That's Life!

Goodbye to a bit of the Blues

2012-01-21T09:32:00.000-08:00

1938 - 2012

Gotta love Sinead!

2012-01-12T02:59:00.000-08:00

I love this song.
Had a brain infected with it back in 2003-2004 and since...
Happy reminder today.
Gotta love the video from 1990! =)
2008

1990

A New Year/Wish

2012-01-01T02:31:00.000-08:00

No predictions.

No resolutions.

No expectations.

LOTS of dreams.

Some loosely thought of plans.

An end of a 5 year era!

Being love.
Beginning of ANYthing.

May your days be merry and bright.

And if not, may you be more resilient than ever before.

Love, laughter, peace, and luck
to you, your's and their's.

Travelling light to wide open spaces.

2011-12-04T10:13:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-14T07:28:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-08T23:59:00.000-08:00

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!

2011-10-26T08:39:00.000-07:00

"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.

2011-07-14T09:36:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-11T13:15:00.000-07:00

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...

2011-05-05T14:55:00.000-07:00

"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

2011-04-25T02:00:00.000-07:00

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!

2011-04-19T23:36:00.000-07:00

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

2011-04-14T20:10:00.000-07:00

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

2011-04-13T10:48:00.000-07:00

'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!

2011-03-14T08:58:00.000-07:00

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?

2011-03-08T06:23:00.000-08:00

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

2011-03-07T04:19:00.000-08:00

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...

2011-03-02T03:56:00.000-08:00

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.

2011-02-27T06:38:00.000-08:00

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.

2011-02-12T05:03:00.000-08:00

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!’

At your own risk.

2011-02-07T09:39:00.000-08:00

Consumption of the following substances is highly recommended.

Warning!:
You might die and go to heaven.

The way

2011-02-02T02:56:00.000-08:00

I am in love with "The Way" by Dana Glover.
But I can't seem to find the song ANYWHERE!....
In fact, this (below) is the ONLY video I could find.
Shes a decent singer... and the acapella choir is cool.
But I want this song!! Grr!
So, if you happen to manage to get a hold of it.
Let me know! =)

And, apart from the two freakishly tall guys at either end,
notice the amount of fun the girl in the background is having!
Gotta love it!

The Way

Dana Glover

Well I guess it's just the way it's got to be

I can't expect the whole world to stop turning just to listen to me

Besides everybody thinks that they're the one that's got something to say

It's the way it's been it's always been the way

It's a really fine feeling what I'm feeling on the radio

Cause I can hear the words but I just can't feel the soul

Said the tides are turning but nothing ever seems to change

When I turn the dial the groove still feels the same

Yeah, yeah yeah

Well I guess it's just the way it's got to be

Whose to say I'm the only one living in reality

But there's a melody I'm singing keeps me feeling like I'm never alone

I'll just sit right here and sing all the way home

Is anybody feeling what I'm feeling on the radio

Cause I can hear the words but I just can't feel the soul

Said the tides are turning but nothing ever seems to change

When I turn the dial the groove still feels the same

Well I guess it's just the way, that things will have to be, yeah

Well what if I could just live in that wonderland

Where Stevie touches my heart with his hands

And Aretha sings about a do right man all night long just for me

That'd be the way that it would be

My my my my my my...

Is anybody feeling what I'm feeling what I'm feeling what I'm feeling on the radio

Is there a James Brown, or an Al Green, or an anybody who knows what I mean

Oh my my, whoo whoo

Chaka Kahn, I feel for you

Is anybody feeling what I'm feeling what I'm feeling what I'm feeling on the radio

My my my my my my...

This isn’t a review.

2011-01-28T08:28:00.000-08:00

It’s just WHY I think you should watch Dhobi Ghat.

I loved it.

I’m so glad I managed to watch it today. A week late! “Better late than never”

Again, a completely last minute, impromptu plan – The only kind that seem to work !

But, I’ve been looking forward to this one.

And it definitely didn’t disappoint.

Having heard and read mixed reviews about it, I’m glad I made the time to see it and decide for myself.

The portrayal of these lives and their emotions is very real, crude and because of that, fresh.

I’ve heard a lot of complaints about how it just leaves you hanging; Inconclusive in a way.

That’s what makes it all the more brilliant. How many of us are living ‘done deals’ anyway!

But, I drew my own conclusions.

I replayed the last few scenes in my head on the way back home and I thought about what the little gestures meant, from the characters you grow to understand through the course of the film. Whether it was a tear rolling down, or crumpling a paper or running like a madman to do something completely selfless, to reserving your greatest work for yourself; there are so many questions that could be asked and so many meanings that could be drawn from a movie that ends the way this one does.

Which is why, I would LOVE to discuss it with ANYone who’s seen it and feels like discussing it! (*bebe=))

I was thoroughly enthralled by the way they managed to capture all kinds of love. All kinds of life.

This definitely isn’t brainless, “feel good” cinema. It’s the kind that makes you think.

But, apart from the philosophical stuff that there really is no end to,

the script and direction leave me looking forward to Kiran Rao’s next. The storytelling was just masterful, in words and by every frame.

Aamir, of course, is awesome; but this time, she really brought the “better” half.

