Reflections...

New Years is my favorite holiday. I love it for many reasons...

Below is a list of questions I find useful in looking back and forward with presence...

COMPLETING THE YEAR - 2006

· What was my biggest triumph?
· What was the smartest decision I made?
· What one word best sums up the year?
· What was the greatest lesson I learned?
· What was the most loving service I performed?
· What is my biggest piece of unfinished business?
· What am I most happy about completing?
· Who were the 3 people that had the greatest impact on me this year?
· What was the biggest risk I took?
· What was my biggest surprise?
· What important relationship improved the most?
· What compliment would I have liked to receive?
· What do I need to say or do to be complete about the year?





CREATING THE NEXT YEAR - 2007

· What would I like my biggest triumph to be in the coming year?
· What advice would I like to give myself?
· What are my financial aims to the year to come?
· What am I most committed to completing?
· What major indulgence am I willing to experience?
· What would I most like to transform within myself?
· What am I looking forward to learning?
· What risks will I be willing to take?
· What is an undeveloped talent I am willing to explore?
· What brings me the most joy? How will I experience that in the coming year?
· Who or what am I committed to loving and serving?
· What word will I have as my theme in the upcoming year?

I wish all of you a delightful new year filled with love, light and levity!

December

I left India on the 10th of December and headed to Europe for work and pleasure. In India there was no sign of the Christmas holidays or weather below 60 degrees which shifted drastically as I arrived in London. After a brisk two days in the UK , I flew to Brussels, Belgium (where waffles and I were born). Gina and I spent two days there and then took the train to Paris for five days of R&R. I am now back in the US and here until mid January. I am delighted to be reconnected phyiscally with family and friends during this traditional time of gathering.

Ancient Eyes

Eyes are the gateway to the soul, hers is old

To polish or not to polish...

While exploring Bangalore I came across a man on the curb stitching a pair of shoes. Upon further review I noticed that he had all the tools for a proper shoe polishing. I glanced down at my well traveled boots and they looked thirsty. I impulsively decided to get them polished. The man handed me a pair of flip flops to trade for the boots and once that transaction was complete he began his craft. I sat next to him on the curb and watched the transformation. When he was finished I admired his work. Suddenly the coin was flipped, my mood shifted… I began to miss the look of the boots prior to polish. They had character, a roughness and openly expressed who they were and where they had been. Even though beneath the surface they were the same, I felt their truth was hidden.

Sitar and Tabala Concert

Last night I was privileged to attend an amazing musical performance. Indian classical music is well known and appreciated for its complexity and resonating sounds. The sounds of the sitar and tabala are like chocolate cake and red wine; a perfect complement. During the concert I lost track of time and space as the music had a meditative and trance like effect on me. Check out this link for a taste...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTMxx8gLkeQ

Recent Reads

Below are some books I have read in the past few months that I would recommend:

Holy Cow- An Australian women moves to India and struggles with the transition, life and the Indian culture. During this time she travels throughout the country looking for answers and meeting interesting people along the way. If you coming to India this is a good primer
Shantaram- This book rocked my world. Read it!It was one of the 1st I read while in India and despite its intimidating size it, I promise it flows effortlessly. Roberts paints an amazingly vivid and accurate picture of India. Soon to be a Johny Depp movie.
Age of Kali- Kali translates into Destruction and this book takes you on a trip throughout different states within India via the eyes of a British journalist. The book drags at points but if you want to learn about some fascinating history and states of India it is worth your time.
The Greatness Guide- Robin Sharma is a life coach and author of many bestsellers. This is his latest and if you are looking to take your game to the next level it has a lot of worthwhile tips in it.
The Monk who sold his Ferrari- This Sharma book is a cheesy, yet tells his story of leaving his legal practice to find himself in the Himalayas.
Catch 22- A book based World War II, Heller clearly has ADD as he jumps around more than house of pain...In spite of that it is a great book.
Leadership Presence- When you see it you know it...This book describes how the field and skills of performance arts can be incorporated into everyday life to fuel your fire.
The Tao of Physics- East meets West and the links and connections are fascinating. Capra talks about how science and eastern philosophy are very similar. Bland at times but a good book to skim.
Running with the bulls: From Wharton to Wall Street- This book describes the life of a student at the #1 Undergraduate Business School in the country. It is interesting how intense these young people are...
Great Expectations- Its a classic and Dickens writing style can be challenging to follow.
Many Lives Many Masters- A doctors reflections on a his work with a patient doing past life regressions.
The unbearable lightness of being- A Great book about a man's search for love, connection, himself and how fate twists.
The Manuel of the Warrior of Light- Written by the author of the alchemist, this book is a set of quotes that I find empowering.
The Rules of work- A real quick read for those of you playing the corporate game.

I would love to get a few recommendations from you!

VINO!

A simple pleasure I miss and cannot acquire in India is a good bottle of wine. One of my last stops before leaving for the airport was a local wine shop. I carefully picked some bottles and then strategically wrapped them in one of my suitcases. I knew that the legal limit into India was two bottles and decided to risk it…As I was filling out my customs sheet and throughout my flight I wondered if my booty would be confiscated or not. After about 24 hours of travel time at 2:30am I lifted my (weighed down with wine) bags off the conveyor belt onto my cart. I took a deep breath and walked smiling up to the final security check. The man looked at my bags, me and my customs sheet. At the last second he looked down at my bag pointed to some white chalk on my bag that said “LBS 7” and said “you need to go to the left and talk to a customs officer”. When I arrived at the counter, I was met by an older man with a crooked grin on his face. He pointed to my bag and said: So you have 7 liquor bottles in your bag (LBS 7), this did not include 3 others I had bought which were in another bag. We volleyed our cases back and forth like Sampras and Agassi until I served up the question he was waiting to here: What’s it going to take for you to let me keep my pirates treasure? There was a twinkle in his eye as he said “as you wish”.

