Valentine’s Day Greetings

somewhere i have never travelled

somewhere i have never travelled, gladly beyond
any experience, your eyes have their silence:
in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me,
or which i cannot touch because they are too near

your slightest look easily will unclose me
though i have closed myself as fingers,
you open always petal by petal myself as Spring opens
(touching skilfully, mysteriously) her first rose

or if your wish be to close me, i and
my life will shut very beautifully, suddenly,
as when the heart of this flower imagines
the snow carefully everywhere descending;

nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals
the power of your intense fragility: whose texture
compels me with the color of its countries,
rendering death and forever with each breathing

(i do not know what it is about you that closes
and opens; only something in me understands
the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses)
nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands

It’s the day of love, isn’t it? And what better way to celebrate it than read my favourite romantic poem! (BTW The capitalization is NOT screwed up. Cummings wrote completely in lowercase. He even changed his name to e. e. cummings, yep, lowercase. )

According to me, if we celebrate love, and dedicate an entire day to it, it shouldn’t be restricted only to romantic love. There are different kinds of love; you can love a friend, your family, the ‘special someone’ or even a pet. So why not wish each of them on this special occasion!

Someone who I can’t name for privacy reasons suggested that I change the theme of my blog to something more flashy, something in red or pink to reinforce the spirit of the day. I’m not the one for too much celebration, and I really can’t have a pink theme. Sorry about that m’dear. I’m quite fond of this plain and simple theme. However, any comments and suggestions on this topic will be appreciated.

I guess have been a LOT off-topic in this post, so I’ll just shut up now and end this post with my Valentine’s day greetings and a message for a special someone.

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

Ah Meng, I dedicate this special day to your memory. I remember watching you years back, and it’s sad that today you’re no more. You’ve touched the hearts of millions of people and have been a symbol of the saving the earth campaign, a cause I’m passionate about. You will be missed.

Merry Christmas!

Sorry about the delay (Yes, I know I’m a day late)…but Merry Christmas!!!

School’s reopening. :(

My school reopens tomorrow after a fortnight long Diwali break. The break sure was hectic with daily classes and time-consuming travel, but with school reopening, it will be definitely worse. The same schedule is back:

0745: I wake up (This is the worst part of the day.)

0830: I leave for school.

0900: The same boring day at school starts. (Except Wednesdays- I’m free on Wednesdays after the break.)

1500: All the classes are over and it’s time to head home. (But only after the silly ‘dispersal duties’ are over.)

1545: I’m home…and online. But only till about 1645.

After 1700: Shitty homework, assignments, studies and everything else I hate. But sometimes I do manage to put in a little writing and painting too. And if I’m reading something really good, all the above goes in for a toss.

2030: Dinnertime. I take ages to eat. (My parents prefer ‘nibble’.)

2100 (or whenever I’m done eating): I read, or write, or paint, or come online if I can think of a valid excuse. (Computer project YEAH!)

2300 (or whenever I’m sleepy- this ranges from 2200 to 0200): I sleep, duh!

Terrible. I was rather enjoying my current schedule. No more late night IM or coming online now. (Except maybe weekends). On Sundays I’ve got my classes. I’ll be home late and will definitely try to be online for a longer period of time (after 2100 generally, after 2200 today.)

Hopefully I’ll still stay in touch with the people I’ve been regularly talking to (IMing, is that a word?) during the vacation (irrespective of whatever ‘threats’ come my way).

Stay in touch my readers!

P.S. The threat thing is for someone who is probably intelligent enough to recognize what it refers to.

Life Update

I know I haven’t updated my blog since August and needless to say, I have been busy…really busy. My exams ended on Saturday and then my classes started. I’ve got them every single day this week, and the next. I’ve got zero time on my hands right now. (Okay, I’ll be honest and say that I’ve been lazy too. But hey! Busy schedule sounds better.)

