Status Quo - Day #16

Like my life, my relationship is neither black nor white. It isn’t the gray in between either. It is a vibrant spectrum of varied colours. Sometimes its glowing red like the morning sun and sometimes its dark magenta like flowing blood. Sometimes its clear blue like the sky and sometimes its black and gray like a foggy night :)

Shuffle Up - Day #15

Lets see what my Music has to say about Me…

_*   Just The Way U Are  – Bruno Mars

_*   Jalpari (Coke Studio Version)

_*  You Belong With Me – Taylor Swift

_*  Lips Of An Angel – Hinder

_*  Faraway – Nicleback

_*  Man Lafanga

_*  Somebody’s Me – Enrique Iglesias

_*  Dooriyan Bhi Hain Zaroori

_*  Sun Is Up – Inna

_*  Berlin City Girl – Culcha Candela

_*  Bin Tere

_*  Telephone – Lady Gaga feat. Beyonce

_*  Shewolf  - Shakira

_*  Chandni Raatein

_*  You Are The Only Exception – Paramore

PS: I know I had wandered off.. caught up in work.. and didn’t keep my promise..  But life is all about getting through broken promises and shattered hearts..

What matters is that now I am back again .. (My days are longer than any of yours :P )

Familie Bilder - Day #14

'A Picture is worth a thousand words.'

***

***

***

***

***

***

***

Drugs, Alcohol & Religion - Day #13

Addiction to chemicals, religion or even fellow humans is pernicious and fatal. Ideally one should hold on to something only until one can let go of it, beyond that point its addiction. I say ‘ideally’, because I am no one to preach, as I myself am addicted to more things that you can count on your fingers. So I am merely channeling the information.

Drugs.. Some are pretty innocuous, while some can get real bad. I am saving myself the ado. Instead I prefer to stimulate my reward pathway the natural way. Check out how :) I am not really a fan of social stigma, but I think awareness is crucial. If you are aware and you choose to exhilarate yourself and elevate your senses by mutilating your brain cells (cells that control every*freaking*thing in your body) (I am not kidding, if you are brave enough, have a look.) then it is your own discretion. I don’t give a crap.

But it’s sad for the ‘poor rich kids’ who have no idea what the thing they eat, drink or smoke does to their brains (They were too cool to attend any lectures) and end up being broke and over-dosed. (That’s how THAT happens.) All in the futile pursuit of eternal coolness… But I don’t give a crap about that either.

So go on.. Smoke Your Joints, but please learn the ‘Science’ behind it too. (And feel free to make fun of me for being ‘uncool’ and for denying to be the passive-pot-smoker.. I don’t give a crap yet again :D)

Alcohol..   I love my alcohol, but at the right time, right place, with the right people and in right amounts :) And I am aware of the ‘Science’ behind it. I have decided to trade moments of imprudent-drunk-fun with the transient health of the synapses in the front-lobe of my brain. It is not only those moments, but also the everlasting memories formed in those moments. It’s a pretty good bargain between keeping my sanity and the health of my brain. And it provides the extremely valuable escape from the monotonous and drab work-life most of us lead.

‘Wise words’ for others would be.. Go for a drink, two or even more.. if you know you can handle it. I have been there, done that and loved it :D I have experimented with almost everything from every known and unknown land and have succeeded in holding my liquid in. But alcohol tolerance quite erratic and unpredictable. (Trust me.. I have seen weird phenotypes. I can share the stories more privately maybe.) As a very famous and old saying goes is several languages (including our own), ‘Stretch yourself as far as your cover reaches.’ And to those who have refrained themselves from giving in to the lure of this bane, My Respect :)

PS: I had my first drink at the legal age of 18. Vodka & Orange Juice. And next morning I decided never to drink Orange Juice again. :D

Guys please visit the amazing Mouse Rave Party.

Religion.. It has my full credence. May be not the commercialized religion put on sale these days, but I believe in spirituality, good deeds and a higher power guiding and looking upon us.

