Hitting the high road, li'l bro and I can do it

1. A car, two chilled out people and a highway that stretches ahead. Off we zoom, Ro and I, sometimes singing, sometimes talking... we're in no hurry to get home, so we take our time, taking small detours to click pictures, to see an old fort on the way, to have chai at a roadside dhaba... it's a good way to be...
2. As a younger brother, Ro is good company - he's chilled out, practical, looooves to eat, is always ready for some fun and adventure and you can rely on him. What I like the most about him is the fact he doesn't come with a 'handle with care' tag attached, so he's a zero stress person to have around... not to mention his vast capacity for nonstop nonsense! I hardly feel the 6 year age gap to be a barrier in having fun...
3. The enormous feeling of confidence that comes along with completing a long road-trip (approx 550 kms)... I no longer doubt my ability to handle my car... and the car is wonderful - it gives an unexpectedly high mileage on the highway.

Immortality can be associated with old and senseless men having cheap thrills on weekends

Let me introduce you to the Pearl Jam week. There is no particular reason on why I choose this week to be so. This is three cheers to the music, I have connected to, for so many years.

1. Cheap Thrills

As of now, I don't have much work assigned to me. I mean not enough to keep me busy consistently. A colleague of mine, requests me to help her with a few visio diagrams. My reply to her request-
"I would rather have you learn the functions, than help and hinder your progress". I know it was a sad remark, but somehow I enjoyed it :)

2. Old and senseless

Having an easy work schedule, has its obvious benefits. I called up a couple of old friends and had long chats (as senseless as it can be). Somehow by the end of it, I find myself all cheerful.

3. Weekend mania

I know its just Tuesday, but my roomies have started to make a 'guy' plan already. This is a part of the farewell to one of guys in the gang.

4. Immortality

As a part of the Pearl Jam week, I introduce you to the song - Immortality. I have been listening to this song continuously since morning. It has that nostalgic tone to it. Eddy Veddar has said this song might just be wrapped in the thoughts for Kurt Cobain (not directly but just to point to a similar 'parallel train' he was on).

Listen to this studio version

Needless to say the lyrics are awesome...

Vacate is the word...vengeance has no place so near to her
Cannot find the comfort in this world
Artificial tear...vessel stabbed...next up, volunteers
Vulnerable, wisdom cant adhere...

A truant finds home...and I wish to hold on...
But theres a trapdoor in the sun...immortality...

As privileged as a whore...victims in demand for public show
Swept out through the cracks beneath the door
Holier than thou, how?
Surrendered...executed anyhow
Scrawl dissolved, cigar box on the floor...

A truant finds home...and I wish to hold on, too...
But saw the trapdoor in the sun...

Immortality...
I cannot stop the thought...Im running in the dark...
Coming up a which way sign...all good truants must decide...
Oh, stripped and sold, mom...auctioned forearm...
And whiskers in the sink...
Truants move on...cannot stay long
Some die just to live... ohh...

Flying away from the Earth, with the fear of a long peace video

I received a stringent order to write the BTs till the owner is back. So here it goes.

1. Peace on Earth

With my roomies gone (most of the time) I use the house to satisfy my own whims and fancies. Movies I like, Music I like and food I like. Not a bad change at all (for 3 days).

2. Longford

Finally I get to see the movie I had bought a month back. Not disappointing at all. I have always been fascinated by bizarre things and behavior. I remember having a fascination with the concept of death ever since I was a teenager. Anyway, this movie was not about death. It is a biopic of Lord Longford, a British campaigner trying to help a convict- Myra Hindley. What makes his campaign both shocking and ruthless is the fact that, Myra was found guilty of being accomplice to Ian Brady in the killing (and sexual assault) of five children between the age of 10 and 17. His respect and career is at stake when he tries to help Myra Hindley despite public outrage. A movie well presented. There is an underlying current about all real life portrayals which makes the movies intense, but never the less, they have to be crafted with care as there are a lot of passionate and possibly concerned eyes scrutinizing the product.

3. Cape Fear

I never thought this was close to being Scorsese's best. But what was impressive was the way the scenes were shot on the boat towards the end. I loved it. There is so much randomness in the action scenes in his movies, that not even for a second would you feel let down. And off course, when there is Robert De Niro in it, I had to watch it. I meant to watch it long ago, but somehow never got the chance.

4. Pearl Jam: Single Video Theory

What can a crazy fan say about a documentary video shot on his favorite band? I guess there is only one word to express the right feeling - Ecstasy. It is a video shot at a time when Pearl Jam was making 'Yield'.

5. Given to Fly

Since we are talking about Yield - lets talk about the best song on it. The song which gives me goosebumps everytime I hear it. I don't know if it has been posted here before. But what the hell, even if it has been- this is one song which deserves to be here more than once. I just Love it !!!!

Here is an interesting YouTube version.

And here are the lyrics...