As you wish is how Indians hedge their bets. Without any context they force you to give much more than you should for tips/bribes or if you don’t they let you know…in a way”as you wish” sounds like your royalty and they are at your beckon call, not that they have you by the Family Jewels…

Hearing this before, tired and feeling feisty I said, As I wish huh…, well how about you let me pass out of the kindness of your big and warm heart…He laughed and repeated “As you wish” and pointed to the right. I looked to where his finger directed and surprise, surprise right next two the customs security is a ATM (yes, bribes are a integral part of Indian culture). A few minutes later we were both happy as we created an Indian “win win”. The security guard who originally would not let me pass got the signal from my new friend and let me pass without a hitch.

Homecoming

After living in India for five months I returned to the US with A concert tour like schedule. DC, Colorado, Delaware, New Jersey, New York City, Orlando and Atlanta were my destinations over the course of three blurry weeks. I immediately became aware of how organized, calm and clean the US is; on the surface. Highlights of the trip were reconnecting with family and friends, my good friends Tom and Becky’s wedding, enjoying the Falls kaleidoscope of fleeting colors, getting to indulge my senses in simple pleasures not available in India and co-authoring the 1st two chapters of what I think will be an amazing story ….



There is a intense battle of tug of war between my heart and head as I think about my future and choices to be made.





Comfort is calming, Chaos is Challenging, which path would you take?

Conversions

I am still struggling with conversions in many ways. One is with the money and its weight here in India. Every time I use the rupee I instantly think about its worth in dollars which distorts my judgment. For example, when I left for a weekend trip I gave my driver 500 rupees and told him to do something nice with his family. My friend said to me: you gave him 8% of his monthly salary, imagine if you boss gave you 8% of your monthly pay as a tip...

In addition when I run my experiences in India though my filter of life in the US I fall into a similar trap, as there is no comparison. This fuels the fire of expectations that are not extinguishable and does considerable damage in my environment. Like someone who is learning to dance and keeps looking at their feet, I find myself lost in translation rather then embracing the present experience.

Mumbai and Pune

I spent the last four days working and exploring Mumbai (aka Bombay,India has slowly renamed most of their major cities slowly after the partition in 1947) and Pune. Jack and Judy who are family friends have lived in Mumbai for the last 21 years. I stayed with them and had a interesting time discussing the similarities and differences (mostly differences) of Indian and American culture and their life in this intense city. Mumbai is a city of over 18 million people and bursting at its seams. It is home to the largest slum in the world, Bollywood and the setting for one of my favorite books Shantaram (http://www.shantaram.com/). After 2 days in Mumbai I took the train to Pune which is proclaimed "The oxford of the east" for its educational institutions. The city was going bananas because Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are there filming a movie. Pune is also home to the Gandhi memorial and OSHO Ashram.

Pondicherry

This past weekend, a co-worker of mine Marcelo and I decided to explore the french colonized coastal town of Pondicherry. My objectives were simple: eat some fresh seafood, drink some french wine, learn about the history of the town and let the ocean wash away a long stressful week. Mission accomplished. It was very interesting to explore how the french and tamil cultures have blended together. People in India our the most socially tolerant I have met and the two dance effortlessly in this small town. Marcelo, a man of many talents speaks numerous languages and that came in handy many times. One time in particular, speaking french to the owner of a restaurant where the waiter assertively told us they were out of wine. Magically a bottle of Bordeaux appeared on our table.

One of the highlights of the weekend was exploring the community of Auroville :http://www.auroville.org/av_brief.htm

Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh or Vinayaka Chaturthi is dedicated to Lord Ganesh (son of Shiva), the elephant -headed god of all good beginnings and success. The festival celebrated as the birth day of Lord Ganesha, held annually in South India especially with great fervor in Maharashtra, is a ten day long event.On the occasion of the Ganapati festival, a large number of idols are made of clay or metal in all possible sizes sometimes even up to twenty feet.
People buy them and install them in their houses and worship the idol for one to ten days, after which the idol are taken out ceremoniously, carried in a procession through the streets of the town and immersed into the river, sea or well. The sea front at Mumbai, packed with people, is a spectacular sight.

On the day of the Chaturthi, the last of the days dedicated to the elephant-headed god, thousands of processions converge on the beaches of Mumbai to immerse the holy idols in the sea. This immersion is accompanied by drumbeats, devotional songs and dancing. Every year, the largest Ganesh idol is installed at Khairatabad in Hyderabad, which is more than 30 ft tall.


Each of these idols can be upto 10 metres in height and are paraded on lorries decorated with multi-coloured lights. At the other end of the scale, little Ganeshas are placed in nukkads or street corners and in homes, and pujas are performed daily. On the occasion of the Ganpati festival a large number of images are made of all possible sizes, and people buy them to keep in their houses as a divine guest for one and a half, five, seven, or ten days, after which the image is taken out ceremoniously and thrown into the river, sea or well for immersion or "visarjan". When he is immersed in the water, people sing,"'GANPATI BAPPA MORYA, AGLE BARAS TO JALDI AA," ("father Ganpati, next year come again.")

Celebrating Ganesh's b-day was a wild experience. A normally conservative culture let loose. In spite of the thousands of people condensed into a very small area, I felt totally safe. At one point we found ourselves in the middle of a circle of hundreds of people dancing to the beat of drums and feeding off the energy from the roar of a crowd touched that we embraced their culture.

