Mind Speaks
Don’t delay the midday break – Letters to the editor – The National Dt 08 June 2015
With the temperature consistently remaining high, I would suggest the midday break be implemented with immediate effect. If you visit a construction site, you will notice how exhausted the workers are. It’s also necessary to ensure they get an adequate supply of water.
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
To read it in original, please visit The National online
Artistic taste – Short Take – Gulf Today Dt 06 June 2015
Artistic taste
I have several hobbies developed over a period of years. It is interesting to develop new skills and it requires a lot of dedication and sustained effort.
Sketching and drawing is one of them. During my school days, I was scared to touch the pencil even to draw an ordinary flower for my school assignments.
But moving on to college and professional courses, there was no choice left other than to try it out. At some point of time, I thought about my maternal uncle, who used to be very good at oil paintings.
I thought about him whenever I had any assignments and some sort of self-confidence developed. The artistic taste grew from there on.
My thoughts on drawing came out recently when I observed an artist exhibiting his skills at an Abu Dhabi mall. He was a professional and started from a blank canvas and used the free brush style and created something extraordinary.
Thinking deeper into it, our life is like that of the blank canvas and the artist. We are born with certain natural and inherited skills and we add up on to them several others through continuous education. This becomes our true wealth.
How we utilise this wealth will result in our immortal contributions to society. This is what I term, Talent Share, with its magic mantra. A talent or knowledge is to be shared.
The joy of seeing someone else taking up your interest in a competitive or entertainment spirit is immense to experience.
Ramesh Menon
To read it in original, please visit Gulf Today online
Mind Speaks – Is Life A Rat Race?
Is Life A Rat Race?
A first of its kind parking and play facility was getting completed in our area. The work took a considerably long time as it was a huge structure. Obviously, the worksite had an area for staff accommodation and storage. That opened automatically options for all types of waste to get accumulated in the area. Once the work completed and site was ready to open, the workers accommodations and storage units were moved to another location as planned.
However, there were some silent residents in the area (are they really silent?). None other than a colony of rodents. Now exposed, where do they go? No options other than to migrate to the nearby available residential buildings. Are they a welcomed guests? No and resulted in some work for the respective maintenance staff. They started it immediately without fail.
On my way to work one day, I chanced upon this little friend. Its eye was glowing as if it wanted to speak a lot. To run around and escape. But, it was unable. That made me explore why and how it was in that condition. Maintenance staff around told me that they had to keep poisoned rodent biscuits to finish of these unwanted guests.
What was surprising for me was there were many cats in that area, even closer to this one I spotted. None were interested to catch it! Were they afraid of eating a poisoned prey? No, not really was the answer from the ever ready staff who were vigilantly following its end. They said to me that these days the cats in the area are well fed with expensive cat food. So, they have left their traditional predatory instincts and now after a luxurious lift style. Not bad to follow the modern definition of cat and mouse games!
Or is it a natural example of a harmonious living.
All these thoughts happened within a few minutes. As I observed the rodent one more time, it was at the last minute of life in this world. I still felt it was looking at me and wanted to say so many things. At times, many of us might have been at situations watching the last minutes of someone whom we like from a closer view. He or she will realise the value of life and work done and left to be done at that time.
Harmonious living is something we have to now strive for. Till then, you will not wonder if one says, life is like a rat race!
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
05th June 2015
Social commitment – Short Take – Gulf Today Dt 30th May 2015
Social commitment
I have a Facebook account as well as Facebook page and a photography group that I moderate. On my personal account, I handpick my contacts who are there as friends. On the page and group, I do allow, with limited moderation, those who should be there.
The reason obviously is to select the audience who I wish to read my thoughts or will be interested to read it and whose activities interest me. Obviously, it will be the same with every socially committed person.
Recently, a virus hit one of my accounts. I did a housekeeping of my accounts and removed some names I genuinely thought should not be to in my friends’ or contact list.
I believe in the saying, “You are known by the company you keep.”
Social media should be used effectively. If one has free time, it is better to do something good, voluntary or social work, utilising the knowledge skills rather than wasting time propagating what another person or his family or friends do or how his family is or what his social status is.
It is always best to stay focused on good things.
Ramesh Menon
To read it in original, please visit Gulf Today online.
Nepal Earthquake Relief coordination
Nepal Earthquake Relief coordination activities at Nepal Embassy Abu Dhabi A very satisfying day where I was able to join a group of members from Volunteer in UAE and assisted in sorting and repacking the relief aid materials presented to the Embassy of Nepal, Abu Dhabi. Great team work, all those who came in showed sincere devotion and dedication and worked selflessly.
Items to be considered for donation:
URGENT (Non-Medical):
Baby Foods Tarpaulins/Tents
Blankets
Floor Mats
Packaged or canned food items
Water purification tablets
Masks and gloves
Hand sanitizer
Clothes
Cleaning supplies such as shovels and buckets
Solar lights
URGENT (Medical)
Paracetamol
Bandage / Cotton
Cetamol
Prodine Iodine Ointment
Amoxicillin
Ranitidine
Medical supplies
PLEASE NOTE TO BUY ITEMS WITH LONG EXPIRY DATES. Those less than 6 months or nearing expiry will not be accepted and used.
