I love gadgets and books and wrist watches and many more things. When I buy a gadget I want to use or a book I want to read, it feels great. But, when I think about it, I am not happier after I buy these things. There is a certain 'basic happiness level' which I am currently at, and I feel that this level does not increase after purchasing a desired object. And yet, I still want these objects. I'd rather have them than not have them, even though they don't increase my level of happiness.
I noticed something similar when I compared my childhood with a kid of 14 years living next to my house. He too is equally happy and smiling like I used to be almost a decade ago, despite the fact that I didn't had anything like cell phones, Facebook, Twitter etc. The basic level of happiness of the average teenager has not increased in the past couple of decades years, even though we have all these new technologies and gadgets that make our life easier and more comfortable. And yet, every person would rather have these new devices than not have them.
I started wondering about this, since it has been my assumption that we strive to maximize our happiness, and so if an action has no long term effects on our happiness, why take that action? If I'd rather own these devices than not own them, it means that there is some metric other than happiness that is improved by owning them. I think that metric is 'CONTENTMENT'. I am simply more content owning these devices than not owning them.
And this concept applies not only to gadgets, but also to other aspects of life. Someone may work hard to get a promotion, build a big house, become rich, get a Nobel Prize, etc, even though after all these things are accomplished their 'basic happiness level' will likely not change.
What determines our happiness level is not very well understood, but after our basic survival needs are met, happiness is a function of things like brain chemistry predisposition, whether whoever you love loves you back, how well you get along with your significant other, how many close friends you have, etc.
Those things are unlikely to change just because you bought a new smartphone or a new Porsche or even because you won the Man Booker Prize. And yet, people strive for these things, not because they will be happier with the result, but because they will be more content with the result. They will be more content with themselves if they know that they have achieved what they wanted: bought a beautiful house, made partner in a firm, became CEO, won an Oscar.
People initially think that they are trying to maximize their happiness, but after a while, after achieving some early goals and not feeling happier, they realize that it's foolish to expect to become happier when the next goal is achieved. And yet, they persist on working towards that next goal. At that point, they are simply trying to maximize their contentment. It's just that 'the pursuit of contentment' is not as catchy as 'the pursuit of happiness'.
Aman Sharma
P.S.: I am no Great writer or Literature expert or English guru. This post is just a expression of my feelings and you might find some mistakes in it as it is straight from the heart and not proof read. Please ignore the mistakes. :) Thank you.
Friends are plenty when the purse is full. But most of our friends are fair-weather friends. They are time servers. There are very few strand by us through thick and thin. Prosperity gains friends but diversity tries them. Adversity is the touchstone of friendship.
A friend in need is a friend indeed. True and selfless friends are rare in this selfish world. Friendship knows no rank, it makes no distinction between a king and a beggar. A friend is a friend, whether the world goes right or wrong.
A real friend is the balm of our life. He is selfless. He is prepared to sacrifice his all for us. He gives sane advice, criticizes our views and opinions in a constructive manner and directs our will and energy into proper channels.
A true friend is one who appreciates us, who knows our faults as well as virtues, who understands and sympathizes with our aims and objects and shares our ambitions and joys, hopes and disappointments.
On the other hand, a selfish friend is a self-seeker. He is not good and honest. He is not prepared to sacrifice his personal interest for us. With him his own self is first and other things are afterwards. The friendship of a selfish man is of a hollow type.
A selfish friend is an opportunist. He does not love us but our money and the comforts that money can buy for him. His friendship is a business proposition. His friendship is based on the hope of some gain from us. His eye is always on some personal gain.
A selfish friend deserts us in our miseries. A selfish friend is never sincere. He is a hypocrite. He is worse than an enemy. He betrays us at the most critical moment. His actions are never in keeping with his words. He says something else and does something quite the contrary. He is not trustworthy.
A selfish friend is like a good apple that is rotten from within. He is very pleasant spoken, his words are as sweet as honey, he flatters you, he coaxes you and he says ditto to what you say. But his deeds give the lie to his words.
All the time he is playing a double game and making a fool of us. His oily tongue and his hypocritical talk induce in us a false sense of security and we leak out all our secrets to him. He makes a capital out of them and brings untold misery upon us. He is a wolf in the guise of a lamb. We must beware of a selfish friend.
*********
It's been a wonderful 120 hours or 5 days of Literature and controversies. One of the biggest gathering of words; words that were no less than pearls here. Its seemed like someone bestowed Jaipur with Rosary of Pearls. A perfect combination of best management, interest, discipline, moderation and virtue. There were many small elements comprising this one grand stage, attracting everyone to gather here in Jaipur. The visitors from places other than Jaipur were way more as compared to the local audience. For past one week, Jaipur was transformed into the Heart of Literature for thousands of people across the globe.