Kerala

Taking advantage of a holiday weekend Tor, Kevin and I decided to explore the highly recommended state of Kerala in the southeast part of the country. Our journey began with a short flight to Cochin where we then took a cab to Alleppey. Kerala is known for its backwaters (http://www.backwatersinkerala.com/) and the culture rooted in them. We rented a 2 bedroom private houseboat (with a cook, steward and captain) to explore the backwaters and then drop us two days later close the southern beach town of Varkala. While on the houseboat we were treated with amazing kerala cuisine (made with fresh fish and prawns which we bought from fisherman who pulled up to the boat) , a slow crawl through lush surroundings of rice paddies, palm trees, exotic birds, vivid sunsets and curious locals, a peak into a culture that lives off of and cherishes their fertile land and many more gifts that appear when you slow down. National Geographic lists renting a houseboat and touring the Kerala Backwaters in their top 50 things to do in the world, and I wholeheartedly endorse their assertion. After a relaxing couple days on the houseboat we headed to the beach town of Varkala. Varkala is a small village that is majestically positioned on a 3 mile strech of cliffs smiling down on Arabian sea. We spent our time eating fresh seafood, relaxing on a blacksand beach, and interacting with travelers and locals. Four enjoyable days flew by and then it was time to travel back to Hyderabad. Kerala deserves at least a week to really soak up all it has to offer.

Car Accident

Today on my way home I was reading the paper in the backseat of my car when all of a sudden at heard a loud BANG! I looked up and my car and a van were hugging each other. The phrase they dont make things like they used to rings true in this situation. My car is solid as a rock and comparable to the safety of a volvo. I barely felt the impact of the two cars colliding. I looked over and the van we hit and a fairly large indentation in its side door. I got out to survey the damage on my car and there was a small brushstroke of green paint on the front bumper. A crowed of people quickly gathered around and my driver steven and the driver of the van began shouting in hindi back and forth. Other's shared what I think were their eyewitness accounts of the accident. Two "policeman" showed up and tried to make some sense of the situation....yeah right...one man came up to me and was worried about me getting fried my the sun and handed me an umbrella for shade. I calmly soaked in the experience and must say found it very interesting and somewhat funny, especially when Steven came up to me and asked for 200 rupies ($4). The money was for the driver of the other car as compensation for the damage and the transaction took place right in front of the grinning police (bribes are very common here). Steven later told me the man wanted 1000 rupees for the damage and he talked him down to 200 because the man was driving to fast and the accident was his fault. From my vantage point the damage was at least $1000 dollars, but then again I am from the US and the markup on everything there is ridiculous. No paper work or information was exchanged, no one was hurt (thankfully), there was alot of verbal sparing which about 90% I could not understand, and an hour later I was home safe and sound, my wallet $4 lighter.

TRAVEL

This past weekend Kevin, Tor and I took the train to Hampi in the State on Karnatika. The two of them had never been on an Indian train and I was determined to show them a raw and wonderful way to learn about Indian culture, people and the human spirit. We departed on Thursday from Hyderadbad and after an 12 hour journey we arrived in Hospet at 5am the next morning. We then took a rickshaw 30 kilometers from Hospet to Hampi. Hampi is a small village positioned on a river that was once the second largest kingdom in India. It is a very spiritual place, sprinkled with temples, backpackers, huge boulders, monkeys, an elephant priest and ruins of the kingdom. We decided to rent mopads for two days to navigate this scenic area and enjoyed exploring via the bikes. After two days of sightseeing and relaxation we went to the train station to return to Hyderabad. We were on the waiting list for the train and were told by seasoned travelers of India that getting a seat would not be a problem and if all else fails ask for the "foreigners quota" which ALWAYS gets you a seat. Well, the train was fully booked and we were denied the foreigners quota. We boarded the train and every seat was taken, so we attempted to bribe the train employees with no luck...Frantic we continued to search for seats and stumbled upon three young indian fellas who allowed us to share their seats. Were it not for their kindness and willingness to sacrifice their comfort we would have been ousted from the train. 12 hours of sleep ridden travel later we arrived back in Hyderabad drained but thankful.

Visitors from Kolkata

This past weekend two friends came to visit from Kolkata. Stacey and Selma have been volunteering in "The City of Joy" for the past few weeks. It was humbling and refreshing to spend time with individuals decidated to making a difference in the world. Check out an article written by a local journalist covering their time in Kolkata.

http://cities.expressindia.com/archivefullstory.php?newsid=194797&creation_date=2006-07-30

Breaking Free

Expectations and assumptions are the handcuffs that bind me to the jail cell of regret.

I often find myself embarrassed by frustration like a parent projecting their anger onto an innocent child. A wise person said about India, In order to TRULY experience India you must surrender to her. I reckon the same goes for anything, especially love.

I am learning…here are a few observations I would like to share…


Touch
When people shake hands they hold the embrace longer, like someone hugs a loved they don’t know when they are going to see again. The 1st few times people did not let go of my hand after what I deemed a suitable 1-3 second timeframe, I felt very uncomfortable. Now I have made it a practice, as it creates a channel for the energy of me and the other increasing our connection.

Heat
India’s climate is very hot. The heat certainly effects how people live and creates a greater appreciation for simple pleasures. A bottle of beer, water or any other beverage is presented to you like a fine wine at restaurant. Not for you to approve its taste rather its temperature.

In addition, the breeze in India is like a whisper for someone you’re in love with.

Eye Contact aka Staring
In the US, often times I would feel the gaze of a stranger and when I would turn to meet it, the stare retracted immediately if not quicker. One of the cultural mores that I was taught is that staring is rude. In India however, Eyes that breathe intoxicating fire and do not waver are beginning to melt my frozen heart. Initially, I was angered by the constant stares now I absorb the gazes and sense their harmless curiosity.

Eating
It is common practice to eat with your right hand in India. My 1st trip here in 2000 was the introduction to the custom and I enjoyed it. Many people find it barbaric or un-sanitary. I find it an incredibly sensual. It awakens the nerve endings in my fingers, I physically feel the temperature of the food and its texture and giving me a more holistic experience. The end of the meal brings a “finger bowl”. The finger bowl is a bowl filled with hot water and a lime wedge. It is used like a hot towel at the end of a Chinese meal to cleanse your hands. What a great way to end a meal!

