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.