My Quests in Life

Life. The contiguous two answering beats of the heart. The eupneic of air through the narrow parting of the lips. A multitude of flashes captured by the eye. Life is about living, but very few people really live it. To actually live it, you must have the wish to live it which is the quintessential element everyone must possess. There is so MUCH to do in life! How can one say there’s nothing to do or I have done enough in my life? I have become irritated of hearing from my friends and acquaintances so often that they had nothing to do during their holidays, or they got bored to death during their free time. Sometimes you do get tired of the world due to your continuous indulgence but that doesn’t justify your answer of ‘getting bored’ or ‘nothing’ to the question ‘Wassup?’ and ‘What are you doing these days?’ all the time.

“There is no such thing known as nothing. ‘Nothing’ is ‘Nonliving’. And nonliving is non being and not living your life.”

Life is one eternal stream of the immediate present, not yesterday, not tomorrow, but the now. It is important what you do with that now because that is what defines you and that is the sole property by which you are identified by others, by the world.

For me, life is an anthology of quests. Every quest is in itself is a new adventure. Life and everything in it is always new. Most of us think that we are not good looking enough, not thin enough, not rich enough, but actually we are not happy enough. Follow your true passions and you will be the happiest person in the whole world. If you don’t know where your true passion lies then seek it, make it your quest to find it and don’t submit until you find it. As Steve Jobs always referred in one way or the other, the key to happiness and success is in doing what you really like to do. I always note down in my Evernote Notebook the things I want to learn, the skills I would love to have, the things I want to do, the tasks and challenges I have yet to finish, the instant those ideas and wishes pop into my mind. In short, I make a list of my quests in life that I want to do, it can be referred to as my life’s to-do list but it isn’t exactly confined in scope to those two words only. I am sharing my quests in life with you.

P.S. – My quests are in no particular order. This list can be overwhelming for the reader as every quest’s listing of life must be.

• Eat healthy food/beverages and try out and taste all different types of food. (Status: Ongoing)

This is an endless quest. (Will continue until my stomach is intact 😛 ). This quest is most challenging for me as I am a vegetarian. I will write a separate post about my experience of trying non-veg for the first time later.

• Read. Read a lot. Read More. (Status: Ongoing)

This too is a never-ending quest. I love to read. Reading is really important. It may be anything magazines, newspapers, e-books, blogs, novels, other books/articles. It depends on the person’s interest. One must read at least 2-3 hours daily. You can join a book club to stay in habit.

• Learn how to swim. (Status: To-do)
• Learn coding in depth. (Status: Ongoing)

Well, this is the reason I took Computer Science Engineering. I always wondered how all these potpourri of software, gadgets and programs works. I love to code. Besides, in today’s technological era every person must have a basic knowledge about it.

• Fall in love – Don’t be afraid of it. (No statuses here 😛 )
• Learn photography, just basic knowledge. (Status: To-do)
• Write a blog. (Status: You’re reading it right now)

Although I have started this blog but I don’t get time to post frequently. That leads to my next quest.

• Post on your blog more often. (Status: To-do)
• Start learning a musical instrument. (Status: Done)

I was always crazy about playing a guitar. But, buying and starting to learn a guitar was the crux of the matter for me due to lack of money and my parent’s disapproval. I will narrate you that tale in some other post to save this post from exploding in length.

• Sojourn in a foreign country. (Status: To-do)
• Start a company. (Status: To-do)

Already planned about it a little, acquiring skills necessary to take the first step now. I will be ready probably after my graduation next year.

• Take up a sport and get good at it. (Status: Ongoing)

I play football mostly and I love this sport. I am not a professional player but I enjoy while playing. I favour FC Barcelona.

• Take more risks in life. (Status: To-do)

Well, I can’t remember taking any considerable risks in life till now, will take when the appropriate opportunity presents itself to me.

• Take more actions, purge sloth. (Status: Ongoing)

Especially during the winters, I become kind of lazy, wake up late and still postpone my coming out of the bed to enjoy the lingering warm embrace of the covers, and procrastinate upon my tasks.