He could've tuned in, tuned in
But he tuned out
A bad time, nothing could save him
Alone in a corridor, waiting, locked out
He got up outta there, ran for hundreds of miles
He made it to the ocean, had a smoke in a tree
The wind rose up, set him down on his knee

A wave came crashing like a fist to the jaw
Delivered him wings, "Hey, look at me now"
Arms wide open with the sea as his floor
Oh, power, oh

He's.. flying
Whole
High.. wide, oh

He floated back down 'cause he wanted to share
His key to the locks on the chains he saw everywhere
But first he was stripped and then he was stabbed
By faceless men, well, fuckers
He still stands

And he still gives his love, he just gives it away
The love he receives is the love that is saved
And sometimes is seen a strange spot in the sky
A human being that was given to fly

High.. flying
Oh, oh
High.. flying
Oh, oh
He's flying
Oh, oh

A ray of sunshine, chatterbox and 3-in-1

1. For a blissful 5 minutes in the morning, after getting ready to leave for work, I think I won't go. For those 5 minutes, I can't wipe the smile off my face. Then of course, I get up and go to office.
2. Ro is here and he is talking non stop. Even while I type this.
3. A sumptuous dinner, a cup of coffee and then a long drive on empty roads. The chicken fillet stuffed with mushroom and olives and cooked in a creamy cheesy white sauce is a delight... oh and the coffee - only coffee lovers will understand my bliss at having a cup of strong cappucino after liters of horrible vending machine coffee in office for days on end... and what pleasure to be able to actually put the car in the 5th gear for long intervals of time, when the daily commute to work rarely affords me to chance to even go into the 4th gear... oh... are these three BTs rolled into one? Oh well...

Better than you, riddle and security

1. I meet Pankaj in the gym who tells me he has been asked to lose 10 kgs. What are you doing here? Have you been asked to lose weight too? he asks... I smirk, and tell him (truthfully, by the way), that I'm not overweight. I'm here to tone myself up and lose the lethargy. Evil laughter (mine) follows.
2. Why is it that after a workout in the gym I actually feel more energetic rather than exhausted?
3. A friend (identity concealed to protect privacy) emails to say that she's in an anti-social, shun-all-human-contact mode currently. She hastens to add that I needn't worry, I'd never fall in that category ever.

Hot shower, one mad girl and smiles

1. Because its slightly chilly these days, taking a hot shower after gym is a pleasure once again.
2. Pallavi gets the chocolates we sent her for her birthday and goes into a hyper-happy wild screaming state. The chocolates have fulfilled their mission, though I wish we had a way of witnessing the celebration they caused.
3. Feeling good at the end of the day... like there's much to smile about... life ain't THAT bad..!

For the flowers, security and joie de vivre

1. Red roses sit pretty in my new vase... Now I can finally start buying flowers on an impulse - earlier, there was no vase to put them in, so all the charm of buying flowers would vanish once I'd get them home...
2. It rains through the day, slowly, soothingly and almost continuously... pausing only once in a while to allow people to scramble along from one place to another during the breathers. Me, I don't care. My car keeps me dry and safe.
3. Visiting Suresh Kaka. Kaka and kaku always make me feel so welcome. And Bharti kaku is a great one for conversation, such an enthusiastic person with so many stories to tell. I often think that I'll consider myself to have led a successful life, if when I'm her age, I retain as much joie de vivre.

Lighter, friends and mint n chocolate

1. I raid the kitchen shelves looking for something to eat and in the process find a lot of stuff that should've made its way to the dustbin a long time ago... I put it where it rightly belongs, and the kitchen feels much lighter...
2. A very pleasant evening spent with the gang at Kris's... Both Kris and Vrunda have taken great pains to cook a lovely dinner for us. But the best part is the easy level of comfort that I've reached with these people. We spend many hours together, but no one runs out things to say.
3. Mint Chocolate Chips ice cream at Baskin Robins... just try it! Whoever thought of mixing mint and chocolate together was a genius!

Saturday, rain and old friend

1. Reaching saturday after a long and exhausting week. I thought it'd never come. I sleep in till almost 11 a.m...
2. Sitting in the balcony with a hot mug of tea watching the rain... There's something strangely tranquil about watching rain... I wonder why
3. Meeting Shenoy... he's changed so much after marriage... but it is good to sit down and talk and gossip... and discover its still just as easy to talk to him even though I now don't see him for weeks at a stretch...

An ear, mended and salvation army

1. I'm mad at the world. Sriharsha calmly hears me out as I rant.
2. The mason's finally found it in him to come and refit the broken tiles in the bathroom.
3. The last alphonso of the lot I had bought, which I had given up hope on (having forgotten to eat it) is salvaged by the cook. I hadn't had the heart to throw it in the dustbin, which is good, because she's turns it into aamras, and I realise that it hadn't gone bad at all! It just looked a bit worse for age...

Slim fit, bodyguard and a long fantasy

1. Wearing my slim fit dark blue jeans. I don't know if they actually make me look slim... but they definitely make me feel slim!