My New Car

Yesterday I purchased a used car. It is an Ambassador (see description below) which continues to produced with the same body as it had back in the 1950's. In my mind it is a classic, however my Indian co-workers and friends are shocked that it is my vehicle of choice. In a country that is taking leaps and bounds ahead in development respective to its past, I guess they find it strange for me to be drawn to something considered to be part of its history.

The cars color is almost always white and I am having mine painted black to add a little spice to it. Pictures of the car will be posted soon.

Ambassador - "the first car to be manufactured in India, has been ruling the Indian roads ever since its inception in 1948. Ambassador, the only automobile to ply Indian roads for more than five decades now, has carved a special niche for itself in the passenger car segment. It's dependability, spaciousness and comfort factor have made it the most preferred car for generations of Indians. The Ambassador's time-tested, tough, accommodating and practical characteristics make it a truly Indianised car. "

The Meaning of Josh

People say there is a lot of meaning in a name and I agree. The Hindi names all have deep meaning. However, the supply of names is much less than the demand in a country of over 1 billion people. So, it is very common to know A LOT of people with the same name

I was flying back from a business trip and got a bag of goodies containing a candy called "Orange Josh". I started laughing and showed it to a hindu colleague of mine. He looked at the candy and said nonchalantly, Josh is a hindi word meaning energy and power.



In fact Ford makes a car here called "The Ford Josh" (see link).


http://www.blonnet.com/catalyst/2004/06/17/stories/2004061700050200.htm This is hilarious and no joke.

Shoe Security

I have been checking out quite a few temples and mosques and the thought in my mind before entering has been “I hope no one takes shoes". To ease my mind and be at peace I have incorporated the following security measure.

The Art of Living

The past six days I participated in a workshop called the Art of Living. This course teaches ancient breathing techniques, yoga, meditation and philosophy. It was a powerful experience and this organization does
amazing work for individuals and the world. They conduct workshops all over the world so check them out! http://www.artofliving.org/

Train Bombing in Mumbai

Friends,

I appreciate all of your concerns regarding my safety during this shocking event. I am doing fine in southern India about 1000 miles from where the bombings took place. In spite of my safety, this has been an alarming event for the country and its people. As I fly Chennai for business next week, I am a little more on edge than I might normally be. However the show must go on!!!

Thailand

After seven weeks in India, I was in need of some Rest and Relaxation. My entry into the India was congested with learning about the culture, surroundings, my new organization and role, finding a place to live, furnishings for the new crib (as all I brought to India was some clothing and a few personal affects), and overall sensory overload. I was thrilled to head to Thailand for five days! We arrived in Bangkok after a long day of travel and went and got reflexology massages that slowly drained the tension and stress out of bodies. Bankok is a very modern and clean city and the contrast between it and Hyderabad was apparent. The lack of omnipresent honking and people was refreshing. Not to mention the ability to get a cheeseburger and Heineken, something that I had been deprived of recently. The lack of things that back home I would have taken for granted made every experience exhilarating and precious as I knew that it was going to be awhile till my next taste of certain small pleasures. We spent our time visiting temples, touring a riverboat market, exploring the coast, taking advantage of little big things we cannot attain in India and relaxing on the beach.

Intersection

Seth is a pal who I came to know while living in Colorado Springs. A dynamic fella with unquenchable thirst for knowledge….He has chosen to take a year of his life traveling the world. Check out his blog and accounts of the journey! http://awayaround.blogspot.com/

Andrew is a good friend of mine who I have known since 7th grade and ended up going to college with. He plays and works in NYC and has a passion for music. Here is a link to a site where you can download some of his mixes. http://illjazz.blogspot.com/

Ed is my friend and colleague. I worked for him for five years prior to moving to India. He is an inspiring servant leader. Ed decided to up-root his family (wife Priscilla and 16 yr old daughter McKenzie) and move to Hyderabad without ever visiting the country…Talk about courage! Check out his story @ http://journey2india.blogspot.com/

Whats Really Going On?

My friend first and driver second, Ferroz has taught me much about life and India. He has a smile as wide and bright as the sunrise over the ocean. Whenever that smiles shines into my eyes it washes all the anger and frustration away that has accumulated like a hug from a child. Recently, we were at a stop light and Ferroz rolled down his window and gave a beggar some money (this from a man who has never been to a movie, which will not be the case in a few days). I asked him why he gave money to the beggar and told him about my stance on the topic. He said to me emphatically, that god is everything, aka Mashala in the Muslim faith and that it was his duty to help others in situations that less optimal than his own.
These beggars show up outside of stores or at your car window in many shapes and sizes. I will spare you the pictures, but assure you they are hard to forget .The images haunt my memory like lost loves...
A blind women; eyeballs gone, guided with her hands on the shoulders of a young boy in front of her, a barely teenaged mother holding a malnourished baby begging for money with motions of her hand to her and child’s mouth repeatedly, men on boards with office chair like wheels missing limbs and shuffling between the high-rises of cars….I imagine that you get the picture. I have seen and had profound experiences with these types of people in my past travels and my stance up until now has been to not give them money as I thought it reinforced in-appropriate behavior. Is it inappropriate to ask for money to sustain your livelihood? Or was that just my justification so I could turn away and not have to absorb these haunting images?

Threading Ceremony

Yesterday I had an opportunity to participate in an Indian thread ceremony for a colleague’s son. This ceremony is a rite of passage similar to a confirmation, or bar mitzvah in the Hindu context. Every intricate detail had rich meaning and to be apart of the experience was amazing.