• Stay fit/ Workout. (Status: To-resume)

I don’t attend gym, I work out at home just enough to stay in shape and fit. Started working out regularly, then again missed for a prolonged period of time, again started and after some time again missed for months at a stretch. I have got to start it again anyhow, it’s about time I started it again! 😛

• Buy a good computer. (Status: Done)

Now, why am I laughing evilly to myself reading this? 😀 Of course because I bought the computer I wished for, of good configuration which supports all my high performance-buster MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game). But I had to wait for eons until I got my first computer, until my parents became sure that I was in dire need of it to stop spending all my pocket-money in computer cafes. But nevertheless it was a treat I will cherish for long. I adore my computer and since much of my life’s time is spend on it, a good computer was necessary. I also got a good mouse, headphone and other accessories. When I start earning I plan to buy a plush MacBook.

• Learn Basic Animation/ Make a cartoon video. (Status: To-do)

This will take a long time to do, from what I have learnt till now I came to know, making a short animated video isn’t that simple a task as it sounds. It requires quite a byte of time (Pun intended). I will attempt this probably at a far later period in my life.

• Do not waste time watching TV. (Status: Done)

Never do. I rarely watch TV and that is only for 10 minutes or so while I eat. Secondly, if I’m spending time with my family/ friends and the TV is on. As my father rightly says TV is an idiot-box.

• Teach/ take tuition. (Status: Done)

Took tuition of school students for 15 months.

• Learn kick boxing/ karate/ jiu-jitsu. (Status: To-do)

I want to learn any one of these martial arts but my top favorite is kick-boxing. It was a childhood dream, carried onto adolescent and still present. I have already searched every nook of my city, there are no trainers here. I don’t desire to be a professional in any of these arts, but just want to learn enough for self-defense and defending the people I love. And to make me capable to face at least a small pack of people simultaneously, who knows the zombie apocalypse might be near. 😛

• Learn to cook. (Status: To-do)

Cooking is fun and can be really helpful. I just know a very few dishes that too I cannot make without referring to recipes and guidance of my mum. I have to become an independent good cook now.

• Never break your promise – Always keep your word. (Status: Done)

It’s one principle that I have always followed. I never break my promises.

• Send a hand drawn card to anyone/everyone who at some point at least for some time had entertained you, made you smile, and forged moments of happiness in your life. (Status: Ongoing)

It takes some time to make a hand drawn card for me as I always try to make it perfect. And till date every time I have completed making a card I had a slight nagging in my mind to keep it for myself, but I don’t. 😛 It will mean a lot to them now, and a lot to you in ten years when they show it to you.

• Learn at least one different international language. (Status: Ongoing)

I tried learning Spanish. Till now have only learnt saying and writing this line “Hello, My name is Abhishek.” In Spanish it is “Hola, Mi nombre es Abhishek”

• Listen to music, as many different genres as possible. (Status: Ongoing)

Now I guess I don’t need to describe the benign value of music to you all. Everyone loves music. Gimme heavy metal, folk metal, hard rock, alternative rock, Gothic rock, black metal, death metal, blues, classic rock, garage rock, grunge, power metal, love metal, symphonic metal, thrash metal, progressive rock, Viking metal, nu metal, Latin rock, J rock, industrial metal, oldies (old school), I feed on everything and am still exploring.

• Go on a road trip. (Status: To-do)

Well, I had planned a road trip with my friends but alas, my friends weren’t so interested. So it got cancelled. Damn them. But I plan to try again after graduation then perhaps my dumb friends would see some reason in it and come. Since, I cannot just go all alone on a road trip.

• Learn about human psychology. (Status: Ongoing)
• Learn basics of philosophy. (Status: To-do)

I have a small course and books on this topic in mind, will pursue them.

• Make a complete ass of yourself at least once, more if possible, it builds character. (Status: Done twice)

Enough said. (-.-‘)

• Don’t worry much about your college grades. (Status: Done)

Ha-ha. 😀 Like I do?