‘Through centuries science has been parted from religion. People of science have denounced religion. And the men of religion have shunned science and its apostles. To me rationality is an extrapolation of ideologies. Deeper I plunge into the abysmal ocean of Science, more tenacious, vehement and profound becomes my credence in God and his celestial powers. For something as intricate and abstruse as a living being, and a world adorned with a diverse assortment of such beings, all linked by an elaborate food chain can be contrived, spawned and fostered by only ‘someone’ with inimitable competence and dexterity. Life in itself is evidence of the existence of a higher power, The Almighty!’

But It Never Rained – Day #12

The Monsoon in India, when it arrives, feels like the first breath of air after you’ve been choked. Relief.. Personified :D The parched, dry land, takes a breath of life. It looks like the world has been resurrected. The first showers, when touch the scorching land, infinitesimal vapors of heat can be seen escaping. And the feeling of rain drops caressing my face while I ride my Scooty, heedless of the world around, is nothing less than eternal bliss. Shielding the rain, while striving to masquerade my covert wish to get drenched to my soul, then the apocryphal explanations of why I am soaked irrespective of the umbrella and the neatly folded raincoat under my seat..  uuh Nostalgia!!

The traffic jams, the puddles and the perpetual power-cuts aside, I love the headstrong and incessant, pouring and pounding tropical rains. I loved it before, but now I love it even more and pine for it for I haven’t witnessed it in ages now. The only rains I get here are the irresolute and meek temperate drizzles.

The following lines from a poem called ‘The Rain’ encapsulate my feelings appropriately:

I hear leaves drinking rain;

I hear rich leaves on top

Giving the poor beneath

Drop after drop;

'Tis a sweet noise to hear

These green leaves drinking near.

And when the Sun comes out,

After this Rain shall stop,

A wondrous Light will fill

Each dark, round drop;

I hope the Sun shines bright;

'Twill be a lovely sight.

~ William Henry Davies

Sun*Shine*: Aquarian With A Difference Day #11

I am an Aquarian. But I am not too credulous of signs. I envisage it as just another charade humans like to cling on to so that they have a scapegoat when confronted by difficult circumstances, inability to attain what they wish for or the dismal plight of a failed relationship. I posit fate and destiny do exist, but eventually our choices and discretion in life lead us to where we end up. Thousands of people are born every moment, not even a fraction of them share the same traits or (mis)fortune. As an apostle of rationale, I fail be convinced by something so vague. I agree it can’t be refuted either, especially since it has been established since centuries. (Everyone knows ‘the fate’ of the medieval aficionados of Science and Rationale.) To me.. its merely something that brings more evil than good. I do not defy it, but I do not countenance it either. And I am sure stars have much more to do rather than pawn our lives.  

Unbelieving & Cynical.. Ehh? Are those Aquarian attributes too? I have no clue.. Maybe U know better :)

Truly Musical - Day #10

My moods keep swinging all the time, sometimes they are extremes while at other times they are more in-betweens. And my music varies too, but generally it isn’t synchronous with my mood. My music, mellow or loud, is always happy. Music always makes me happy. And my music comprises of unlimited gigabytes, spanning all possible sorts of genre from Folklore to RnB. Although I do admit, I am not such a big fan of Metal. But I do at times vent my anger by listening to Headstrong or Cold As Stone (This is not until I am extremely pissed.. which is extremely rare in itself). I know.. its cheesy, but what is life without cheese :P So it’s hard for me to classify my music with my moods (which are too complex already).  Music also has it’s period with me. At any given moment in my life, I fall in love with songs and after a considerable amount of time, I fall out of love too.. :)

PS: I am currently heads over heels in love with ‘Just The Way You Are’ by Bruno Mars, ‘You Are The Only Exception’ by Paramore and ‘You Belong With Me’ by Taylor Swift.

Proud To Be Me – Day #9

I have been on fire in all of my latest zillion presentations. And I did work hard for all of them. I love the recently updated version of ‘the public-speaker me’.

PS: *Touch Wood* I hope it stays tthat way forever. :)

Leave The Stars Alone, I’ll Settle For The Stratosphere – Day #8

The impending month shall witness me pulling my socks up and actually doing the following:-

       - As always I have accumulated a humongous amount of crap (which contains a cached speck of    important stuff in it.) I have to clean, sort and pack that speck, and get rid of rest of the crap.

