Does creativity come in bursts?

Now that my keyboard has start clicking, it doesn't feel like stopping. Looking at the sudden flurry of posts on my blog after a long time of inactivity, I feel that there is something periodic about creativity. I feel that creativity is likely to come in bursts. There are times when a person is at a low mental energy level for a long time and then suddenly due to some trigger or stimulus, something clicks somewhere and out comes a long list of ideas. This probably explains why sometimes my blog isn't updated for a long long time and then I keep on spewing out post after post. Though there are ways how one can artificially stimulate oneself (no naughty naughty, I mean through exercises like brainstorming), personally I feel that it is better to let the creative spark come on its own. I read somewhere on the net that the best ideas are likely to come in the bed, the bus or the bath. Was it Einstein who said this? I don't remember clearly. For me the best ideas come during bathing or just after meditation. Yup when the mind isn't thinking of something important, that is the time when it is most likely to come up with new ideas.

Here is an excellent article which reconfirms why blogging daily is not that important. Time Magazine, however, doesn't agree with this theory of creativity in burst and has a nice article here. Just to test out my theory, I sorted my blog posts and created a chart showing frequency of posts month-wise. And it seems that there is a periodicity of about three-four months when I blog at a healthy rate (I'll have to improve this).



Thought partly I also feel that the inactivity on my blog could be due to my laziness. I think up of ideas, write a post in my mind, but I'm too lazy to convert it to a concrete form. Another thing I have to improve.

Don't hurt my religion

Reference: Bull's biltong

The moment Ravi Shastri said on TV that he was eating beef, I knew that it was bound to build up a controversy, if not by the fundamentalist parties, then by the over-enthusiastic news channels. Poor Shastri should have realized the 'cost' of enjoying that juicy piece of meat on national television. Of course, these people are just trying to hog the limelight which in itself is becoming more and more common in the country nowadays, what with new and strange records being attempted and broken. Anyways, what my point is that the people who filed the case wouldn't even know what biltong is if Shastri hadn't described it.

I'm just hoping that the Jains of the country don't go up in arms. Eating potatoes, onions, garlic etc. is forbidden in their religion. And by chance, if someone is seen eating a juicy vada pau on television, God help him. Mr. Ramadoss, are u listening? how about a blanket ban on these vegetables too for the sake of peace in the country?

PS: On a related note, here's another South Africa delicacy (Bunny Chow) which I sampled more than once with disastrous after-effects on my stomach. Only if I could get a recipe for the same. Search, Google, search...

Tis' the time to be merry

The earliest memory I have of Christmas is probably reading it in an Archie's comic book. Riverdale was completely transformed during the festive season. Weatherbee was less stressed out, even Reggie was at his best behaviour. It seemed to be the best time throughout the year. Another strong memory of Christmas for me was watching Home Alone. I think that movie encapsulated what Christmas is all about in America. Of course, I was more interested in the cool tricks that M. Culkin played on the Sticky Bandits rather than understanding the spirit of Christmas. Though I've had no first hand experience of Christmas, I always found it an interesting concept. As a child, I though that getting gifts was obviously the best thing about it. I'd also imagine that it would snow in my town and we'd build some snowmen. Of course that was all pure fantasy. Another thing I was excited about was Santa, and his yearly visit through the chimneys, and propping gifts in the red stockings that hung in every home. I think I contemplated asking my mother to stick a sock in my own house when I was small, but then I probably let go of the idea when I felt Santa wouldn't be visiting India anytime soon.

All said and done, I still haven't celebrated Christmas myself, though I would love to. Maybe some time in the future, when the time and place is more suitable. Anyways, here's an excellent Archie's story which exemplifies what Christmas is all about. I scanned it from my old collection. I apologize for the discolouration by marker pens. It seems my younger brother didn't have much to do except 'preslefying' Reggie. Ive tried to remove as much as I could through Photoshop.

Enjoy the comic.

Rose & Grape

Winter is here and so are the days of cold cream and moisturising lotions. Back when I was young(er), there used to be simple white Vaseline/Ponds/Nivea cold cream. Things are different now. Last night as I was going through a medicine cabinet, I found a small box of cold cream - it contained rose and grape. It got me thinking - Is there any combination of fruits, vegetables, flowers & herbs the cosmetic companies haven't used to tempt the user into buying their product? And don't label me an MNC basher yet. This is the situation even for companies touting herbal or ayurvedic remedies. Rose & grape, honey & almonds, cucumber & avocado, chocolate, apple & lavender. The list goes on. Just get two nice sounding names, preferably one of them a little exotic, and add a little perfume/essence and sell it in a new box - Voila. Orange essence in your toothpaste will take care of your gums, cucumber will help you get rid of dark spots under your eye. Ok, some of them may be effective, but many of the others ride on the mindset of the customer to try out new things, to keep up with the Joneses. Bathing with a soap - or rather a daily bathing lotion - containing lavender & apple sounds so much cool than scrapping your skin with Lifebuoy.

