Merry Christmas

Spread love , joy and peace this Christmas 

The Trust Economy

Witnessed an amazing interaction at a phone store next to a doctor's dispensary . A lady who works as a domestic help came to the store with her relative who had recently moved to Mumbai. She told the store owner that the doctor takes guarantee for this man (i.e his credit worthiness ). Pl allow him to buy a phone with the option of paying Rs 1000 per month. The store owner thought about it for 30 seconds and nodded his assent to the sales person to show phone options. She disappeared next door and came back to ask if the store owner would like to speak with the doctor. He said it was not necessary. Elated with the solution the lady and her relative went about the task of selecting the phone.

This was obviously not a transaction between unrelated individuals . The store owner knows the doctor. Both have been neighbors for years. The store owner seemed to have a fleeting acquaintance with the lady.

Simply wonderful that all of these individuals chose to reach out and connect - resulting in solutions. For the person who had moved to Mumbai - this would have eased his relocation (the phone would be easily a month's salary or more for him ).

Seemingly small actions that make a world of difference - fostering faith in community , bringing tangible benefits to all involved - the person was able to make the purchase , the store got a sale that would have otherwise been impossible , the person gets to stay connected with his family. Not counting the joy of the duo who made the purchase.

Choose to create and participate in the trust economy !:)

Now

Thomas Dreier: “If we are ever to enjoy life, now is the time, not tomorrow or next year ...Today should always be our most wonderful day.”

The new illiterate..

KYC

The world's local bank has sent an urgent mailer citing RBI regulations of KYC (Know your customer) asking to submit proof of ID and residence. I have more than one account with this bank ( an anomaly I intend to correct very soon ). Interestingly 1 form has been received which is designed to capture data of 1 account only . Perhaps the bank expects the customer to toss a coin and pick which one to send the docs for .

RBI is indeed wise in asking Hsbc to 'know their customers' knowing well that a self absorbed bank with near zero internal co-ordination like Hsbc must not know it's customers well enough.

None of the other banks send letters like this . Guess they already 'know their customers'.

Relive Joy

There's an ad for Dish TV which shows a college student glued to his TV in the hostel room . India wins a match . He jumps up in glee and starts celebrating. His sleepy , irritable room mate asks him to shut up. At which point a third guy enters the scene and asks why he is objecting to his friend celebrating India's victory ? To which the sleepy guy replies that the actual match happened weeks ago . This guy keeps watching the recorded version and celebrates noisily each time !:)

Most of us relive some aspects of our past . We have a default internal programming to relive past sorrows.

Let's take a cue from the ad and heartily relive joys . Wise folks across ages counsel us to live in the present. But if we must make a trip into the past - let the destination be the joyous moments.

Drop Litter :)

We all need bins like this :)

One of the several creative installations at the Kala Bhoda 2012 festival .

Passion..

Now I know why I persevere !:)