Precious Pearls

An Economist is a person who knows everything about money but doesn’t have it. I am happy to hear it as this is the only sentence I understand about the ‘boring’ subject called economics. It’s tough for me to relate with any discussion pertaining to finances, banking and accounting. I am sure in future too I have no plans to learn anything about these subjects at any cost! Of course, I don’t underestimate the importance of learning these topics but nothing has gone drastically wrong with me so far by not understanding them. And there may be many like me who will buy this. All we know is money doesn’t grow on trees, isn’t that enough? However, those who show how much they know about finances and accounting aren’t strikingly different from us in day-to-day affairs. I never bothered to observe people’s financial management until I saw them getting confused handling simple matters. The latest VAT on flat for buyers came as a reference point. It has left many in the lurch as thou...

This post was somehow lingering and here I was surfing the net! Was I getting into the bad habit of postponing a job? I feared for a moment. Even if I was, it wouldn’t really be the case, I was sure. I know how to tighten screws and I guess, everyone does. Everybody knows freedom is allowed up to a point. Great are the ones who don’t reach that point. Still those who reach it but pull up their socks aren’t that bad, are they? Crossing that point probably defines anxiety and it starts taking its toll; stress, strain, depression, frustration, despair, give it any name. Analyses of these words would unfold myriad psychological shades and symptoms. However, for the common people, me included, it means the same. The person who isn’t happy is sad, as simple as that. Though it could be put in simple terms in common man’s language, ‘stress’, in general, seems complicated. Could it be simple? A headline of a New York Times column, which arrested my attention, indicated it could be. An An...

Generation gap is something most of us experience almost in every walk of life. Be it home, workplace, college campus or even a public place, ‘seniors’ are seen giving a scornful look to the GenX. While elderly people think youngsters are forward, for the latter elderly are always orthodox. One such interesting discussion unfolded in my family after a birthday party. Veterans in the family felt out-of- place at the retro theme party. Dressing, games and food serving style were as per the theme. Of course, some ‘funky’ ways were inevitable though those couldn’t relate to them found them ‘weird’. That party was a hot topic in my family for a couple of days as the orthodox had something to debate. One of my aunts, who had probably not understood relevance of the theme, jumped the gun. “What kind of the dresses are they wearing? The birthday boy’s mother should be in a saree or a nice Salwar suit. Bell-bottom doesn’t make sense…” After she set the tone, there were many to follow s...