JLT

I witnessed a very beautiful stage show at Radio City, New York, today. Just a pint down, perfect symmetry, lighting, execution, performance, story, etc. etc. I am happy happy 🙂

Though the show ended on a religious note, which I should have expected because it was based on Christmas, I liked it. They did not overdo the religion part. On a quite separate note, I think art based on love and religion, is the best. Because the artist feels it truly, puts in all their soul and heart into it. It strikes the right chord, and is pure, beautiful 🙂

Get Lucky, Get Lucky

You may consider this to be a compensation for not having posted Big Apple – 3 because I just slept through the day, had quite a teaful of stomach, smoked hooka, and listened to music. There was no New York gaga yesterday.

I want to talk about a song I like. I am posting about it because I have a strong strong urge to do so. I do agree that everyone has their own interpretation of songs, and it’s always to each his own. But this song – Get Lucky, by Daft Punk, has been misunderstood way too much I feel. Whoever I tried making understand its meaning to has argued with me, and shut me up saying – the artist sure did not mean it the way you see it, and you are just way too romantic. Ermmm…No one has called me romantic before this, and anyway, I am entitled to my opinion, because I back it up with reasoning. Strong logical romantic reasoning. Here goes:

I think it’s NOT a song about one night stand, where a guy has just met a girl, and they both are flirting now – getting all lucky. It’s just not that. My heart cries when people think so, because it has a much more beautiful meaning, for me at least. A guy and a girl, who have been feeling something for each other for long, but have restrained for some reason. The time has now come, to raise the bar, to take it further, to consummate the strange relationship after all. Look beyond just “We’re up all night to get lucky” and you will probably see what I see. You can be naughty in love!

Big Apple – 2

My second day did not go so much as planned. I wanted to be to The Dakota, but it’s postponed now. I had a great time with my school friend though, and gazed at all the lights in Times Square, walked down the avenues and streets in cold, got lost in beautiful thoughts, and came back home.

I will watch a movie I had once watched and loved. I had watched it in parts the first time. It’s Once. I had watched half of it at night, and the other half early in the morning, because I could not sleep the whole night. One of those rare sleepless nights that you want to always remember and smile.

For now, I would love to share with you a very romantic cover of an old song. Do enjoy, if you are in NYC, or in love, or both. Enjoy even if both don’t hold true, but you still have the heart to enjoy – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnMPfuzng0w

Big Apple – 1

So it’s my first day in Big Apple. Christmas Eve, beautiful lights, beautiful streets, some sort of weird nostalgia which comes up without having had any history to do with the experience.

I plan to write every single day, for ten days, during my stay here. Let’s see if I can accomplish that. It seems now that this blog is turning into my e-diary, which I do not resort to anymore. Anyway, I have been wanting to write about my travelling for quite some time. Nice incentive this happens to be.

My first day starts with a feather-light bus journey with my favourite songs in loop, the sun shining on my face, remembrance of Bombay as New York arrived, meeting my school friend after more than a year, having good Indian Chinese food, Indian food, driving through beautifully-lit expensive streets, staring through all these, remembering remembrances, breathing, having beer as also typing onto my blog.

My friend would be working after tomorrow. I can roam around the city by myself. Nothing excites me more than that prospect! I have made up my mind to visit the Dakota tomorrow 🙂 IMAGINE the excitement!

More to come!

What a day – 4 Days Out

What a day!

I have been wanting to watch a particular set of movies, for a long long time. Since today morning, to be precise. Vested interests, you know.

I saw the ninth episode of season two, Breaking Bad. So far, my favourite of all that I have seen.

To begin, on a light note – I love Jesse Pinkman; so unassuming, so crystal clear, so naive, so innocent. Then I love Walter; so raw, so chewy, so persistent, so scared all the time. And then, I love their chemistry. No, I don’t mean their lab, or their work (which I do love). I mean, THEIR chemistry. In all these episodes, they have not talked to each other straight, once. But Walter has probably not talked so much to anyone as he has to to Jesse, in all this time. Also, it almost feels like Walter is a teacher first, and then a chemist.

After being stranded on a desert for more than three days, and when they are almost on the verge of losing their bearings, Jesse sparks Walter up with an idea of building something like a robot, or may be something humble, like a battery. Genius Walter chooses to build a battery, and all the while, as he is building it, he teaches Jesse how he is going all about it. He has already called Jesse a clown, the dumbest person ever, etc. so many times. Walter still explains every step to Jesse, spells out all the chemicals’ names to him. Despite being stranded on a desert, dehydrated, coughing blood, wanting to fucking get out of there, he teaches him. The best scene!

Next, about Walter’s remission. Less said, the better. It’s times like these that either make us, or break us. His family rejoices the news, with tears and hugs. Then everything in their past, all the hardships, all the bitterness and tensions, start seeming trivial. We have to hang in there, keep loving, don’t we? But there has to be a “we”. Everything is fair in love and war. But when wars need an “I” to win, love needs a “we”.

PS: Sneaking in a bit of vanity, I knew Walter’s report would be super positive. So out there!

Dr. Siri and Blah – the last part ever

Dr. Siri is waiting..disturbed..May be she needs some psychiatric help herself after all.. She thinks..Plans out what she thinks is an ingenious plan.

Blah: Hey Dr. Siri! I am back!

Dr. Siri: That was quick! So considerate of you!

Blah: I know. Thanks.

Dr. Siri: What were you up with?

Blah: I just found out that what they give you on board when on a flight is in most probability, fucking Deor Fizzante..

Dr. Siri: ermmm…

Blah: Yeah..It’s sour, fizzy, and what really gives you the high is the altitude

Dr. Siri: Oh!?

