Comments for Kedar's log 2008.. http://blog.somik.net To boldly go where I have never gone before.. Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:21:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 Comment on “The Omnivore Hundred” by Kevin Lawver http://blog.somik.net/the-omnivore-hundred#comment-685 Kevin Lawver Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:55:44 +0000 http://blog.somik.net/?p=97#comment-685 Virginia is a great place to try heirloom tomatoes!! Wegman's even has them from local farms sometimes! Zeffirelli's in Herndon has very good polenta, and Fortune in Reston (if it's still there) has pretty decent steamed pork buns! Virginia is a great place to try heirloom tomatoes!! Wegman’s even has them from local farms sometimes! Zeffirelli’s in Herndon has very good polenta, and Fortune in Reston (if it’s still there) has pretty decent steamed pork buns!

]]> Comment on Are you in a mid-life crisis? by Troy http://blog.somik.net/are-you-in-a-mid-life-crisis#comment-684 Troy Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:09:50 +0000 http://blog.somik.net/?p=96#comment-684 That's so funny.. my wife keeps telling me I must be in "one-third-life-crisis" rather than mid-life crisis... several items on your list apply to me. :) You could add to your list.. - You just bought a motorcycle - You start working out, because you think it might be your last chance to actually be fit - You are more motivated to finish your projects before your mental faculties deteriorate or you get too lazy - You find sites like Facebook annoying because you don't want to keep up with the latest tech fads all the time - You realize you're closer to 40 than to 30 and are momentarily disturbed by that thought On the bright side... I have a lot more energy lately.. and value my remaining time more highly. :-) That’s so funny.. my wife keeps telling me I must be in “one-third-life-crisis” rather than mid-life crisis… several items on your list apply to me. :)

You could add to your list..

- You just bought a motorcycle
- You start working out, because you think it might be your last chance to actually be fit
- You are more motivated to finish your projects before your mental faculties deteriorate or you get too lazy
- You find sites like Facebook annoying because you don’t want to keep up with the latest tech fads all the time
- You realize you’re closer to 40 than to 30 and are momentarily disturbed by that thought

On the bright side… I have a lot more energy lately.. and value my remaining time more highly. :-)

]]> Comment on This is how I practice patience..! by drdzoe http://blog.somik.net/this-is-how-i-practice-patience#comment-683 drdzoe Sun, 13 Jul 2008 14:03:31 +0000 http://blog.somik.net/?p=78#comment-683 Your fingerprints don't register? Wow! Kedar, you're in the wrong line of business. You should give up all this questing for a green card and instead become an international jewel thief/master criminal! Your fingerprints don’t register? Wow! Kedar, you’re in the wrong line of business. You should give up all this questing for a green card and instead become an international jewel thief/master criminal!

]]> Comment on Sad side of life.. by drdzoe http://blog.somik.net/sad-side-of-life#comment-675 drdzoe Fri, 02 May 2008 18:13:16 +0000 http://blog.somik.net/sad-side-of-life#comment-675 Kedar, I'm so sorry for your loss. My father died this last December, and so much of what you wrote rings true in my heart. I think about him every day. Joe Kedar,

I’m so sorry for your loss. My father died this last December, and so much of what you wrote rings true in my heart. I think about him every day.

Joe

]]> Comment on Sad side of life.. by troyhanson http://blog.somik.net/sad-side-of-life#comment-674 troyhanson Fri, 02 May 2008 17:30:43 +0000 http://blog.somik.net/sad-side-of-life#comment-674 Kedar, that was a really moving post. It really puts perspective on our own role of fatherhood and how our children see us, and will remember us one day. My sympathies. Kedar, that was a really moving post. It really puts perspective on our own role of fatherhood and how our children see us, and will remember us one day. My sympathies.