      - After 9 months of PhD work, I am baffled and somewhat dubious of how far along I am. So I   plan on making an overview of all my experimental approaches to keep track.

     - The Gilbert ‘Developmental Biology’ book has been perched on my desk for more than a month now. It’s been pleading me to lay my hands on it, to be opened, to be read… I can’t avert it from it’s destiny any longer.

      - My laptop is just as saturated and messed up as my room. I need to organize and make some space in both.

      - Since I have just one month left in my current Abode with an amazing Swimming Pool. I have to find time to go swimming everyday again (like I had been doing for 6 months straight until the festive mood had set in. :P)

      - For the entire last month I have been lagging in all my work although I have been working my ass off. (Courtesy the zillion presentations I have had every week.) Now it’s time to cease my retrograde progress and squeeze in yet more work everyday to regain my lead and relish the exhilarating satisfaction of leading myself.

       - I have been constantly forgetting to drink enough water, so I need to drink more often. :P

      - I haven’t followed anything passionately since the Football WC, now its time to be hit by the fan-fever again for the Cricket WC, so I somehow HAVE to figure out a way to watch it online.

     - The forthcoming month will mark my 24 years of existence on this planet :( and I have to brainwash  myself to look at the brighter sides of turning 24, instead of sulking about aging issues. I have to focus on the ‘wisdom, perspicacity and experience’ that comes with it rather than the number itself.

Imprints For Life - Day #7

Colours

They always cheer me up.. On trees and plants or in the sky, on a canvas or in a little child’s drawing.. Each colour has a special meaning, represents a special season, has a special mood attributed it.. Each colour heralds a special message. I know that it is a visual illusion, a meticulous game of tiny molecules. But that does not depreciate the remarkable beauty colours impart to the world around us.

Colours remind me of conviviality and mélange. They are a fine example of how a blend of various colours makes everything so vibrant and mesmerizing while any one of them alone makes everything so dull and drab. (A whole new perspective to the ‘united we stand, divided we fall’ theory.) They remind me that everything in life is not black and white, neither does it stick to the RGB scheme. Things can be multifarious, obscure and complex like Orange, Turquoise or Magenta.

So to everyone who is fortunate enough to be able to behold the beauty of varied colours of nature, take a moment and savour the flavour.

The Sky

It’s amazing how I can gaze into the sky for hours, resplendent sparkling sky, or a somber cloudy sky.. Making patterns in my mind, drawing lines between stars, staring into emptiness and approaching oblivion… It comforts my nerves, calms me down and provides me succor to clear my mind.

The variegated demeanors of the sky make me feel like it’s the same and so familiar, yet so disparate and contrasting everyday. It’s empty, yet profusely laden with voluminous space and celestial bodies.

The sky is everything I love.. versatile, kaleidoscopic, mysterious and infinite.

A new colour.. new patterns in the stars.. new shapes in the clouds.. Never the same :)

Time and again I have wished to break free from the shackles of gravity and soar high into the sky :) Alas.. The Earth is what God chose as the Human Abode.

It has been rightly said, ‘The sky is the best place, that is why God lives there.’

Music

It is the anchor that holds my life in place. It is the drug that keeps me from insanity. Sometimes it brightens me up when I am blue. Sometimes it takes my hand and leads me to swing by my imaginary and quixotic world when I am sick of the real one.

And when I am in love with a song, it’s like the proverbial feeling of being in love all over again. Nothing I say here will do justice to my love for music and its impact on my life. So I drop the pen there…  

Images Courtesy : Deviant Art

Super Heroes - Day #6

Spiderman

He may not be smokin-hot, he may not have super-cool gadgets, but he is the most down to earth and genuine superhero. The best combo of fantasy land and the rather unreal real-world. Peter Parker is the most adorable common-man-turned-superhero. He bears the onus of personal guilt in the most forthright way possible and truly embodies the human traits of regret and selfless nobility. Toby Maguire did total justice to Spiderman in the movies with his starry-eyed look, benevolent demeanor and honorable intentions. And the movies were jazzy Blockbuster-style grandeurs and action packed extravaganzas.