Background info on Upanayanam (Thread Ceremony)

Upanayanam is the Samskara or the ceremonial rite in which the young Brahmin boy is invested with the sacred thread and initiated into the Gayatri - the Holiest of all mantras in the legacy of the Rishis. This ceremony is only for boys from the top three social classes. Traditionally, an auspicious time and date is chosen to shave the boy's head completely, leaving only a small tuft in the centre of the scalp, called bodi.
The sacred thread used for the ceremony consists of three strands, joined by a knot known as Brahmagranthi or the knot of Brahma. The three strands symbolise the Hindu trinity - Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. There are various interpretations of the three strands to represent many of the other triads like Mahasarasvati, Mahalakshmi and Mahakali. Or the three qualities known as sattva, rajas and tamas; past, present and the future; the three states - wakefulness, dream and deep sleep. Some even say that it represents the three dimensions known as heaven (swarga), earth (martyaloka) and netherworld (patala). The twist of the thread must be upwards to ensure that the Sattwaguna or the good quality of truth predominates.
The most important meaning of the three strands is ida, pingala and susumna nadi, through which the kundalini energy manifests as prana and consciousness. Yajno-pavita means 'thread of sacrifice.' That is so called because it symbolises the sacrifice of ego.
The sacred thread was a passport to obtain education. It was a prerequisite for education and also for marriage. Without it, no man could dream of getting a bride for himself. It was considered important because a person with Yajnopavita should have undergone all the oaths associated with wearing it, led a celibate life and completed a major portion of his education. Brahmachari or the bachelor (also, a learner) wore a single sacred thread while the householder or the married person wore two. A person who was married and had lost one or both of his parents wore three.
There are different methods of wearing the Sacred Thread at different occasions. While performing an auspicious ceremony one should be Upaviti, that is, the Sacred Thread should hang from his left shoulder. At the performance of some inauspicious ceremony one should be Prachnaviti, that is, the Sacred Thread should hang from the right shoulder; and at times he is called Niviti when the Sacred Thread is worn round the neck like a garland.

This ceremony has evolved over time and to see more of my experience you can check out the links to my pics and videos

Growth

There in no doubt that India is hot right now, especially since it is summer and temperature has been in the hundreds. Thank god for the monsoons which are arriving any day now... While the seasons are about to change, India’s economic climate continues to be hot like fire. Growth rates the past few years have skyrocketed and there is a constant debate about which country will be the next superpower, India or China. There is currently a war for talent in the global market that will continue to heat up as baby boomers retire and we live in a world where EVERTHING is outsourced (read the world is flat for some crazy accounts of this phenomenon).The growth in such a raw place was one of many drivers fueling my desire to live in this mystic country. Lately, Indian business has been known for its technology. In fact many people are comparing what is happening here to what happened during the dotcom area in terms of business opportunities. While all of this is extremely exciting and India is getting a lot of press, it is still a third world country and the infrastructure is in need of serious development. Some people see this as a weakness; I look at it as opportunity.
In terms of the workforce; the people, time management, presentation, deductive reasoning, consulting, business development, and customer service skills are in need of serious fine tuning. My role is to facilitate human performance and process improvement for the Leadership of Satyam (the top 5% of a 30,000 people). After working for the #1 corporate university in the world, my director from my previous company, our new staff and I are in start up mode attempting to deliver the same quality product. Building the school brick by brick is challenging but also fulfilling. The physical school of leadership is scheduled to be open in November and will be a 240,000sq ft world class facility. We are open for business now and continue to expand our infrastucture and service offerings. Satyam has a vision of growing from 30,000 employees today to 90,000 in the next five years! In order for the vision to be attained they must have world class leaders that can navigate an increasing complex global marketplace. Our mission as the school of leadership is to empower and equip these leaders with the necessary skills to flourish. As we build the schools processes, programs and leaders a fleet of men and women are building the actual structure. I go over to the site at least once a week to look at the progress. Watching these people work is incredible. They only utilize a very small amount of machinery as they take away from the employment and livelihood of people. This construction team is over 200 hundred people working two shifts per day and living in tent communities on the land. The area that the construction is taking place is called Cyber City and if you drive around a five square block radius you will see companies such as IBM, Google, Deliotte, Mckinsey, Dell, and many more all putting skin in the game..

Contact Information

For those of you wanting to connect here is my information:

Cell: 91-9949476478

Address: Plot No: 527-B, Road No: 86, Flat no: 5, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad India

Lighting the way...

Do you remember being a teenager? Sometimes when I reflect on that period of my life it feels like yesterday. Without going into the details of a very interesting time in my life... lets just stay many of my choices were not calculated. The past two weeks Dr Zayd (Traveling from the US) contributed to the development of around 50 teenagers of Satyam employees.

Global Rising Stars is a 4 day/ three night experiential workshop that equips and empowers young people to live purpose driven lives. All participants learn how to:
1. Develop self-leadership
2. Expand attitudes and habits for success
3. Overcome fear and procrastination
4. Turn solutions into action
5. Enhance self-motivation and positive self-image
6. Improve time management

Dr. Z has been successful working with youth in America for many years and I was curious how his program would be receivedd in a different country with a very contrasting culture. I facilitate learning with adults around the world and every region of the world, I must shift my style in order to besuccessful. Believe me, I have gone into other countries using anAmerican style of teaching/facilitation and failed miserably...We learn from what is most painful and I adapted quickly by seeking 1st to understand then trying to be understood. This shift in style, with the kids was not necessary. The saying boys will be boy's or kids will be kids comes to mind. Dr Z's course was a huge success and the cultural difference was not an issue with the teenagers.

I love spending time with young and old people. Either theydon't know or they don't care. Which allows them to be open and free creating a platform to explore and express.
Helping pave a path in a world that is becoming increasingly complex and confusing for youth is a worthy endeavor... Feel free to contact Dr. Zayd (dtsys.com) about youth programs in your community.