A perfectly cast set of actors that did justice to their roles, Prateik Babbar standing out in particular, was just the icing on the cake.

Watch the movie.

And this was totally a review.

♪

2011-01-27T06:19:00.001-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skOY7nKH144&feature=channel

Man, I REALLY want to see Dave Matthews Band live!

Adiemus!!!

2011-01-21T06:09:00.000-08:00

!Adiemus, is Brilliant

Quoting Wikipedia:

"Adiemus is the title of a series of albums by Welsh composer Karl Jenkins.

Each Adiemus album is a collection of song-length pieces featuring harmonized vocal melody against an orchestral background. There are no lyrics, instead the vocalists sing syllables and 'words' invented by Jenkins.
The language of Adiemus is carefully stylised so as not to distract the listener's attention from the pitch and timbre of the voice—for example, syllables ending in consonants are rare, in this respect it is similar to Japanese and several other languages. The core concept of Adiemus is that the voice should be allowed to function as nothing more than an instrument.

The word Adiemus itself resembles a Latin word meaning 'We will approach' (literally, "we shall submit a cause to a referee"); Jenkins claims to have been unaware of this."

And last but NOT in the least,

ENYA HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT!!!!!

Khalil Gibran - On Children

2011-01-21T05:40:00.000-08:00

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let our bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.

More of where that came from:

"Love is sufficient unto love."

"The oak tree and The cypress grow not in each other's shadow."

"And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance."

And what we mean, we say, and what we would, we know.

2011-01-15T12:29:00.000-08:00

Recommended Read:
The Buried Life by Matthew Arnold.

15 days into a new year, and I think I can safely say its a year of change.
Big change.
Tough change.
Good change?
Change.

They even want to change the Zodiac.
Ok. That's where I think the universe is pushing it.
Like what's with the new constellation, man. Or woman! Or whatever.
Take it back!

As you can see,
I'm not the biggest fan of "change".
But in my defense, when it comes to the stars...
I've always taken pride in being one of the cardinals.
Being the fire sign, pioneering the pack... yada yada.
I just thought it was cool and I've had almost a complete 22 years to get used to it and convince myself that nothing could be cooler. (For me, that is.)
Now they expect me to warm up to being a fish.
Sigh.

It is what it is.
You're really who you choose to be at the end of the day.
And if the stars spell fish, I'll be a fish with Rammy tendencies.
My pointless prattle is going somewhere...
really.

I've spent that last fortnight pushing myself to bring about a change in my ways that,
I could lie and say, has been a long time coming...
or tell the truth and say, I've always known I've needed but somehow consistently managed to fool myself into believing I had good reason not to have brought it about yet.
Having said that, I'll go with the truth.
The truth is, it's hard.
I've slipped up.
But mostly, stuck to my guns.

I miss going with the flow and I fight (very strongly) the urges to reconnect, catch up, chill out or just call people. All things that I consider important, but in my current circumstance just translate to waste of time.
I think I'm probably in the process of learning big "life lessons".
I know it sounds all "trying to be deep" and shit.
But honestly, with this process of decluttering, I've found a little bit of clarity.
I enjoy being spontaneous.
Doing what I feel like doing, in the moment.
Saying exactly what I want to say.
And I revel in the beautiful confusion and colourful blur that evolves because of it,
dealing with the consequences as and when they come in whatever fashion.
Calling it a lesson learned (or not quite)... just another experience.
And now suddenly there are schedules with rows and columns and divided hours.
So much structure.
Such a regiment.
One that, if stuck to, would leave little scope for much to go wrong.
Yet, somehow... more sleep. More work done.
Greater belief that maybe with a little conviction, the task/s at hand aren't insurmountable at all.
Maybe, being like the wind isn't the only way to be. (Even if you have dreams of Swayze singing the song exclusively for you.)
Being firmly rooted comes with a strength, stability and pride of it's own.

It's strange how the things we initially resist, grow on us.
Then the reasons for which we resisted seem delusive,
but at the time, they really weren't at all.
Life calls for change all the time.
And it's up for grabs.
I guess it's really up to each of us, to decide when we're ready for our helping.
Sometimes you just don't have a choice.
That variable constant.
Forever rocking the boat.

"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..."

New Resolve

2011-01-02T10:37:00.000-08:00

I think it's fine and dandy to make a list of things you want to accomplish and feel excited and happy for a little while.
I do this about 5 times a year.
And every time, I make a zestful phone call to one of my closest friends and tell them all about how THIS time is different. THIS time I cannot be stopped.
And then the excitement fades.
Habits aren't needs but they pretend very well.
The reality of how hard it is to really change kicks in.
And tra-la-la-la-la, 20 days down the line I'm back to where I was just before I started to make a list.
Doing what I know how to do.
Being the way I'm comfortable.
Too afraid or too lazy to change.
Once again, on the inevitable road back to feeling miserable about the failure of yet another attempt at taking control of things and making them go my way.

I don't believe in new years resolutions.
I do believe in trying harder though.
I'm aware that after trying repeatedly, it's really ok to ask for some help.
And to accept help being thrust upon me even if I feel too proud to concede that I need it.

