Who were they?

There are some people, real and fictional, that would top the list in the index of my book on "The Stuff of Legends", were I to actually write one, for reasons I'll elaborate on later.

And so often I'm completely shocked at the fact that a lot of people my age haven't even heard of some of them. (In some cases that is more understandable than others, but in some cases, downright unacceptable!)

So, in an attempt to change that, I'm going to do small (partially) informational pieces on these personalities, but based more on what they mean to me!

Hope y'all like! Amongst the people I want to cover are a few mentioned below.

Coming Soon:

Frank Lloyd Wright: Inside out, outside in.

Janis Joplin: The Colour in Rock & Roll.

Kevin Arnold: The boy we grew up with.

New People

So I got to thinking, and somewhere along the line, concluding;

I like new people.

Of course, I’m talking in general terms and am completely referring to the time before I actually get to ‘know’ them. (After which I may probably still like them or maybe, not so much but that’s not the point.) Just the curiosity that creeps up on me in the beginning is consuming and very similar to the feeling you get when you try anything new and are entirely clueless about what the outcome could be.

Presenting: – ‘A new person’.

Honestly, you can’t deny; This person may look you up and down, and then decide for whatever reasons not to take you seriously. This person may decide to be annoyed by your existence and make it very clear. This person may be unaware of your existence altogether. And you definitely can’t deny that you’re hopeful. Yes, you’re hopeful this person may answer your silent prayers, become the miracle that you’ve been waiting on, be your best friend or at the very least be A friend.

It’s pretty exciting! To wonder how you go down in a strangers mind and how that translates into her/his behavior with you. This brings me to another topic altogether; We care too much about what people think of us. (But that would serve as fuel to start a whole other fiery discussion.)

I wonder about the mystery behind the unfamiliar face, the stories that have carved its expressions, the thoughts behind the actions and the spontaneity of response or lack thereof. There is an exciting discomfort with a new person. One that has to be tackled differently each time, depending on the sort of character you’re dealing with. It is so contradictory to the feelings around our good ol’ loved ones. The two experiences probably cannot even be compared because, as much as I love the possibilities new people bring, nothing really beats the “good ol’ loved ones”.

Then again, those “good ol’ loved ones” were once “new people” too!

Some good ol' loved ones with a new person, on one of our discovering India trips :)

Time Cloth

(*When I say "I", I don't necessarily mean 'me'; it's more of a reference to the average youth in this day and age. This piece is also a product of some insightful conversations with some really close, introspective friends!)

I live in this blanket which on some days will keep me warm, cozy, safe; and on others claustrophobic, trapped and uncomfortable.

Things change, people grow and seasons come and go, more unpredictable each year.

How, in all my consciousness, unconscious I can be!

I think of myself as pretty tech-savvy and suddenly they’re all talking about software applications, gadgets and gizmos that invaded the market right under my nose while I was perfecting my skills in techno-stuff as I knew it and thought it would remain. Not to mention the fact that the terminology that they use may as well be Greek!

I think I know about the goings on in the world. Of course I can discuss the situation in the Middle East or Korea and the fact that I think its pretty cool Obama got the Nobel Peace Prize even though the Dalai Lama was stood up by him! Then again, only he could get away with that I suppose. And the opinions I have about the environment and the government and its lack of governance and the poverty and filth in my city and the crater-like holes in the roads I use every day are never-ending and noteworthy!

Then someone asks me about Politics in my home zone.

Blank.

Ok, so they just had elections for… something!

I think that everything’s alright. My family and friends are just as happy with me as they’ve always been. And times are good, when suddenly; I have more people losing their temper with me than laughing with me. More people (who matter – bollocks to those who don’t!) giving me grief about being detached and distracted, not really there, consumed in myself. And all I wonder is, what’ve THEY got to be so upset about? Do they even know what I’M going through?!

This could work another way too. I suddenly feel like no one’s really paying any attention to me. My existence is taken for granted.

So, now I stop and think. Something slipped up, obviously.

Question is what?

