Travelling light to wide open spaces.

As usual..

So much has transpired in the year gone by, and the last month we're in, is looking to be like a year of experiences in itself. There has been much change and travelling. (As predicted, if I might add!)
It's almost like there's been a spiritual, emotional, mental and physical journey through change.
And I don't use any of those 4 words lightly; Just 'cause they generally "go together"...
I could, very well, attribute each one with a specific component/circumstance/situation in my life.
Not that I would, on a blog, though.


But, if there ever were the perfect way to travel, in every sense of the term,
I'd say, it was and is, to travel light.
The less baggage, the more stamina you have to enjoy your trip.
I'm going to call it a lesson learned.
I would've smilingly, rolled my eyes right about now and mumbled "like I have a choice", if I weren't spelling it out for you. But it's true.
As I moved from place to place in this year, whether on land, in my heart or in the random, confusing, strangely peaceful all the same, realms of my mind, I unwittingly became a wiser packer.
It almost escaped my realization entirely, how good I've become at discerning what really needs to be in the "suitcase" of my life. Don't mind the blatant self-appreciation going on.


Anyway, the best part is, that the contents of my 'bag' don't need to be fixed. I can keep coming home to get the gold I can't carry everywhere, or to enjoy a night out in my sexy leather high heels that are too bulky to take with!
And without trying to carry everything I already own to every new place I go, I suddenly have so much more room to bring back the real treasures I find on my way wherever it is I'm going.
When you travel light, automatically more care-free, you realize that what is important to you, will always be important to you. And whether you have it locked in a suitcase by your side every step of your way or instead, somewhere around in the world for you to keep visiting once in a while, it’s going to stay just as important.
That even makes it more valuable in a way, to know you’ve got goodies to go back to if ever the world isn’t being too kind. Kinda like, home?

If my giant metaphor has somehow evaded you and you’ve still not caught on, I guess what I’m getting at is, how much of our “baggage” really is OURS?
Are your beliefs really YOURS?
Are your friends really YOURS?
We all know that the knowledge we possess isn’t ours. We don’t really begin to “know” anything until a considerable amount of ‘life’ has passed us by. And even then, we’re not really sure! In fact, I think real freedom comes from accepting that we really know nothing at all!
And nothing but yourself is really your own. (ok! Maybe your family. I mean we really get stuck with those guys! =) I'm not complaining, believe me!)


It might sounds idealistic, the way I put my thoughts to word, but it’s a concept my mind has been swimming around and typing to myself like this helps me analyse my thoughts very often.
I think, we’re sometimes so attached to everything that we pick up along the way in our lives that we try to cling to it all, not recognizing how much it weighs us down, until the fatigue sets in leaving us confused, leading to an inevitable question:
I’m big on life! Then WHY am I tired?
Personally, I think it’s a combination of 3 particular things:
1. Failure to accept – that things change and that the only thing we really have any control over, is ourselves.
2. Imposing ideas/beliefs upon people who see things differently and aren’t willing to bend their ways to agree with yours.
3. Expectations (unreasonable, reasonable or otherwise)


I’m not saying that attacking each of these things would be ideal and life would be perfect. (Actually I would whole heartedly say that, that was impossible. We’re human! And we don’t have on/off switches. Although, that might’ve made things easier!)
But I think it’s important to be aware of how these things contribute to excess baggage.
Just accepting that all you’ve got is yourself in the driver’s seat, believing what you’ve got to, in order to keep YOU happy and going; not expecting the world to be fair all the time.
Or better yet, not expecting anything at all!


The way I see it, is that the world will always have it’s messy unfairness. And sh*t will always go down. But as an independent entity in the fabric of the universe, you get to choose not to be weighed down by what’s troubling and instead, hopefully be a source of joy/drive to someone who really needs it. It’s all highly debatable, possibly overly idealistic, but it’s the optimist in me that wishes I, we, you, could always make that brave choice to take life as it comes and make it do what I, we, you want; And just for that half ‘n hour of blogging, I suppose I truly want to ignore what’s real and believe it was easy.
Like most things, I’d agree it’s easier said than done.
But from my meager 22 years of experience, I’d say, no matter what it seems like,
get out there.
But,
keep it simple
&
travel light.

CHOOSE

I started re-reading this today!

Random Extract:

EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY,
CHOOSE!

Choose to do the right thing, the tough thing - not the familiar, easy thing.
Choose the way of the warrior or the way of the coward.
Make your choice out of love instead of fear.
Choose from the heart.
Choose to live fully, not to sleepwalk through your life.
Choose to respond with the way you really feel, not the way you're supposed to feel.
Choose the mineral water over the soda; choose the lemon juice and olive oil over the blue cheese; choose the walk in the park over the ride to the mall.
Choose simplicity over extravagance.
Choose conversation over the television.
Choose to talk things out rather than stew in your anger overnight.
Choose compassion and generosity.
Choose to smile instead of frown.
Make your own choices in your own time and choose to stick with them.