I think new years resolutions are really wishlists.
It's what you wish would just happen.
It's very easy to forget or rather, not think about what really needs to be put into making resolutions reality.
This time, I'm just going to give everything another shot.
I've had perspective hit me like a rum-soaked raisin (They're strong!) in these last few days.
And I feel a new resolve.
I'm not going to say that it's different from anything I've felt before, or that it's the same.
I'm just going to try and do what I know I need to do.

Happy New Year everyone.
I hope you know what you want from it and that 'the universe conspires to help you get it'.

Dear Jake

2010-12-29T06:34:00.000-08:00

I won't ever forget how you played and sang it.

The upside is, there's no more imagining for you.

You leave behind much love,

we carry yours in our hearts.

Make sure you miss us lesser beings now, once in a while.

'Cause we most certainly will miss you.

We're so silly for thinking that time is on our side, sometimes.

For all the times we shared, whether it was jamming at Furtados, or practicing for duets to sing on stage, or getting fat on your awesome lemon pie, just to name a few... I'm thankful.

I'm just glad I knew you.

You won't ever be forgotten.

Love you, Jakey.

"LA!!"

Funny, the way it is.

2010-12-26T09:17:00.000-08:00

Lying in the park on a beautiful day

Sunshine in the grass, and the children play

Siren's passing, fire engine red

Someone's house is burning down on a day like this

The evening comes and we're hanging out
On the front step and a car rolls by with the windows rolled down
And that war song is playing, "why can't we be friends?"
Someone is screaming and crying in the apartment upstairs

Funny the way it is, if you think about it
Somebody's going hungry and someone else is eating out
Funny the way it is, not right or wrong
Somebody's heart is broken and it becomes your favorite song

The way your mouth feels in your lovers kiss
Like a pretty bird on a breeze or water to a fish
A bomb blast brings a building crashing to the floor
You hear the laughter while the children play war

Funny the way it is, if you think about it
One kid walks 10 miles to school, another's dropping out
Funny the way it is, not right or wrong
On a soldier's last breath his baby's being born

Standing on a bridge, watch the water passing under me
It must've been much harder when there was no bridge, just water
Now the world is small, remember how it used to be
With mountains and oceans and winters and rivers and stars

Watch the sky, the jet planes, so far out of my reach
Is there someone up there looking down on me?
Boy chase a bird, so close but every time
He'll never catch her, but he can't stop trying

Funny the way it is, if you think about it.

-Dave Matthews Band-

Five days left of 2010.

So, obviously it's that time you start to look back and think about the year gone by.

I don't have much to say about it. Not here, anyway.

But, it was big. Freakin' fast. But, big.

Ironic. Greater the mass, slower the speed?

Well, I've heard elephants are fast when they want to be.

Ok, that has nothing to do with my point.

I started the year out (on blogspot) tripping on the Kinks, Shaggy and Jimmy Eat World! :)

I just didn't feel like letting my last post be a random re-post game I saw on The Mraz's page.

So, I was thinking about what to write.

I don't usually have to "think" about what to post.

When I feel like, I do.

This time the only feeling I had was, "MANIA will not be my last post. JUST."

I'm probably going to bore some of you with the randomness of this post.

I apologize.

But, it's my blog. And, I have to admit, even after over a year, it's still mostly for me.

When I started to force myself to "think" about 2010, it was amusing how the words "Funny, the way it is" just kept coming to mind. You know, I never have, still don't and probably never will understand any of the things I WISH to understand. And there are so many. To sum it up for you, I want to understand why things are the way they are. I don't.

OK. That just sounds stupid in retrospect.

No one does.

(I really hate this. You know, when you think you've thought of something superbly profound and then you write it down or think about it again and all it does is sound "stupid" for you. I don't like it. It happens too often.)

Ok, well anyway.. moving on (or back-- to the point?)

'Funny, the way it is' is one of my personal favourtie Dave Matthews Band songs.

And it's all that came to mind.

Have you ever experienced loving a song, listening to it (many times), loving it every time you've listened to it, but overall, you've never really taken it all in. For instance, I think today was the first time I really paid attention to this song. Lyrics. Beats. Rhythm. Music. Video. Everything.

I saw what it was really saying.

It's pretty brilliant. And it IS funny, the way it is. It's ironic too, but it's definitely funny.

2010 has been pretty epic. It's been quite the close to a decade or start to a decade.

Yes, I'm still confused about how to count decades!

I'm not going to recount the year, for those of you who're still reading, for whatever reason you're still reading!

I'm just going to say that it was every adjective, colour and song you can think of.

And, I know there's a huge possibility 2011 is going to be similar.

If it is. I can't wait.

If it's better. I hope I can take it!

If it's worse. It too shall pass.

For what has been, I'm (mostly) thankful.

For the parts I'm not so thankful for, I've accepted.

For what is, I'm happy and gathering courage.

For what will be, I'm willing. (ish)

Here's to just another year gone by.
In itself, an entire lifetime.

