Category: Literature

Choose love

Published December 20, 2024 By Bijay Shrestha

Choose love, everyday, every-time!

Musicpervs

^{EKDEV LIMBU – Jhim Jhimaune Aankha}

Care to read and you will relate.

Care not, you will relate.

… about choosing love over the alternative!

The secret to lasting love lies in gratitude.
When you have someone special, resist the urge to look elsewhere.
The grass isn’t greener—it’s simply a different shade of the same.

Cherish what you have, for love isn’t about flawless perfection.
It’s about choosing each other, through the chaos,
through the challenges, time and time again.

In a world where quitting comes so easily,
a single argument or a rough day often leads to goodbye.
But the most beautiful love stories are born from resilience.

They are written by those who stay when it’s tough,
who confront their doubts,
and who remind themselves daily how fortunate they are to share their lives.

Love isn’t built on ease; it flourishes through commitment.
Be the story that endures—not because it was effortless,
but because you held on to the magic that made it worth it.

Choose love, always.

Namaste.

Comments closed

We only die once

Published December 12, 2024 By 8ijay.shrestha

Begin at once to live, and count each separate day as a separate life.
Seneca

^{Ek Din Aap Yoon Humko Mil Jayenge}

The entire while from when I was born, life has been wild and surprising,

Curve balls after curve balls.

Scaring. Scarring. Hustling, Humbling.

Chaotic. At times orderly for sure.

Changing. Demanding.

But. .. .but

One thing has been ‘a’ constant.

Yes, it was painful. It was petrifying.

It was confusing. Damning.

Regardless, no remorse.

No regrets.

Wouldn’t change anything.

About life, snoppy nails it best.

So.

Take this mixed bag. Do what you can do, when you can do, where you can do, how you can do. Focus on the now!

The Little Things.

Namaste.

Comments closed

Don’t. Miss. Anything.

Published September 7, 2023 By Bijay Shrestha

Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.
—John Lennon.

^{Mumford & Sons – Ghosts That We Knew}

Jim Rohn in one of his famous speech went onto say,”

Something my parent taught me that they practiced all their life. Now I practice.

Don’t Miss Anything.

Don’t miss the game.

Don’t miss the concert.

Don’t miss the performance

Don’t miss the show

Don’t miss the conversation.

Don’t miss the sermon.

Don’t miss the class.

Don’t. Miss. Anything.

Go.

Look.

See.

Learn.

Try.

Taste.

(With gesture of hands, suggests)

Let that Flavor of life be part of your lifestyle.

Elton John sings, “She lived her life like a candle in the wind, never knowing who to cling to, when the rain set in.”

What if you missed that?

See, that wouldn’t be good.

George Harrison used to sing before he died, “If not for you, the winter would hold no spring. Couldn’t hear a robin sing. I just wouldn’t have a clue if not for you.”

Again with meaningful gesture of hands re-iterates,

Go Taste.

Go Listen.

Go Enjoy.”

See, one thing is for certain.

Nobody is ever, never prepared for what is going to happen in our lives far into the future.

But the only guarantee that renders a glimmer of healthy hope, that this one time opportunity ‘life’ would eventually fold in a good enough episode is to actually plant, nurture and water the seeds of wisdom as it progresses.

Go explore Jim. He was the harbinger of a laying out his unique template for a practical, pragmatic and most importantly a good-enough life.

Namaste.

Comments closed

Conversation

Published August 31, 2023 By 8ijay.shrestha

Important conversations. Important people.
~Musicpervs

_{^{Cladestina – Emma Peters}}

Conversation of once being dirt poor.

Conversation of how life changed … is changing.

Not rich.

Enriching.

Namaste.

Comments closed

Infodemic

Published August 17, 2023 By 8ijay.shrestha

“Almost everything we experience is a zero-sum game. Just, don’t take the wrong medicine for the wrong disease.”
~ Musicpervs

^{Tu Chodiyon Na – Ronit Vinta}

There is so much noise out there.

Almost everything we see and hear are a zero-sum game.

Almost everything cancels out each other.

So, is this bad?

Does this mean, we ought to just eat whatever we get our hands on, and learn from exclusive experience, and learn as truth unveils itself eventually?

Actually not.

The actualization and realization of this one fundamental facet of this infodemic era is in-and-itself a super power.

It calls for truth.

It call for not believing or giving in to things you’re exposed to, or influenced at will.

It calls for original thinking.

It calls for genuine curiosity and getting to the process of seeking truths and grooming and feasting over facts, facts and facts, and developing your ideas over those unfiltered, hardcore, for-real information.

Namaste.

Comments closed

Learned my lesson

Published June 15, 2023 By 8ijay.shrestha

Many people care more about being right than being happy

James Clear

^{sapientdream – Pastlives}

I was the person with utmost respect for philosophy, ideals, principles and dead people’s quotes.

In the name of being true, honest, assertive and straight, I’d hurt many people. I’d walk over them many-a-times. I’d abandon those whoever didn’t agree with my view of the reality.

I was the Sherlock who always wanted to have the last say even though it meant at the cost of cold and bitter relationships.

I’ve learned my lessons.

And, just as Vicki Tidwell Palmer puts it:

Choosing to be happy rather than being right means you value creating understanding, or maintaining harmony and peace over insisting on being heard, making sure that other people “get” you, or teaching someone else a lesson.