-Rachel Snyder. 

Focusing Energy

We're only young once.

Then again, I suppose you could stay young till you die.

Depends on how you see things.

If you see it the second way, the till-you-die way, then I suppose your energies are focused rightly to begin with.

If not, what are you wasting your energy, or to give you the benefit of the doubt, focusing your energy on?

(I have to say that, although I might be dishing out benefits of doubts, I'm really none the wiser about where my energy is being wasted or correctly focused. 

Ok! Actually, to be fair, I WAS none the wiser. 

The introspective wardrobe, I've adorned myself with over the past few weeks, had a bit of a role to play in the change of tense.)

The apparent conclusion, after some collaborative situational analysis (with trusted, like-minded, equally introspective forces of nature), seems to be that for now, for our approximate age-group (plus-minus ten years.. ok maybe not minus!...) the right attitude is a selfish one.

Now don't be shocked and start recommending shrinks!

I don't mean selfish to the extent of converting yourself to a sour, cold rock that is bound to be extradited by society overall! 

I mean selfish to the extent of making sure you're investing enough time in developing who you are and what you want to be! 

If not now and always, then when? When you're older and dead?

Channeling energy into things you love doing and want to achieve has got to be more gratifying than spending it on pointless fretting over changes in relationships and insignificant events in the past! 

(Again, I'm just guessing here!)

But of course, it's obvious anyone would want to be able to reap the returns of energy put into anything.

It's about being able to recognize when you're putting in more than you're getting back;

and having the strength to say, 'enough!'.

It doesn't matter how badly your energy tries to convince you that there's enough of it to keep giving where there's no getting, it's important to remember that you don't want to be many years down the line looking back and thinking, 'well, that was a waste of my time!'

If anything is true, it's that the heart can always see rightly. (Read The Little Prince!)

Even if you're not out there wasting your energy on un-watched displays of whatever, your heart always knows what you want and how you feel, even if the objects of your wasted energy do not.

So, in the spirit of some righteous selfishness, its ok to stop. In fact, it's better.

(These are all assumptions and deductions. Don't take my word for anything. I'm simply thinking through my fingers here!)

But I was good at theorems!

I have to suddenly abort this post now, or I could ramble on, endlessly!

I'll just say.

Stop wasting. Start focusing!

(If you want! :))

I'm going to try.

I found a picture titled "Rise of the Radiant Goddess" with Google Images!
Of course I had to use it! *rolls eyes*!

I'm back!

"Hold your own. Know your name. And go your own way."

Over the past few months I've touched down in four Indian states.
Eaten all kinds of weird new things; including a surprise bite into a brinjal, just when I was beginning to forget what the wretched things tasted like.
I've been paid for my services. Services that actually got sent to be executed on construction sites in Gujarat and Maharashtra! =O
I've discovered more new music and movies than ever before and have completely fallen in love with things I'd never even paid any attention to earlier.
(Yes, I'm being annoyingly vague and non-descriptive, I know. But, I'm feeling lazy.)
I've met so many new people. So many of whom were about as similar to me as red apples are to  purple erasers! And I've discovered the joy of the anxious excitement in bonding with and getting to know people and things so far removed from my own place in the world.
I honestly believe that if you're willing to keep an open, willing-to-learn mind and an accepting attitude (even to things you aren't used to), you'd be able to find love and friendship in almost anyone. 
You'd even be able to make a home wherever you are. Of course it could never compare to your actual home, but it would suffice to keep you going.
If there's one thing working in an office environment taught me, it's 
not to judge a book by it's cover. Never. Don't do it. Because you can't.
Whatever preconceived notions you choose to come up with, if you give people a chance, they'll surprise you.
In good ways and bad.
I've come to realize how extremely unimportant things I've prioritized in the past really are.
I'm also suddenly acutely aware of the fact that, when it comes to my future, I don't know anything for certain.
Except maybe that, because I love to travel, I will never stop.
I'm finally upon the last 6 months of a 5 year painfully splendid journey through a bachelors in Architecture.
After this, the world in my playground. I could do, for the first time in a long time, pretty much anything!
I've never been more afraid of a bloody playground!
But, there's still 6 months of a sheltered student life to go before that. 
So to jumbo sized thesis projects and whatnot... I'm back yo! Come n' get me. 


Ok. On second thought, 
hold on.
I'm coming to get YOU.

Update.

So, it's been a long blogging hiatus...
I have to admit, I really miss it.
But, a lot has been going down in the life of me.
I talked about 2011 being full of change earlier.
Who knew, I had no idea what I was talking about. =)
Change! And HOW!

What's important though, is that everything's good.
In fact everything's great.
Life and I surprise myself regularly these days.
And I'd love to go into details but time limits at net cafe's and a lack of the right number of words so as not to sound like a rambler, don't help.