MANIA

2010-12-21T10:47:00.001-08:00

My Underground

2010-12-17T01:08:00.000-08:00

My underground is a strange, confusing place
Nonetheless, my constant retreat
I still can't seem to give it a face
Or define for you, what it means to me

Beyond the realms of comprehension

Sometimes, too hard to understand

A sanctuary amidst the tension

A war-zone when I've lost command

With The Underground that is your own

You could possibly relate

Your safety net when you're falling... alone

In a cold world, that warm embrace

Exclusively mine for none to see

Where everything's said and anything goes

A carefree space... just to be

Where my secrets hide and my spirit grows

To know me well, I'd tell you all

If my trust in you is sound

But, to see my soul you'd need the gall

to take me on, in my Underground

Bucket Listing Everyday!

2010-12-06T09:42:00.000-08:00

So many random things to say.
I love 'The Buried Life'. And I've watched only one episode. I don't even know when I'll catch another!
But I caught this one at the right time.
I needed something positive.
I'm generally positive without any help.
But today I needed help.
Waali is always the first to a rescue on most days;
This time only second to this show.
Now I'm not about to become an ardent follower, simply because I don't think I'm capable of ardently following ANYthing, but that's not going to keep me from loving the philosophy.
It's very "Pay It Forward"-like and THAT was one of the few movies that moved me so much, I cried and everything!

I used to think about what I wanted to do with my life "in the big picture" a lot. I still do.
But a couple of years ago (when I was more active in the SSU-our youth group), I used to think a lot about how I wanted to 'change lives' ultimately, one way or another.
I credit that mostly to my parents.
I still know that that's what I want to do, but along the way, it's been pretty easy getting self-involved and distracted with the everyday happy/sad nonsense life serves on it's messy platter.
I just realized, I haven't thought about or envisioned hypothetical situations of that dream coming true often enough lately. I used to have movies play out in my head before!
In some intense conversations in the past, I was faced repeatedly with the same question:
"Why are you studying THIS?
OR
Why are you pursuing THAT."
I still am.

And of course the answers might seem selfish at first.
The answers are simple, after all.
I'm doing the things I do because they interest ME,
Because 'I' want to be able to,
Because they offer me the opportunity to stand out with whatever skills I develop in the process,
but above all, and most importantly, learning things or being the best version of yourself only renders YOU that much more capable of making an impact or a change, first hand.
It makes it that much 'easier' (as inappropriate as the word 'easy' may be) to make a difference.
I'm an architecture student and I joke about how I'm a work in progress, like most of us.
Under construction.
I have a long way to go.
But I believe in getting there.

I think everyone has a right to be different and be sure about it.
Bring something unique to the table.
Your chances of making an unforgettable, 'sizable' mark, are better that way.
All this remains entirely relative to your perception of size.
Changing one life is as big as changing a million, when it's for the better.
In the end, I maintain,
to each his/her own.
Another reason I love the concept of "The Buried Life" is 'cause there's really nothing 'holier than thou' about it. In fact, it's about fulfilling your own dreams (however ridiculous they may be) to help others do exactly that for themselves.
And if you think about it, it's pretty fundamental in every way isn't it?
How can you make anyone happy unless you're happy yourself!

So, positivity struck.
And that's good.
And while the bigger picture is still a while away, there's Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) for now.
RAK is a little something that we all do without realizing.
When you buy that beggar on the road a meal or help a struggling stranger with their bags or take the trouble to tell the lady riding pillion on the bike that her dupatta is dangerously close to the back wheel or just smile (not creepily) at a passer by - to quote the average, everyday, most common RAKs -
you're making a difference.
So why not just consciously make a bigger effort? =)

No I don't claim to be a wise-man, a poet or a saint

I'm just another man who's searching for a better way

But my heart beats loud as thunder

For the things that I believe

Sometimes I wanna run for cover
Sometimes I want to scream!

Bang a drum for tomorrow

Bang a drum for the past

Bang a drum for the heroes that won't come back

Bang a drum for the promise

Bang a drum for the lies

Bang a drum for the lovers and the tears they've cried

Bang a drum, bang it loudly

Or as soft as you need

But as long as my heart keeps on bangin'

I got a reason to believe.

- Bon Jovi

My Light Fascination

2010-12-03T11:50:00.000-08:00

Such a beautiful mess,

Intertwined and overrun

Cause baby you're a Firework!

Come on let you colours burst!

Tell me can you hear my voice,
loud and clear above the noise

May all your troubles soon be gone.

Those Christmas lights, keep shining on.

Though the words sound steady,

Something empty's within 'em

I don't know where we're going
I don't know who we are

"We do everything"

2010-11-29T11:27:00.000-08:00

"Hello! We do everything!! Haan."

That's a comment Toi, one of my friends, made in response to a remark Raa, another friend, made in jest about how we need to find something better to do with our time, than take silly pictures.
(Of course he was kidding. =) I know that. But I LOVE that response!....)

WE DO EVERYTHING!

Ok, It's not the complete truth. But when I think about it, it's not entirely false either.
And when I think of "WE", I think of the everyday, young person out there, struggling with this roller-coaster ride we call life!
I had an intense weekend, in more ways than one.
It was eventful; involved meeting lots of people and doing lots of different kinds of things.
Hectic.
Educational.
Frustrating.
Inspiring.
Tiring.
Supremely FUN.

