Brand games

After long time I found myself stuck with me and current issues. Only current issue which is visible enough to me is Lokpal, of course. So I was watching debate between Karan Thapar and Arvind Kejriwal. I have seen Karan before and his attitude wasn’t any surprise and neither was Arvind's. The issues pertaining to Janlokpal movement among the thinkers is plain. Hunger strike is suicidal and therefore a blackmail. The faith in democracy parliament should be restored. And thus Arvind spoke, he has lost any lasting hope and he doesn’t think public is willing to put anymore either. I think he defended pretty it well as to what he thinks is required of democracy parliament as to maintain that faith. Gave well established facts, both affecting general public and him personally. Nothing has really helped.

However, Karan Thapar didn't buy or his devil tells him that he can not. So to keep the brand of Karan Thapar alive he kept asking same question again and again. So came the thought - why does every one to be playing a brand games.

The news readers are establishing their own, interviewers their own, panelist their own, every person on facebook their own. The living and making money satisfaction comes with sticking with your brand of philosophy. Agnostic, spiritual, atheist, nationalist, opportunist, religious, introvertist, extrovertist, questioner, answerer, back bencher, front runner, and each one of us put carry them around with varying weight-age and thus building our claim to being living individual.

Just a thought.

Living a dream...

Rahul has lived his dream and he thinks it's time to move on

are the words of his wife Vijeeta. Living the dream is fantastic. Made me go into my own reverie of living a dream.. err.. wait .. what is my dream??? :( :(

The sub-conscience being able to acknowledge the idea is a beautiful feeling and brings you to the blog editor. And then you almost sense to lose the idea. As if you never had it.

So, what happens if you live a dream?

Will find out.

कहो क्या ख़याल है..

शांतनु मोइत्रा - रात हामारी तोह ...

स्वानंद किरकिरे - बावरा मन ...

ज़ेब बंगश और हानिया असलम - बीबी सनम जानम ...

Converging effect is the following!! -

Halloween!

I am keeping myself away from trying to google Halloween before I write this down..

How much I didn't care for this event up till evening 7pm. I switched on the classics radio station in Cincinnati. Programming blew me away! This is how the violins sound the best. The coarseness in them, thumping pianos, hollow flutes, church bells, and not taking anything away from the presenter and their voice antics. I was walking back from work with pumpkins lighted in the street. And then imagined myself just walking through with such tunes and such creepiness. It was an experience that might make me come back to same station same time next year. I did not have chance to make to any halloween parties which really didn't appeal more than gala orgies of fun and costumes and :) ...

any case.. so why Halloween? an event to mark longer nights over shorter days? winters and its chill?  I do not know. However, it is anything but how any one should look at festivals.

Festivals mark celebration of human spirit to take control over their fears and Halloween marks it in least subtle way. This is when mind takes it turn against unknown and fearsome. The festivals mark the oneness and fearlessness. The festivals and celebration is of our existence in this planet for 10,000 years. So when you hear the spookiness in the music, the mind reminds you of the struggle humans have had through its lifetime. The fear of night doesn't diminish with bulbs burning incandescently. The struggles aren't gone. Their would be even worse troubles but even merrier victory of human kind.

I wish I could put up tunes I am listening to, right here. As that can only really give this blog the Halloween experience I am talking about.

I do not know any of these artist but for the Classical station here -
Devil's sonata - tartini

Vivaldi the Hunt

Procrastination

"30. Procrastination is useless. This is a big one for me. I realized that no matter how long I put something off, it’s still there the next day—imagine that."

 http://www.theminimalists.com/30more/

"Making decisions is often difficult. And procrastination is easy, at least for the moment. But there is no reward in procrastination."

http://www.theminimalists.com/21days/day1-2/

INTO THE WILD

Wilderness wasn't his dream. Wilderness for able to skin to the bare self was his Alaska. His great adventure. Many men do it. Many die doing it. He chose to pen it along. He for this reason remains immortal and now on silver screen. Beautiful. One may only curse himself for not getting to this movie earlier. Or curse himself for had forsaken beauty in books and movies or to simply put in men's words!