So, until I have a regular net connection again and blogging is more convenient,
I leave you with happy thoughts and an anticipation for everything.
Stay cool.
La.

Just another emotional blogpost

This is my "listen to when sad" song.

I guess I am a little sad today.
I hate Goodbyes... That's why it's always "I'll see you later" with me.
This probably sounds over-dramatic for people who are used to travelling and being away from home...
I'm down with long gaps of travelling,
but, being away from home? Say for instance, work or education?
That's completely new.

I know for a fact I'm only going to be gone a few months. And we all know how time flies!
It's the possibility of so many other things changing at the same time that has me all shaken up inside.
I know that what I return to in a few months will not be exactly what I left behind.
I know that while some "I'll see you later"s will only last till I get back, others are indefinite.

We're at the biggest crossroad we've had to face to date, all our lights a-blazing and engines roaring to go. Just waiting for our respective signals to change. (Admit it, I have a way with these corny metaphors.)
Here's to stepping out of comfort zones or, as I'd like to look at it, expanding them.
May whatever it is to come, at least, make for some good photographs and writing.

Having said all that,
PUNE! I LOVE YOU!

Today, I'm me. Yesterday, I was her. Tomorrow? We'll see...

"And a lost pulse of feeling stirs again.
The eye sinks inward, and the heart lies plain,
And what we mean, we say, and what we would, we know.
A man becomes aware of his life's flow..."

From 'The Buried Life' by Matthew Arnold

That's how I ended the second post of this year..
I was thinking today about how I haven't 'really' blogged in a while..
Not that there's anything wrong with that. But, I feel like today... 
I like my blog man. So, whatever. =P


It's funny looking back on the things you've written.
Especially when you can understand the person who wrote them and are suddenly, in a moment of breathless realization, made aware of the fact that this person no longer exists.
It's true, your yesterdays self is not the same you today.
You have new opinions. You've experienced some new things. You've questioned your beliefs. You're more sure. You're less sure. Your right leg has shrunk a little bit. Your right leg was always shorter you're just more aware. You're happier. You're as happy as you've ever been. You're not as happy as you want to be.
I know I had a point, and now I'm feeling like I've babbled myself into a bit of confusion and I can't remember the point.


But, going back to that post I wrote in the month of January, I'll say that I was right. 
2011 is definitely the year of big change.
I'm still the same person, basically. But, so much as already changed that I finally understood what a sneaky lil' rat change can be. It just lurks around the corner. Creepily. 
You'd think it would just pounce out of the shadow and shock the living mundaneness out of me. (I'm sure it does that in some cases) But, no. Not to me.
To me change came disguised as duty, friendly responsibility that smiled and stood next to me and whispered under her breath that if you don't step up now, I'm going to screw you over. 
So of course, I obliged.
You don't turn down those threatening mob bosses who grin and say "you'll get that done, won't you?" in all their rhetorical glory.
For you know, failure to rise to the occasion and the job, will only end... simply put, badly.
So, yes, in my extremely wordy, beating around the bush fashion what I'm saying is, that change coaxed me into making it.


I went to assist a friend for her Psychology practicals, and she did something called the "value based test" on me.. (something to that effect, anyway)
It was supposed to turn up a result on the kind of person I am, based on my answering a whole bunch of random multiple choice questions, based on pretty much everything!
Before starting, she had to do what these Psycho people call, a case history...
All that means is that she asked questions to understand how I perceived myself. 
This would later be compared to the actual test results.


I was pretty surprised to see, my perception of myself was suddenly way off what the test showed me to be. Of course, thoughts like "She's just a student, I'm sure she effed up somewhere." crossed my mind. (Sorry Tay, they did.)
But, my mind doesn't easily dismiss things like this and *dramatic music* -- of course! -- introspection.


So, the test result showed that I was high on the "theoretical". Sort of balanced out on the political, religious, etc. etc. and I scored lowest on "social".
*jaw drops* What? Nooo!!
Well, yes.
The case history showed that I thought of myself as an outgoing, social animal. Which quite frankly I really was. (Still am to certain extents...)
But, after thinking about my life the past few months, it finally makes sense.
I realize, the test might actually be right for some reasons I didn't even notice.
It's like change pulled a fast one on me.