Vision

Things and people are not always what they seem. I hope that you agree that we as human beings are complex creatures. However many people are conditioned to dwell on the surface. I believe richness stems from depth, like the roots and soil that feed a tree. But all our eyes see is what is on the surface. What do you spend your time looking at? Aren’t people who are deemed Visionaries individuals who see what others cannot? Which reminds me of this quote “eyesight is a test to see if we can see beyond it…”

I remember the 1st time I saw my mom outside of the singular yet admirable and complex role of my mother. I went to a graduation of her organization, training futures (http://www.nvfs.org/trainingfutures.htm a shamless plug for an amazing organization that is always looking for volunteers). She was speaking in front of over 200 people in a formal business setting. She spoke with such passion and grace. It hit me hard, rocked my world and never looked at her the same again. Getting a peak into another layer of Susan Craver created a deeper sense of respect, admiration and love.

I had a similar experience today when Ed, Pris, Dr Z, (author of a great book called seven steps to deep transitions) Mousina and I went to visit the Satyam (the organization I work for) Foundations. This 30,000 person organization (as I have been learning since joining three weeks ago) is dynamic and impressive. Our journey today took us on a tour of three foundations, an urban development foundation called Satyam foundation….a rural development foundation (Byrraji foundation), and Emergency Management and Research Institute. EMRI is the equivalent to 911 in the US which did not exist anywhere in India until Satyam created and continues to fund the much needed service.
We got to tour the facilities, interact with the leaders of the organizations and learn about how these services have saved and sustained the lives of hundreds of thousands of people throughout India with clean water, health care, education, disaster relief and so on. In a country where 40% of the population lives off of a dollar or less a day and life expectancy is around 64 these types of services are literally lifesavers. Like seeing another facet of my mom, learning about all the important and transformative community development work Satyam does reveals more of its richness and depth. I look forward to sharing my volunteer efforts in the community in the near future.

Helpless

I once saw Moby sing Neil Young's song Helpless in NYC at a Tsunami Relief fundraiser. It was a moving moment after such a tragedy. While nowhere close to that scale, personally this week I experienced the feeling of helplessness....Someone close to me lost their father rather unexpectedly and I wanted to support her with my physical presence yet I could not due to distance. The feeling of helplessness was very hard to handle. I realized prior to leaving that being away from friends and family was going to be the hardest part of this move. However, now that the rubber has hit the road the physical barrier is creating more dis-ease than I imagined (as I know I will miss important rituals such as birthdays (blessings to my Gemini friends), graduations, passing of loved ones, the development of baby Jalen, weddings, little big things and so forth).

Navigating this site

Friends,

Just a quick guide to navigating this site. I will be updating the site and links with content on a fairly regular basis. There is a RSS feed that will send you an email every time the site is updated if you plug in your email address on the bottom left text bar on the home page.

There will also be information that is housed in the archive you might enjoy reading.

On the road...

Traffic here makes the 405 in LA or the Beltway in DC look like a walk in the park. A chaotic blend of cars, rickshaws,dogs, people, bikes, holy cows and motorcycles (aka two-wheelers) navigate a racetrack with no lanes or proper rules for the road. The commutes to and from work have not seemed long due to all the sensory overload. If people watching is one of your favorite pastimes come to India and you will be intrigued, fascinated, perplexed and alarmed all in the same moment. Women carry water jugs and 4 foot stacks of bricks effortlessly on there heads, people piss in the road (although generally they have the decency to turn away from traffic) cows itch themselves on signposts, women with tiny straw brooms attempt to clean the street, the mosh pit of traffic you have no choice but to jump into, people nudged by cars that shake it off like a fly,the strange melody of horns that is omnipresent and many more never before seen sights. The more open I am, the more rewards I reap from the unknown. All this I see while riding in a car and when I get out of the car I stare directly into the eyes of India.

Tipping The Scale

Do you remember the 1st time you experienced something that was different from what you were used to? I remember as a child going from DC public schools to Catholic private school (and my family is not catholic)…talk about contrast. In the former, I was a racial minority one of three white children in class. In the later the racial contrast was flipped. I am grateful that I experienced such different environments at a young age; however, everything was different, like trying to blend oil and water.
I traded bugle boys for a uniform, jive for structured sentences, Jordan’s for penny loafers, and many more contrasting norms and values.
At that age the changes required little thought; my brain fresh and not yet saturated, absorbed the differences with little effort and I adapted. As an adult, the norms from my social identity groups (i.e. race, gender, sexual orientation, social class in America…) are ingrained patterns that I often personify robotically. To turn off the autopilot and steer manually requires more fuel and as I am shifting from one culture to another since moving to India, what is figural is scale and contrast….
For example, take the difference in money: the cost of dinner at an expensive American restaurant going “all out” would cost $100 per person, the same quality in India costs me $40 American for six people! I got what would have been at least $300 of dry cleaning done and it cost $30. In addition the tipping scale is very different due to the fact 60% of the population of India lives off a dollar a day. So unless you want a following (paparazzi style) you must tip appropriately to the scale here. I have learned that one the hard way----yeah people hear know who I am…which isn’t hard considering I stand out like one red rose in a bouquet surrounded of all white ones Being part of the dominant power group (white men) in America is like a fish in water. Nemo doesn’t even know he is in the water until you take him out...
A quote that comes to mind as I reflect on living in India thus far is: “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. As I behold the sensory overload of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, customs and interactions I find my heart and head feeling similar to a tennis match between the mores of east vs. west. It’s an exciting match however if you keep you’re eye on the ball to long it becomes disorienting and dizzying. In other words, my heart is heavy and my head aches at times and the match has only just begun. However, I am more alive than any other point in my life.

Arrival in India

After an 8 hour flight to Amsterdam, a four hour lay-over and another 9 hour flight I arrived in Hyderabad, India safe and sound.

To learn about my new home check out these links:

http://www.iloveindia.com/travel/hyderabad/index.html

http://www.fullhyderabad.com/htdocs/visiting_the_city/home.phtml

The Hunt...

