Bye Bye Belly!

 

 

Bye Bye Belly!

By N.K.Narasimhan

Weight loss has become the modern-day gold rush. Everyone is searching for the magic formula to slim down and look like a Hollywood superstar. The obsession with weight loss has grown to unforeseeable levels, and sometimes it feels like if you're not trying to lose weight, there's something wrong with you.

 

Gone are the days of embracing the beauty of your curves and loving your body for what it is. Now it's all about counting calories, weighing food, and stepping on the scale every day.

 

But let's be real for a second here. What's so great about shedding a few pounds? Sure, you'll look better in your clothes, and you'll feel healthier, but at what cost? Do you really want to give up pizza, cake, and ice cream forever? Let's face it, those are the only things that really matter in life, and if you're not enjoying them, what's the point?

 

The weight loss industry has made a fortune selling us false promises, like "eat this, and you'll lose weight overnight" or "take this pill, and you'll be thin in no time." But in reality, the only guaranteed way to lose weight is through hard work and dedication. And who has time for that?

 

We've all been sucked in by the latest fad diets, from the cabbage soup diet to the keto diet. And don't even get me started on the juice cleanse. Apparently, drinking nothing but liquids for days on end is the key to losing weight? Yeah, right. The only thing you'll lose is your mind.

 

But let's talk about the real reason behind the obsession with weight loss. It's not about being healthy or feeling good in your skin. It's about looking good in a bikini or fitting into those skinny jeans. It's about the validation we get from other people when we've dropped a few pounds. We've been conditioned to believe that thin equals beautiful, and it's a dangerous message to be sending.

 

So let's all take a step back and remember that weight loss isn't everything. It's okay to indulge in a slice of pizza or a chocolate bar every now and then. Life is too short to be counting calories all day every day. Live a little and enjoy the things that make you happy, even if they're not always the healthiest options.

 

If you're obsessed with weight loss, take a deep breath and remember that there's more to life than the number on the scale. Focus on being healthy and feeling good, and the rest will fall into place. And if all else fails, just put on some spanx and call it a day.

Creative Contribution to the Economy

By N.K.Narasimhan

The creative industry has always been essential in shaping our culture and contributing to the economy. However, despite its importance, many senior creative artists, artisans, writers, and others in this field find themselves struggling to provide for their needs. As a result, unemployment within this group has become a significant problem that needs to be addressed.

 

In recent years, banks and other financial institutions have been offering loans against collateral security, which is a form of security provided to the lender as a guarantee that the loan will be repaid. However, this approach is not feasible for creative seniors who need financial assistance. The collateral security needed for such loans usually involves physical assets such as real estate, cars, or equipment, which many creative professionals do not possess.

 

To address this challenge, banks can offer loans against the intellectual property of these creative seniors. Intellectual property includes patents, trademarks, copyrights, and other intangible assets. By offering loans against this type of property, banks can provide creative seniors with financial assistance they need.

 

For instance, if a sculptor has a unique artistic style, they can offer their intellectual property as collateral to obtain financial assistance from the bank. The same approach can apply to writers, painters, musicians, filmmakers, and other creative professionals.

 

Banks can also offer lower interest rates and flexible repayment terms for loans taken out against intellectual property. This way, creative seniors can comfortably repay the loans without being stifled financially.

 

Moreover, opening up new and creative avenues for senior creative professionals to obtain loans can unlock a wealth of benefits for the larger society. By providing financial support, these creative seniors will be able to continue creating and sharing their art with the world, leading to more cultural and economic growth.

 

In conclusion, supporting seniors in the creative industry by offering loans against their intellectual property is a beneficial approach for banks and the broader economy. While it requires a different approach to traditional loan practices, it could unlock a wealth of benefits for creative seniors by providing them with the resources they need to continue making incredible art. Banks should consider implementing such initiatives to support our creative seniors

The Impact Player

 

 

           THE IMPACT PLAYER

      By N.K.Narasimhan

       

        Back story

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has introduced a new rule for the ongoing season, which has the inclusion of "Impact" players. These players are chosen based on their ability to make a significant impact on the game through their skills and style of play. The aim of this rule is to add an extra layer of excitement and intensity to the already electrifying IPL matches. For instance, if team A wishes to bat first but is compelled to bowl first on a slow pitch with turning conditions, they can select the playing 11 with an additional spinner and then switch out a specialist bowler with a batter in the second innings to aid in the run chase.

Now, let's find out how this has "impacted" our upcoming executive in his ways to keep up with the corporate world.

It was another weekend. Friday. 7 pm. Deepak rushed back home screaming,

" Anju! Where are you?"