There were lot of talks going on, on the outside and they kept speaking. The ones who went in found something, the outsiders can never think of. In 174 sessions, some created conspiracies, but rest were way far from it. They were Big. it was Big because the 280 authors present in the Fest had a wonderful magnet called "WORDS". It was powerful and beautiful because it gave and taught children, teenagers, youngsters and everyone else present there something that can never be taught at home or at school and cannot be interpreted by the scholars themselves.On the grand stage of Literature, there was a parallel discussion-dialogue of Books, Languages, Stories, Poems, Songs & Gazals going on. 70% of the sitting capacity was covered by the young generation. In the changing scenario, it was a pleasant surprise to see so much youth accumulated at one place. The questions put up to them were something so difficult that authors have to use their deep sense of knowledge to answer them.
The rules laid down for the normal Visitors-Audience, Delegates, Media, Authors or Organizers were same throughout the Fest, from parking to the entry in the Diggi Palace. There were no shortcuts, which was something eye pleasing and a rare thing to have at present. No VIPs or shortcuts. Everyone had to go through the same line of checking by metal detectors ID card scanning at each entry and exit point; whether they were coming for the first time or tenth time or the hundredth. Same was the rule for sitting. No VIP reservations were there and quite often it was seen that personalities like Kabir Bedi, Javed Akhtar, S.Shreesanth, Shabana Azmi, Sharmila Tagore etc sitting somewhere in the middle of the crowd.
The experience of Jaipur Literature Festival 2013 was so mesmerizing, beautiful and never before. One cannot experience the breath taking sessions, adrenaline rush and excitement on meeting authors and famous names of literature world without any problem or security barricades. It's been a day the festival has come to an end and people have already started to make plans for the next one. This is, my friends, JAIPUR LITERATURE FESTIVAL for you.
- Aman Sharma
''The Accidental Apprentice'' by Vikas Swarup was one the books I was eagerly waiting for, in the year 2013. Well to be honest, I had never ever read a book of around 450 pages in matter of 7 hours...
As his previous books, ''The Slumdog Millionaire'' & ''6 Suspects'' Vikas has managed to attract the curiosity of a reader towards this book. The story-line is very strong and gripping which persuaded me to pick the book without giving a second thought. It is a story of a girl Sapna Sinha, who is given an opportunity to become a CEO of a well known corporate group by a stranger, meeting her for the first time, on a condition that she has to pass 7 tests of life.
The story narrates how circumstances forces Sapna to accept the deal of the stranger and faces the challenges, life throws at her from time to time. The story is mix of some past recalls connecting with the present at times, which fits perfectly, all credits to author.
Towards the end, I started expecting what could be the end but then the best part of the book started and I dont know when i completed the last 100 odd pages. The only thought going through my mind as i was reading the story was,''What's next?'' along with a surprise expression on my face each time I turned the page.
The way author has expressed the characters of the book, making every small character playing their important role, the expression of emotions out of them conveys that book has been written with utmost sincerity and straight from heart. As per me one of best book I have read so far and one of the best fiction work written in present time, with a message and more importantly channeling a sense of optimism throughout my mind.
A 5 Star book for me. Cant get better than this. Movie coming soon.
About the book  From the author of the book behind the blockbuster movie Slumdog Millionaire, a brilliant novel about life changing in an instant.
Life pivots on a few key moments. This is one of them.
Sapna Sinha works in an electronics store in downtown Delhi. She hates her job, but she is ambitious and determined to succeed, and she knows without the money she brings in, her family won't be able to survive. Little does she know it but her life is about to change forever.
As she leaves the shop on her lunch break one day, she is approached by a man who claims to be CEO of one of India's biggest companies. He tells her he is looking for an heir for his business empire. And that he has decided it should be her.
There are just seven tests she must pass. And then the biggest lottery ticket of all time will be hers.
Thank you for being there for me through some of the most difficult times in my life...
Thank you for being genuinely happy for my success and good fortune, as if it were your own...
Thank you for forgiving my faults, and immature lapses in judgment, and for tolerating my idiosyncrasies...
Thank you for the phone calls, notes, e-mails and IMs of support when I was overwhelmed with life...
Thank you for being my friend always, not just when it was convenient...
Thanks for letting me vent, and trusting me enough to tell me what’s bothering you...
Thank you for making time for me, even on your busiest days...
Thank you for not letting time or distance affect our friendship...
Thank you for being honest with me when I really needed you to be...
Thank you for asking how I’m doing, and actually wanting to hear the answer...
Thank you for hugs, smiles, inside jokes, and memories...
Thank you so much...
I would start with congratulating Dhanashri Kadam for her Debut Novel. "I Live For You" is story of Shria and Aaditya, to be precise. They both enters into a relationship, despite already being into relationships with two different persons. Say it fate or destiny, incidents happens in their life bringing them closer, as if they were meant to be together. It is a sweet romantic story with a happy ending.