I've spent Monday pretty much just recuperating!
For once, don't tell me why I don't like Mondays. =)
But in the course of this weekend,
I've learnt a little more about technology. Another step in the right direction to overcoming Software on the battlefield of submissions. I've come to terms with the fact that flat tyres usually happen in pairs. It's happened before. It happened again. And if it doesn't happen again? Hey! I'll be pleasantly surprised.
It's probably better that way, to expect that everything has the potential to be worse.
I bonded over cakes and coffee with people I'd missed and sat at a crowded table in a coffee shop, catching up, laughing and bickering with old friends I don't get to see often enough, minus the holidays.
I watched action packed movies with star casts and hardly slept. And I realize how much I value sleep.
I know, "I'll live while I'm alive and sleep when I'm dead" is even an anthem of sorts. But really, sleep is just a very important part of life. MY life, anyway.
I drove more than I'd drive in 5 days put together. But, I love driving. I just wish the roads we're subjected to in this wonderful country were all maintained 'military style'.
The highlight of the weekend would be discovering Swami Chinmayananda, his philosophy and visiting the Vibhooti ashram in Mulshi. I'd still want to read more on his take on things before I blog about it or anything. But it's nice to expose yourself to what seems like "enlightened thinking" once in a while. It makes you think beyond the realms of our tiny minds that are very often easily trapped in the monotony we coast through, day in and out. The visit may have been for dissertation-al purposes, but coupled with good company and an epic personality with a funky accent, it didn't feel the slightest bit like work.
All of that, with good music in the background at all times, many silly games AND a bunch of sillier photographs, if not for the memories, just to prove it all happened.

Life isn't always this interesting. I'm glad even! I haven't built the stamina for it to be like this everyday.
Besides, I love not doing anything just as much as I love being busy.
It's my judgement in when I choose to do what that could probably use a little fine tuning!
But things are interesting enough.
As for life?
Taking it as it comes is a good way to do it, I've found.

November's been quite the month. I've felt everything.
I've done some of the things I planned and successfully avoided some.
If you read my first post this month,
I still stand by the fact that the wind in my hair on this crazy ride feels really good.
And I feel like someone gifted me a navigation system for the car I'm steering through space as well.
It's preset, obviously.
It's taking me somewhere for certain. I trust it.
But I'm not about to mess with the settings.

Technology!!
LOVE it. But,
ONE step at a time.

December. Show me what you've got.

Full circle moment

2010-11-26T02:33:00.000-08:00

So, I happened to catch an episode of How I Met Your Mother this afternoon.
If you know me, you'd know I don't really follow anything on TV religiously...
But I've always liked this show.
It's funny, which goes without saying.
And also, 'cause of Neil Patrick Harris, who I feel in love with as Doogie Howser!
This was just one of those awesome moments where I got unnecessarily extra happy to have something so current bring back some really old memories. =D
It's strange how these things become so much more than JUST TV shows or movies or songs or videos. Very strange.

The show ended like this...

I know, I'm silly.

But, Oh Doogie!

Randy Pausch: Really achieving your childhood dreams | Video on TED.com

2010-11-25T02:50:00.000-08:00

Randy Pausch: Really achieving your childhood dreams | Video on TED.com

The single most inspiring talk on TED that I've seen, yet.

This man was phenomenal.

Better than this.

2010-11-20T04:24:00.000-08:00

I AM.

(Who invented bubblegum pop?!
They should probably be sued.
But they're GENIUSES.
I confess,
Toy-Box has made this afternoon!)

KUNE: It MUST be magic

2010-11-15T11:31:00.000-08:00

2008

2009

2010

There's a place on a hill, somewhere between two bustling cities. It's a simple place. The air is clean and it overlooks a valley, where you feel like if you made the plunge you'd probably start to fly. If the weather is right, there's the waterfall to add to your view and if the rain is heavy it'd probably be alive enough to spray you with some of it's water.
There's something about this place.
It's captured our hearts and always leaves us wanting more or planning to go back.

This place is Kune.

Sometimes you wonder what really makes a place special.
As a student of architecture, I'm into studying and designing places and spaces.
There are so many parameters we have to consider. From function and form to the colours and textures.
As someone who's done a fair share of travelling, I'm familiar with different kinds of places.
From simple minus one star hotels in some obscure part of the country with bad roads, where there happens to be a beautiful specimen of historical Indian architecture to what could easily be considered a five star cruise ship.
My point being, for a place to become really special to you, none of that matters.
What matters is your experience there.
What happened to you while you were there.
The natural, human or spiritual encounters you have at the place.
The interaction with other people, known to you or not.
The relationships you develop.
The bonds you make. The ones you tighten.

In the pictures above, two things are common.
i- The place. Kune.
ii- The apparent, unmistakable joy in the faces of the people there.

It's strange not to be a part of the 2010 crowd. In fact it's what's gotten me all nostalgic.
It's reassuring and slightly saddening to see how things continue.
How all we can really do is enjoy where we are right now and give it ALL we've got.
Because before us, someone did just that. And is probably better for it.
And after us, many more will come along and do the same.