2. Gauri appoints himself as Dipti's bodyguard and threatens to kill anyone who touches her. Dipti immediately turns to him and says - please touch me...


3. The TriWizard Tournament is about to start. Oh... I didn't mention I have undertaken a project of reading ALL Harry Potter books from the 1st to the 7th at one go so that I finally get the whole uninterrupted story, did I? I'm on Goblet of Fire right now... I simply adore living in the world of magic!

Pearls, love letters and hug and a kiss

My internet connection has been been acting strange all past week, and has refused to open blogger... Fate smiles on me again today, and I can get back to 3BTing.

1. The pre-monsoon weather in Pune. The sun barely peeps out of the clouds... there's a cool breeze at all times and is at times accompanied by a light drizzle, which doesn't quite succeed in doing much more than placing tiny glistening pearls on my hair...
2. Reading 'Other People's Love Letters'... it spreads a warmth through me.
3. Getting an unexpected hug and a fond kiss on the cheek

Catalyst, first blessing and uncivilized

1. Its a normal work-day. The clock creeps to 5 p.m. like it does everyday. Everyone is going about his or her work like usual. And then someone says, "Hey! Its raining!" Its hard to explain the kind of galvanizing effect this one statement has on everyone. People keep going to out for walks (let's go watch the rain) or running to the window. There's a palpable change in the mood of the moment.


2. We go out to enjoy the changed weather. It's suddenly turned quite chilly and there are strong gusts of wind. There's been a shower before, and though it's not raining at the moment, the air is wet and smells divine. After struggling for a while, I finally give up and let my hair fly higgelldy piggeldy...


3. After dinner I bite into one of the large juicy alphonso mangoes I bought yesterday. Its a messy job, becuase I refuse to eat it in a civilized way cutting it with a knife... I just peel off the skin by tearing it off, and bite into the whole ripe fruit... believe me, there isn't a more satisfying way of eating a mango that this... and I'm going to do it everyday for 5 more days! yay!

Significant mean brick has an earnest wish!

The last one month has been a 'methodically social' month. I was meeting my old friends and doing stuff... every week.

1. Brick of significance

Memorial day weekend led us to an old and proud place - Boston. It was nice to see the old brick walls commanding significance among the modern glass walls of downtown.

2. The Importance of being Earnest!

I a happened to see the famous Oscar Wilde play at the The Lyric Stage in Boston. It was really well done.

3. Movie time!

Watching movies over the weekend- with no one to please or explain.

4. Mean Streets

An early martin Scorsese movie. The most impressive (as usual) is the character development. The characters of Johnny Boy and Charlie played by De Niro and Harvey Keitel are brilliant. A wise and emotional Charlie tries to help his nut case friend, but it he is too irresponsible for that. There are some technical flaws in the direction, sound and camera work but all that is in execution not in the idea. These ideas will be perfected by him in his later movies and would become his trademark style. What is also a very good turn about his movies is his taste in music. I think that hasn't changed over the years.

This also one of Di Niro's early movies and I shall again repeat for the 'millionth' time - he is Wow!

5. Wishlist

A song from my Favorite band and also one of my favorite albums- Yield. I think this was the third Pearl Jam album I had bought. The lyrics are simple and powerful and so is the music- just the way I like it. Wow listening to the guitar takes me 7 years back. I have been a huge fan since then. No other band can take its place. My first love in rock music :-)

Youtube Studio version Video

I wish I was a neutron bomb for once I could go off
I wish I was a sacrifice but somehow still lived on
I wish I was a sentimental ornament you hung on
The Christmas tree I wish I was the star that went on top
I wish I was the evidence I wish I was the grounds
For 50 million hands upraised and open toward the sky

I wish I was a sailor with someone who waited for me
I wish I was as fortunate as fortunate as me
I wish I was a messenger and all the news was good
I wish I was the full moon shining off a Camaro's hood

I wish I was an alien at home behind the sun
I wish I was the souvenir you kept your house key on
I wish I was the pedal brake that you depended on
I wish I was the verb 'to trust' and never let you down

I wish I was a radio song, the one that you turned up
I wish...
I wish...

Spring cleaning, chaat and smart reporters

1. Spring cleaning in summer! I clean the cob webs, scrub the bathroom and washbasins... The cleaning has been long pending, and I feel much better after having laboured at it, even though its far from done.
2. Eating bhel and dahi sev puri at a road-side stall. mmmmmm.... and then having ice cold lemonade at another to give some relief to the mouth after the tangy spicy chaat we've had... Somehow, chaat tastes the best when had at a road side vendor's, rather than sitting in a restaurant or at home!
3. Dharana and I go shopping to FabIndia... ah what bliss! I've raved about FabIndia before, but I guess its necessary to say it again! I just love their cottons... they're so vibrant and fresh. Dharana says "I want one of those kurtis those smart reporters wear." I pick up two kurtis and Dharana picks up 3. She's all ready to buy a fourth one when I rush her out of the store.