 

Anju rushed down from upstairs, " What happened? Why are you in a rush?"

" Get ready. We got to move fast." Deepak was in a real hurry.

"But where?" Anju was slightly impatient.

" We have to attend a party thrown by my colleague. He has been laid off and wants to celebrate that."  said Deepak with a smirk.

Anju was irritated. " What kind of jerks you have as colleagues who want to celebrate every goddamn thing on earth! Count me out. You know well that I don't attend parties. That party scene is not for me. Moreover, I have to train our Chinku for the chess tournament tomorrow. I am sure he will place in top THREE."

Deepak was silent for a second. " Ok. But I need to go. Everyone from my office will be there to send him off for sure."

Anju giggled a bit. " Ok, Have fun. But don't be too late. I need to be up early tomorrow."

"Sure"  Deepak rushed upstairs and peeped inside a room to wave at his kid and disappeared in no time.

Deepak was  soon on the road driving. He picked the phone and pressed on a contact. 

" Hey Poonam.  Where are you?"

Poonam picked the call, "Hey Deepak. What's up? I am at home."

Deepak honked at a biker who was sliding near his way and continued,

" Ok. Get ready. We have a party to attend. I will pick you right now."

"Awesome" Poonam was probably waiting for some guy to show up like this.

And Deepak walked in to the crowded party with Poonam by his side.The music got louder. Soon the swear words were sprayed  all over the drinks. In general everyone was in high spirits!

It was nearing 12.30 am.People were busy taking selfies and posting them on Social media. Deepak was all over the place with Poonam.

They became an instant hit in the party.

Back in Deepak's home, Anju got up to see if Deepak was back home as it was already nearing 2 am. She just took her phone to call him up but then a ping from social media got her attention. Oh, Deepak was all over the place with Poonam in that post!

She looked at the post again. Tried to zoom in a bit. She had more details now. Yes. And she waited for him.

Half an hour passed and she heard the door latch being opened and there was Deepak.

Anju was furious. " Who was that with you in that party?"

Deepak was very drowsy but still chose to answer. " Poooonam. hic... Sheee  was  da IMPACT player tonight."

"What kind of crap is this?" The blood rushed up on Anju.

And before Deepak could say anything a wooden wheat rolling pin headed straight towards his face at 160 km per hour speed breaking Shoaib Akthar's  fastest delivery in bowling.

Deepak went blank. And woke up in a hospital next morning to see a bottle being hung upside down near his bedside.

A middle aged nurse was attending to him and said, " Sir, my duty time is over for now. Soon another nurse will be here to look after you."

Deepak listened to her without any reaction.

Ten minutes passed, an younger nurse walked into his room.

" Hello. If you need anything just press the bell if I am not around."

Deepak smiled and said to himself," Mmm! She would make a great IMPACT player!"

Ah, Men!

 

 

 

 

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Head straight but don't forget your kids!

THE LOW HANGING FRUIT!

 

How low can one get ?

N.K.Narasimhan

The term "low hanging fruits" refers to easily achievable goals that require minimal effort, resources, and time to accomplish. In the context of building companies, it means taking advantage of obvious opportunities that are relatively easy to grasp.

Merits of picking low hanging fruits in building companies:

Quick wins: Low hanging fruits provide a fast and efficient way to improve a company's performance. They can generate momentum and demonstrate to stakeholders that the company is capable of delivering results.

Cost-effective: The resources required to achieve low hanging fruits are usually minimal compared to other strategic initiatives. They can be achieved with little or no additional investment in infrastructure, staffing, or training.

Boosts morale and confidence: The success of low hanging fruit initiatives can instill confidence in the company’s leadership and boost the morale of employees. This can improve employee engagement, productivity, and loyalty.

Better use of resources: By focusing on low hanging fruits, companies can prioritize their resources on initiatives that have the most significant impact on their objectives. This can help them avoid wasting time and money on projects that are unlikely to succeed.

Demerits of picking low hanging fruits in building companies:

Limited impact: Low hanging fruits may not necessarily align with the long-term strategic goals of the company. Their impact may be minimal, and they may not contribute to sustainable growth.

Missed opportunities: Focusing on low hanging fruits may prevent companies from pursuing game-changing opportunities that require significant investment and effort. This can result in missed opportunities and leave the company lagging behind the competition.

False sense of achievement: Achieving low hanging fruits can give the impression that the company is making progress, even if the results are superficial. This can lead to complacency and can hamper the company's ability to achieve its long-term objectives.

Short-termism: Focusing on low hanging fruits can encourage short-term thinking, which can lead to neglecting long-term planning and execution of essential strategic initiatives.