We've made golden memories at Kune, and we're not even close to done yet.
It's the place we planned amazing races and pushed our creative limits (and watched some of our ideas literally burst into flames while we prayed- anyone remember the famous cellophane lanterns?).
The place we took charge and became leaders.
The place we fought on the playing field and sometimes bled, till we won.
The place we enjoyed ministering angels and cross-dressed way beyond what would be considered 'scandalously'.
Where we conned people into washing our plates and where we told ghost-stories that weren't scary at all.
Where everyone was brave enough to bet on the girls in a boys vs. girls wrestling match and we lost. (We left our marks though!)
The place where monkey's attended sessions and a black dog would chase them around.
Where long afternoon treks under a blazing sun were totally worth it just 'cause of the waterfall reward in the end.
Where every night we'd sit in silence around a candle's flame listening to the gentle strumming of a guitar and we'd sing under stars.
Where dancing and football were at loggerheads for the 11 to 1 session.
The place we even brought in a new year while burning quite a good looking old man.

The place we went to escape from everything, and somehow found more of what we were looking for than we expected.

The place where broken friendships healed and new ones formed.

The place where some of our aching hearts found comfort and strength.

The place where friends fell in love. Where they still do.
Where one even went on to propose sharing his life with the one he loved.
And she said yes.

Words couldn't be enough to describe what Kune means to us. But I urge YOU (yes, YOU reader.) to leave behind your memories of this place in a comment on this post, if Kune meant anything to you.
Who knows! Maybe when we're all old and grey, I'll use this at some re-union and we'll laugh with the joy of it all. But it's an awesome feeling just reminiscing the times right now too!

To the memories,

being alive, alert, awake, enthusiastic!

To Kune.

Our's forever.

Kevin Arnold: The boy we grew up with

2010-11-11T13:30:00.000-08:00

What would you do if I sang out of tune?
Would you stand up and walk out on me?
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song,
I will try not to sing out of key.
___________________________________________________
Maybe that's not exactly the way it happened, but that's the way it should've happened and that's the way I like to remember it and if dreams and memories sometimes get confused, well that's as it should be. Because every kid deserves to be a hero. Every kid already is.

-Kevin Arnold

Alright, so the third personality on my list, from last year!, is a fictional one.

Kevin Arnold from an old TV series called "The Wonder Years".

Awesome stuff.

The role was played by Fred Savage.
Now, I don't know much about Fred or how he got cast or any of that.
And it's been really long since I watched the show.
But I remember the essence of it. Who could forget!
I probably wouldn't have been that into it had I not grown up with a sibling who is 7 years older than me.
I watched mostly because she did.
But that was in the beginning.
It grew on me. And then, I watched it because I loved it.

This is the summary of the show on IMDb:

An adult Kevin Arnold reminisces on his teenage years spent growing up during the 60s. As he goes from adolescence to adulthood, he experiences, along with his best friend Paul and sometimes-girlfriend Winnie, the full range of trials and traumas that come in just about everyone's life.

This 1988-1993 period dramedy takes place during the turbulent times of the late 1960s and 1970s. The show focuses on Kevin Arnold, a young teenager living in a quiet middle-class suburb, and his family and friends. Throughout the series' five-year run, Kevin deals with middle and high school, encounters puberty, has ups and downs with childhood sweetheart Winnie Cooper, deals with annoying older brother Wayne, and hangs out with geeky-but-lovable Paul. The series is told from Kevin's point-of-view.

I'm not quite sure how to give you a feel of the show or the character, if you haven't watched it- ever. I suppose quoting the things he said and maybe choosing videos of some of the more memorable moments would help.

A suburban junior high school cafeteria is like a microcosm of the world. The goal is to protect yourself, and safety comes in groups. You have your cool kids, you have your smart kids, you have your greasers, and in those days, of course, you had your hippies. In a fact in junior high school, who you are is defined less by who you are than by who's the person sitting next to you.

~Kevin when entering the cafeteria

What I loved about The Wonder Years is the simple, honest way Kevin narrates his story;

Ordinary, everyday things we think and feel. The moments we probably take for granted. The lessons we don't even realize we're learning. Even the lessons you realize you've failed to learn, while you watch.

Then there are relationships.

From the kind you share with a sibling, who as much as you work to annoy, you will always stick by;

to the understanding between a parent and a child. Between Kevin and his dad, for instance, words are over-rated. Sometimes you don't need to say how you feel. Your actions speak a lot louder.

The show, in many ways, made me think of how often the fact that we love someone surpasses our need to understand them.

Love chooses to be blind. It's why we have the people we can always count on, no questions asked.

There's more to life than being cool, athletic, and popular.

~Kevin Arnold

If anything, Kevin's best-friendship with the geeky, endearing Paul would confirm that quote above. It's the quirky, yet completely real, no nonsense equation between the two that I love. Everyone needs that/those someone/s with whom they can say exactly what they think and not have to worry about how it sounds. That someone who will not be afraid to tell you exactly what everyone else is either too afraid to or doesn't care enough to tell you, even if it is something that's going to be hard for you to hear. I love how they manage to make the serious stuff funny too. It was a well written series, for sure!