This is how it happened, by my reasoning, anyway.
Today I'm free from the burden of education for a little while, but the build up to this point was laden with tonnes of work. So, I decided to prioritize.
My emotional disposition a few months ago, for reasons I'll keep to myself, was not helping the concentration I needed to get through the fourth year. And I figured the only way to get this stuff done and out of the way, was drastic measures.
Kidding myself in the past with, "I can handle everything" obviously didn't work too well...
So, *ta-daa* .. Isolation.
I literally cut off from everything. 
Well, MOST things.
I still kept some things going, for fear of losing my mind, 'cause this was all so new to me.
(Trust me, it's hard for extremely socially active people to suddenly stop being that way)
But I forced myself.
I had lots of stuff to sort out in my filled-with-everything head AND I had the academic mumbo jumbo to deal with. (It's easy for me to ignore that, when I'm weak to social distractions)
But this time was different. 
I took everything head on.
Hard as it was, once in a while, I got used to doing things on my own. To not having to have to call someone to talk to or chill with when I had some extra time. I slept regularly. Didn't push work to ridiculously odd hours 'cause of some extremely unimportant social engagement. I started reading lots of stuff online, informative stuff, and keeping up with the news! If you knew me you'd know I was always vague about the news. But, suddenly this whole interest in information developed. And not just pointlessly, but because I realized that there is so much going on out there that we know nothing about. That we NEED to know. It's good to be happy where you are, loving your life. But it's better when you're doing that, all the while acutely aware that you are part of something much bigger. 
It felt good to be doing things and celebrating some of my capabilities.
It was humbling to see that I was no where close to being exceptionally good at anything.
It is scary to know that no matter how much I try, nothing I ever do to make anything better, will ever be enough.
And, it's empowering to know that the little I can do will still make a difference.
And the littlest of a positive difference matters just as much as the biggest.
It's all relative.


So, yeah. The test says "theoretical" over "social".
And it's something I am more than willing to accept.
I don't know what kind of person I will be tomorrow and what will have changed me.
I know that I'm alright for now.
And there's nothing really to ask for.
Doing my thing, whatever it is, and taking it as it comes works for me. 
I'm happy.
I'm sure I could be happier and obviously I could be sadder but thinking about it like that just nullifies the happiness that exists. It's like it doesn't matter 'cause it's being compared.
And, happiness matters.
Happiness matters a lot.
If you're happy and you know it,
own it.

If you know who you are, I hope you love it.

If you don't, I hope you find it.
I'm at peace with being somewhere in the middle of those two, for now.

Karmin Covers

I should start off by thanking Eesa! 

It's cos of something he posted on Facebook that I discovered this duo.

Amy and Nick. Together, a band called Karmin.

You can check out their stuff on 

Karminmusic.com

Or their Youtube pages:

youtube.com/karmincovers

youtube.com/karmintube

I still haven't finished listening to it all, but from what I've heard, I really like these two.

It's safe to say that Amy is 'something else'!

A badass white chick who raps, has crazy vocals and plays guitar.

And like in this video, sometimes she does it all at the same time!

'I need a doctor' is one of my favourtite covers by them.

Check out, 'Written in the Stars', 'Someone Like You', 'Look at me now' and 'Forget you' too. I'm sure there are more, but these are some I've heard and liked. Still to check out the original stuff.

I should probably add, that while Amy kinda steals the show with all the talent (no need to mention she's the pretty girl!) I think Nick, who's a good singer himself, provides some solid support. I love the harmonies.

Enough said. This is more to tell you to check 'em out for yourselves. 

=)

I'm going to go COOKooo!

I have officially been informed that I will no longer be provided with breakfast.

* PANICS!*

OK. No.

Not REALLY panicking! 

This benefit or luxury is being withdrawn by my wonderful father/breakfast maker, with a view to making me more self- ... what's the word? 'reliant'? 'sufficient'? 

Independent?

Whatever man! (In the spirit of recent chain-messaging [for those who know what I'm talking about.])

But, reluctantly, I concede that this new change in circumstance is much required. 

Especially considering, that in the near future, I will need to, at least, KNOW the basics of what goes on in a kitchen.

I have friends who will whole heartedly testify to my ignorance when it comes to all things - KITCHEN.

Well, save for the eating.

I'm freakin' ACE at the eating.

Anyway,

I've just never gotten down to cooking, or even experimenting with it.

And I've always lived off the comfort of having parents who are awesome at it, and a sister who GOT awesome at it only after she got married. 

Well, I'm NO-where close to getting married and I'm going to leave my parents for a little while soon.

Yes, basically...

SCREWED! 

(Eating out can happen only so much. *makes gesture that you can't see so this is pointless*)

For all these reasons,

even though the thought of not being provided with awesome-big-breakfasts from tomorrow makes me sad,

I'm kicked.

It is finally time (and THERE IS FINALLY TIME) to take on Food Production! =P

I am open to all kinds of tips and easy recipes.

EASY.

In case that didn't register.

Healthy also, but EASY first.

Let's see how this goes. 

More Stuff

Began the mini-series 'The Pillars of the Earth' yesterday.

It may be a work of fiction, but I think it's superbly done and even works of fiction aren't entirely baseless. 

Worth a watch/ read for sure!

I am also now in love with Eddie Redmayne.

Smiley face Marshmellows =)

(Tend to look a lil creepy if you don't squeeze them right.)