How to spot a low hanging fruit opportunity in business

Look for problems and pain points: Identify areas where customers or businesses are struggling, facing challenges, or expressing dissatisfaction. These could be things like limited options or poor quality of products or services, inconvenient access or long wait times, high prices, complex or confusing processes, or lack of information.

Follow trends and changes: Keep an eye on industry developments, emerging technologies, and shifts in consumer behaviour or preferences. Look for opportunities to capitalize on these changes, by offering new products or services, innovating in existing areas, or adapting to new market conditions.

Analyze data and metrics: Use market research, customer feedback, website analytics, and other data sources to identify patterns, trends, and opportunities. Look for gaps or unfulfilled demand in the market, as well as areas where your business is performing well or has room for improvement.

Keep an open mind and take risks: Be willing to think creatively, try new things, and take calculated risks. Explore unconventional or non-traditional approaches to solving problems or meeting needs. This can involve collaborating with other businesses or experts, using social media and other digital channels to reach new audiences, or experimenting with different pricing or delivery models.

 

In conclusion, picking low hanging fruits can have both merits and demerits in building companies. While they provide quick wins, boosts morale, cost less and are a better use of resources, low hanging fruits may have limited impact, miss critical opportunities, promote a false sense of achievement, and encourage short-termism. Companies need to balance taking advantage of quick wins with pursuing opportunities for sustainable growth and aligning strategic initiatives with long-term goals

Leverage your strengths: Identify your core competencies, areas of expertise, or unique resources and capabilities. Consider how you can apply these strengths to address unmet needs or create value for customers or partners.

D' Minor-The Humming Duckling

Do check out my picture book for children. It's on sale at Amazon.
https://www.amazon.in/-/hi/N-K-Narasimhan-ebook/dp/B09XLPLX77 

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Google Boogle! by N.K.Narasimhan

 "Mom,

Look who is here."

Raja came rushing home screaming out in joy.

Raja's mother, a 60 and odd old housewife who has witnessed all the highs and the lows of a middle class family for ages including the times she had lost her husband in an accident that happened one early morning  in Adyar, Chennai when Raja was a toddler.

 She came rushing out, more due to unexpected things that keep conditioning one's mind to respond at the earliest on any situation. Oh yes, she has seen all that very often for all the silly reasons.

She saw and casually asked, " Oh, Radha. I knew she had gone out. In fact I was expecting her to come home and help me in the kitchen."

" No, Mom.... She is not Radha.. But she is."

Now the mother stared at her son. What's got into him?

" Raja, i don't have time for your riddles. 

Radha  come, we have work to do."

" Mom... She is not your Radha. But she is Radha."

" Raja, Enough. If you don't want your wife to help me, it's ok with me but stop talking something which only you can relate to and not me.

But.... wait a minute.. why can't Radha speak for herself. Why are you both playing a game?"

 Raja was giggling inside while his consort was

silently watching everything.

 " What's going on here?"

A voice was heard from upstairs. And all the three looked up.

" What happened...."

Radha was coming down the stairs and stopped halfway spotting someone like her.

Mother looked up and looked at the other Radha .

" Now, who the hell is she?" That was the Mother.

" Tell me, what all you did with her?'

That was Radha the wife walking down the stairs.

"Oh.. my God. This is going to take some explanation."

And you know who it was.

 

"Listen, both of you. Let me explain everything."

" What the hell? Who wants to listen to your rubbish."

"Please... allow me to explain in detail.."

"Why should I bother? I will ask her only."

Saying this Radha went straight to Radha .

" Hey, duplicate, who are you?"

" Shut up. I am the original."

" Nonsense. Where did he find you?"

" On the net."

" Oh.. oh.. now I know. Look Mom, he has found her on a dating app."

"Dating App? Some sort of a calendar?" Poor Mom was curious.

" No. Mom. I will explain... please.."

" How dare you bring someone like her? Never knew you will let me down so badly. I am packing my bags."

" Radha.. wait..please.. Let him tell his story."

" At last, you are giving me a breather. Thank you.

For information, I was surfing the net recently...."

" And you bumped into her?"

"No..no..no. I found that Google was researching on text to images and explored further. I found one can create humans of your choice by entering all the data you have of that person in mind."

" What bull!"

" Please wait.. Let him finish."

" So, what I did, I entered all the details about Radha."

"Why me, when you already have me?"

"Keep quiet. Be happy he didn't choose an actress."

" What the hell Mom? How can you support him?"

" Hey, Listen. Mom is not supporting me. Actually I wanted to challenge the software to see if it can create another Radha., a monster.."

