Thimphu- The place to be

Like the title screams out loud. Thimphu, the place to be, the place meant for you and me. NOT

Man if i hadnt grown up here, i would have left Thimphu in a second. Man I dont know, it does not have the charm of a small village and yet does not have the aloofness of the big cities.

I cannot go into town without meeting Aum dorjis younger sisters husband or go around for a drive without seeing the pretty chimis neighbour that i had met decades ago or the gangster kid penjor giving me the death stare.

I mean if you are the outgoing extrovert who has to be at all the parties and live it up in the most happening places ,it would be your thing but for an introvert like i just cant stop fake smiling every where i go around. Man it gets tiring at times .

If you arent seen in Viva or space people assume you are out of town, all the cool kids around the block hang around MOjos or Dojos, Now may be its the inferiority complex in me or the need to get away from all this but why do we have specific places for everything we do.

Party- viva Space
Movies-  People considering Dzongkha is lame so skip this
Books- Junction
Eating -Zone
Park- are only for kids
Hang out- some fancy place i dont know about
Swimming- Taj or Namgay Heritage
Basketball - swimming pool just 1000 per hour
Football Chanlimithang or Changjiji - just 5000 per game
Drinking- All those fancy bars , you know the ones i am talking about, the places where a bottle of beer is just 120 where as outside 65.

With all this labels where am i gonna find a place to sit with my muffin and my book to read huh?

I would have gone to Paro , but its a little too quiet for me .I would gone to Bumthang but its a little too cold for me , I would have gone to Gelephu but its a little too hot for me to handle and the list goes on for each Dzongkhag . So hate it or love it this called village city it is.

The place where people have big cars but have no time for the simple fellow Bengali to pass the express way.

The place where you impress the streets but your house is a mess.

The place where every one one speaks english and has become the National language

The place where everything is branded and has tags but we are losing touch of our own brand of what Bhutanese are.

The place where every one is rushing to some place or another and yet is not getting any closer to finding one self.

The place where kids get lost in the darkness of the city yet gets reflected by the shades of the people driving big cars.

Too much frustration it seems, Too much complain i know ,, but its happening ,, its happening to you and me.

Thimphu - the place to be for you not me

i am breaking bad

So there i was standing outside Osang store with my 400 bucks trying to get the last season of Breaking Bad. The first time ever i paid such an amount for getting somethign to watch .Why? Cause its worth it.I know there are a lot of Game of Thrones and oter kind of stuff but i could really just relate to htis one.

This is the first time i am kinda like reviewing a movie or series sort.So believe me when i say this the SHIT.I mean like i was on it for day and night going episode after another.Not for the the faint hearted.

 I am still in the hang over of being out of the zone of the series. Still got a total hang over of the series.

Breaking Bad the epic series of getting out of the regular mundane life and grabbing things by the balls and making things happen. A story of a school Teacher who finds out that he has lung cancer and a few months left on earth meets up with his former junkie student starting up a meth business to try and earn as much as they can before they run out of money and time.

I relate to the character Jesse Pinkman who tries to be this badass but ends up being manipulated by everyone around him. You can feel every bit of his emotions when he sees his loved ones being killed right infront of him and how he tries to deal with it and in the end ends up being an animal himself .

Breaking bad is special for me cause its about us every day guys going to office, doing our best to make it work but knowing that we are going through an aimless journey and just trying to figure out what each of us are meant to do.

So there it is "gatorare me Bitch"

Lets Go running- July month

The number of people working out in Thimphu just shows how every one has realized the importance of the much needed work out to cope up with the modern day life.You start believing you are one of the modern day person who knows whats important and fitness is your priority.The mirror hits you in the face and the little pot belly peaks out and shouts mid life crises.You can blame it on your mothers good cooking or the last time you toasted to your friends long life, the belly does not take no for an answer.