The way Dhanashri described the emotions of the characters and their behavior is outstanding. She tried making the story interesting by prologue which worked on me and I read it but at the end I was disappointed, as author said it was meant to create suspense & interest and was not part of the story. Regular kind of story we see around us now a days, love & breakups. Climax is part is liked the most.
I was taken back by the sudden change in the form of verb. The prologue was described in the First form of the verb while the story shifted to the third form of verb, which was a major flaw in narration.
Due to large dimensions of book, page count is restricted below 150 and can be read in one sitting of couple of hours. Cover page and Blurb of the book is attractive & interesting. Typeset errors are many such as extra space after first line of every chapter and at some other places, disconnecting the flow of lines written.
VERDICT:
A well written story. Will give ☆☆ stars for the story. :) All the very best Dhanashri for your future.
about the book  A story of dreams, love and destiny, I live for you is a tender tale of Shria and Aaditya which will leave a mesmerizing impact on its readers. With breakups and divorces so rampant, I Live for you will surely make the readers think about their relationships again. It could work as a prescription for the broken hearts assures the author. I Live for you is a must read for all the people who believe in love and also who are living their lives for someone. A reader will not merely read it, he will live this book.
The name or the face of the person you love will automatically pop up in front of your eyes promises the author. Missing this book will not be a big issue obviously; however, you will miss the chance of falling in love again. Lets rekindle all those soft memories of the newly in love moments
Let's fall in love with I Live For You which is not just a love story, its the love of a story!!
Once, I Loved An Angel whom I proposed saying Te Amo... I Love You...
We vowed to be ToGetHer Till the Last Breath but Wo Chali Gayi...
After she left the city, we stayed in a Long Distance Relationship for some time
till the day she came to me and said Dear, I Hate You...
I was standing in front of her asking myself only one question, "Did She Love Me?"
I realized that no, she doesn't love me anymore and
If it's not Forever, It's Not Love...
I wanted to say that I Live for You but couldn't say anything else
except Sorry for Loving You...
I am Heartless now and sometimes, life feels like very rude without her
but what else can I do, It's all About Destiny.
She is now Flirting with fate and regretfully saying one thing now a days
By Losing You I found How Much I Needed You...
©Aman Sharma, 2012
 Nobody knows its empty
This Smile I wear,
The real one is left in the past
Because you have left me there...
Nobody knows I am crying
They wont even see myy tears,
When they think that I am laughing
I still wish that you were here...
Nobody knows its painful
They think that I am strong,
They say that this wont kill me
But I wonder if they are wrong...
Nobody knows I am praying
That you will change my mind,
They think that I had let you go
When you left me behind...
Nobody knows I miss you
They think I feel set free,
But I feel like I am bound with chains
Trapped in a mystery...
Nobody knows I need you
They say I can do it on my own,
But they dont know I am crying
When I am all Alone...
:'(
 Trust is all about having immense faith in anyone. When you trust anyone with great belief, you feel, come what may your friend will always be there for you, stay loyal to you and never break your trust. Some people are very sweet and trust others blindly. This trusting others blindly can prove to be extremely fatal for their cause.
Peter Fonda had once remarked, “I don't trust anybody who didn't inhale.” One should never trust strangers and should shun from trusting anyone to a great extent. This world is a bad place where someone who pretends to be your friend may even end up back-stabbing you and turn out to be a foe. Strangers can never be trusted. Trust can lead to your doom. Such false impulses and hasty decisions that we make on the basis of our trust and faith in someone can lead to disaster and disappointment. In the words of Newt Gingrich, “You can't trust anybody with power.” This is certainly true because power easily corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
That moment when your so-called 'best friend' betrays you. Betrays your trust and every bit of faith you had in them. They leave you with the memories...The memories that keep come flooding back which brings tears to your eyes every time. It makes you doubt whether they ever really were a best friend or just a jerk disguised as a best friend!I used to miss you and the way you would just somehow make my day when I saw you and everything you said and did was the highlight of my day...I miss the person I thought you were.... :'
 "IT'S ALL ABOUT DESTINY" is a Romance fiction releasing May 2013 By Parlance Publishers.
It is a journey of Ansh, protagonist of the story, who lives his life through various Ups & Downs and searches for peace in his so-called adventurous life. In search of his questions he meets Vidhi and the GAME of DESTINY starts. How they come together with numerous co-incidences, fall in love, swears to love each other forever and then how their Fate tries to separate them...
Join journey of ANSH & VIDHI and discover how Destiny can play with your life. What will ANSH do??? Will he be able to write his fate or will he bow down to his destiny??? Will this story end happily??? To know more follow your heart and come along with us in this Journey Coz
"IT'S ALL ABOUT DESTINY..."
You can watch Trailer 1 of My Book here:
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