"WHAT?"

" I meant , a monstrous task to create another you,  so smart, so beautiful, my love!"

" Shut up. She might look like me. What the hell she knows about my likes, dislikes, my parents, my native place, my college..or my dear brother."

 

" Of course. Check me out." The other Radha  raised to the occasion.

" Ok. Where did you study?"

"School or college?"

" Both dumbo!"

" I did my schooling at Church Park. College at Ethiraj."

" This guy must have fed you with all the info. Ok, next. What was your score at Plus two.?"

" Third Rank"

"What's your native place?"

" Kanchipuram"

"Brother's name."

"Ranganathan. And he is heading an IT Major at California. Two sons, Working wife, and a white Dog named Idli! You want to know the name of my first crush?"

"Oh.Shut UP!"

Radha was sweating by now. She did not expect such accurate answers.

 

Meanwhile Mom looked at her son, " Why didn't you create your Dad through that Google or Boogle, instead  of  Radha.?"

" Oh, Mom.."

 

She looked at Raja and glanced at his mom, who was bewildered.

" I am leaving...."

" Hey, wait. it was just an experiment. I can send her back." pleaded Raja.

" How?"

" Give me a sec. I will undo all  that I have created since I have not saved it."

" But without saving, how did you download an exact me?"

" There was an option to pay or download with watermark."

" Eeeek! Did you already check the watermark on her? Did you?"

" Oh, Shut up. I will undo in a second."

After 5 minutes...

" Oh..no..I can't. It has already been saved by default " screamed Raja.

" I can't.. I am done.. oh ,,no..Mom.."

Suddenly Raja found he was rudely awaken by Radha.

" What's wrong? You were screaming something in your dream."

" Oh.. it was a Nightmare?. Thank God. It was so real."

 " It's 3 am. Now go to sleep. You have an AI presentation tomorrow."

" Sure. But the first half was damn exciting!"

 

Ah, Men will be men!

 

HARE KRISHNA!

 

HARE KRISHNA!

N.K.Narasimhan

Shri Krishna Janmashtami is here this weekeend. Followers of Lord Krishna would celebrate and cherish this great day. And why not? If ever you pause for a second and think of any incident that might have got you guessing for a solution or to find a way forward all you got to do is to remember that every possible situation's complex understanding of it were clearly defined by the Lord himself through the eternal Bhagwad Gita. Not yesterday. Not last year. Ages and ages ago!

Every human being is drawn towards some quest. Be it work, name, fame or other worldly pleasures. And when he finally gets to where or what he wished for all his life little does he realise that everything that he was doing through spirit and body was all ordained even before he even took the first step. That's the Divine will. Then what about the free will? Free will is akin to a dog on a leash which is the Divine will.. Often a dog tends to forget that he is on a leash and tries to get adventurous stretching till the time the leash holds him back. 

What happens when you break away from the leash? Yes, that's like the dog who at times break away and runs some distance and looks lost only to return to his Master. Now, one may argue that it is the conditioning of the mind or else why would a dog go back?

The conditioning is part of one's Karma. Good or bad. Every action is triggered by a thought. The thought manifests in mind much before an action replays the thought. When you own up the thought as exclusively yours which eventually leads to an action, the results of such action is purely based on your thought. That is Free will. And it has it's limits.

The Divine will will be missing till the time the results or the situation reminds you that one could have still done much better than that.

Because the human mind has the power and the potential to explore without any barriers or boundaries, the mind often finds itself in a vast world of vacuum. But when the mind tunes towards the Divine, like tuning to your FM channel, the frequencies are in sync to receive the right signals.

And this weekend the whole country or even people from other parts of the world would be in sync to immerse with joy in Divinity.

I have had some of the greatest and memorable moments of Shri Krishna Janmashtami during my younger days. Be it as a school going or a school bunking kid, Krishna evoked a lot of interest in me through various ways, be it books, calendar pictures, temple carvings, short stories narrated by class teachers or at times listening to some of the greatest discourses in temples. Those days one would get to see plenty of beautifully crafted Little Krishna in bronze in street markets in Kanchipuram, my native place in Tamil Nadu. Not just Krishna, one would get to see every God and Goddess made in tiny bronze sculptures. 

As a kid I remember walking to such street vendors shops laid on the market floor and sit with them on the pavement feeling every little idol in my hands observing every bit of their craftsmanship till my mother or grand mother return after their shopping and spot meetings with known faces to pick me up. And I will leave the shop with one idol in my hand as a gift from my grand mother which were sold at way less than half a Rupee those days.And my Grandma would still bargain to get the best deal.