Of course, I needn’t even ask really, I know exactly what the answer is! But pretending I’m actually wondering for a few seconds probably feels better.

ME.

It’s like this fabric of time that’s wrapped around me through life is essentially woven from threads of change. So I can bet my useless lucky charm (presumably my most prized possession) that change is in fact the only constant component of my existence; A variable constant perhaps?; One that no lucky charm could even assist in evading.

The problem, or as aforementioned “slip up”, here is my incompetency with regard to keeping abreast with all this change.

Only because change is positively certain of not going anywhere anytime soon, definitely does not mean I need to let it rain on my parade.

“Take control a little!”

So what if I don’t know about the savviest equipment around?

Or the reason my country, in all its mess, functions decently anyway?

Or the truth behind souring relationships?

At least, now I know that I don't know!

Yeah, reality bites. But nothing’s stopping me from biting back.

Some added emotional investment in my relationships and some extra efforts to keep myself informed can help bring my A-game on. At least I hope so!

Being aware of the fact that the world out there is so much bigger than me makes me feel small and moves me out from the centre of my universe.

And somehow, consciousness kicks in.

What’s ironic is this shift from a self-obsessed outlook (all the time i.e. because sometimes it’s good!) just makes me feel better!

It’s almost selfish. Talk about a paradox!

The College Exhibition

SANVAD 2009: The Experience

At the risk of sounding dramatic, I think ‘Against All Odds’ would sum up the experience of bringing about Sanvad ’09. But I’m going to concentrate on elaborating on everything positive that came out of this endeavor; One, for lack of enough space to spell out every little detail and two, if any thing reigns true, it is that more good comes from the positive!

They say the starting point to all achievement is desire. And if there’s one thing we had, it was desire. At the back of it all there were a few key things pushing the production of this exhibition apart from plain desire. We had to prove, more to ourselves than anyone else, that we could do it. And in the short month we had to prepare, we found our strengths, overcame weaknesses and pulled it off with a spirit of dedication and daringness.

Mistakes were made, lessons were learned and triumphs were celebrated.

The exhibition not only brought about more interaction amongst us students and developed camaraderie, but also a sense of learning .Learning, in all realms of a production from publicity, sponsorship proposals and deals to hospitality, research and implementation of ideas. I dare say we got a good lesson in management as well, not just of time but personal activities too.

In hindsight, we are better of for having given it our best shot and ultimately having succeeded in doing what we set out to. The long hours of planning meetings and designing posters and invites along with the brainstorming that went into space décor and panel layouts all paid off. There is a sense of humble satisfaction. I say humble because there’s only one way to say it – “Bigger and Better from Here”.

After all, what’s done is done. It’s time to plan what’s going to come.

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SNEAK PEAK:

Confessions of an unrestricted mind.

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This is simply an attempt to put in written word the random thoughts and emotions that run through a seemingly frequently (if not always) active mind.
Have you ever realized that, us, as humans hardly ever give ‘us’ a break?
We’re always thinking of ways to deal wit the future or

we’re busy reminiscing some past event.
At times we’re just thinking things that are absolutely illogical and getting a good kick out of it too!
After all, there’s really no other place that allows you to be 'you' like your mind.
No judgment, no questions, no comments.

It is what it is.
And, somehow, THAT is where the comfort lies.
It’s hard to define our species.
Leave that alone, I’m not going to get ahead of myself because I’m having enough trouble defining me.
It’s been said, much to my consolation, that defining oneself is practically impossible. After all we are not ‘definite’ beings.
Ever changing, ever growing, ever adapting.
Yeah, absolute surety is something we humans quite simply do not go hand in hand with.
Nothing is for certain, right?

I think that's where the spice of life is anyway!
What makes this day to day existence of ours bearable, even joyous?

It’s the unknown.

It would be quite a bore having every answer, knowing the outcome of every situation.
Yet being the ever hopefuls that we are we take immense pleasure in planning and creating and discovering bits and pieces of this existence that probably lead us to believe we’re just that much closer to knowing it all.
What a thrill!

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