Spooky Fun

Spooky fun seems to be a misnomer of sorts...Let's face it: no one feels fear and fun at the same instant, unless you are on a roller coaster.  Even on a roller coaster ride you feel fear in a controlled environment and hence it appears like a thrill.  Would you ever venture on one if someone told you that there had been no maintenance done on the unit or worse if they thought a screw had come loose somewhere?

What is fear and why is it the driving force behind everything in life?  Why does the distressing emotion brought on by impending danger or pain force us to drive in over gear?  Fear of repercussion, fear of failure, fear of poverty, fear of death...the list is endless. What would our lives look like if we had none of these? 

Buddhism teaches us that much of our suffering, both as individuals and as a society ebbs from fear.  Fear is at the very root of our egos and personalities.  It manifests itself in the fight or flight syndrome worldwide and extensive research in science and religion is being done even to this day to understand how to overcome this emotion and master it.  There must be a bigger force of nature that allows soldiers to overcome fear in the face of death, that allows a mother to venture into the most daring acts of valor when it comes to her child or that pushes a person to unknown limits of bravery. 

Perhaps the keys to conquering fear are threefold:
1. To believe strongly: in yourself and a higher power
2. The confidence of knowing that our words and actions are true and
3. To free onself from constant judgement

When we start to heed our conscience and look at the world with our hearts rather than our egos,  we become liberated and there is nothing more fun in life than a fearless demeanor.

Our 3 P's

From as far back in memory as I can recall, I remember my parents preaching two things over and over again: to strive towards a life of financial independence and to push myself to the limit of my potential.  Thanks to their efforts and constant push, I managed to get a decent education and a job to pay for the miseries I have come to enjoy in life.  But the lessons of life didn't end there. 

The job world opened up a whole world of education in a new form in front of me and I learnt very quickly that doing your best and acquiring a paycheck doesn't really mean much in the long run.  There are other aspects to navigating the corporate zoo.

First, the job-world is definitely not a child's playground.  There are no kudos for 'playing fair' or 'playing nice': instead you have to learn the art of 'playing savvy' while mastering office politics. Translation: Professionalism. 

Second, there are no 'friends' at work, they are your colleagues, mentors, coaches or at best acquaintances.  The best friendships are typically what you have nurtured back in your school/college days.  The sooner you accept this the easier it becomes to manage workload and finish your tasks. Translation: Productivity (Matrix Management/Collaboration)

Third and quite important: how you look, walk, talk and present yourself.  Translation: Personality. The whole nine yards count: your people skills, your mannerism, your integrity and your nature.

The fact that you were selected for a job means you are technically qualified.  There's very little debate there unless you were hired by turkeys.  But what about the 3P's that go with you everywhere? What about the soft skills that no one talks about or trains you on but the keys to opening doors everywhere?

And thus was born the concept of having a forum at our workplace that caters to the development of our 3 P's.  Let's face it: You have to have a good ROI (return on investment) for your time and dedication towards the work you do. You have to make your work count and be acknowledged.  In order to do that, you need to sharpen your saw and take advantage of the sweet benefits of the P's.  Remember, mom always wanted you to eat your peas, they are good for you...and now I know, moms are never wrong...

Sugar cookies baked with fondant peas for our next 3P Forum talk.  Thanks Tracy for all the hard work! 

Garland of Fortune

A chocolate cake dressed in an edible flower garland (made of cake and frosting) and the restaurant logo marking a new beginning for Chennai Masala in Hillsboro, Oregon.  Wish you all the best!

Modern Foret Noire

A modern twist on the black forest cake: chocolate cake layered with strawberry preserve, whipped cream and topped with whipped cream, strawberry jelly, chocolate curls/balls and edible glitter.