Days With My Father

Days With My Father

Ashim Kumar Paul

Darkness had besieged the open wide field where an around seventeen-year-old boy was sweating his guts to learn riding bicycle. The whole body of the boy was soaked with extreme sweat. “I have to learn tonight, no matter, how much time it may consume”, the boy murmured. His uncle was with him to lend a hand to learn the most ‘important’ skill. Though the HSC examination was knocking at the door, it seemed that the enticement for learning riding bicycle had depleted the necessity to pay attention to the impending examination! The reason behind learning bicycle riding so late was the fear of his father as his father was scared of the safety of his dear son. However, finally the boy could manage to learn riding bicycle following his two day-long endeavour.

The boy was none but me who did learn bicycle riding escaping the eyes of my father since it was a ‘prestige’ issue for me. My friends and classmates always pestered me not to learn how to ride a bicycle. Nothing but shyness would douse me for my ‘incompetency’. When I could override the ineptitude, a stream of ecstasy drenched my soul. But the expertise was exposed to question when I went through an accident at the time of riding bicycle on a busy highway. Although it was not as serious as it could be, I was much frightened. It was because of my father who never liked my bicycle riding. However, in the afternoon, my father returned home and softly said, “You have run into an accident, haven’t you? Did you feel much hurt, or not?” I muttered, “No, it was not so serious.” I sensed to be rebuked but his silent exit relieved me much.

This is my father by whom I have never been reproached for my mistakes. He never imposes his decision upon me. Whatever I wished to study, a strong support came from him. After completing HSC examination when I was stuck to my decision to study in the English department by leaving the allure of becoming doctor or engineer, I feared that my father might go angry to my decision. But to my utter surprise, my dream would not be blown out!

Following completing my graduation when I stepped into Dhaka for higher studies, it was my father who was worried the most about my safety and health. Still whenever I come back to my home, all he inquires first is “Do you suit the weather of Dhaka?” My positive answer rarely eases his apprehension.

It is a common experience that if you stay away from your native friends, you must be willing or tenderly forced to spend more time with them. There is no exception for me. As a result, often it becomes late to return home. But my father, since the clock strikes eight o’ clock, again and again, asks my mother if I have returned yet. Sometimes, he phones me and only asks me in undertone, “Where are you?” That’s it!

Unlike my mother, my father is reticent about expressing his profound feeling for me. Only one or two minutes are the highest call duration of the conversation between us! Never in front of me, has he expressed his joy about my achievements or triumphs. But to his friends and acquaintances, he never hesitates to speak about me though my reluctance doesn’t work here at all!

I dreamt that with the first salary of my job, I would buy something for my family and my dream successfully paid off. When I offered my father the gift for him, he quietly took it. That sight hurt me as I wished to see his unbound delight. The next day when I had a tête-à-tête with my mother, she informed that my father, wearing the dress bought for him, went to the nearby shop to chat with his acquaintances and told them proudly, “This clothe my son has brought for me with the first salary of his job.” A tear rolled down my face.

In my childhood, I went closer to my father to request him to tell me the fairytales when my father used to take a nap after the lunch. He would never discard my plea. Besides, I can still recall the days during Durga Puja. I used to visit the temples with my father. But the golden days have been lost within the cavern of time. Only the leaves of recollections are left for me.

One of the key resemblances between me and my father is that I am as reticent as my father to express my love for him. Both of us fail to exchange our warm and strong feeling for each other. Though I always let him know about my recent feat, it is, indeed, my discomfiture that even in the Father’s Days (observed on the third Sunday of June, celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society), I do not let him hear what my heart always utters: “I love you, my father”. Forgive me, Baba!

Don’t Do Many Things At A Time

Don’t Do Many Things At A Time

Ashim Kumar Paul

In your busy, hectic academic world where you are often bound to meet the frequent class exams, assignments, presentations etc. you have to do your other ‘important’ tasks along with your academic activities within the short time frame. Or, suppose, in the morning when you wake up and have breakfast, you get a call from a friend who is also a member of the group that has been allotted to submit an assignment and make a presentation which will be held the next day. Just as you keep the call, you get an SMS from one of your group members when your mother asks you when you’ll be going out. As you reply her, you keep on reading the message. Then, during your conversation with her, you start updating your to-do-list.

With a view to enhancing our efficiency, many of us multitask in this way to some degree. In a world where the swiftness of life is often expeditious, people who can multitask are typically regarded as efficient and effective. In fact, people are prone to multitasking that is defined as the best performance by an individual to cope with more than one task at the same time. Some hold the notion that multitasking can give rise to time waste due to  switching from activity to activity and apparently causing more errors due to insufficient attention.

The term "multitasking" originated in the computer engineering industry. It refers to the ability of a microprocessor to apparently process several tasks simultaneously. Computer multitasking in single core microprocessors actually involves time-sharing the processor; only one task can actually be active at a time, but tasks are rotated through many times a second. With multi-core computers, each core can perform a separate task simultaneously. The first published use of the word "multitask" appeared in an IBM paper describing the capabilities of the IBM System/360 in 1965.