Remember that thing I was saying about big breakfasts?

Yes. Forever! =)

Today, I will do more studying than anything else.

Really.

Storytime

'Cause that's what it is.
This is our story.
Ok. This (as in, this blog) is mostly mine.
But these moments... they're ours. 


(This is all stemming from one long epic conversation about everything and it all seems very out of context now, so never mind... Just think about YOUR story, later. I'm sure you'll pause and go "whoa!" for a moment. And with every fibre of my being, I hope the "whoa!" is one of good feeling.)


I'm finally done with the 'submissions' for the the fourth year of my course.
And for us, if you survive submissions and vivas, exams are quite a breeze.
(If you have enough of a gap in between, that is.)
But, stress levels are definitely a lot more in control.
Life seems FUN and full of positive energy again.
Not that it wasn't before,
but lets just say... 
HUGE difference!


So, I've been up to a whole lot of uplifting things since the submissions got done...
which include peaceful studying for an upcoming paper.
Most (not all) of these things I could capture in a picture... 
So, starting from the morning of my last submission to today,
this is my picture story.
(obviously I don't have evidence of everything, but this is what it is so far...)

The mess that was home and college, until we were finished. 

Once and for all.

Now, in no particular order...

The fun stuff!

Finally catching up on movies, and watching some again!

Catching up with friends in more ways than just chatting! =)

(this also amounted to some self discovery. More on that in the next post!)

Got some new reading material, branching out from what I'm used to, for sure.

Doing what I love, and not just in the shower!

Karaoke! 

Sweet Emotion!!

(the black forest ice cream at Hokey Pokeys. My favourite mistake today! Serendipitous in every way. GO! have!)

Pedicure! Electric blue toes, and soft feet. 

*happy sigh*

Finding a place that brings back memories of the awesomeness that was almost every Sunday in the past! 

And, a happy reunion, of sorts!

Fake tattoos!

Dancing like no one's watching, 'cause no one's watching, 'cause they're all dancing!

=)

Cheers to everything that makes you happy.

These observations are just flowing now!

Alright, so in my spirit of having to have to list things, I'm gonna give in to a 
"Part 3" of my Observations Series.
(Ooooo "Series". Faaancy!)


Anyhoo...


Posture. 
It's apparently really true that posture (especially when you work) plays a BIG role in your productivity,  number of productive working hours endured, quality of work! I'm one of those people who loves to work sitting on the bed, pillow stuffed up behind for me to lean against, legs stretched out, lappy on my thighs and mouse on the bed. I'm not against this method and I was not successfully talked out of it either. But, I did finally change. I moved to the desk. Now I'm sure I'll return for a dose of work on the bed, once in a while, but here's why I (silently - without letting the parents know they were right, 'cause they already know that! And are probably sniggering while they read this - whenever they do-) made the shift. 
Under the inevitable "last minute" pressure, I become more aware of the time I waste and how.
Getting too comfortable. (read: slipping slowly from the initially formed right angle position to an almost 180 degree angle!)
Getting too uncomfortable. (read: weird tired feelings from having to hold the back in place while gradually slipping from 90 degrees to 180 degrees, resulting in an overall tiredness that is in fact not related to the proportion of work done but only to the ridiculous/ subconscious body movement going on while doing it.)
As someone who's studied anthropometry and has to deal with ergonomics on a daily basis I really shouldn't have needed all this unnecessary "experience" to learn this age-old fact!
Or maybe I just don't like to admit my parent's are right. =)
Whatever, Ma-Da. I'm sitting at the table! Happy?




Nothing is easy.
So I study architecture. It's no cake-walk and very often in moments of frustration I think irrationally; thoughts to the effect of 
"I wish I could just give this up and be a dancer!". 
And then I calm down and get sane again and realize, 
I actually know some dancers. 
Although they, and what they can do, look almost flawless, beautiful and oh-so-effortless, I know the agony they endure to get there.
So, I watch a movie. Man! Movies are so cool. 
I should've just gone to film school. Movies are such fun!
 Get a camera and roll. How hard could it be?... 
Watch the production of pretty much any good movie and you'll see what a labour of love it really is!
Hmmm. I like to write. Writing comes relatively easily to me. 
I might've made a really good journalist. 
But, this year, writing became work (through my dissertation) 
and suddenly something I enjoy 
got hard to do! =O
Ok. News reporters and T.V. anchors have such cool jobs! 
But, inspite of the fact that I love travel, how willing am I going to be to put myself in harms way if (in my hypothetical-reporter-world) I was asked to go cover the latest natural calamity or results of political unrest, on location! 
Scratch all that!
I wish I was back in school, without so much to worry about and not even thinking about what career I want to pursue. Then I take a break to read the papers, and everyday I read article after article about stressed out school kids who somehow seem to think the only answer to their problems is death.
(Lets not get in to who's to blame for THAT. Although, give Bachi Karkaria's 'Blood on the Playground' a read.)
Nothing is easy.
The grass just always seems greener on the other side.
And the truth is, it's just as prickly as the grass you're rolling in right now.
The challenge is to find the grass that pricks the way you like it. 
The way you can handle it.
That's stretching the grass-metaphor a bit, but I guess what I mean is, 
accept the choices you make.
And yeah, do what you love, but don't expect it not to hurt a little. Endure.
I'm sure there'll be a fair share of satisfaction on the other side of your patient persistence. If there isn't, then maybe you need a change. I'm still waiting to find out, for myself.