I loved how the following lines describe why I think Spiderman is better than all other superheroes.

 “Most super heroes had problems no more complex or relevant to their readers' lives than thwarting this month's bad guys.... Parker had far more serious concerns in his life: coming to terms with the death of a loved one, falling in love for the first time, struggling to make a living, and undergoing crises of conscience.”

                                                                                     - Peter Sanderson (Comic Book Historian)

Hiro Nakamura

Now isn’t that the cutest superhero-smile in the history of time. However don’t be deceived by his puppy-eyes. His ferocity may get camouflaged by his cute looks, but he IS ‘the perfect superhero’. Bestowed with the superpower to freeze time and cross time-space barriers, fighting and kicking-ass of all the possible iniquities one can think of, he did ‘save the world’ more than once (and he ‘saved the cheerleader’ as well). All that he lacks now, is to don his boxers over his jeans. (Certainly not a pretty sight.)

I have stopped following the TV Series owing to the plot’s extreme complexity and total derailment from its original mission to ‘save the world’, but Hiro is still the most adorable Hero ever.

The Powerpuff Girls

It isn’t my favourite cartoon.. but it IS my favourite superhero cartoon :) Girl Power at its best! I wanted to put one of them in this list, but after contemplating for a long time (that is the Real reason why this post is delayed.), I still couldn’t decide. There is something I love about each one of them. Blossom’s self-proclaimed echelon and seasoned wit, Bubble’s gaiety and gentle demeanor, and the feisty temperament of Buttercup, together they form the perfect blend of “sugar, spice and everything nice”.

But I think Bubbles is blessed with the coolest superpower :) When I was a little girl I had wished more than often to have her superpower and be able to talk to animals. I still think it would be really cool. :D

Where I've Tread - Day #5

The Dream City of Millions..

I was amazed and at the same time touched by the relaxed lifestyle of the French :D Shocking.. was the denigrated and unabashed response of the French road hogs to traffic rules.

The Mighty Falls

                                                                  The Bridal Veil Falls

                                                                 The Horse Shoe Falls

The most fervent, vehement and mighty form of nature I have witnessed after the 1999 Super-Cyclone.

The Bridge

                                 The bridge connecting the “Eh” s and the “Like.. Totally” s :P

Vices - Day#4

Reflecting on Myself..

- Often Interchanging Obsession & Passion

- Perseverance

- Attachment Issues

- And lastly, I regret not having regrets in life. (Not that my life has been perfect, but I have learnt to appreciate imperfections) :D

“When you can think of yesterday without regret and tomorrow without fear, you are near contentment.”

- Anonymous

The Trio - Day #3

A few lines I composed a few years ago, best describes the friendship of The Trio.

‘Through these years we have stood by each other through tough times, heartbreaks, times of crisis, delusions and blunders. We have been partners in crime, consorts in treason and allies in charity. With each step we are assured that if we screw-up and create a mess then there is someone abaft to scour and purge it all. These days we seldom talk and hardly get to see each other.. grown up business.. too preoccupied with managing our diligent and chaotic lives. Therefore there is not much time to rekindle the old friendship, but I know it requires none. We might be separated in time and space but we still connect at some abstract level.’

A picture that best describes The Trio

And finally presenting a picture of The Trio.

PS: I couldn’t resist posting the picture of the most awesome class in school for 7 years :D Most of us have drifted apart, but some of us have stuck together through the trials and tribulations of time (and hurricanes like Genda). We are all awesome in our own ways.

Not Just A Namesake - Day #2

The Meaning Behind The Name of My Blog:-

Although there is no sole rationality, but there were a few facets that inspired me to adopt the epithet of ‘The West Wind’ for my blog. Most things that I come up with signify randomness and helter-skelter pattern of my thoughts. However, this time the name has a more profound connotation to it.