]]> Comment on Lifetime change.. by drdzoe http://blog.somik.net/lifetime-change#comment-663 drdzoe Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:47:02 +0000 http://blog.somik.net/lifetime-change#comment-663 For me, Unix was always the love of my life, ever since I met her right after college. Oh, I played the field a bit, but she always owned my heart. I knew about MacOS. She was pretty, but I always suspected a certain lack of character to her. And I was never one to let my eyes lead my heart. (Well, not where OS's are concerned, at least. :-) ) But then, one day I realized that my old girl had decided to dress up all fancy, put on a bit of lipstick, and start looking good. She had checked out those fashion magazines, seen what MacOS was wearing, and saw how it looked on her. And if you can get character and looks, well, who can say no? I'm afraid that Ms Windows, who I never really loved but who I hung with because of what she could do for me, could never compete. For me, Unix was always the love of my life, ever since I met her right after college. Oh, I played the field a bit, but she always owned my heart.

I knew about MacOS. She was pretty, but I always suspected a certain lack of character to her. And I was never one to let my eyes lead my heart. (Well, not where OS’s are concerned, at least. :-) )

But then, one day I realized that my old girl had decided to dress up all fancy, put on a bit of lipstick, and start looking good. She had checked out those fashion magazines, seen what MacOS was wearing, and saw how it looked on her.

And if you can get character and looks, well, who can say no? I’m afraid that Ms Windows, who I never really loved but who I hung with because of what she could do for me, could never compete.

]]> Comment on My temporary bachelorhood! by jdzik http://blog.somik.net/my-temporary-bachelorhood#comment-662 jdzik Fri, 15 Feb 2008 21:42:23 +0000 http://blog.somik.net/my-temporary-bachelorhood#comment-662 That reminds me of one of my favorite songs about marriage - "Being Alive," from the musical "Company." The song starts out by complaining all the problems with marriage - you have someone to ruin your sleep, to sit in your chair, to cause you endless problems. And it ends up concluding that those are the wonderful things about marriage - that it all makes you feel so alive. It finishes with the singer, a single guy in the show, begging someone to ruin his sleep, sit in his chair, need him too much, etc. That reminds me of one of my favorite songs about marriage - “Being Alive,” from the musical “Company.” The song starts out by complaining all the problems with marriage - you have someone to ruin your sleep, to sit in your chair, to cause you endless problems. And it ends up concluding that those are the wonderful things about marriage - that it all makes you feel so alive. It finishes with the singer, a single guy in the show, begging someone to ruin his sleep, sit in his chair, need him too much, etc.

]]> Comment on Looking over and under the fence.. by Kedar http://blog.somik.net/looking-over-and-under-the-fence#comment-661 Kedar Thu, 07 Feb 2008 21:27:33 +0000 http://blog.somik.net/looking-over-and-under-the-fence#comment-661 Thanks for your comment.. when I started thinking about this, I tried to refrain from everything I have heard so far. Because I am against people who hide behind a wall of words and high sounding phrases to explain God. They use words as toys and come up with clever sentences that can surely be appreciated as literature but not, according to me, as arguments. I cannot be in awe of words alone, and that's the reason I can't stand the preachings on this topic. I wanted to find something that is more analytical when I talk to an atheist. The ant colony idea was the closest I could get. So that I can at least put a doubt in an atheist's mind, if you know what I mean :-) Turn the tables kind of thing! But like you said, it is sort of an "ego" thing - you look down upon ants and you see yourself exploring the depths of the Universe. But you don't realize you are still moving in the same 3-D world like they do in their 2-D world. Thanks for your comment.. when I started thinking about this, I tried to refrain from everything I have heard so far. Because I am against people who hide behind a wall of words and high sounding phrases to explain God. They use words as toys and come up with clever sentences that can surely be appreciated as literature but not, according to me, as arguments. I cannot be in awe of words alone, and that’s the reason I can’t stand the preachings on this topic. I wanted to find something that is more analytical when I talk to an atheist.

The ant colony idea was the closest I could get. So that I can at least put a doubt in an atheist’s mind, if you know what I mean :-) Turn the tables kind of thing! But like you said, it is sort of an “ego” thing - you look down upon ants and you see yourself exploring the depths of the Universe. But you don’t realize you are still moving in the same 3-D world like they do in their 2-D world.