Many studies regarding multitasking have been carried out over the last decade, and most of them have generated the same conclusion: Multitasking doesn't make us more productive! Several studies have found that multitasking can actually result in us wasting around 20-40 percent of our time, depending on what we're trying to do. The simple reason that multitasking doesn't work is because we can't actually focus on more than one task at a time. But we think we can – so we multitask to try and get more done.

Take another example; you’re reading your text book to make yourself prepared for the upcoming examination while your eyes are glued to the television screen at the same time as one of your favourite movies is being aired. In both of these tasks, communication is involved. You can't concentrate on your studies and watch a movie on the television at the same time. The tasks are too conflicting – your mind gets overloaded as you try to switch between the two tasks. Although these two tasks are a bit easier to do together because they involve different skills, your attention to your studies will fade in and out as you're watching the movie. You simply can't fully focus on both things simultaneously.

The biggest dilemma with multitasking is that it can deplete the quality of our work – we try to do two things or more things at once, and the result is that we do everything less well than if we focused properly on each task in turn.

When we switch tasks, our minds must align to cope with the new information. If we try to do this rapidly, like while we're multitasking, we simply can't devote our full attention and focus to every switch. So the quality of our work is compromised. The more complex or technical the tasks we're switching between, the bigger the drop in quality is likely to be. For instance, it would be almost impossible to write a good-quality presentation while having an emotionally charged conversation with a co-worker! Indeed, sustained thought is impaired when one’s attention is partial or cracked.

Another key drawback to multitasking is the effect it exerts on our stress levels. Managing multiple things simultaneously makes us feel overwhelmed, shattered and frazzled.

On the other contrary, assume how happy you feel when your full concentration is given to one task. You are able to give your utmost attention, and you'll probably finish it feeling as if you have not only completed something, but done it well. This is called being in flow and it is a skill that can be developed with some practice.

It can be hard to identify when you're multitasking. But there are a few key indicators you can look for:

• If several pages or tabs are opened on your computer, then you are probably multitasking. The same goes for your desk – if you have several file folders or papers out that you're working on, you might well be multitasking.
• Multitasking is more likely to be done when you're working on a project or task you're not excited about. For instance, creating a spreadsheet analysis might be an unwelcome task, so you might frequently check your email or do some research on a new assignment in order to lessen the pain of the current task.
• Frequent interruptions can also cause you to multitask. For instance, you might be writing your next class’s report when a classmate comes to your reading desk with a question for you. You then carry on trying to tinker with your study as you answer his question.

·         The idea that women are better multitaskers than men has been popular in the media. Recently, a study by British psychologist Professor Keith Laws at the University of Hertfordshire was widely reported in the press to have provided the first evidence of female multitasking superiority albeit a formal research paper has yet to be published.

·         Observers of youth in modern society often comment upon the apparently advanced multitasking capabilities of the youngest generations of humans (Generation Y and Generation Z). While it is true that contemporary researchers find that youths in today’s world exhibit high levels of multitasking, most experts believe that members of the Net Generation are not any better at multitasking than members of older generations. However, recent studies by Bardhi, Rohm, and Sultan argue that Generation Y is becoming better at media multitasking. This is evidenced by the fact that they are gaining control over deciding which messages they pay attention to or not. Furthermore, while there is a great deal of evidence showing the negative effects of multitasking on cognitive tasks, there is no evidence showing that multitasking has a positive or neutral effect on these tasks.

If we want to develop the quality of our work, reduce our stress levels, and become more efficient, we need get out of the multitasking habit. Some suggestions to help you cut back on multitasking are provided below:

• Plan your day in blocks. Set specific times for returning calls, answering emails, and doing research.
• Manage your interruptions. Keep a log showing who interrupts you the most, and how urgent the requests are. Once you have compiled a week’s worth of interruptions, politely but assertively approach your friends and acquaintances with a view to managing and reducing their interruptions.
• Learn how to improve your concentration so you can focus properly on one task at a time. Doing this may feel ill at ease at first if you frequently multitask. But you'll be surprised at how much you get done just by concentrating on one thing at a time.
• Every time you go to check your email or take a call when you're actually supposed to be doing something else, take a deep breath and resist the urge. Focus your attention back to what you're supposed to be doing.
• If you get an audible or visual alert when emails come in, turn it off. This can help you avoid the temptation to check your inbox whenever you get new mail.
• Whenever you find yourself multitasking, stop. Take five minutes to sit quietly at your desk with your eyes closed. Even short breaks like this can change your mind, reduce your stress levels, and improve your concentration. Plus it can give your brain a welcome break during a hectic day.
• There will be times when something urgent comes up and you can't avoid interruptions. But instead of trying to multitask through these, stop and make a note of where you left your current task. Record any thoughts you had about how to move forward. Then deal with the immediate problem, before going back to what you were doing. This way you'll be able to handle both tasks well, and you'll leave yourself with some clues to help you restart the original task more quickly.
• If you find your mind wandering when you should be focusing on something else, you need to guide your thoughts back to what you are doing by putting yourself in the moment. For example, you might be attending an important class lecture, but thinking about the exam that is likely to be held the next day. Tell yourself, "I am in this class, and need to focus on what I'm learning here." Often, acknowledging the moment can help keep you focused.  
  

