10 life lessons from House of Cards: Pearls of Wisdom indeed!*

Quoted from elitedaily.

With Netflix releasing the second season of “House of Cards,” today, fans of the political thriller rejoice in anticipation of resuming their collective love affair with the Congressman-turned-Vice President, Francis J. Underwood.

In anticipation of bunkering down for the weekend to binge on the excess of plotting, backstabbing and sweet decadence the new season will undoubtedly provide, we take a moment to look back at the ten most valuable life lessons that Frank Underwood taught us last year.

1. “Friends make the worst enemies.”

What could be worse than finding an adversary in someone who knows you intimately? This is an enemy who is able to identify your vulnerabilities and capitalize on your weaknesses more effectively than your typical opponent.

Nurture your friendships and avoid burning bridges. If you fail to heed these words, don’t be surprised when a former confidant leads the campaign to cement your downfall.

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2. “I never make such big decisions so long after sunset and so far from dawn.”

When in doubt, sleep on it. Be it a new business venture or a momentous life change, it’s never wise to commit to a decision without first giving thoughtful consideration to every conceivable outcome. People who avoid this tactic end up getting swindled into buying a timeshare in Barbados for $15,000 a year.

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3. “Money is the Mc-mansion in Sarasota that starts falling apart after 10 years. Power is the old stone building that stands for centuries.”

This isn’t to say that being rich and being powerful are mutually exclusive. However, those who aspire to craft an enduring legacy, move mountains with their words and accrue respect and admiration from the masses, must pursue power above all else. Without influence, your ability to overcome obstacles in your path is compromised.

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4. “A great man once said, everything is about sex. Except sex. Sex is power.”

Women have been capitalizing on this concept for centuries. From Helen of Troy, whose face “launched a thousand ships,” to your buddy’s girlfriend who won’t put out until he does the dishes, sex can be an invaluable tool in achieving your goals.

Is it unfair to exploit someone’s most primitive, intense craving just to get your way? Probably, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t an effective strategy.

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5. “Treading water is the same as drowning for people like you and me.”

If you want to be successful, never be content standing still. Comfort leads to apathy. Apathy kills ambition. Without ambition, you’re on the fast track to being consumed by regret, forever wondering what might have been. Step outside your comfort zone and don’t be afraid to take risks.

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6. “There is no solace above or below. Only us — small, solitary, striving, battling one another. I pray to myself, for myself.”

The only person who you can unfailingly rely on is yourself. Ultimately, we are all pitted against one another in the battle that is life. We fight to climb the hierarchical ladder, clawing our way past one another in pursuit of a higher status. You can’t depend on some benevolent entity coming to your aid.

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7. “Insecurity bores me.”

Confidence is key. Confidence is what allows you to fully appreciate your skills and faults and use them to your advantage. No one wants to surround themselves with people immersed in self-doubt. It comes down to optimism and pessimism. Do you want to be friends with the person who is consistently positive or the person who constantly seeks your validation of his or her worth?

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8. “There’s no better way to overpower a trickle of doubt than with a flood of naked truth.”

Having trouble finding that confidence to overcome insecurity? Fear not. Everyone falls victim to insecurity at one time or another. In order to move past it, you need to accept things for the way they are, good or bad. Denial only propels the cycle of uncertainty.

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9. “It’s so refreshing to work with someone who’ll throw a saddle on a gift horse rather than look it in the mouth.”

Choose to only work with people who are willing to work with you. There’s no point in forcing a partnership. Leave those who resist your offers for collaboration behind and turn your focus to pursuing those who will readily join your ranks.

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10. “There are two kinds of pain: the sort of pain that makes you strong, or useless pain; the sort of pain that’s only suffering. I have no patience for useless things.”

Grief is both natural and necessary. It breeds integrity and resolve. You can’t allow the pain to come to define you; rather, you must turn the tables on the pain and define it. Show the world you are able to overcome your suffering. Grow from the experience; don’t become consumed by it.

Of Pancakes and Waffles!!

People eat to stay alive....i am of a li'l different kind; i'll probably die eating all this but you know what my soul shall rest in peace at the satisfaction of having gorged upon the choicest delicacies on earth! I love food! I love life! :-)

In the last few days, when we are warming towads the end of our college days , I've suddenly regained interest in great literary compositons that had been a part of our curriculum during our ICSE boards. To be really honest, it is not regaining interest, but actually a state where I now have the confidence to allow myself to rip my heart wide open to such poignant and thought provoking works of the literary genius of the past... I must confess that there was a point in time when I had become so obsessed with these excellent literary compositions- and that time was immediately after my 10th boards- that topics like "mechanics" in physics , "the atomic structure" in chemistry and even topics of my favourite subject mathematics seemed so bland and uninteresting to me; I rmember the times when opening and solving the FIITJEE packages was the last thing on my mind and i was surounded with all my english literature books from the ICSE days...Although my heart wasnt ready to let them go, in my mind I knew that it could not have gone far thus; It was then that I took the stern philosophical stand as had been taken by the postmaster (a character in Tagore's "The Postmaster") and made the much difficult decision of abandoning my english literature books- I forced myself to finally sell those books as trash to the old-book-store -those books with my notes on every single page, with the profound explanation of every little literary twang not written in the common-man english. I really miss not having those books with me- my Julius Caesar, my A Miscellany of Short Stories and my Wings of Poesy :( . Alas! I cannot have those with me any more. But the best of it is that I have google and I can search all those quotes and speeches that keep coming to my mind now that it is in a state of acute emotional turmoil.