• Donate blood. (Status: To-do)

Missed an opportunity once, a campaign was organized in my college and I was out of the city representing my college in a paper presentation competition elsewhere. 😐

• Work for free. (Status: Ongoing)

I offer my free assistance in any task in which I see a learning or knowledge sharing opportunity. Currently helping a person to write an academic book on a subject out of my syllabus. 😛

• Get a pup dog and a grumpy fat kitty and raise them together. (Status: To-do)

I always wanted to have a dog, I love dogs and I like cats too. I plan to have them when I have my own space.*

• Every year or so make a photo stream music CD of the moments spend with friends and family. (Status: To-do)

Songs and pictures attach themselves to memories. Ten years out, they’ll be as effective as a journal in taking you back to your favorite moments.

• Run a marathon. (Status: To-do)
• At least once go for Paintballing/ Skiing/ Bungee Jumping/Other Adventure sports. (Status: To-do)
• Seek out the best movies and watch them. (Status: Ongoing*)

I was up-to-date with newest life changing; best movies few years back but after then I could not extract much time for movies and my ‘To-watch’ list keeps growing even today. I have to start reducing that list to a shorter length fast.

• Learn a magic trick. (Status: Done)

I am a wizard. Ha ha. 😀

• Listen more talk less. (Status: Done)

My teachers say am a very good listener. 😛 And I talk very less. (So I have less social contacts).

• Join a band. (Status: To-do)
• Hang out with friends more/meet people/better social life/have fun. (Status: To-do)
• Organize a hangover/night out at your place. (Status: Done)

All my family members were out of station for one month, I had stayed back alone at home due to my final exams. It seemed to me as a perfect opportunity for a hangover. Enjoyed a lot and had loads of fun that night.

P.S. – It was a boy’s only hangover 😛

• Master the art of patience. (Status: Ongoing)
• Master the virtue of delayed gratification. (Status: Done)

This is what I’m talking about. 🙂

• Train yourself in economics and management fairly. (Status: Ongoing)
• Learn about your personal finance. (Status: Ongoing)
• Learn when to shake a no and when to nod a yes. (Status: Ongoing)

Friends calling to hang-out, free delicious food, a relative’s party, or a tantalizing date (am not so sure about this one 😛 ) – learn when to accept and when to decline.

• Be humorous, be funny, and stay happy. (Status: Ongoing)

Always try to strengthen your weak jokes. 😛

• Keep practicing public speaking. (Status: Ongoing)
• Stay open minded. (Status: Ongoing)

You cannot learn with your mind closed off, can you, eh? 😉

• Start a creative project – a documentary, comics, a single,  etc. (Status: To-do)
• Learn to dress well. (Status: Ongoing)

Your clothing gives a bit of insight of your personality, and inadvertently makes an impression on others about you.

• Cherish this phase of your life and revel in it. (Status: Ongoing)

This is the only time in your life when your only real responsibility is to learn. When there is no wrong in what you could do. And, biting off way more than you could chew. Try to remember how lucky you are every day.

• Learn basic graphic designing and digital art. (Status: Ongoing)

The pictures in this post are my first lame attempts at this.

• Exercise your brain continuously. (Status: Ongoing)

Keep it busy. Play chess, or solve riddles, or play strategy games, or write haiku. Keep it buzzing.

• Write a book. (Status: To-do)
• Have faith, trust and believe in yourself. (Status: Ongoing)
• Make a good deal of money. (Status: To-do)
• Dream and dream BIG. (Status: Ongoing)
• Just Rebel! (Status: Ongoing)
• Revolutionize the world. (Status: To-do)

Leave a lasting impression on the people and be remembered even after death, be it only for your relatives and friends, revolutionize their small individual worlds, and remember to dream big.

• Inspire others and get inspired. (Status: You tell me!)

 P.S. – This post will be updated in case of any status changes and new additions (when fresh quests will be added, an ‘edited’ quote will go down at the end of this post) from time to time. 🙂

*Edited.

^Song of the post: “A Day in the Life” by The Beatles

^Chaos! 🙂