Trust me
It's Paradise
This is where the hungry come to feed
For mine is a generation that circles the globein search of something we haven't tried before
so never refuse an invitation
never resist the unfamiliar
never fail to be polite and never outstay your welcome
just keep your mind open and
suck in the experienceand if it hurts
you know what... it's probably worth it
you hope, and you dream
but you never believe that
something is going to happen for you
not like it does in the movies
and when it actually does
you expect it to feel different
more visirale
more real
i was waiting for it to hit me
i still believe in paradise
but now at least i know it's not some place you can look forcause it's not where you go
it's how you feel for a moment in your life
and if you find that moment it lasts forever
it lasts forever
lasts forever

A farewell visit from T-Bird

This past weekend T-Bird aka TommyDigital aka one of my closest friends aka Tom Moran flew to CO From NY for a farewell visit prior to my departure to India. The weekend was action packed and felt way too short. T-bird got up on skies for the 1st time ever and managed not to kill himself (barely), and then we were privileged to see a free show by Rusted Root at the foot of Cooper Mountain (Check on the footage on my video link). The music and camaraderie was uplifting!

DISCLAIMER...PLEASE READ!!!

I recently had an interesting debate with friends about narcissism. Is it narcissistic to write a journal about your life/encounters and share it??? Like anything you are entitled to and I hope you now and always form your own opinion. The purpose of this site is to share pieces of myself with people that I care about. I often talk about layers and intend to use this site as a vehicle to expose parts of myself some of you might not know about. Through that, perhaps others might feel compelled to do the same…I want people I value to know me and I know that I don’t always do a good job of sharing. I could ask you to suspend your judgment and view this page objectively but that is not how humans are built and only a few choose to buck the system. As I venture half way around the world for at least 18 months, I thought a few of you might want to know how I am doing.

All this to say, my purpose is to share my journey not be judged or self promote.

New Life...

This past week I returned to the DC area for two reasons. One, to close a five year chapter in my life and the second, to welcome the birth and new life of Jalen Moore Roy born March 14th, 2006 (Son of my cousin Caity and her husband Jason). After five years of working for Booz Allen I decided it was time for change. Up until now I have not been good with goodbyes and my pattern was to avoid them. There have been many times I have done this and never seen people again...Which I regret. So I decided to face my fear and go to Mclean and personally say goodbye to individuals that have positively impacted my life. It was not easy, however the feeling of closure I received was well worth it. So that part of my life is over and in the same timeframe I was greeted by a healthy, beautiful baby boy! When I 1st meet Jalen I was flooded with thoughts and emotions... he was so pure, untainted by the world and an abundance of possibilities ahead of him...and then I thought about his future, the world he was entering and the challenges of raising a child while also having to balance your own hopes, dreams, and desires. It has occurred to me in the past and was solidified this past weekend that raising a child can be a pure demonstration of unconditional love.


With so many things consuming my thoughts this past week the one constant was the joy of new life and the possibilities it holds. Whether it is the birth of a child, the beginning of a relationship or job, going to a place you have never been, choosing to let go of something or someone that does not serve you, blah blah blah...

The bottom line is new life can conjure up feelings of fear and once you breakthough those it can be extremely liberating and invigorating.

Food For Thought...

Too many people put off something that brings them joy just because they haven't thought about it, don't have it on their schedule, didn't know it was coming or are too rigid to depart from their routine. I got to thinking one day about all those women on the Titanic who passed up dessert at dinner that fateful night in an effort to cut back. From then on, I've tried to be a little more flexible. How many women out there will eat at home because their husband didn't suggest going out to dinner until after something had been thawed? Does the word "refrigeration" mean nothing to you? How often have your kids dropped in to talk and sat in silence while you watched 'Jeopardy' on television? I cannot count the times I called my sister and said, "How about going to lunch in a half hour?" She would gas up and stammer, "I can't. I have clothes on the line. My hair is dirty. I wish I had known yesterday, I had a late breakfast, It looks like rain." And my personal favorite: "It's Monday." .She died a few years ago. We never did have lunch together. Because North Americans cram so much into their lives, we tend to schedule our headaches.. We live on a>sparse diet of promises we make to ourselves when all the conditions are perfect! We'll go back and visit the grandparents when we get Steve toilet-trained. We'll entertain when we replace>the living-room carpet. We'll go on a second honeymoon when we get two more kids out of college. Life has a way of accelerating as we get older. The days get shorter, and the list of promises to>ourselves gets longer. One morning, we awaken, and all we have to show for our lives is a litany of "I'm going to," "I plan on," and "Someday, when things are>settled down a bit." When anyone calls my 'seize the moment' friend, she is open to adventure and available for trips. She keeps an open mind on new ideas. Her enthusiasm for life is contagious. You talk with her for five minutes, and you're ready to trade your bad feet for a pair of Rollerblades and skip an elevator for a bungee cord. My lips have not touched ice cream in 10 years I love ice cream. It's just that I might as well apply it directly to my stomach with a spatula and eliminate the digestive process. The other day, I stopped the car and bought a triple-decker. If my car had hit an iceberg on the way home, I would have died happy. Now...go on and have a nice day. Do something you WANT>to......not something on your SHOULD DO list. If youwere going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting? Have you ever watched kids playing on a merry go round or listened to the rain lapping on the ground? Ever followed a butterfly's errat ic flight or gazed at the sun into the fading night? Do you run through each day on the fly? When you ask "How are you?" Do you hearthe reply?When the day is done, do you lie in your bed with the>next hundred chores running through your head? Ever told your child, "We'll do it tomorrow." And in your haste, not see his sorrow? Ever lost touch? Let a good friendship die? Just call to say "Hi"? When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like an unopened gift....Thrown away... Life is not a race. Take it slower. Hear the music before the song is over.

"Life may not be the party we hoped for... but while we are here we might as well dance!