Not everything in life is objective or more precisely, most of the things in life are subjective.

Lastly, David Hume best describes it in the opening line of his philosophical book, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, published in 1748, where he says,

Indulge your passion for science…but let your science be human, and such as may have a direct reference to action and society. Be a philosopher; but amidst all your philosophy, be still a man

Namaste.

Comments closed

Little Did I know

Published March 23, 2023 By 8ijay.shrestha

There are no cheatsheets to live a successful, happy, merry life. Life’s grind. ~ author

^{Jeremy Zucker – Cry with you}

Yesterday it was my 5th interview for Bank of America, Charlotte, NC. Tomorrow we’ve one more scheduled for 2pm EST. It’s been precisely 5 months and 2 weeks since I started working for the bank as an Application Architect. However, little did I know, from the month of February, 2023, I would already start taking interviews for the new candidates across the bank’s many software development teams. Little did I know, from the 1st week of March, 2023, I would be an On-shore Dev Lead for an agile team I currently work at.

On one hand, It’s humbling to have trust of my manager, as well as the leads from other agile teams in the bank who’re also amongst the interviewers panel. While on the other hand, I’m also on perpetual spotlight; Where my actions, in-actions, my ways of communicating, deliberate listening, my ways of shaping the interview, my questions, my answers, every words I utter, words that I don’t, … generally my character as a whole is nakedly microscoped by the age-old, white-haired, wise and experienced employee of this giga-normous bank!

Side note: As of today, Bank of America provides service to it's clients from around 35 different countries with over 200,000 employees.

Little did I know I’ll have too much too soon on my vanilla, clean, scared plate.

Lastly, from someone who has taken 100s of interviews back home and already did plenty here, few takeaways for the prospective interviewee, plus a note to myself as well:

Caution: This is not The Template; it's merely just one of many templates that works for me -- specially for technical/ coding interviews:

Don’t ignore non-behavioral questions. Too much talking is a bad sign. Not talking enough is also a turnoff. There has to be a right balance between the two. Qualities such as authenticity, confidence, preparedness or lack there-off always find ways to crack open if there’re any ingrained in the candidate on the table .
It’s always a good thing to dress well for the interview. Amplifies seriousness because the alternative genuinely sucks.
Can’t stress enough,”Be prepared” for the interview (Practice. Practice. Practice). Do not try your LUCK. Do not expect an easy way in.
Ask as many questions before diving into the solution to the coding problems.
Explain how you intend to solve the problem before even writing a single piece of code.
Write.Your.Code!
Show utter enthusiasm throughout the period of interview (this has to be driven by homework of healthy preparedness), and not to miss if you may give signs of willingness to grow at par.
One last thing i liked: If you’re unable to solve the coding challenge problem, tell the interviewers that you’ll get back to them with the solution. And, actually find ways to do it.

Namaste.

Comments closed

Seek Discomfort

Published November 3, 2022 By 8ijay.shrestha

“He that lies down with Dogs, shall rise up with fleas.”
– Ben. Franklin (Poor Richard’s Almanack), 1733

^{Sajjan Raj Vaidya – Dhairya}

Part 3

Who stopped me from quiting?

Who got me focused into my prime senses?

Who grounded me from the weightlessness I was experiencing?

Who unfucked me from all the brain swells I was going through?

Who rescued me from my afraid self?

She’s my girl!

And, I call her ‘Solution’ for reasons!

My 2 cents: While you’re in pursuit of something really meaningful and important, while you’re navigating through the course of the goals and ambition — you have magnanimous self-doubts, anxiousness and fear; Now, all we have to understand is that it is at this unique pivot of time itself that — you must believe and embody the fact that self-belief & perseverance is the virtue that’s called for; without exception!

Today’s my birthday. And like any other years I’m writing a small note to myself. So, here we go.

I came to the US on October 3, 2021. And, it’s precisely 13 months since I’ve been here. Well ought I compress the gap between these times, I say I am grateful for everything!

Been through so, so … so many ups and downs.

So many sleepless nights,

so many exams,

So many potatoshresthas’

so many ramens’

so many sodas’

so many microwaves moments,

so many codes’,

so many airports,

so… so many pure, serendipitous beautiful moments,

Eventually to the point where I went as low as having only $5 on my bank account to show up for and still I had my homies backing me up.

Most certainly, looking back, everything was worth it!

And, I would like to extend my deepest, sincerest and earnest thanks to those few who’ve helped me on my journey. You know who you are!

And, please know I don’t forget kindness … ever!

Lastly a note to myself, “Seek More Discomfort”

Namaste.

Comments closed

Questions

Published July 28, 2022 By 8ijay.shrestha

There’s no graduation degree for wisdom. It’s a virtue. It’s in habits. It’s in choices. It’s the journey.
musicpervs

^{Gary Jules – Falling Awake}

With me, there are times when I want to write so much about so many things; I end up writing nothing.

With me, there are excellent plans, there are these perfect action-items I would’ve set for the day; I end up binging sitcom.

With me, there are important things that need my important attention; I end up putting them off for later and spend hours sleeping.

Questions.

Should I feel bad, bitter and disgusted about these breaks?

Can i still make it with these stress-relieving stressful choices?

Is postponing pleasure and momentary happiness the only objective way to be really happy — fully and ever and after?

Namaste.

Comments closed