The adventure continues...

Hey all

According to the course checklist, today's job was to clean out my inbox. I understand that unwanted and unnecessary emails are as dangerous as having a badly kept vehicle or wardrobe.

Well, I didn't do it. I hate conformity! I refuse to follow instructions! :P Lol, just kidding!

Jokes apart, I've always had the habit of labelling all my emails. My primary email service is Gmail and the labelling tool has always been handy. I never delete mails, just label them and push them aside. My other email is my office id, known only to my colleagues, so I receive only relevant work mail on that inbox

So that put me in a conundrum. I felt like cleaning something out today, but my inbox was clean. I couldn't skip to tomorrow's task of cleaning out my office desk, by virtue of not possessing one. I spend most of my time out on the field anyway, and as an intern, I do not seem to merit my own desk (just kidding, we have limited office space. But now I'll have to think of something else to do tomorrow as well).

So I decided to clean up my room in general. Boy, there were some interesting things in there too! A step ladder (???), a bag full of shirt-wrapping (don't ask), 4 clutches intended to be gifted to my girlfriend (I'm in trouble), 3 broken Zippos that belong to my friends (I'm in bigger trouble, they were in perfect condition when they got there), my mom's moisturiser (eww!), my sister's (UGH! Barf! Faint!) Justin Bieber CD, and a t-shirt which said (pardon the swear word) "I take it back, unfuck you", which I sincerely hope my mum never finds.

Several small packets of Oregano and chilli flakes on my table (I'm a seasoned veteran), 4 white cricket balls (one of them signed by Rahul Dravid :D), a small book of tennis players' autographs (including Rafael Nadal!!!!) and my dad's old golf jumper from the compartments under my bed.

PHEW! I cannot BELIEVE that my life was so cluttered up! For anyone else who is still resisting the whole de-cluttering experience, believe me, it helps LOADS. And it's fun. Look at the paraphernalia that I manage to fish out, every time I clean something up!

Oh, by the way, my mom has been banned from bringing anything cosmetic into the room, my dad is permitted entry only if he promises to leave more interesting sporting goods behind and my sister has been banned from it altogether

Cheers

Akshay

PS:
Anyone watch the Barcelona-Real Madrid game?

(Game? That's the bloody joke!)

The car joins in...

I seem to have given my dad a shock. He still can't believe that I cleaned out the car, without having to be told to.

I went through the old automobile, and boy did I find some trash in there! Old chewing gum wrappers on the dashboard, petrol bills in the ashtray (lol), photocopies of college notes (Jesus Christ, I left college 3 years back!) in the door compartment, and something like 20 empty cigarette packets in the glove compartment, 45 golf balls rolling around the car (profit made!), and a bunch of empty cans of deodorants on the back seat (this list is meant to be illustrative and not exhaustive. For a complete inventory of all the junk I had in my car, kindly contact my neighbourhood garbage man).

The trunk came next. Don't even ask what was in there! Suffice to say it was a while before I could locate my spare radial under the mess of junk (fan belts, tow cables, cans of coolant and a few broken golf clubs to name some).

I like describing this, as it seems like I've decluttered all over again. It's like a poison being drawn from a wound, and makes me feel good about it (also you get to know how hard it really was).

I've called in my mechanics to sort out what looks like a nest of rats under the bonnet and the auto electrician is coming over tomorrow to fine tune the machine and make sure my airconditioner works. Since I have so much space in my trunk now, I'm thinking of putting in a subwoofer to complement my (brilliant) music system.

Car wash scheduled for tomorrow, interiors happening early morning! Clean as a whistle, and though it won't stay that way, it's a start!

Cheers

Akshay

PS:
My dad: So you cleaned out the Millennium Falcon?
Me: Yeah. That's right.
Dad: What for? You plan to sell it?

DAD!!!

Decluttering continues...

Hey all

Went through my fridge with a fine tooth comb today. And guess what, my mom had already done the job for me, she's thoroughly cleaned out the food box. There was barely anything for me to clean up, so I spent my time stacking the beer cans in order of expiry date :P Those, by rights, do not belong in the fridge, but in my stomach.

So I compensated by sorting out my work on my laptop. And it was quite a mess! I spent an hour creating folders, subfolders and sub-subfolders to sort out the mess of sensitive audit evidence I was carrying on my system, and then another hour copying the files to the right folders. Phew! I must have set a record for the use of Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V.

I now have a NEAT (neater than my wardrobe even after it was cleaned, at any rate) "My Documents" folder, and I can retrieve the files any time they're asked for. And what's more, I received an email this evening that one of my completed engagements is up for a quality review! Talk about a stitch in time, those are painful, 3 day processes where we take our sleeping bags to the office (no kidding) and open and explain each and every one of the work papers we've prepared.

My first true experience of inspired action, I guess! I just felt it would be nice to declutter my system a bit, and whoa!, it pays off big time!

Thank you LOA, and thank you AIM.

Cheers

Akshay

PS: Damn, I almost forgot!

My mom catches me sorting out the beer and says, "My dear alcoholic son, give it a rest! And I really don't understand how you enjoy drinking something that causes you to think you're the world's greatest air-guitaring-heabanger. Bah, kids these days!".

Aw, Mom!