The Past Year

Last April I decided it was time for change. I had been saturated by the DC area and poor choices on my part. The people, quality of life, negative patterns I had accumulated over time and my comfort zones all where drivers for change. I often say wherever you go there you are, and some say that I am a hypocrite. Regardless of what you believe I have found that a change in physical environment drastically impacts your behavior…look at how you feel when at work in an office (for those of you who are exempt from this WAY TO GO) vs outside on a perfect spring day. Furthermore, for the most part humans are creatures of habit and shaking it up sometimes brings snow….Joni Mitchell once said you don’t know what you got till it’s gone and I concur. I also know that I take things, people and experiences for granted….Like the person who lives five minutes from the beach but never goes… So I decided to walk away from a great job, friends/family, a great relationship, money house and 10 minute commute (and for those of you in the DC area you know that is unbelievable) and overall comfort for a journey west to Colorado. To be honest, I barely even thought about it. Details which are challenging for me were taken care of by my company. They packed my belongings; everything from my underwear to my numbchucks, put my car on a flat bed, me on a plane and the rest was history. And then reality hit like Mike Tyson in the early years. I am alone… My goal for this move was to reconnect with me and do some soul searching. I wanted to walk away from everyone and everything and start fresh. In fact my first week in CO I got the I CHING (an amazing book BTW) symbol for inner truth/introspection inked on my right foot. What now connects me to the earth via my feet is compassion and inner truth. The move appeared easy at first and in the end it was a worthy opponent.
Luckily for support, I found a friend in Yoga. The ability to flow in the moment and suspend judgment was therapeutic. Ah yes, and the mountains, another pal…..I found myself in nature everyday. Running, hiking, mountain biking, camping, and then when the winter hit snowboarding! These two outlets combined with daily mediation and writing proved to give me the introspection I desired.
About four months after moving to the springs I realized something…I am never here ( just to give you an idea in the last eight months I traveled to Paris, London (three times) Germany, Hawaii, Egypt, Dominican Republic, DC 9 times, Cali twice, Texas, Utah, Chi-town, Philly, NC, and almost every weekend in CO spent this winter has been in the mountains at our condo in Beaver Creek ) and I am paying DC prices for my apartment and so I decided to buy a house….My first move in the past year I got by with a lot of help from my company and friends. This time I was on my own….It was a painful experience,when the smoked cleared I had turned this house in my home. Colorado has been a great place for solace and to recharge.
So after starting to get comfortable here in CO I have decided to move to India…I have always felt drawn outside the US, perhaps it’s because I was born in Belgium. Regardless, I feel most alive when outside the US and so the opportunity to move to India was exciting. My intuition has told me its right and lately my head and heart have been in a sparing match with my head winning (it is extremely hard; my head and the decision when I actually THINK about it). Renting my newly bought house, selling my car, packing up my stuff, leaving a firm I have worked for five years, being half way around the world from what’s most important to me in life….started giving me serious doubts. I am an ideas person but when its time to put the rubber to the road I have problems getting the engine started….and of course life brought me numerous options to tempt me to choose other paths…relocating to Europe with my current company or a new venture with a close friend. Looking over the cliff scared shitless (like when about to skydive) I am saying oh what the fuck go for it anyway….I‘ll keep you posted on how it works out. Hence this thing called a blog….???

Recent Books and Movies I Recommend

GenXpat- a guide for young working professionals living outside of their native country
A whole new world (READ THIS BOOK!!! my fav of the year thus far) - the world is flat and right brain thinkers are the emerging as leaders...
Freakanonmics- an economist and journalist come together to examine strange occurrences like why 80% of crack dealers in Chicago live at home with their mom's...?
Blink- Gladwell discusses humans intuition and the ability to make "snap judgments" with an alarming success rate.
Human Nature- A great movie about the evolution of primates. We are, in the end just wolves in sheeps clothing.
Waking Life- A fascinating and deep movie regarding reality and dreams
What the bleep- What's really going on? Quantum Physics
Crash- Powerful movie that focuses on race relations and synchronicity
The Beach- Many people have seen this movie however the book (like most) is much better
Confessions of an Economic Hitman- Shocking movie about America's role in Globalization
The Corporation- Who Rules The World?
A million little pieces- Regardless of the fact he streched the truth, the bottom line is this is a compelling story of a person winning the arduous battle against addiction.
The Tipping Point- the nature of social epidemics
Murderball- An amazing story of courage and preserverance when the odds are against you.

A Rush...In more then 1 way

Have you ever done something that you know you should not have and got a rush from it? If I was a betting man I would wager that you have....


One early winter day Frank the Tank, his buddy Dave from DC, and I decided to hike up to Devil's Playground. You probably are wondering where this trail got its name and so was I. Sometimes all you have to do is ask, which I did of a passerby on the trail. It just so happens it was named this because at the summit lightning hits a formation of rocks and supposedly looks like what you might imagine devil's playing would look like??? The image that came into my mind was not rocks and lightning but People in Las Vegas. Don't ask me where that came from, the mind is an interesting thing....and the force is powerful.

Anyway....Ask we approached the trailhead is was very cold (about 25 degrees) and snowing. As we got to the treeline the snow stopped and we continued with our witty banter and ascent. When storms hit up that high (about 12,000ft) you can see them coming. There was a storm brewing but in the far distance. We decided to keep going in spite of the fact that there was no visible trail and we were walking through deep snow. Long story short the wind picked up, the snow got deeper and we continued toward the playground. All of a sudden we began to hear the devils rumbling. We should have turned back, however the dark clouds and that side of the force blurred of rationality. We pushed forward, without any path in sight and finally made it to the playground.





There was a blanket of white covering the summit and it created a sense of peace until the roaring thunder reminded us that is you F with the bull you get the horns. So we decided to head down the mountain. Despite the sketchy conditions we made it to the trailhead and back to Frank's for a reflective conversation and beer.