Perils of Climbing Mount Everest

Perils of Climbing Mount Everest

Ashim Kumar Paul

Mount Everest, located in the Himalayan mountain range on the border between Nepal and Tibet, China, is the highest mountain in the world with the summit reaching a peak of 29,029 feet (8,848 m) where hikers and adventurers from all over the world come and attempt to ascend this mountain. It literally means “the top or the head of the sky. Mount Everest, to the local Nepalese, is known as ‘Sagarmatha’ whereas, to the Tibetans (China), it is known as ‘Mt. Quomolongma’ that means "The Third Goddess" in Tibetan.

There are two main routes for mounting Mt. Everest. One is from south-east of Nepal and the other is from north of Tibet. The most preferred route out of the two is the one from Nepal. The best time to start off climbing is in May before the summer monsoon since the direction of the wind is quite favourable during that time. A whole team of climbers can help both amateur and novice climbers get to the peak. If one follows the standard route to climb, it can be quite safe. However, the problem is that the Himalayas are faced with bad weather and fast wind, leading to difficulty breathing at the high altitude.

Alongside the aura of the beauty surrounding Mount Everest, there are some “death zones” that claim many lives who are in attempt to ascend this mountain. Many climbers have died on Mount Everest since 1921 and over 200 of them are still on the mountain. Some are buried in crevasses. Some fell down remote parts of the mountain. Some are buried in snow and ice. Some lie in the open. And some sit beside the popular routes up Everest. The first recorded deaths on the mountain were the seven porters who perished in an avalanche in the 1922 British Mount Everest Expedition. George Mallory, who was present, blamed himself for the deaths. During the initial 1921 British Reconnaissance Expedition, there were two deaths en route to the mountain - an unidentified porter as well as heart attack victim Dr. A. M. Kellas. The latest victims  are a young Bangladeshi filmmaker and his South Korean companion died on Mount Everest on May 20, 2013, while they were on their way back after conquering the mountain.
The deceased were identified as Mohammad Khaled Hossain from Bangladesh and Sung Ho-Seo of South Korea. Both died in their tent a few hours after successfully ascending the summit. It was reported that they were attempting the ascent without supplementary oxygen and died on his way down the mountain.

While precarious for the novice mountaineer, the mountain has also claimed the lives of some of the most experienced climbers. Babu Chiri Sherpa had ascended the mountain several times, and in 1999 spent 20 hours on the summit of Everest, then a new record. He also mounted to the summit twice in two weeks and held the record climbing time from base camp to summit of 16 hours and 56 minutes. Experienced guide Rob Hall died on Everest shortly after becoming the first non-Sherpa to have summitted five times (1996).

The most infamous tragedy on the mountain was the 1996 Mount Everest disaster on May 11, 1996, during which eight people died while making summit attempts. In that entire season, fifteen people died trying to reach the summit, making it the deadliest single year in the mountain's history. The disaster gained wide hype and has been written about many times; both “Into Thin Air” by Jon Krakauer and “The Climb”  by Anatoli Boukreev were written by those mountaineers who were on Mount Everest at the time, and they gave conflicting accounts about the events. Intriguingly, 1996 was statistically a safe year for Everest climbers. Up to 1996, one in four climbers had died making the ascent; 1996 saw huge numbers of people attempting the climb and the statistics for 1996 reveal that only one in seven died.

Another notable incident occurred in 1998 when Francys Arsentiev and her husband, Sergei Arsentiev, became separated and then died while looking for each other. Francys's frozen body lay next to the main route to the summit for nine years before climber Ian Woodall lead an expedition to push her over an edge and out of view.

Another note is unconfirmed Russian deaths on the north side of Everest. After the Chinese invaded Tibet and took control of the region, they enacted strict travel restrictions against westerners. The Chinese government, however, did allow some Russian Soviet climbers near the mountain and reports leaked out of a Russian expedition in 1952. The alleged expedition, apparently led by Pavel Datschnolian, was said to have been a disaster, resulting in the deaths of Datschnolian and five other men. However, Russian and Chinese authorities have consistently denied that such an attempt took place, no physical evidence has ever been found to confirm its existence, nor is there any record of a person named Pavel Datschnolian.

Due to the difficulties and perils in bringing bodies down, most of those who die on the mountain remain where they fall, although some are moved by winds and ice. Two Nepalese climbers died on October 24, 1984, while trying to recover the body of Hannelore Schmatz. While searching for George Mallory's body in a "catchment basin" near the peak in 1999, searchers came across multiple bodies in the snow, including Mallory's.