An appended observation to that one above:
When you've got yourself a tough target, that seems to be draining you with every effort you make to reach it,
it's going to seem like you're never going to get there. 
Until,
you're there.
I guess the all elusive "they" are right when they say,
"Don't think about it. Just think through it."


Hey!
18th March:
After much sitting at the famous table.
I have an aching neck.
Gimme a break!
No.
Really.
Like, two weeks would be good.


Pune University!!!!
Are you listening?!?!

Oh happy day?

Last year, I wrote this: Oh what a woman!


But, that was last year.
I've had a relatively normal day.
Nothing is peaches and cream about my life right now and although I can find many things to complain about and get me down, there's no denying that in the larger scheme of things, I've got it all, pretty damn good.


Throughout the day I've been wished, and received messages and mails for Women's Day.
Now I don't think I'm a feminist per se (I'm more, humanist (if there's anything of the sort) - I believe anyone has the ability to do anything and that girls should just give in, when it comes to somethings, just as men should just give in when it comes to certain other things- Also, of late, there's just as much bad and good stuff happening to both men and women alike, the world over!), but I've always liked women's day and letting the women in my life know what they mean to me.
Kind of like, how I always like birthdays.
And I'm sure I'd love valentines day if I had a valentine... Cos, as of now, I really don't care that much.
I'll never forget the one special Valentines I've had though. (No thanks to me - I'm horrible that way :P) But, yeah!
Today's been a little different.
I haven't really bothered replying to most messages.
I haven't even taken the pains to create a cool, personal message like I normally would and send it out...
(I'd started to compose one, out of different song names... but I lost enthusiasm even before I thought of a fifth song!)
None of this means I don't appreciate the thoughts and sentiments of those who did message, or that the women in my life aren't the most freakin' incredible badasses and sweethearts around (but they already know that, or so I hope!) it just means that a lot of other things are on my mind this Women's day.


No, I'm not about to get into any of those things (through my writing anyway). But I AM going to post a couple of links that'll probably give you a decent enough picture as to what I've been thinking about. 
This really isn't meant to be a dampener for anyone, I'm sorry if it is.
I'm not venting, I'm just writing about what I've been thinking of today.
It might not all be current, but it all exists.
I think now, more than ever before we need to celebrate humanity, 
or at least stand for it, if it isn't giving us enough reasons to celebrate.
It'd be pretty easy to say we should stand up against those who're putting us to shame as human beings, but I don't want to say so easily what I know is really hard to do.
Just trying to be decent, non-pretentious specimens of the human race, on the other hand, is something that I believe to be very much within our varying capabilities.


Also, I've had the longest day around designs, dissertations and such, and basically its all been "architecture overload" and I have to return to more of the same. Cue blogging release!
Here are the links.


The news!! Oh! The news. (What's the point?)


TIME Photos (How do you stop injustice if injustice is in demand?)


Yolekha's blogpost (I feel you, my sista!)


Random picture. (Either way, we need each other.)


In praise of good men... and women.


Just be happy you're alive.
Stay pro-life.
Live and let live.
To each their own.
But, of course, women are awesome man!
Being one, even more so.
And no, that doesn't mean men aren't.
Peace.

Every once in a while

Something comes along,

that captures your complete attention, leaves you in awe of the lengths of an(y) imagination and at the same time has you wondering what the hell is going on!!!!!

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is that something today!
I was thoroughly confused and completely taken up with it...
(missed the beginning though.)

Here's the official trailer.

Love Heath Ledger!(of course)

And while you're here, read Dinosaur Comics! =)
It's not ALL funny... but, the little that is, is quite hilarious!

Observations, continued...

If you've found someone who doesn't bore you and still feels comfortable in prolonged gaps of complete silence, hold on to them. They're definitely special.


There is a HUGE difference between Cold Coffee and Coffee gone cold.
I promise to scowl and give condescending looks to whomever the next person is, who tells me theres nothing I can do about my coffee gone cold, I should just enjoy it like cold coffee! (You can have it.)