If there’s one thing every kid needs growing up, it’s a best friend. Someone you trust. Someone who trusts you. Someone you measure yourself against. You go through everything together. Important things. Stupid things. Things that matter. Things that don’t.

~Kevin

When you're a little boy, you don't have to go very far to find the center of your universe. Mom. She's always there. It's a pretty good arrangement - when you're five. But around age thirteen, there starts to be... a problem. The problem is...she's always there. And I mean always. Now a mom has to be a mom, but a guy's gotta be a guy. And when an irresistible force meets an immovable object... Sooner or later - something's gotta give.

~Kevin

It was a strange and passionate time. Some of our dreams dissolved into thin air.

They almost seem comical now. But some of our dreams are lasting and real.

~Kevin

My favourite sub-story of The Wonder Years was the little love tale of Kevin and Winnie. Young love and the madness and wisdom it knows. Something I'm sure any person, young or old, could relate to.

Love makes you do funny things. It makes you proud. It makes you sorry. That night we talked. About life. About our times together. Maybe we weren't the same two kids we had once been. But some things never change. Some things last. And even though I didn't know what was going to happen to us, or where we were going. I just knew I couldn't let her out of my life.

~Kevin

Through the series, Kevin and Winnie's relationship sees many phases. From falling in love to drifting apart, to making the other jealous to beings friends to finding each other again. All the while she stays his main girl.

Over the course of the average lifetime you meet a lot of people.

Some of them stick with you through thick and thin.

Some weave their way through your life and disappear forever.

But once in a while someone comes along who earns a permanent place in your heart.

~Kevin

So, for so many reasons The Wonder Years was wonderful growing up on. It may have been based in a time we're lucky enough or unlucky enough to have missed. (Depends entirely on how you see it. =) ) But it remains a humour-full reminder that whoever you are, in whatever decade you were born, you're probably not as special as you'd like to imagine 'cause what you feel and what you think has probably been felt and thought before. Yet, you're also probably the center of someone's universe or a huge, irreplaceable part of a bunch of people's worlds. You're probably giving yourself less credit than you deserve and sometimes too much for your own good. You're probably just making your way they best you know how...

Getting by with a little help from your friends.

Growing up happens in a heartbeat. One day you're in diapers, the next day you're gone. But the memories of childhood stay with you for the long haul. I remember a place, a town, a house like a lot of other houses, a yard like a lot of other yards, on a street like a lot of other streets. And the thing is, after all these years, I still look back, with wonder.

So, whoever you are and wherever you're from, no matter what you do with your life,

here's hoping you always look back with wonder.

I choose faith

2010-11-11T07:55:00.000-08:00

Usually I just delete forwarded chain-mail. When it's sent by someone close to me, I scan through it to see if it's worth it. This caught my attention. Now, I've always believed in God. Open minded and accepting as I might be of the different views and opinions I've come across in my time, I still choose God. I still stand by the fact that it IS extremely personal - The choice. Or for that matter the reasons behind the choices we make, that is, whether to believe or not. I've just never found atheism convincing. The agnostic point of view I can come to terms with. But atheism? Not so much. I'm too much in awe of everything around me to be able to settle with that.
And this e-mail just made me think that much more.
It's an interesting, thought-provoking argument.

An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the problem science has with God, The Almighty.
He asks one of his new students to stand and this is how it goes:

Prof:

'So you believe in God?’

Student:
‘Absolutely, sir.'

Prof:
Is God good?

Student:
Sure.

Prof:
Is God all-powerful?

Student:
Yes.

Prof:
My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm?

(Student is silent.)

Prof:
You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?

Student:
Yes.

Prof:
Is Satan good?

Student:
No.

Prof:
Where does Satan come from?

Student:
From...God...

Prof:
That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?

Student:
Yes.

Prof:
Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything. Correct?

Student:
Yes.

Prof:
So who created evil?

(Student does not answer.)

Prof:
Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they?

Student:
Yes, sir.

Prof:
So, who created them?

(Student has no answer.)

Prof:
Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son...Have you ever seen God?

Student:
No, sir.

Prof:
Tell us if you have ever heard your God?

Student:
No, sir.

Prof:
Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God? Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?

Student:
No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.

Prof:
Yet you still believe in Him?

Student:
Yes.

Prof:
According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?

Student:
Nothing. I only have my faith.

Prof:
Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has.

Student:
Professor, is there such a thing as heat?

Prof:
Yes.

Student:
And is there such a thing as cold?

Prof:
Yes.

Student:
No sir. There isn't.
(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)

Student:
Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don't have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that.
There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat.
We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it .
(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.)

Student:
What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?

Prof:
Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?

Student:
You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light....But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't. If it were you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?

Prof:
So what is the point you are making, young man?

Student:
Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.

Prof:
Flawed? Can you explain how?

Student:
Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one.To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it.

Now tell me, Professor.Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?

Prof:
If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.

Student:
Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?
(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument is going.)

Student:
Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher? (The class is in uproar.)

Student:
Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain? (The class breaks out into laughter.)

Student:
Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain,sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir? (The room is silent. The professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable.)

Prof:
I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.

Student:
That is it sir... The link between man & god is FAITH . That is all that keeps things moving & alive.