"So how much does this bottle cost?"
"Sir, the price is written on the bottom."
I turn around the bottle, and look at the price. The amount was roughly equal to the price of normal soap bars for an entire semester while in college. I tell him that.
"Oh sir, but you see, these herbal extracts are not available in India, they have to be imported from Brazil. Also it contains one-fourth moisturing lotion!"
Yeah right, I thought. As long as it contains three-fourths BS.
I ask him with a deadpan look, "I've heard that they have come up with a new toothpaste containing karela and cauliflower. Do you have it in stock?"
The shopkeeper scratched his head, "Oh really? No sir, not right now. But I'm sure if you check next week, we'll definitely have it."
I buy my usual brand of soap and leave the shop, shaking my head in wonder.

Ek Anek Aur Ekta

Remember the cute song which went - Suraj ek, chanda ek, tare anek! It was heartening to find this clip on the Internet. I never expected to be available or this popular still. But a simple Google search revealed that it lives on in the minds and hearts of those who grew up during those days. Doordarshan has thankfully preserved it, though in a very low resolution.

This animation was ubiquitous during my childhood days. I found out through IMDB that clip was actually made in 1974 by a now obscure director known as Bhimsen. The animation was simple but endearing. What ensured its success was a strong message given by a widespread medium. And of course there were no cable channels those days. So everyone watched the only channel available, Doordarshan. Who knows, there might still be such gems airing on DD. Watching the clip after so many years brought back fond memories of getting up early on Sunday morning to watch cartoons. Personally I feel this clip should be shown by all the cable channels and it should still be played on TV. It has the potential of sending out to the country a much-required message.

Himmat se jo jute rahe to bada kaam bhi hove bhaiya... bada kaam bhi hove bhaiya...

Bas karo Lalooji

Recently we had Laloo Prasad Yadav give a lecture on the Indian Railways in IIM Ahmedabad. But as it turned out, he was there only for eye candy (An oxymoron, if there ever was one!) The answers and explanations were given by his subordinates - the actual people responsible for handling the changes. Now there are news reports of Laloo Prasad being invited to Wharton and Harvard, probably to do the same thing. I do not oppose the Indian Railways being discussed & studied at these B-schools. What I wonder is why does the railway minister need to go along too? I don't think his contribution is required much there. If all he is going to do is to quip a few sound bites, I think it would be better for him to concentrate on doing that to his political rivals here in India. Udhar kya woh Bush Presidentwa ko paath padhayenge?

Further it seems to me that Laloo's role in the Indian Railways turnaround is a bit overhyped. If we go by the facts, it seems that Laloo is just enjoying the fruits of the hard work put in by railways officials in the last five years. It is just Laloo's fortune that he happened to be the Railway Minister when the turnaround showed some results. And I do not blame him. I'm sure his rival Nitish Kumar would have done the same thing. That's what politicians all around the world do - Promise. Not act. Claim. I don't think Laloo's the kind to miss out on such an opportunity. I just hope he doesn't take the whole family and a dozen of his favourite cattle along with him as well. But then again, he could teach them Americans a few things about milking cows efficiently.

Just a test post

Testing blogging from Windows Live Writer. Trying to break the application. Already Word 2007 broke. It couldn't recognize the new Blogger beta account and kept on asking me for the username and password. Thumbs down - MS.

Update: My tryst with Office 2007 didn't last even 24 hours. After multiple crashes from Outlook 2007 (which completely replaces Outlook XP) and Word 2007, I decided that a beta version - that too from Microsoft - wasn't my cup of tea. So its back to good old Office XP for me. I will wait for the final release and a faster computer. God? Any spares?

Change

Human beings do not change. We merely grow. This growth can be positive, as in a habit becoming a strength, or negative, as in a foible becoming a vice. We can put on layers and layers of such makeovers, but the thing that defines each of us remains unchanged.

Try as we can, we will not be able to mask the core of what defines us. We can try to disguise it through good habits. We can let it go wild with no care in the world. But it won't change.

When is this core defined? I don't know.

How to know what that core is? Just close your eyes, sit quietly for 10-15 minutes and ask yourself the same question.

Che