#ItsCoolToCare
#WithLoveForNepal
Power of now – Gulf Today – Short Take Dt 2nd May 2015
Power of now
I walked slowly to my senior colleague’s office the other day. It was his first day from an unexpected leave. As soon as he saw me, he came and held my hands. We remained silent for some moments. That was a moment of long conversation without any words.
He knew very well I will understand his feelings. He had lost his mother suddenly. Death of close ones bring in a sudden vacuum in life. We tend to get lost on words, thoughts and deeds.
Whom to ask and what to do when someone whom we depended always till then is no more to clear and cover our queries and actions!
The other day, I realised a friend of mine, who is now working far away from his family experiencing the same feelings. He was missing his late father a lot. I am sure many of you have or will have this feelings coming again.
What is happening around us these days due to a tragedy of bigger dimension in Nepal also brings in similar feelings when we read about the sad stories coming out each day.
Suddenly, many are left stranded in life and thrown to the mercy of the nature and of several unknown kind.
We don’t know what future has in store for us. But we certainly know our present is in our hand.
Live our life to the best possible way without hurting anyone and always try to help someone who is in need. Devote time in doing good things rather than whiling it away on loose talks about any.
If someone has nothing to do, it is better to remain silent and enjoy the bliss of being in this present world.
Ramesh Menon
To read it in original, please visit Gulf Today online.
Strict safety norms should be enforced
Strict safety norms should be enforced
Reader is concerned about workers ignoring safety measures when at construction sites.
Abu Dhabi
World Day for Safety and Health at Work is being celebrated tomorrow, April 28, and our highest priority should be oriented towards the principle of prevention of danger.
A look at some of the maintenance activities being carried out by the staff of some companies that work on the installation of advertisement stickers on high rise buildings within the capital made me write about this important safety issue. They use the suspended scaffolding to paste these stickers on the windows. However, observing them at close quarters I noticed that most of them were not wearing appropriate safety gear.
My fear aggravated when I noticed that a group of construction workers who were working on seven-storey building were carrying out their jobs without wearing any safety gear. This was alarming and there was no way I could reach out to them and inform them to adhere to safety measures.
These two observations highlight the need for stricter enforcement of safety norms. We do note that companies have strict safety guidelines in place for the welfare of their workforce. However, there is always an exception. Some companies even hire part-time workers, and it appears that safety is not a matter of priority for them and precautionary measures are sidelined. This is dangerous as even a minor miss may end up in loss of life or permanent injury to the worker involved.
Through this report, I request the concerned authorities to consider this matter and enforce stricter rules for workers who engage in jobs at high altitudes. The need for a standard acknowledgement and acceptance to conform to safety standards is essential when permits for such jobs to be carried out are issued.
Let ‘Safety First’ be on everyone’s mind at all time. Keep reminding each other and remembering with a strong inner sense the three key notes: ‘Safety for me, for you and for everyone’ as a mantra to achieve better safety results.
— The reader is an operations manager based in Abu Dhabi.
Be a community reporter. Tell us what is happening in your community. Send us your videos and pictures at readers@gulfnews.com
Short Take: Action pack – Gulf Today Dt 25 April 2015
Short Take: Action pack
It was a short notice invite for a presentation. I couldn’t say no to it when I looked at the presenter’s name and details of the invitees he was speaking to.
The audience were a group of students in their final year of graduation coming from the prestigious French Petroleum university to learn about the finer aspects of the industry in the region.
The presenter was Sultan Al Hajji, a self-made Oil and Gas industry senior in the region. Educated in the US and France, he started from a junior level in the industry and progressed along to one of the senior most level within our company.
In his presentation he talked eloquently about the industry aspects and about the UAE and how and where it stands in the technological and economic forefront of developments happening worldwide.
At the end of the session, while answering the queries of eager students who were extracting more treasures from him, he came out with a gem of an action pack for them.
It was about the importance of networking for students as a means of improving their professional vistas to a greater horizon. He said to them to work hard as there is no alternate option for success.
At the same time, he told them to identify their primary and secondary interest levels and start networking with the right choice of contemporaries, seniors and experts to consistently update them with what is happening around them.
Sharing knowledge and expertise is the pathway to a successful career ahead. Identifying right mentors and right network to be in is essential for students.
Later, at some point of time, whenever these like-minded and networked contacts catch up with each other, it will prove that they all carried the same zest for success in life.
Moreover, it will not be a surprise to see that many of them may be knowing each other, due to their focus and path they opted for their personal and professional success.
Looking at the students’ expression at the end of the session, I felt it would be an everlasting action reminder and impression they would carry along from this visit to their future ahead.
Pearls of wisdom like these are very rare to get these days.
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
Short Take – Gulf Today
Dt. 25th April 2015
TheNational@7: A truly national conversation with our regular letter writers
Ramesh Menon, Indian, living in Abu Dhabi
I’ve been writing letters to The National since its inception and have always found its best qualities are to raise important issues and to reflect the pulse of those living in the UAE. Letters to the editor bring important topics to the attention of the relevant authorities and there have been several instances when quick action has been taken on issues raised in this way. These include pedestrian problems, road safety, labour welfare, consumer issues and others. I am always optimistic of a positive outcome when I raise a community-related issue through the letters section of The National.
http://www.thenational.ae/opinion/feedback/20150408/thenational7-a-truly-national-conversation-with-our-regular-letter-writers#page1
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