The recent Body building competition in Thimphu was an inspiring event which made me want to get up and start flexing and relaxing.Of course the visual of seeing Bhutanese men in those tiny undies flexing and relaxing their muscles never ceases to amuse me.Just imagine if you were one of the contestants and you had your mother next to you cheering for you. shouting out loud ...Relax son , now flex, flex show those judges your lower thigh muscles fast.  I am not much a fan of those big bulgy guys,I would like my body to be rather lean and mean. Ranbeer kapoor has been an inspiration of what kinda body i want.

Honestly I have been pigging out the last couple of days just going from office to home watching movies and eating non stop junk.

Call it a blessing in some sort of bizarre way but I have this constant need to always keep improving myself or else low self esteem hits in.So i have this insane need to do better at all times which in turn keeps pushing me further.At times i wish i was one of those laid back kinda guys who always has a beer around says party on.So i eat, sleep and  i get anxious and low which leads to eating some more and sleeping. Not a very fulfilling feeling.


So i have decided to make this month JULY as my running month.A month dedicated to proving your commitment to oneself to prove mind over matter. To take health as a priority and taking atleast half an hour every day for your self where you get lost in your thoughts and your legs do the running.

( Try milkha paajis training mode if you dare)


If you are already have the killer six packs, good on you.if you have the family pack like me then i urge you to join me to make a commitment to go out for a run this whole month for at least half an hour. Every step you take is earning good merit because after you are done with running you wont be stressed much to shout at your husband, you wont feel the need to go out drinking with your buddies which in turn reduces the traffic problem in Thimphu.

So no blaming on the hang over you had from yesterday or the fact that its raining. You dont have enough time or you are just plain lazy .Your boss gave you a firing or that the zakar is not good.

 Lets just run.Lets run for health.lets run for the kid inside you who wants to have fun and let go. Lets run for the fighter who wants to keep at it till the last battle.lets run for the good times to come knowing you are healthy.Lets just bloody run for the next thirty days.Be it at morning wee hours breathing in the fresh air.Or late at night cause you had to work late lets go for a run. Ill see you running around Thimphu.

(This is just plain hilarious)

Remember as a kid when you would run so fast when you felt your legs would fall off running towards the swing

 Check list
Day 1 -- rain or shine ,,Tu Bhaag Milkha tick for day 1
Day 2 ,3,4 and 5 -

Rest of the days : Every Ones human

hoops dreams creamed for now

I have always had a lifelong passion with basketball , i used to admire players and always wanted to be like them . I used to go around swimming pool area and start day dreaming where my team would win and i would be popular and then soon be the king of the world . I am sure guys around Thimphu can relate to this passion. Real life does not work that way.

Soon you realize that this king of the world is being single offhandedly blocked by this 15 year old kid who looks younger than your son if you had married 2 years ago , then all this king of the world wants a cup of ice cream , no more basketball.

Basketball led men to become heroes in Thimphu.  A game played by the mighty kings. Basketball would rule over all other sports in Thimphu.

Now after a decade of playing almost 15 tournaments i am forced  to accept fact that some dreams are never meant to be. Sure i have had my own shares of trying to play my heart out and to be the best player out there but the disappointment of losing is just a tad bit more when you give it all you got and then you get thrashed 50 -10.

So here is an adios to a life long passion.I am not giving up but coming to agree with the fact that somethings are never meant to be and that there are a lot more wonderful things out there like traveling and secretly trying to rip the car tires of those guys who thrashed us in the last game .

I am always gonna play the game and enjoy it but i have out grown basketball , real life needs to be filled, bills needs to be paid.

and to those gifted athletes who work hard and inspire us to try harder in the local games ,, i hope you twist your ankle and your ligament just rips wide open.

I am going to make sure that i train my son who will be born in a couple of years to be the best athlete and make sure he whoops your sons ass and for now you can keep playing and practicing, i gotta go get my ticket to see an NBA game ..TRUE STORY
!!!!!!!11

How to deal with the 9 to 5.

If you are a regular joe and  if you work the 9 to 5 on a regular basis then i am quite sure that you have now become the automatic robotic zombie that we all turn out to be.

