Monday, March 16, 2009

How to read books & my understanding of reading.

Don'ts:
1. Do not read from back wards.
2. Do not read from middle of the book. The author's intended train of thought will be definitely missed by reading this way.
3. Do not read with a closed perspective. Of course, reading more and more books will change this attitude.
4. Do not read, if you feel like stopping.
5. Don't discuss your reading with some one who is not interested. This will make you a comedian in front of others.

Do's:
1. I read from end to end, including acknowledgements, index, bibliography etc.,
2. I will give a short pause, when the author really stirs my brain either by positive or negative way.
3. Please read the foreword also. Many times forewords will give you more thought provoking ideas rather than the book.
4. You may start writing notes from the books you read. But I know it would be difficult. Start taking mental notes of what you are reading. With practice you can track down every concept to a particular book you read.
5. Critically examine author's point of view - This would help in identifying bad books.
6. Unless you read a lot, it is very difficult to find a bad one.
7. Keep a record of books that you read. Make your profile in www.shelfari.com. Visit profile "kums20" in shelfari.com
8. When you are reading biographies of extra-ordinary people, feel proud to understand the personality. Not everyone gets this chance.
9. I generally don't read any review of the book.
10. I generally prefer to read one book at one time. Curb the curious inclination to read, if you come across another mind-blowing book.
11. Try to reward you when you actually finish the book, especially for non-fiction books.
12. Get books from any source: Library, borrowed (but please return in good condition), platform, second hand, photocopy, scrap vendor, lying on the road etc.,

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Missed - Second golden opportunity

As I understand, my first golden opportunity was not booking a flat when the rates were around 1300- 1500, in Pune, my second disappointment was realized only yesterday.

Background & Assumptions:
As I described in the earlier post, buying a house in Madurai is the "right" thing for me. And the search continued. My father and my father-in-law were doing that task through some brokers. During that process, we came across certain houses, which were not FIT to live according to my own beliefs and assumptions, though lot of families are living in such houses. A disparity with reality. So we naturally discarded those houses. Off late, I visited those rejected houses when I last went to Madurai and I appreciated myself for not doing a mistake by buying that house.

But as you understand, I am not smart to assess the reality. There are 7 rented families in one particular house. Suddenly yesterday I thought that it would be a good investment to buy that house, since a second source of income would be guaranteed. I eagerly asked my father about the status of that house. As my own luck troubles me, that house was sold for 13 lakhs. That was the amount they told to us also. Another big mistake made by me. When I was keen to think it as the investment option, no one supported me for the very fact, that the locality is not good, buildings are old and all other negative points. Despite all these comments, I should have strongly committed to buy that house.

Hmmm. Gone is gone. Let me start searching with a new perspective. I am NOT looking for a house for me to live there, I am NOT looking for a 2000 sq. feet individual house with fences and a nice parking shed for a four wheeler. Also I am NOT going to buy something, which is of extreme pride for me to show to someone.

I am looking for a simple, old house in a densely populated area with some 4-5 pious families staying in that house, where a source of income is guaranteed though it is minimum.