My school reopens on 19th of this month which means that I’ve got about two more weeks of vacation classes. Studies and Assignments take up a lot of my time, but whatever time I do get, I’ve been spending it sketching and writing. For all those who don’t know this yet, I’ve been painting (Fabric Painting) for years now. I love sketching too, but recently (read: four years back) I’ve taken up potraits. I’m enjoying every bit of the time I spend sketching and it really calms me down after a gruelling day as I tend to be irritable when I’m tired. I’d really like to thank my friend Manu for reigniting this passion for art.

I’ve been writing too (prose). None of it is good enough to post here…

I haven’t written poetry in months, maybe because I haven’t been ‘inspired’ enough.

Hopefully I’ll get my schedule in order soon and then I can be more regular here.

I Got a New Computer!

Yes!!! At last I got a new computer. It’s an HP6130 with Intel C2D and loads of other features including Microsoft Vista Home Premium (Aero interface, YAY!). I wanted an assembled model but no one over here seems to have the time to go shopping for all the different parts.

After days of pleading for a new computer I have finally got one. Whew! The one I had previously was a P4 (more than 3 years old and not much use). Its motherboard was giving me a lot of problems and it had a lot of overheating trouble too.

The new one was delivered today and needless to say I just had to load the OS and use it.

I had ordered it about a week back and I really don’t know why it took so much time. But these people really have terrible timing. I have got my tests starting the day after tomorrow, and my mom says that if I spend one single minute more on the computer today, she’s gonna hide the CPU. Really…

I went to a party, Mom…

I went to a party,
And remembered what you said.
You told me not to drink Mom,
So I had a sprite instead.
I felt proud of myself,
The way you said I would,
That I didn’t drink and drive,
Though some friends said I should.
I made a healthy choice,
And your advice to me was right,
The party finally ended,
And the kids drove out of sight.
I got into my car,
Sure to get home in one piece,
I never knew what was coming Mom,
Something I expected least.
Now I’m lying on the pavement,
And I hear the policeman say,
The kid that caused this wreck was drunk,
Mom, his voice seems far away.
My own blood’s all around me,
As I try hard not to cry.
I can hear the paramedic say,
This girl is going to die.
I’m sure the guy had no idea,
While he was flying high,
Because he chose to drink and drive,
Now I would have to die.
So why do people do it, Mom
Knowing that it ruins lives?
And now the pain is cutting me,
Like a hundred stabbing knives.
Tell sister not to be afraid, Mom
Tell daddy to be brave,
And when I go to heaven,
Put Daddy’s Girl on my grave.
Someone should have taught him,
That its wrong to drink and drive.
Maybe if his parents had,
I’d still be alive.
My breath is getting shorter, Mom
I’m getting really scared.
These are my final moments,
And I’m so unprepared.
I wish that you could hold me Mom,
As I lie here and die.
I wish that I could say, “I love you, Mom!”
So I love you and good-bye.

-Josh Dye

This is being sent to President Bush as a part of the ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’ campaign.

It’s been a long time

Yes. It has been a long time. I haven’t updated in two weeks. Needless to say, I have been busy. Tests, assignments…one of them (Differential Calculus, in case you are interested) has to be submitted tomorrow and I have about twenty questions left. So, I’ll do myself a favour and make this my shortest post ever.

Good day to you!

P.S. I will not put up the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows review as yet because a lot of people still haven’t read it due to various reasons, and they don’t want any spoilers. But the most amazing Potter book ever does receive a perfect ten from me.

Review: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

I have to say this, I am good with my predictions. I saw the movie today, and it does get a 4/10 as I predicted.

My opinion might be biased considering I have read the book and have loved each word that’s written. The movie starts off comparitively well but loses the depth of the original plot as it progresses. There are so many changes that have been made right from little ones like the trio meeting Luna Lovegood on the carriage instead of the train, Luna giving Harry his lesson on Thestrals instead of Hagrid and the way 12 Grimmauld Place appears, to huge ones like Cho betraying the D.A. instead of Marietta and Harry listening to the prophecy in front of all his friends in the Department of Mysteries instead of Dumbledore telling him everything later on. In fact I was really looking forward to watching the scene with Dumbledore.