We all need the regular tips and advices on how to deal with the 9 to 5 once every thing gets monotonous and we all become the like dead zombies . As i am the know it all mister here are a few tips.

Please be cautioned that these are the advices of the self proclaimed master at work and does not include any medical or financial expertise.

On a starting note if you are the " too good for every one else, who knows everything and gets everything done on time, kinda best employee of the month" Just know that No body likes you, every one just laughs about you when you walk away and its people like you who invented something boring like MATH so lets get started

1) Get Your 8 hrs sleep.

You gotta be on your toes most of the time working in, so get your 8 hours sleep . Put off the Tv , Read your book on a weekend. Put away your phone and get your 8 hours sleep . i am sure you will feel great if you get your 8 hours sleep.

2) Get your job done

You are here to work people work work work.Most people i see around office have shit load of work to do and yet the first thing they do is log into face book look around the mail and just goof off.Trust me when you do your job and then you look at the time office is almost over.

3) Every one needs a coffee break/Smoking/eating Doma break

Are you being paid for staring at the computer whole day long? Are you Rajni kant??? If not.So get up go light a ciggy or make coffee .. go for walk get a doma listen to your favourite song along the way laugh if you can.;D ,Just laugh just think of the funniest shit and laugh

4) Lunch Break is lunch break

Go ahead with all the gossips with your frens if you want.Make sure you do it till 2 ocklock .Lunch break is not extra

5) Take a Nap
Do u feel sleepy after lunch.Take a nap.I am sure you will feel like a brand new person.

6) Talk to your favorite person
We all have that one person in the office whom we like a lil more than others .One way to do time traveling in office is just go ahead and talk to that person .make your day.Smile

7) Watch a movie/write a blog
SO you are done for the day you had your coffee ,you are done with your work ,you had your nap So why dont you just kick back and watch a movie ,write a blog.

8) Stare at the wall

One way to lose track of time is to stare at the wall ,just stare at the wall ,you can also dig your nose if you want to .Make sure there are no people around

9) Take leave

Done be the man who never takes a leave.If you get 10 days leave ,then take the 10 days leave i am sure u have better tings to do.

10)Work WOrk work.

On a serious note we all get paid so get to work

Your reasons for living ???

I came across this amazing video clip of the Dalai Lama where he shares about how to be happy and the usual stuff about peace love and compassion.The one thing that got me was his commitments in life.IT GAVE HIM A REASON TO BE ALIVE EVERY DAY BECAUSE HE HAD A JOB TO DO EVERY DAY AND HE HAD A REASON FOR HIS EXISTENCE.


We used to have an english proffesor in college who used to tease his students saying why are you all here ? What is your reason for existence and when the students couldnt answer he would say well even a trash can has a reason to exist.It collects trash so are you worse than a trash can.I think he wanted us to figure out what we wanted in our life.To get a reason

Coming back to his holiness speech here are his three commitments in his life time :

Firstly, on the level of a human being, His Holiness’ first commitment is the promotion of human values such as compassion, forgiveness, tolerance, contentment and self-discipline. All human beings are the same. We all want happiness and do not want suffering. Even people who do not believe in religion recognize the importance of these human values in making their life happier. His Holiness refers to these human values as secular ethics. He remains committed to talk about the importance of these human values and share them with everyone he meets.

Secondly, on the level of a religious practitioner, His Holiness’ second commitment is the promotion of religious harmony and understanding among the world’s major religious traditions. Despite philosophical differences, all major world religions have the same potential to create good human beings. It is therefore important for all religious traditions to respect one another and recognize the value of each other’s respective traditions. As far as one truth, one religion is concerned, this is relevant on an individual level. However, for the community at large, several truths, several religions are necessary.

Thirdly, His Holiness is a Tibetan and carries the name of the ‘Dalai Lama’. Therefore, his third commitment is to work to preserve Tibet's Buddhist culture, a culture of peace and non-violence.


His commitment in his life made me think a lot and i was wondering what are my reason for living.Why am i here? We all go through a phase in our life time where we question everything us and start thinking what is the point in all of these things that we go about doing.