Back home Janmashtami for kids were full of goodies. The kitchen at home will be filled with a variety of sweets and snacks. And all of them were made only during Janmashtami and will not be available during any other season or festivals.

By evening the hall from the entrance of the house will be filled with tiny steps in rangoli ( a hand drawn design of two feet of Lord Krishna using wet rice flour ) symbolizing His entry in to your home. Often the kids or at times even the elders step on them by accident before it dries up making the floors a bit messy.

And the sweets and the snacks are distributed in the family once the Puja gets over and are also shared with the neighbors.

Till the time the snacks run out of stock in the kitchen all the kids would be busy filling their pockets everyday munching their hearts out.

Often, the temple deity is carried out on a procession with pomp and show to visit the neighboring villages for all the people to offer their prayers and seek the Lord's blessings.The kids would enjoy the fireworks which would signal the beginning of the procession.

And when the night falls after the festivities are over one would hear divine songs sung by groups from some distance.

The magic spell of the Lord would linger on throughout the night!

Hare Krishna!

Between the legs!

 

Jonny's incredible placement 
between the legs!

By N.K.Narasimhan

There are times when you wish to take a break and park your tired heap of flesh in front of a tube. 

The trigger driven mind keeps the remote in your hand very busy switching channels largely because you're unsure which channel would  be the best one to time pass that evening.

As I keep switching channels I suddenly stop to hear some heated debate going on with an anchor at one end and a bunch of many faces, some of them are regulars who have probably been hired on a part time basis to join the debates whenever the channel needs them. Some might be chosen to counter the discussion and some for it. And may be there are some who are the surprise package who will say something out of context to kindle some curiosity in the viewers mind who would immediately start analyzing the unknown aspect of the plot of the debate. And this was one such channel I got glued into in no time.

Now, what's the debate all about?
1.Price rise? 
No, not at all.
2.Income Tax? 
No way.
3.Ukraine?
Oh, That;s Putin's problem.
4.Recession?
What recession?
5. Rishi Sunak?
Not exactly, but we are a bit close!
Then what the hell these guys were screaming their heads off for?

Oh, Jonny Bairstow's freaky shot between his legs against South Africa in the recent T20 game.
This is indeed very very important to analyze today or else the whole of India won't eat on time, might miss their meetings the next day, or may not sleep in peace. Yes, that would include the homeless citizen who will watch the debate from outside a shop which sells TV's. Now unless and until he is satisfied with the outcome of the all important debate, he is not going to get some sleep, forget about food.. Either on a pavement or in a nearby park hoping no cop would disturb his peaceful sleep after such a hard heated debate.

Michael Vaughan might claim it to be a perfect cricketing shot. His logic being simple. Any shot played on the ground in a cricket match is a cricketing shot. Agreed. But the whole of India wants to know if it was a deliberate shot selection, or an out of balance snick to the boundary or was he displaying his new found foot work. People are restless without an answer.
The girls have been ignored by the boys. The Whatsapp groups are busy arguing over it.
The wives are unable to figure out the sudden silence in their husbands life.  Oh, Bairstow, you did disturb a few boundaries..
The twitter was very busy too with various cricketing brains claiming their piece of knowledge to counter each other. Some claimed, it was a brilliant shot. And they were probably the English Cricket fans.
And there were some who flatly refused and called it a fluke or he tried to avoid the ball hitting his feet.
And they were probably the Indian cricket fans. All they know is one thing.Yeah, innovation in cricket is India's right. Ask Rishab Pant. Or Suryakumar Yadav or anyone busy answering back on Twitter. 
Soon this shot will be tried by the young aspirants and it will be known as Jonny Bairstow shot like Mankad out .

Back to the debate, they were busy dissecting various shots played in the past by other players.
And they all finally agreed that he managed to get the bat on to the ball on time instinctively or was more innovative which only goes to show what a great batsman he was and overnight he was given a great  and a rare title that would make every cricket follower very proud.of him. In fact no Indian or Aussie or any of the past Great West Indies or an English player ever achieved this.
But there was a discussion on that too.

One suggested," How about. " Between the Legs Expert!"
"No..No.. That does not highlight his skills."
"What skills? Between the legs?"
"No..no.His batting prowess."

Meanwhile another," Why are we always twisting a story?"

"Oh, Because the Nation wants to know"

"Mmmm.. why not,"Between the Legs Batter?"

All agreed. There was no impish smile. Not from me either.
He richly deserved the title," Between the legs Batter!"
"Oh, what an honour!" the happy homeless citizen replayed the unique shot again and again in his mind till his eyes blanked out the stars in the sky.
And boy, did I also sleep in peace!"