The following is a random list of some of my favourite quotes and speeches; I wanted to have these for my immediate reference whenever I felt like reading them...So here it is...

The Postmaster - Rabindranath Tagore

** The concluding lines of the story is an immense soul stirring enlightening one. It holds unlimited inspiration for me- giving me the strength to stand "separations" of all kinds that life does offer at some point or the other. It goes thus..

" When he was on the boat and it had set sail, when the swollen flood-wates of the river started to heave like the earth's brimming tears, the postmaster felt a huge anguish: the image of a simple young village-girl's grief stricken face seemed to speak a great inarticulate universal sorrow. He felt a sharp desire to go bck: should he not fetch the orphaned girl whom the world had abandoned? But the wind was filling the sales by then, the swollen river was flowing fiercely, the village had been left behind, the riverside burning-ground was in view"

TIRAMISU

Mouthwatering Tiramisu!

Tiramisu - a foodie's weakness!

This one's from California Pizza Kitchen, Bangalore. I already am lost into the flavor of layered coffee cake with cream and the delicious sweetness to accompany it. Absolutely mouthwatering and mouth-melting content.

Trust me when I say this, they are the best in town for a Tiramisu (...and  a lot more certainly)! :)

The chasis!

The Challenge?

What is it that you want to be after you leave this campus? 

There will be a temptation to take a job in another part of the world. 

Seize the opportunity - but please remember, there's no other place in the world that can challenge you like India. 

The greatest challenge is building India.

The day we saw 'English-Vinglish'

Wow, what a day it has been, especially the evening!!! The three of us had dinner together - Anju, Khyati and I - the first time since Khyati moved in with us way back in June!. But, glad that we spent some classy time together and that too watching English-Vinglish. :) A good movie - something i would recommend, definitely..

I am not  a movie critic and don't intend to make this post a critique either; but i certainly wish to jot some points down here, words of wisdom as always ;) - because I love them really!!

Well, there is one lesson in the movie that really struck me hard. When you chose your better half, it is imperative that you are both of the same level, no disparity exists. For if it does, it will lead to differences, to one person treating the other as a lesser being; which is a fool-proof recipe for things falling apart..relationships getting sour...So avoid disparities at all costs!

It also says that, even when you chose someone of the same standing as yourself, to start with, there may come a stage when one of you fares better than the other and differences creep in as an obvious consequence. If such a situation does arise, it is worthy to continue treating each other with respect and dignity. But the most important lesson that comes here is, the lesser individual has to take it in his own hands. He/she has to resolve the differences, but must do it ON HIS/HER OWN. They should not expect any outside help or support. The responsibility and the onus to catch-up rests with the lesser individual. He/She alone can help her/his situation. You've got to strive to catch up if you happen to be one!!

Thus, the gist of it all is, When it comes to uplifting yourself, only you can do it in the best possible way. The onus is entirely on you, the individual Stand up, get going fight hard and achieve it!!!

Anything, but NOT everything!!!

Yes, this is the very gist of this post. You have the potential, you have the will, i know you have the required perseverance; you can put in long hours and burn the midnight oil to achieve that coveted thing you want to. You are capable - you can and you will do it!!!

The more important thing, though, is not if you can do a thing - anything. In-fact it is, whether you can do everything. And you cannot do everything.

The motto is, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING, BUT NOT EVERYTHING.

Whether you want to do A or B or C or D or any damn thing. Decide on that one thing and then do it with all your heart!!!

You want to go for A-fin- go register and start preparing for L1, make sure you get cal!!! That is it...

You want to go for B-adotwo-be proactive- e.g. in organizing things , take leadership responsibilities, learn new things, strengthen your knowledge, be an SME!! No one can stop you from going there!!!

You want to go for C-hieredu-prepare well, stay positive!!!

But, you need to understand that you cannot be all the 3 and go for each one of the above. You CAN for sure do ANY of the above but remember not all of the above!!!

It is important you learn it early - YOU CAN DO ANYTHING, BUT NOT EVERYTHING!!!

remember this always...

YOU CAN DO ANYTHING, BUT NOT EVERYTHING!!!

All the best.. I know you will rock, i have faith...You will definitely grow into your dreams! So, dream big!