Obsessions Galore!

I have it all figured out. (You bet!) Life is all about obsessing. {Drumroll…}

Seriously, you can be passionate about a lot of things but the only ones which transform themselves into success stories are those that you are obsessive about. As the disclaimer goes - this rule applies only to an Average Joe like me. Albeit as with any law or rule, exceptions must occur. But of course, the exceptionally smart and the truly talented, could be good at things they cared two boots about. Not me. Whatever it is I do, I have to take it to a point of feverish obsession to actually make it happen in a passable way. (I sure do hope prospective employers never read this. :o) People that repudiate hard work would dispute this line of thought. A close contender to obsession is quite definitely, F-O-C-U-S. Putting the two together, the key to happiness could be defined as - Obsess about what you want to do and if you want it badly enough, suffuse it with focus to achieve it. This article here talks about the maestro ARR’s simple self-taught guidelines and leaves one in awe!

I was obsessed with fitness and weight-loss a decade ago and that paid off handsomely; it was almost like rebirth when I lost the 80 odd pounds. At the risk of sounding pompous, I’d dare say - now that is one maniacal obsession, I would never like to lose. Though I have to confess, the enthusiasm has waned some now. (May be that is why I don’t hit the gym as much as I like anymore…see!) In the latter part of the past decade, I became fanatical about eating right and the saga continues. I am a firm believer of – You are what you eat (and) If health is lost, everything is lost. Perhaps that is why I so religiously admire Raj Ganpath (an indirect friend) for the work he does. I cannot help but extoll the indomitable courage with which he threw away his desk job and pursued what he liked doing best.

When it comes to hobbies, my passions for a few art forms seem to be ambling around in my day-to-day journey of existence but a busy life being a mom and managing a career keeps my hands fettered. Vee’s brain is wired differently – not a surprise, he is from Mars, right. Vee adds a whole new dimension to obsessing, I should say. He is a zealot who is unstoppable once he sets his mind on something. Sometimes, we are pitted against each other in pursuing hobbies. Following a time-off policy which allows each one their much-needed space for coddling art forms is the ideal sweet spot we’d like to achieve. Over the years I have known him, his interests have segued from one thing to another – photography, love for nature, skiing, motorcycle riding, roller-skating, ice-skating, short stints of tennis and now back to more DSLR photography. Talk about - Jack of all trades…and the-rest-shall-not-be-said. (Tongue-in-cheek moment, Vee! ;))

Around 8 weeks ago, we went to watch Sanhiti’s dance show “Perceptions” – a fundraiser for the latest Charity Org – Aram Sei. Tangible performance and mind-blowing production! A very intoxicating feeling it was, to watch the entire troop sway gracefully to peppy Tamil numbers, drawn together by their steadfast predilection for dance. Irumbiley Oru Irudayam Mulaikudo – which stole the best dance of the evening place (in my head, that is), was choreographed in an entirely different light (literally!) and it totally worked. From start to end, the dance was projected on a screen in the form of dancing shadows (of the dancers hidden scrupulously behind the screen), interestingly sequined with computer-graphically generated animated silhouettes. “Shadow dance” enthralled the audience so much that it had everyone screaming “once more”! These beautiful shows tend to instill in one, fresh and unadulterated motivation, and that’s precisely what I love most about them.  I can’t begin to imagine what it takes to be a part of something of that magnitude while working full-time in high-profile Silicon Valley jobs. Commitment, a by-product of obsession needs to be paid its due diligence respect to see aspirations come true, I observe. My takeaway conclusion - Redefining aforementioned key to succeed à Obsess about what you want to do and if you want it badly enough, suffuse it with focus and make a commitment to achieve it.

I don’t have to look far to draw inspiration in reality. Every morning, the News Feed on FB beckons me to read updates of friends, showcasing a lot of talent. I seem to have a very dandy social network with highly cultivated tastes. It is heartwarming to see a vivid display in a potpourri fashion which includes the works of an eclectic mix of artists, dancers, bakers, fitness bloggers, health freaks, jewelry designers, astute entrepreneurs and photography-buffs – to only name a few. Just so you know I am not kidding, I have added links to some of my friends who seem to be doing excellent work here à 1, 2 and 4.

After writing about the fitness GOD, this post would be a shame if I didn’t follow it with a grain-free recipe. I have been experimenting a lot on grain-free cooking and hope to add a lot of recipes under that section. Here’s one simple dish to begin with…Okra-Mushroom Curry. I like to call this a curry because the veggies hold their texture pretty well as opposed to a soup. But this can be eaten as is, like a soup or with some gooey protein-rich cottage cheese on the side. I find cottage cheese to be a good substitute for grains almost always and it pairs really well with spiced curries.

Ingredients -

1) Chopped mushrooms - 3/4th cup

2) Frozen or fresh okra - 3/4th cup (chopped)

3) Onion - 1/2 - diced

4) Garlic - 3 cloves - chopped finely

5) Paprika  - 1/4 tspn

6) Red chilli flakes - 1/2 a tspn

7) Salt - to taste

8) Olive Oil - 1-2 tspns

9) Carrots - 2
10) Red Bell Pepper -1
11) Vegetable Broth - 2 cups

Method -

1) Pressure cook the carrots and bell pepper for 1 whistle. Cool and grind to a smooth paste.
2) Heat Olive oil slightly and season with garlic and red chilli flakes.

3) Add onions and saute.

4) Toss in the mushrooms - saute.

5) Okra - saute for a few minutes.

6) Add broth, cover and simmer until okra softens.

7) Stir in the ground paste along with paprika powder.

8) Bring to a rolling boil and remove from flame.

9) Garnish with cilantro to infuse a lovely rasam-like comfort flavor.