The Problem-Formula-Application-Practice analogy is brilliant and can be applied pretty much ANYwhere, from learning animation softwares to learning life.
Basically, everything is based on certain "formula", read: Code of conduct? ... and only with practice do you learn where to apply which formula/code to tackle the overall task/problem/situation.
In short. Get off your lazy ass. You're going nowhere without the practice.
(No! not YOU.
You, ME, US, Them, Whoever... It'll be really stupid if someone reading "you" takes it personally!)


That's another thing. We take TOO much stuff personally.
Observe it for yourself.
How often are you analyzing yourself on the basis of what you "think" others will think about you!
You don't even wait for them to tell you what they think or why they reacted a certain way or why their response was delayed, cos you've already thought of what they're thinking or know that their reaction is based on complete hatred towards you or are positive their delayed response is cos they think you smell. (Sigh! This is too much stress! Let. It. Go.
The observation being, I must stop wasting energy analyzing things that do not need to be analyzed.


I was being sarcastic in that long drawn sentence above...
Just mentioning that, as I've noticed sarcasm does NOT transfer well over text.
Or maybe I just haven't gotten the hang of writing sarcastically yet.


I've said it before and I'll say it again, (mainly 'cause this particular observation has been kicking me in the stomach, slapping me in the face, hitting me on the head, stamping on my toes and has just generally been emotionally abusive!)...
Habits aren't needs, but they pretend very well!


Very often we say things that make absolutely NO sense!
Now this doesn't mean I'm going to stop, just that I am thoroughly aware of my senselessness.
For example:
HOLY CRAP(/other words for crap)! - Crap is not holy. Never was. HolEy, maybe. Not Holy.
or, ROYALLY bored/screwed/late/sleepy/tired - Sometimes I use 'royally' like its the new 'very'.
There are other examples, but I'll refrain from agonizing detail.
You think about it.
How much nonsense do you make?


Driving like a maniac when you're late is pointless. You're already late. You MIGHT only lessen the amount of time you are late by. Besides, when there's good music in the car, why waste it by being distracted by unnecessary near-death-experiences?
Don't say it's for the adrenaline rush, they have extreme adventure sports for that.
Lots of people on the roads have not signed up for your free-for-all thrill fest.
And remember, it doesn't matter what people say, and how much they try to sugar-coat it...
the secret to life is simple.
Do your best to stay alive. 

Observations, of late.

Everything is better when it's colourful. (Even if you can't go wrong with B&W)
Time flies. As fast as flying can fly.
Letting go is hard to do.
Real love is beyond language, religion, background, everything.
Sometimes real love is born simply from being forced to spend a lot of time together.
No, I don't mean the romantic kind of love. But, it applies there too, I'm sure.
Not that I would know much about that.
No matter how old you are, it will all feel like it happened in the blink of an eye.
Being the "older sibling" figure is one of the awesomest things ever.
Having older siblings is a safe feeling.
Yea, 'having siblings' is a feeling. Mostly, because I just made it one.
You will never be as cool as "the kids".
Not trying makes you cooler.
Bus rides are a peaceful thing to me.
Failure isn't the end of the world.
Dreams are a good fuel for life.
There's very little hard work and dedication cannot accomplish.
Working hard and staying dedicated is hard to accomplish, very often.
How much we keep in touch is not directly proportional to how much we love.
I wish that how much we kept in touch was directly proportional to how much we love.
There's no point being afraid of death.
Loneliness, when accepted, is a gift that will lead us to find a purpose in life.
I'd hardly ever re-tweet a saying like that. 
But, these "life-quotes", and "sayings" and "profound thoughts" that we don't always like to admit we read, are comforting.
It's nice to know complete strangers feel similar things we do.
It's worth keeping up with the news. 
Even if it is mostly depressing.
It's OK not to understand it once in a while.
Sometimes, if you're lucky, that mistake you just made will have helped you find the best way of doing what you actually set out to do, some other way.




(to be continued...)

On a day like today.

The Bryan Adams Concert.

11^th February, 2011.

First of its kind in the city of Pune.

I was there.

I just had to come home and pour my heart out, somewhere!

It’s been a rollercoaster of thoughts and feelings through today. And I just want a release.

I don’t even know where to start. First I thought I’d blog.

But, I didn’t want to appear drama-full. Or for that matter, offend anyone.

So I’ve resorted to good old, Word.

I’ll decide if it’s safe to share later.

(Obviously (with some alterations) I’ve decided it is.)

 So, this is Larika on

Bryan Adams: A first time concert, from the back of the crowd!

It was a bittersweet experience. I’ve been cooped up at home for a while now. So really, today, I was just happy to be out. (For something other than field work!)
It was for Bryan Adams! And I’m a big fan, of course! So obviously there was this intrinsic excitement, I could not help. I got a pass through a close friend who was kind enough to take me along. (I will always be eternally grateful.) I’m quite sure I wouldn't have gone through the trouble of going, if I were left to buying a pass and coordinating the whole affair on my own. Not having to make a choice is much easier. (That raises a whole load of other questions and reasons.) But, I’ll just say that, I’ll splurge when I’m earning and the money’s mine to spend as I like.

