Chheda on January 25, 2008 in Life. 0 Comments

Leisure has been one of the most inspirational work of Literature that has captured my mind.

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep and cows.No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty’s glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

W H Davis

Wm. Henry Davis (1871-1940) is to be considered as the poet of the tramps.

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Life as a Knowledge Manager

Archive for the 'Life' Category

My Journey to India - May 2010

What an exciting time to be alive!

Open your Portal of Life and find the Creative Genius

Matilda - Poem of the Week

Giving Credit to the Right People

A Follower of the KISS Principle

It’s not Personal. Its Business!

Obama Inauguration - The Change We Need - Who Moved My Cheese?

Greed is Good

Failure Is Success Rounded Down

Color Blindness is my Strength

Inspired by The Movie - Kung Fu Panda

Resolutions for 2009

Leisure

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