Also, there is no Quidditch in the movie (unless you count the little flashback from Movie 1).

Ron and Hermione are ever-present but it looked as if their role had shrunk. Ginny and Lupin have been sidelined. St. Mungo’s has not been shown at all.

Imelda Staunton is pretty convincing as Dolores Umbridge. Also I have to say I loved the scene where the Weasley twins leave Hogwarts wreaking havoc all over the place.

Coming to the most ‘anticipated’ part of the movie: The overhyped kiss lingers too long and it’s definitely not as innocent as described in the book. What troubles me is, the people behind the movie have given more screen time to a stupid kiss and a variety of other unimportant scenes instead of focussing on those which are important to the plot as a whole. I could give you the example of the last few chapters of the book specially ‘The Lost Prophecy’.

I agree that reducing a 700+ pages book to a 100 page script is a tough job, but The Lord of the Rings scored, didn’t it?

Anyway, this time next week I’ll have already read the 7th book and you’re going to get a shining review.

Taj makes it to the list

The Taj Mahal has found a place in the ‘coveted’ list of the New Seven Wonders of the world. A great achievement. Believe me, I’m glad, really glad to see it there. This is going to increase the tourism manifold and is definitely going to help our economy.

But what is the significance of the Taj finding a place on this list? UNESCO has detached itself from the entire thing. Just because a random Swiss adventurer wakes up in the morning one fine day and realizes that the seven wonders of the world had been decided by a guy in 200 BC doesn’t mean that this voting process is the most important thing in the world. If what UNESCO says has got no importance at all, then tomorrow why don’t I set up a site inviting people to vote for the 8th wonder of the world and earn a fortune in the process? Innumerable lists can be made in this fashion. Most beautiful cities, best beer…no limits there. And all of these people stand a chance to gain that kind of worldwide popularity and a couple of million hits, if they can match up with the crisp promotion.

And what exactly does a wonder of the world mean? Are they looking for places with intriguing history, or are they mere architecture awards? How can engineering achievements like the Eiffel Tower or Sydney Opera House be put in the same category as the Acropolis or the Colloseum?

I realize that a lot of people may not agree with me. But I’m entitled to my opinion, right?

And what is it with these news channels and SMSs? First it was the Vote For Taj campaign where the voters stood a chance to win iPods, and now it is the congratulate Taj campaign. Really…

My Water Ordeal

I love the rains. I love to venture out when it’s raining cats ‘n’ dogs and get completely drenched. Due to this very reason I almost never carry an umbrella. But it sucks when the only water making you wet does not come from the skies, the overflowing drains too have a huge contribution. It sucks when you have a class to attend and have to sit in that pretty state for more than six hours. It sucks when it causes hell lotta waterlogging and you have to go to your classroom wading in waist dep murky water.

I went through all of this yesterday. I was in the Chembur area of Bombay. My class is in an area known for its waterlogging problems. It wasn’t raining when I boarded the bus. I travel by the State Transport buses. For all the people who don’t live here, these buses are terribly creaky and you fear for your life each time you board them. Even if there is a small bump on the road be prepared to jump about two feet high if you are not holding onto something. These buses become even worse during the monsoon. They leak from the top and you have to hold up your umbrella or hood up those macs even while sitting inside. Needless to say, that is incredibly wierd and uncomfortable.

The bus reached Ok but as soon as I got near my stop it started raining. Within ten minutes the entire area was flooded. I got to class dripping and angry. Angry because these municipal people (BMC) keep promising stuff but they never do it. Only if the drainage system had been tweaked up, the situation wouldn’t be so bad.

So I sat there absolutely wet for close to seven hours. Thankfully the class was pretty interesting and it wasn’t raining when it ended. I reached home in one piece, still wet and incredibly annoyed on having to travel by the same stupid leaking bus again.