]]> Comment on Looking over and under the fence.. by saprejan http://blog.somik.net/looking-over-and-under-the-fence#comment-660 saprejan Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:14:19 +0000 http://blog.somik.net/looking-over-and-under-the-fence#comment-660 Interesting topic. Anything that involves God, is inherently interesting. In a way we are indeed like the ants. Its difficult to move to higher dimension. Its even more difficult to perceive, accept and then break the paradox. I too agree with the idea that God is not babysitting the creation, rather the (karmic ?) laws and causality relationships working on all levels from quantum to cosmic, runs everything. That is why everything has some free will to make progress. God does not kill the ants nor does he gives them food. But then each ant, the food and everything else in the creation is God too. Everything about us, mind, body etc etc struggles to maintain the paradox! We, the unrealized, are afraid of things due to this paradoxical and illusionary separation from God. Once the illusion of separation is thwarted, which takes extreme efforts over N lifetimes as per saints and seers, then there is God. And why is it so damn difficult? Because, to see God is to become God!!! Its not like you went and saw the Grand Canyon and took pictures and got back to your work. It whatever I try to say, it seems true that I can only say it in the existing dimensions (body, mind, feeble intelligence) and under the influence of all the impressions made by religion, great people, .... and what I ate for breakfast too :-) "finding" God is a battle of each one with his/her own false self (ego?) may be that is why its difficult? Interesting topic.
Anything that involves God, is inherently interesting.
In a way we are indeed like the ants. Its difficult to move to higher
dimension. Its even more difficult to perceive, accept and then break
the paradox.
I too agree with the idea that God is not babysitting the creation, rather
the (karmic ?) laws and causality relationships working on all levels from
quantum to cosmic, runs everything.
That is why everything has some free will to make progress.
God does not kill the ants nor does he gives them food.
But then each ant, the food and everything else in the creation is God too.

Everything about us, mind, body etc etc struggles to maintain the paradox!
We, the unrealized, are afraid of things due to this paradoxical and illusionary separation from God.

Once the illusion of separation is thwarted, which takes extreme efforts over
N lifetimes as per saints and seers, then there is God.

And why is it so damn difficult?
Because, to see God is to become God!!!
Its not like you went and saw the Grand Canyon and took pictures and got back
to your work.

It whatever I try to say, it seems true that I can only say it in the existing
dimensions (body, mind, feeble intelligence) and under the influence of
all the impressions made by religion, great people, …. and what I ate for
breakfast too :-)

“finding” God is a battle of each one with his/her own false self (ego?)
may be that is why its difficult?

]]> Comment on Looking over and under the fence.. by Kedar http://blog.somik.net/looking-over-and-under-the-fence#comment-659 Kedar Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:42:31 +0000 http://blog.somik.net/looking-over-and-under-the-fence#comment-659 Joe thanks for your comments.. I was curious as to which paradox you are drawn to - that theists can only prove their point using something that atheism denies, or just the paradoxical nature of atheism? Or did you mean the paradoxical nature of atheism is because of that paradox? And well that way, theism is paradoxical too. Because I think the only way to prove the existence conclusively is by way of physical, our-world proof that can be understood by everybody, and that seems tough. In addition, *divine revelation* is contradictory according to me. We all know human mind is the biggest trickster. With the right level of consciousness (!), you can feel or experience the most amazing things. I basically tried to approach this with 2 minds - one of a theist and one of an atheist. And I found it to be very hard to prove one thing to the other - because I was honest with both the sides. That is important, many people think that their way of thinking is quite logical and obvious if explained - which is far from the truth. Joe thanks for your comments.. I was curious as to which paradox you are drawn to - that theists can only prove their point using something that atheism denies, or just the paradoxical nature of atheism? Or did you mean the paradoxical nature of atheism is because of that paradox?

And well that way, theism is paradoxical too. Because I think the only way to prove the existence conclusively is by way of physical, our-world proof that can be understood by everybody, and that seems tough. In addition, *divine revelation* is contradictory according to me. We all know human mind is the biggest trickster. With the right level of consciousness (!), you can feel or experience the most amazing things.

I basically tried to approach this with 2 minds - one of a theist and one of an atheist. And I found it to be very hard to prove one thing to the other - because I was honest with both the sides. That is important, many people think that their way of thinking is quite logical and obvious if explained - which is far from the truth.

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