Are the dots connecting or am I over-dramatizing?

My first co-production "Vitthal" just won the National film award. This is huge. Big stuff. I am so overwhelmed. After so many years of hiding from myself, I am slowly coming out of my shell - to do what I really want to do. 'Vitthal' was a tiny step in that direction. A tentative, shaky step. And now, the awards are pouring in, and the National film award is just immense.
I am still in the hunt, though, for a day job to pay off my debts/expenses...and make some savings for a rainy day and keep doing my projects along the way. Past couple of years have been a real roller-coaster....ups, downs, twists, turns, and the 360 degree turn. Introspection, followed by taking some chances and working hard to get somewhere... is the next step success? If so, then its all so formulaic :) But I dont mind it. I can do with a job for now. :)
Cheers to 'Vitthal'!!!

Hard work

Last week was a killer. Had a couple of 16 hour workdays, and then came the whopper 30-hour workday. And through all of it, I was cheerful as ever. I was loving the work, the brain was loving the hyper-activity and for a long while now, I was actually feeling productive and useful. I realize that among the things I have to set right is the hard-work component in professional and personal (investments, travel, etc) life that has been missing all these years due to the comfort of a regular paycheck. I have chosen the road to run on, and am now looking forward to the marathon I want to run on it. I dont have to, but I want to. And the relaxing weekend that followed felt so well-deserved that I felt proud of taking a break - no nagging thoughts of uselessness. Lazing around rich and fat is not what I term as 'the good life' anymore. I want a hard-working week, harder working investments and a well deserved rest with music, friends and an afternoon nap :) Life ban jaayegi!

Accept, dont expect

Probably the magic moment in my marriage. The realization that I need to accept far more than I need to expect. A person is who s/he is. Unless the person sees a need to change, s/he wont. So, my expectations remain unfulfilled as she does not see the need to change. Unhappiness increases. So, I decrease expectations and increase acceptance. Now, I am more peaceful and happier.
Expectation goes down -> Acceptance goes up -> Happiness goes up.
And now I try to explain the same to my wife - expect less from me to increase your happiness. So far, not much success...

There will be no other world war

Who creates war? Power-hungry politicians (or "leaders").
What drives power-hungry politicians? Power and money.
How does one get powerful? By making more money.
Who sponsors the power-hungry politicians? Rich businessmen.
How do rich businessmen make money? Cheap cost of production (including cheap labor) and huge markets.
Where are the cheap labor and huge markets available? Several developing countries.
What happens if there is a world war? Cheap labor and huge markets will suffer.
So, what happens? Rich businessmen become less richer and hence wont sponsor power-hungry politicians.
So, what happens? Power-hungry politicians lose power.
So? So, the basic ingredient of war (search for more power) is weakened.
And then? War will cease and economies will be spurred by the power-hungry politicians.
So, why create war in the first place? Exactly.

Hence, there will be no other world war. Money drives the world today and will do so in the future. When businessmen and politicians can make money, why make war?

Pendulum - between hope and despair

I am swinging between hope and despair. Since the beginning, I take a situation to its extremes - good and bad - and that is how I think about where I need to go. That's just my nature. Since things are not working out for me on the job-front, I frequently think about bankruptcy, going back to the job I hate, being the object of ridicule, etc (the "despair" phase). And then, while travelling on the Bombay local trains, I see a 70-year old man, carrying heavy cargo, still in the daily pursuit of his bread - that I wonder - I have been given a higher pedestal than him so that I can avoid the daily pursuit of livelihood and instead do so much more, with the luck of being born in a much better place and time. Essentially, the 70-year old man got a raw deal, and I got much more than him. Should I be thinking of giving it all up and just 'existing', or should I use the higher pedestal to work even harder and go on the path I am passionate about? (the "hope" phase).
I know the swinging will continue, but I hope it does not result in wasted time on pursuits not worthy of the luck I have been blessed with. Maybe next time, I will be born as the guy who lugs around heavy cargo even till the age of 70, all to get my daily bread.