I remember a story of Buddha where a man going insane with all his curious thoughts ask Buddha why is the sky colour blue? and the reply that Buddha makes i think is what reason do you have to ask about the sky?Is it bothering you ?Is it harming you in any way? Does all theses sort of questions bring you happiness. Can you change the colour.If the answer is no then the only thing you have control over is your own thoughts and perceptions so control them and let go of all questions.

Very wise words when it comes to such questions cause we are all the time thinking about what, when, how and who knew the beatles had the answer when they said it outloud "Let it be"

Any ways coming back to the orginal topic .I know Buddha meant for us not to be distracted in any ways like i did .For even he had a reason to live and his was to spread buddhism to each and every individual so that every one could attend their own happiness and rest just didnt matter to him.

After a lot of twist ,turning and scratching my head.I finally figured out my reasons for existence and i am sure it connects with all of us so:

Commitment 1: To be the best version of my self and be content.We all have our own shades of grey and we go through the ups and downs and commitments like this help us get a perspective.When you have a purpose to be the best version of yourself everything else just falls into place.For example i would want to be confident,bold, happy well educated with values .So that at the end when i am old and grey (forgetting impermanence :P) i would look back and know that i did all that i could with my heart and soul , that i lived the best life that i truly deserved .To be the best of what i can be in any terms be it healthier,stronger responsible nicer everything that my heart and soul wants.

Commitment 2: I know His holiness is a living Buddha and i can only aspire to be even 1 percent of what he is but what i learned through his commitment is that he lives solely for the purpose of other beings.I know now that i cannot make everyone happy all the time .So i have set my priority To love respect,care and always be there for my girl friend.I know it may sound a little unreasonable cause as couples live in togethere and when everything becomes mundane,monotonous loving seems a little too hard.

I have not reached that stage , i hope we never reach that stage where we are married ,take each other for granted and become just mean living corpse.I am not experienced enough to know about those things and i hope i never get enoug experience.For now i beleive with everything that i have that i will always try to be a good human being for her. For she gives me a reason to breathe and smile when i go to sleep at the end of the day.

Living for others works in funny ways when other people are down you find ways to make them happy and when they are happy you cant help but feel a sense of happiness and satisfaction at the end of tha day.So make some smile today.

Commitment 3 : Close your eyes think of some one who has shown you compassion at all times,who have cared and given love, at times tough love also to make you better .My third commitment is to always respect love and do all it takes to make my parents happy.I think nothing gets more noble than that and i am sure at the end when i look back i will feel a little sense of satisfaction knowing i treated them right.As some one said happiness is only real when shared and i would to share all of my happiness with them.

I am just a young guy with all my sense of wild beliefs and funny fascinations,but if it makes me a better person and if it makes you feel a little positive i think everyelse just doesn't matter. so why are you here?what are your reasons?

Things i have learned that school dont teach

Life is a journey and as we pass by being spectators to all little things around us, in a jiffy we find out that life has in fact passed us by and those sweet old school days are just a vivid memory of us molding into different characters.If i could write myself a letter to my young self being in school i would have so much to say.Though It is because of all different events that we become who we truly are.School teaches us a lot about values, education ,being friends and generally growing up.However when you get out into the real world its a whole different ball game .The things that school don't teach us.These are my list of what i learned.I know every one has their one different things and might not agree with me but i am sure some of us have learned that :

Hard work beats Talent any day.

Remember the kid who always stood first in class,or the guy who did exceptionally well in sports.How they would always do well as if god had selected his favorite few and was blessing upon them.I am sure the topper wasn't playing police and chor with you after school or watching television after dinner like he said he was.

I  have always had a low self esteem and would always beat my self up comparing to them.I am sure the kid who stood first had spend hours reading books and studying ,the kid who who did well in sports wouldn't be good if he spend all day playing contra( video games), now would he?

.
There is always a limit to how much far talent can take you but if you do not put in the hard work, its a waste of the gift you have upon you.