Hello November

2010-11-01T14:51:00.000-07:00

The second last month of what's been such an eventful year!
It's hard to believe how time flies.
It's thoroughly amazing how much things change and how much they remain the same.
So far, a good year indeed.
Especially for one I consciously started 5 days late because I didn't want to start it sick.
21st year of my life and I'm getting all "new year reminiscent" a little early I think?!
But no! I'm just in one of those "retrospective" moods.
There's still so much left to do in the next two months.
There's so much to do before December!
Ok. There's LOTS to do even before I leave for a trip next week.
It never changes.
There's always lots to handle, just different days to handle it on and different moods to handle it with.
As of today,
I've never felt stronger and I've never felt weaker,
I've never been more sure and I've never been more uncertain,
I've never wanted to runaway more and I couldn't be happier to be right here,
I've never been more scared and I've never felt this brave,
I've never been so lost or found
and
I've never been more vague while feeling crystal clear.

It's overwhelmingly indescribable sometimes.
But it keeps things fresh.
It's painfully agonizing.
And a strange kind of bliss.

It's like dancing to no music or eating cold chicken.
It's not how it's normally done, but still oddly enjoyable.
I suppose there really is no sense to be made of the chaos we live.
And somehow it's just enough to know that we feel.
To accept the good with the bad and happy with the sad.

It's just enough to be in love with all the imperfection.
Taking it as it comes, sometimes hurrying it up and sometimes slowing it down.
Sometimes staying stationary, watching the world breathe.
And, sometimes getting so far ahead of yourself, you forget what you're like.

Well, hello November.
This is from the only place I've ever been and the one I hardly know.
I might feel like I'm steering my car through space without a navigation system,
but, the wind in my hair feels really good.

If you want to grab a hold, let it go.

Priceless Indeed!!

2010-10-29T02:04:00.001-07:00

Wonderful English from Around the World

In a Bangkok Temple :

IT IS FORBIDDEN TO ENTER A WOMAN, EVEN A FOREIGNER, IF DRESSED AS A MAN.

Cocktail lounge, Norway:

LADIES ARE REQUESTED NOT TO HAVE CHILDREN IN THE BAR.

Doctor's office, Rome :

SPECIALIST IN WOMEN AND OTHER DISEASES.

Dry cleaners, Bangkok :

DROP YOUR TROUSERS HERE FOR THE BEST RESULTS.

In a Nairobi restaurant:

CUSTOMERS WHO FIND OUR WAITRESSES RUDE, OUGHT TO SEE THE MANAGER.

On the main road to Mombasa , leaving Nairobi :

TAKE NOTICE: WHEN THIS SIGN IS UNDER WATER, THIS ROAD IS IMPASSABLE.

On a poster at Kencom:

ARE YOU AN ADULT THAT CANNOT READ? IF SO WE CAN HELP.

In a City restaurant:

OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AND WEEKENDS.

In a Cemetery:

PERSONS ARE PROHIBITED FROM PICKING FLOWERS, FROM ANY BUT THEIR OWN GRAVES .

Tokyo hotel's rules and regulations:

GUESTS ARE REQUESTED NOT TO SMOKE, OR DO OTHER DISGUSTING BEHAVIOURS IN BED.

On the menu of a Swiss Restaurant:

OUR WINES LEAVE YOU NOTHING TO HOPE FOR.

In a Tokyo Bar:

SPECIAL COCKTAILS FOR THE LADIES WITH NUTS.

Hotel, Yugoslavia:

THE FLATTENING OF UNDERWEAR WITH PLEASURE, IS THE JOB OF THE CHAMBERMAID.

Hotel, Japan:

YOU ARE INVITED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CHAMBERMAID.

In the lobby of a Moscow Hotel, across from a Russian Orthodox Monastery:

YOU ARE WELCOME TO VISIT THE CEMETERY, WHERE FAMOUS RUSSIAN AND SOVIET COMPOSERS, ARTISTS AND WRITERS ARE BURIED DAILY, EXCEPT THURSDAY.

A sign posted in Germany 's Black Forest :

IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN ON OUR BLACK FOREST CAMPING SITE, THAT PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT SEX, FOR INSTANCE, MEN AND WOMEN, LIVE TOGETHER IN ONE TENT, UNLESS THEY ARE MARRIED WITH EACH OTHER FOR THIS PURPOSE.

Hotel, Zurich :

BECAUSE OF THE IMPROPRIETY OF ENTERTAINING GUESTS OF THE OPPOSITE SEX IN THE BEDROOM, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE LOBBY BE USED FOR THIS PURPOSE.

Advertisement for donkey rides, Thailand :

WOULD YOU LIKE TO RIDE ON YOUR OWN ASS?

Airline ticket office, Copenhagen :

WE TAKE YOUR BAGS AND SEND THEM IN ALL DIRECTIONS. (Just Like British Airways!!!)

A Laundry in Rome :

LADIES, LEAVE YOUR CLOTHES HERE AND THEN SPEND THE AFTERNOON HAVING A GOOD TIME.

And finally the all time classic:

Seen in an Abu Dhabi Souk shop window:

IF THE FRONT IS CLOSED PLEASE ENTER THROUGH MY BACKSIDE…

Priceless!