Blah: So yeah…

Dr. Siri: What more?

Blah: I will continue. Nothing surprises me.

Dr. Siri: Meaning?

Blah: I am happy with just one thing about myself. I can guess anything, almost anything. All right.

Dr. Siri: For example?

Blah: Many examples: I can guess what is going to happen next. I can unveil. I knew Christian Bale had a look-alike before they revealed it, in The Prestige, I could guess the Shutter Island story, I could guess the criminals in The Mentalist, I could guess Adam’s name in The End of Mr.Y, before he told what his name was, I could guess that Estha and Rahel were incest siblings, in my favourite story, The God of Small Things, before Rahel revealed it to us all, beautifully. It’s so out there!

Dr. Siri: aaaaha?

Blah: I thought I had lost that gift. But I just found out I have not. I just found out that I could guess that it was Jesse’s brother who had hidden the joint, before they revealed it. He was smoking up. I guessed it right, I also found out that Elliot had stolen the tiara for Skyler’s daughter. I still have that gift. Nothing surprises me.

Dr. Siri: What do you mean?

Blah: I know what is going on in your robot head. I have another gift, but enough of this. Come here. Let me kill you.

PS: Surprise me, if you can!

Little do you know

When you see me

You see black and brown

You see grey

You see char and powder

You see ashes

You see gone and hopeless

You see dead

Little do you know

That I am a Phoenix

Waiting to be born again

Hidden treasures of life

There is a lot of places on this Earth that I want to visit. I do not want to just gaze at the famous and beautiful things around. Because I know that there are more than just the seven wonders, more than tourist spots, more than vacation hubs, more than what meets the eye. There are wonders deep in the history, in the rain, in the sands, in the food, in the rivers, in the languages, in the dirt, in the corners, in the hutments, in the minds of people. I want to see it all. See the things hidden, camouflaged with the sheet of ordinary, ugly, forgotten, distant, apathetic.

There are places that I want to see and leave once I have seen them. There are places that I want to be a part of, settle in, for a couple of months, or years, whatever it takes. One such place is Tibet. Apart from the political unrest, and the non-violent storm inside Tibetans, I do not know much about Tibet, and Tibetans. But I do know that there’s treasure that I can soak in. I want to live with Tibetans, in Tibet. I really want to.

I had been to Nainital more than three years ago, on a vacation with my friends. On our final days, we were mostly shopping, and trying out foods like momos. This one night, we went shopping for woolens. There was a colony of Tibetans selling sweaters, shawls, and beautiful crochet clothing. It was a colourful and calm community. There was a large cloth banner unfurled right in the center, in full sight. It talked about their right to freedom, in a very straightforward manner. No anger, no violence spewing. Simple words.

I bought a couple of sweaters and shawls from a beautiful Tibetan lady. She smiled a smile of serenity. I asked her if I could click a picture of her with her shop. She said, with a smile on her face – No, I don’t like that. Usually shopkeepers love being clicked, and oblige when you ask for a photograph. That lady and I talked about her sweaters and profits she earns, for a bit. Later we hugged and I left.

My respect for Tibetans has grown manifold since that incident. Their constitution of mind is solid – strong and determined, without having to try to be so. Calm, non-violent, void of hatred, naturally so. There’s just so much all around us. I hope I can visit Tibet in this life of mine.

For now I am content with trying to keep my house clean, sipping on my ginger tea, and watching the wind push off snow from the top of the pine tree in my backyard, that manages to keep its needllike leaves green throughout.

Joni, be my granny

I look up to some people, and respect their words, their work, a lot.

One of these people is Joni Mitchell. I think she is a very wise woman. She considers herself a painter first, and then a musician. But I seek a lot of wisdom from her music. I have never come across someone put things in such simple, yet profound perspective. It speaks of a free soul, that can love infinitely. Without drama, without pain. It speaks of selfless love, where you get to love yourself too. It speaks of floating on clouds, swinging on see-saws, counting all that you have got, and so on, and all that with someone you love. Honey sweet.

It would have been so nice to have her as my granny. Don’t take me wrong, I have seen only one of my four grandparents, and she is no more too. Also, we never really bonded much. I can’t wish her to be my neighbour, because I do not want one house to settle in to. I can probably wish her to be my sister, or friend, but granny sounds like the best. One of my parents would have been way cooler than what they are currently. Also, I would have listened to someone then, probably cared to heed to some advice given to me.

Anyway, I have digressed more than I should have, so I will share one of my favourites with you. It’s called Big Yellow Taxi, which most people know because of the cover by Counting Crows. It’s not bad, but I cannot listen to it for more than 30 sec. They don’t know what they are trying to cover. Or I don’t know probably. I am not biased, not at all 🙂

Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94bdMSCdw20

When…

When words fail you

Because you want to defy them..

When you realize, that the last straw you had clung on to

Was the one long given up on, rootless..

When you just remember the smiles smiled, the tears shed

But do not miss the place you once called your home..

When a friend who once hugged you tight and smiled

Is now crying there alone, sitting on a heap of misunderstandings..

When people say goodbye, with shattered intentions

When you leave, without a word..

When there are tears in your eyes

But you are not crying..

When the stories of the past seem like an illusion

And the only thing real to you now are the stories you weave..

When your hands are cold without the cocoon

But your heart still warm at places, with feathers and some familiar smell..

When strums and hums keep you company

Because they do not deny you any feeling, any raw emotion..

When you are taught that everything that comes, goes away

But you still believe otherwise, not once giving in..

When the distant breeze from the hills wakes you up and leaves

And you stand there, neither sad, nor happy, unfazed..