Movies and Music .. Classic!

Another set of  movies have caught my eye. Another set of music that my ears have caught.

2001:Space Odyssey
Tree of Life
Clockwork Orange

V.S. Ramachandran - TED talk

I have read his book sometime back and was as amazed then as I was seeing this video today. I have blogged about it twice and today I put video up there for someone who might then want to read the book later ..

My Mother's Coat - an Animation

plain pleasing and lovely

My Mother's Coat from Moth on Vimeo.

This film is about my Italian mother and her confessions about life in Greece. Based on an interview that I did with her about motherhood, she talks to me about her arrival in post-dictatorship Athens in the 70’s, her struggle to adjust to the greek mentality, her memories and nostalgia of motherhood, but also her long lasting desire to move back to her small hometown in Italy.

Directed by Marie-Margaux Tsakiri-Scanatovits

Royal College of Art 2010

entire video here - http://vimeo.com/13281807

Experience the canoeing...

sitting on the back seat of our canoe I was sure I will be carried to places where I wouldn't intend to be. Moreover, places where I DO NOT INTEND TO BE. But it happened. My steering didn't help and we kept crashing from one bank to another. So as we approached one end I start crying push away push away but no S has absolutely no idea what were those paddles for. first Bump! second Bump! then bushes! and then another where I find myself laying flat on my back. That is how we saved ourselves from hitting those tree branches hanging just about 2 feet over the Hocking river.. Pleasing to ears were those stranger claps later. It was definitely amazing for me that we made it through.

then... Soon we thought we had control over it but we hit a submerged log in the river.My partner thought he was pushing away but he ended by dragging the canoe more on top of it. Stuck we both, dared ourselves out of the canoe for first time - there was something scary getting of a boat right at the middle of a river. Good we realized we had to get on to it soon enough. But wait - did I miss this. I had the feeling when getting back on. I knew I could crash on my back anytime. And of course I did. That was painful! I do not really understand why people find someone's ass crashing so very funny.. It was painful!

then... We set off again. This time we really had everything in control. Minor instances when my partner tried to hit those hanging branches with those paddles. No reason. I thought he just felt like doing it. But hell no! he wanted them to hit me after he ducks under..

then... we wanted to jump off the hanging tree branch on to the river. But we weren't sure if it was not shallow enough. So I (i do not know why) set off on foot towards the hanging tree branch against the river stream. It wasn't that difficult until I thought I had hold on my feet. Further however, with the slippery basin and deeper water (chest high), my one step forward = most of the steps were backward. Funny was when guy kayaking thought of helping me out. He asked me to hold on to his kayak and he will get me there. I thought he was a fool to pull me and I was right. Then we had better idea. I know some swimming - I should kick those legs like a toad in water.. i crock once i crock twice .. the kayak dude exhales out "not working" I feel so stupid right now. We set back towards our canoe and groan at the stupid idea.. 

then... We had seen groups hanging out on river banks. But none were like this one. These had the Tarzan swing ready to jump on to water. We banked again. We muddled through again.. three of us S, S and I took turns swing diving into the water - by far the best part of that long weekend!

then... we were tired! hell and waiting for our journey to end! each paddle was an exhaustive drag. one by one. few moments rest . then few more paddles. few moments rest again. Finally we were there and then, with few yards to spare, S all of sudden jumped of the canoe and with that a spirit called 'i will be ever be amazed at this guy' left my body.. i silently paddled few final strokes

However at the end of all this .. Canoeing was WORTH every Paddle! Thanks S for making this plan man!!

too few role models..

this one's awesome -
Hobbes - how come we play war and not peace?
Calvin - too few role models.

The Kid

the following few scenes capture just small part of "WHAT A MOVIE - THE KID - IS?" statement... 

and thats about it on how poignant the movie gets you. Rest is the hilarious tramp and absolutely charming kid .. then to put up critique's mask for the sake of a movie made in 1921 - WONDERFUL!!

watched it as part of some Criterion collection on Hulu plus - http://www.hulu.com/watch/215892/the-kid