If you have a dream ,if you want it bad,then you gotta put everything on the line and go for it day in and out..Then you can be the next Lyonchen.


PS: Never let your self believe the teachers who tell you that you are smart; it just makes you think you will do well in exam and you manage to get an average grade


Friends come and go.

The special bond that happens as a kid school is genuine i believe.We make friends not based on any judgements but it just happens.You meet  someone and ask wanna play? and there you become friends.

The very special people who used to be the most important ones for you ,the ones whose judgement you trusted the most, the ones you always hung out with eventually fades, anyways most of them do.

You are friends and before you know it life happens.You go to different colleges , meet every now and then soon you find that you have nothing in common.Your priorities change your timings change and you lose them and that is OK .

They were placed as special moment there to touch your life for a moment and go.Only for a special few ones that teach you about real friendship most just pass by.


Don't beat yourself up too much.You are unique like every one else.

Being in school is tough. Its a place where you have thousands of students to compare with who are always on their toes being judgmental about how you walk, talk and act.At one point it feels like school is the whole world.

Those years are so hard ,no wonder all lots of young people commit suicide.Those hard moments feels like its the end of the world.

Don't beat yourself up too much.You eventually learn that all of it doesnt really matter and what makes you happy is the most important thing.

As you grow older it just doesn't matter if you don't have a branded shirt.If your lover finds you sexiest in a torn worn out shirt then that's it.
It would be just hard to walk around being a price tag, trying to keep up every time.

It just wont matter that you do not have friends at some point, you realize you are strong enough by your self.

It doesn't matter that you are not good in sports or in fact not good at anything .Celebrating the fact that you are healthy and you have food on your table is a reason enough to celebrate.

All that you ever dreamed of might never come true but just know,Sports is for fun, guitar is for singing , books are for losing yourself in them , friends are for celebrating the joy of companionship and it goes on , its in the little things you find your joy.

It doesnt matter that you have the prettiest girl in school firstly you must love yourself enough then you are bound to find some one that loves you.

At the end you find out that you tire yourself out by trying to impress people and do thingsto get a friend of be cool.

Its hard to keep up with the latest fashion and sometimes you just gotta let it go and walk around in ur bata chapal around town.Things get easier.



Your mom was always nice.

Remember the days in school where you used to think how your parents were the most stupid people and do not know anything. Those rebellious days.

I have learned how hard it can get in life.How they sacrifice their dreams for their children.
You put yourself in their shoes and find out in fact they have the biggest heart that always glow for you no matter how mean you were to them.


I want it now.

Being a kid you have all that energy and you want it all now.Well it never works that way and when you grow up you find out that you just lose yourself trying to do a million things and you don't get a single thing done.You realize that patience is a virtue and realize pacing yourself is best before you start a journey.

Habit makes a man.

Thoughts becomes action ,which in turn becomes habit and then becomes your character.

All the little habits you pick up in school tend to stick with you for most of your life.So if you think you are strong enough to smoke one cigarette a day to be cool in front of people,trust me it will be a stick that sticks with you.It would just be hard to give up

Developing good habits from childhood is important.If you are grow up being happy as a kid then you grow up to be a happy adult.
Depressed and low self esteem sticks with you for most of your life.Though it can be helped later on but it takes a lot of effort cause you are built that way.

My teachers should have taught me how to come to school early or how to talk to people rather than what southwind comes from the pi chart to the hydrogen in nuclear s law?Not saying that these aren't important it makes you know about how everything works but developing a character is as important as that.

Next Lyonchen??

It is good to have ambition or a direction in your life , but always know that things may take a side turn and you may be just a chef in lyonchens house,How ever take pleasure in it and you can at least decide on how lyonchen would be eating his next meal.

Morning people tend to more happier than night owls so get your sleep.

You are never to old to play games.

Every one grows up but  maturity level depends on the person i am talking to.

You are only as happy or as sad as you let your self be.

Life is not always fair ,not always rainbows and butterflies and not always "ha ha he he" but its worth living every second of it. Look at the little things


WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?