So, like I said, this was the first of its kind in Pune and although I was happy to have a pass, there’s no denying that the zone we were in, was pretty sucky. At this point, being a short person did not help either. It’s made for some pretty tired feet and slightly sore ankles.

But again, I’ll reiterate how… I, like many others, was just happy to be there.

Now, it’s true, I can imagine people who paid good money were probably ticked off at being barricaded at a considerable distance from the action, forced more achingly to have to see vast expanses of empty land before them, only because the organizers were (as I’ve heard it been put tonight) overambitious.

The sound was much too soft, definitely not the decibel level you’d expect to help fuel the adrenaline rush arena rock is supposed to create. (For the people at the back, anyway.) Not that it was an arena, but those epic guitar solos and little wise-cracks between the songs weren’t done justice to, for sure! (You're not supposed to be able to have conversations at rock concerts are you?!)

And again, I was still pretty happy to be there.

I happened to be around people who’d seen and experienced much better. So I could understand where they were coming from, when their take on almost all of it was… well, completely negative.

The only saving grace being, the music!

As much as I understood how they felt, I couldn’t stop it from getting to me.

There I was after all, at a concert for the first time in my life (Sean Kingston’s gig doesn’t really count ‘cause it wasn’t on the same scale and I’m not THAT big a fan, and RIO definitely doesn’t count ‘cause I knew just one song and I didn’t even recognize him when he entered. And then there are some other random ones that are just not the same thing.)…

So, yeah! For the first time in my life, at a full-fledged concert, with thousands of people! And I just wanted to sing the songs with the man himself, even if he did seem like just a speck from where I was.  I really had nothing to compare any of this to. So, apart from the apparent suckiness, I was still for some stupid reason, happy to be there. I guess that’s just the power of the music. To think that this was just Bryan Adams! I don’t know what I’d do if Bon Jovi came to town. I just know I wouldn’t put ANYthing past me.

I’ll be honest; it felt pretty wretched being constantly reminded of how terrible it was from where we were tonight. But, I wonder if the unfairness of it all would have even crossed our minds had we had front row VVIP spots. The truth is, the concept of concerts (on this scale) is entirely new (to the crowd in Pune at least) and some of us, we don’t even know what we’re missing. How much better it could get. So in our defence, what we don’t know doesn’t really affect us. 
So, I’m sorry if we’re the idiots who’re willing to stand 500 meters away from the stage with empty grounds in front of us – big enough to play cricket on, and see the flashing lights more than actual faces and watch the big screens, knowing full well, that youtube gives us a better deal (being free and in our faces and all) and still somehow be excited and happy to be hearing some of our favourite songs being sung live by the flesh and blood that made them famous to begin with!

In retrospect, it all seems pretty silly; 
the hype and the drama.

And it all seems pretty surreal; 
the idol and the dream.         

For me, I realised how the big screens and television and the movies and the media all make some very simple things seem larger than life. 
At least Sean Kingston kinda ‘looked’ larger than life; 
but today made Bryan Adams so real.
He was a tiny figure running up and down the stage. 
Keith Scott was the size of an ant on stage, from where we were; and still, bigger than freakin’ Godzilla with nimble fingers on the giant screen. 
Gary Breit was juggling synths, again, magnified times ten.

I guess that’s what being a superstar is. Being who you are and somehow shifting souls and moving masses even more than half the world away. After a brief conversation while walking back, I began to wonder how many of them do it because it’s all they really know how to do, and how many of them work strategically to be universally appealing. 
And how do they know where all our parallel universes collide to find common ground to enjoy the act they have worked out and ready to stage.

I’m sure there’s no fixed formula for fame. And different people have gotten “there” in different ways. I’m definitely in awe of their impact; how they do it. And I’m even more in awe of the giddy-headed fans, fainting at the sight of their favourite stars, standing in lines hours before their concerts begin.

Respect to both, I’d say.

Whether you’d like to admit it or not, we’re all suckers for the famous.
Some of us, for their work and some of us, for the fantasy-picture perfect lives they seem to lead. Closeted reality, no doubt.

But, why would we care?

‘Cause it’s true, we all just wanna be big rockstars, live in hilltop houses, driving 15 cars!

And I’m sure every rockstar had someone else make them go weak in the knees and blurry in the head before (and after) they made it.

Ugh! I could go on… =)

But, for now, I’ll say that for a first time concert, I’ll admit, it probably wasn’t the best.  But, Bryan made up for that by just being... Bryan!
And I’m not disappointed. My rock-concert-design dreams remain.
I’m gonna see it all, from bottom to top

And,

‘Around the world or around the block

Everywhere I go, the kids (will always!) wanna rock!’