My current location, which is ‘The West’, geographically as well as according to persisting language trends, and my incessant & abysmal inclination, fascination and connection to my homeland, which is ‘The East’, contributed to this nomenclature, for ‘the west wind is a wind that blows from the west, in an eastward direction’.

While whirling over bits and pieces of the Greek Mythology and striving to fit all the stories together, I stumbled upon ‘Zephyrus’, The Greek God of ‘The West Wind’. The variable depictions of the Wind Gods, especially as Horses in the stables of the storm God, Aeolus, who could set them on the world at his fancy, immensely intrigued me.

As I dug deeper, I realized how potently the characters of the west wind coincided with my own attributes. The gentle and propitious nature of the west wind cannot be less congruous to my amorous and humble self. (Amorous is an adjective designated to me by someone who knows me the best and therefore, I have decided to stick to it.)

Eventually what led me on to the final act was the beautiful amalgamation of death and life woven into words in ‘Ode To The West Wind’. A few lines from it will explain everything else :) And you know it is not just a namesake..

O wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn's being,

Thou, from whose unseen presence the leaves dead

Are driven, like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing,

Yellow, and black, and pale, and hectic red,

Pestilence-stricken multitudes: O thou,

Who chariotest to their dark wintry bed

The winged seeds, where they lie cold and low,

Each like a corpse within its grave, until

Thine azure sister of the Spring shall blow

Her clarion o'er the dreaming earth, and fill

(Driving sweet buds like flocks to feed in air)

With living hues and odours plain and hill:

Wild Spirit, which art moving everywhere;

Destroyer and preserver; hear, oh hear!

                                       - by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)

The Very Credible Me – Day #1

I have taken up this seemingly interesting yet impossible challenge called ‘The 31 day Challenge’. I first read about it on Ice Maiden’s Blog and the idea of challenging myself appealed to my diligent and whimsical brain.

So here it goes, everyday (starting today) I will post the answer to a specific question. So will my better half.. Get to know her here.

15 Random Facts About Me:-

·      I am an optimist.

·      I can write in extremely tiny handwriting, when necessity or my fancy urges me to.

·      I am very proud of myself these days as I finally learnt to swim (with all the technical aspects) and feel completely at home in water (in the swimming pool to be more precise).

·      Most of the times when I am studying.... I am actually procrastinating.

·      More than often, I wish I could pause life at a particular moment.

·      I seldom lose my temper.. even when I do.. hardly any of the people around me realize it.

·      The most difficult part of my day is when I have to wake up.

·      I miss the old, but I love the new. Fortunately I adapt pretty well, but I hate changes. I like things to go on just the way they are, especially, blissful sleep at night, vacations, days just before exams and so on. :P

·      English, may not be my mother tongue, but for me, it is the language of expression as well as thoughts (I sometimes even dream in English). 

·      My tangled and embroiled brain is constantly full of thoughts, many varied thoughts keep playing hide and seek in there all the time. Sometimes I have to note them down and follow them later on.

Most recent thought:- To write poem called ‘The Bitch Magnet’. The idea has been budding in my brain for a while now. It is a dedication to a very good friend, who will know when he reads this.

·      Generally, I am not a sports freak but when big events like the Cricket World Cup, Football World Cup or Euro Cup are due, I get totally hit by the fan-fever. (I love it). And yeah.. I am a die-hard fan of German Football.

·      Since a time beyond my memory, I have wished to have twins. (And it’s not a secret. I know its weird.. But I hope it is fulfilled).

·      Even on the verge of a natural disaster or an alien attack, I would notice and point out the grammatical and spelling mistakes around me. (Nothing escapes my scrutinizing eyes *evil grin*)

·      I love to imagine kicking certain people’s ass, but I reality I could never do it. (But I an blessed with a Fairy Godmother ..Err.. God-Friend who has taken up the ass-kicking as her department.)

·      As a child, I wanted to become an Astronomer.. (a term I first heard in my first visit to a planetarium at age 5). But I dumped the idea in a Black Hole when I studied Physics in 11^th Grade.

A Recent Picture of Me:-

This is the most recent it could get as it was clicked yesterday :)