Week 2 Day 1

Hey all

Had an reasonable day today, it was okay. I got the mail on week 2, and I'm just done "cleaning out my closet". :P

Eminem had to leave, but this time it's only my old stuff ;) I was amazed at the amount of junk I had in there, I found clothes I never knew I had, and some brand new stuff I'd never worn! Too bad, they had shrunk, so I had to get rid of them. I'm just wondering how I managed to find what I wanted from in there for so long! The task was rather pleasing, my wardrobe looks NEAT now, and mom's gonna be really happy as well ;) She's not gonna be too happy that I borrowed her travel case to dump all the stuff I want to give away though ;)

"Neat" was never a word anyone has ever wanted to associate with me thus far, but I guess I can show 'em! I've never been a fan of what I used to term "manual labour". "Son, could you water the plants please" "Aw, Mom!", and "Clean out your car, sonny" "Dad, get real!" are real life reactions I have to such work, but I guess it ain't work when no one's making you do it ;)

Jokes apart, I think the task itself was inherently meditative, and that is a good thing, because your mind is focussed on cleanliness and order. I admit my wardrobe is not exactly going to win any prizes for being the neatest wardrobe in the neighbourhood, but I'm satisfied. I can find what I want just by scanning the surface now, and all the unwanted junk is out of bounds (I even trashed some of my boxers :P )

Thank you, forum. I actually enjoyed doing this. And it's my mind that feels decluttered.

Oh, and I'm gonna be posting pics of my parents' reactions when they check out my spanking clean wardrobe ;)

Cheers

Akshay

PS: I never could sign off without a (poor) attempt at humour, could I? But I think Nyan Cat (http://nyan.cat/) beats Justin Bieber any day!

Day 6: I wanna rock! ROCK!

Like the song by Twisted Sister. That's the mood I was in ALL day. I just wanted to ROCK! And I did, a bit ;)

It's been a great day. Weather was AWESOME, so I just got into the car, pumped the volume up, turned down the windows and droooooooove!!! Nothing like the wind in your face and rock music in your ears and being able to control the speed of the vehicle in question ;)

Met up with an old friend today, caught up a bit and chilled for a while.

Didn't do any serious studying today. But what the hell, I needed to let some steam off. Just hoping and praying that all goes well and I don't have to attempt those exams again. Yeah, I do acknowledge my apprehension. Every morning I check the site, and my heart goes up to my mouth, and I feel relieved that there's no news. No news is good news, but I don't buy it. Or do I? Because I'm actually relieved when I see a blank where my name's supposed to be. Is this resistance? Am I affecting my ability to manifest a good result because of this feeling?

The day ended on a high note, like it started. Chennai Super Kings take home a victory, and everyone's in high spirits (pun intended).

I'd give this day a B+. There aren't going to be any A+ days until my results come out, because I have to be studying. But I'm gonna make up for that :D

Here's to all of you, the best of AIM to everyone.

Cheers

Akshay

Day 5: It's getting better!

Hey all

A few things I thought about over the day (and night actually, I'm pulling an all-nighter here :P )

I did experience some mood swings today, and I admit I'm still a bit worried about my imminent results. However, I realise there's nothing wrong with acknowledging the feeling. I realise now that what I've done wrong in the past is to refute the existence of these negative emotions by trying to bury them under the guise of (wishful) positivity.

Now, I'm beginning to understand how to deal with them. I accept the way I feel about things and my life, and then I tap them out. I have problems, I have issues, however, I know I must acknowledge their existence before I can turn around and say, "Bring it on!". Merely writing about it feels so good, I would recommend it to everybody. They say writing is an outlet. It is. I always feel so much more refreshed and relaxed after I put these things down on paper, or rather, on some digital interface ;)

Negativity is a poor opponent. It tells you more about itself than it needs to, and that is where your strength lies. Use the information that negativity gives you, not against it, but for positivity. (I might be getting ahead of myself here, but that's my understanding of things). In short, negative thoughts are, I believe, easy to destroy, but only once you know, REALLY know, about them.

I am grateful to this forum, for it has shown me a way to relieve myself of all that is weighing on me without turning my life into a melodrama.

I am grateful that I have a source that I can tap into for positivity.

I am grateful that I have acquired the strength to acknowledge my emotional defects and go about sorting them out.

Cheers

Akshay

PS: A PJ I came across today, for all my countrymen in this forum ;) No discrimination meant, but only an Indian is likely to understand this one: What is 4 autos + 6 autos? Volkswagen (das auto) :P

Day 4: A little help

Help me out here a little, guys.

As anyone who's been through my blog knows, I am awaiting the revaluation results of my (well, dreaded) Chartered Accountancy exams. I'm kind of not able to focus on the end result being positive.

The positive signs I've seen are:

1. a list of candidates whose marks have not changed after revaluation has been released, and I am NOT on it!
2. a list of candidates whose marks have changed but the result is the same after revaluation-for a parallel examination (same syllabus, same timings but different course structure)-has also been released and my name is not on that either.

However, there is that feeling deep down that I've not gotten through the revaluation. I acknowledge and accept that feeling, but I'm worried that it may affect my result when it does come out. I meditate, I really do, every evening before I sleep on getting a positive result, and go to bed feeling good.

I wish I could erase those nagging little doubts that I do not deny exist, deep down.

Any help here would be hot!

Cheers

Akshay