Friday, June 30, 2006
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Thursday, June 22, 2006
80s Music
2 nights ago I began downloading a whole bunch of music from the 80s. Mostly the period between 1985 and 1989.
Recently it seems I cant relate to the music that’s being produced, excepts unless it has the (by now overdone) – Retro feel, or a rehash of an earlier track.
Either the music industry is running out of originality or I’m moving up by a generation. Makes me understand what the 60s thing was all about.
So what was my music preference like during the 80s ? Mostly POP ish, mostly British, TOTP ruled !!
For many years I pretended I wasnt really into POP, but I guess I’m out of the closet now and can freely admit that I loved it !! Everything about it, including the weird hair, funny clothing, corny lyrics / titles ( French Kissing in the USA ) and trashy music videos.
What do you expect ?
Hey, I was a teenager! I couldn’t be held responsible for clear minded choices. I went with the mainstream. I was “with it”.
My hormones were responsible.
I fell in love with the idea of falling in love. You know how it is…
Then I actually fell in love. And some of these songs date back to very very special times in my life, as some of you who may be reading this would know.
Its my personal time machine now.
To this day when I hear these, I go back to the time. To when I feel I could do anything. Rebellious and omniscent. I owned the music, and the music owned me.
Heres a small listing –
The Commodores – Nightshift
A-ha - Hunting High And Low
Billy Joel - Uptown Girl
Cameo - Word Up
Peter Cetera - Glory of Love
Nick Berry - Every Loser Wins
George Michael Wham - Everything She Wants ( this track was before its time )
Jennifer Rush - The Power Of Love
Johnny Logan - Hold Me Now
Mr. Mister - Broken Wings
Prince - Purple Rain
Prince- When Doves Cry
Don Henley – Boys of Summer
Tracy Chapman - Baby Can I Hold You Tonight
Whitney Houston - Saving All My Love For You
Madonna - True Blue
Madonna- Open Your Heart
Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing
Dire Straits – Walk of Life
and another 100 more........
( oh by the way, if theres any particular track from the list or from that time interests you, let me know, i might have it on MP3 )
ALISHA ASKS 003
This morning on the way to school - which by the way, is the time Alisha and I have some of the most amazing conversations; she asked me :
"Papa why are there birds ?"
( Explain the existence / usefulness / purpose of birds in this world )
I tried with starting to quote from one of my childhood favourites :
All things bright and beautiful
All creatures great and small
All things wise and wonderful
The Lord God made them All.
I admit that this was a bit lame, as it merely describes that they were made, but still doesnt address the "Why" part.
And she wasnt too convinced either.
So i went on to try and give her a bit of history, which usually has me start by saying :
"In the old days....."
And i tried to explain carrier pigeons and the like to deflect her with the novelty value rather than the true merit of my explanation.
Contemporary Classic ?
Recently i saw a billboard in town, advertising something as :
"CONTEMPORARY CLASSICS."
Isnt that an Oxymoron ?
"CONTEMPORARY CLASSICS."
Isnt that an Oxymoron ?
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
FIFA WORLD CUP 2006
Halfway into the world cup, and its been fun so far.
Its good to see whatever few fans in office and around, talk of something besides cricket; which in my opinion is getting highly overexposed, more commercial and less exciting.
My top favourites for the season are Brazil ( of course ), but they seem to be playing some weird game. England has been playing like the pussies that they are, with one exception CROUCHing Tiger who is a Hidden Dragon. 3 yellow cards in one game. With a height similar to Kilimanjaro ( 6ft 4 inch ) his name is “Crouch”, can you believe that ?
Germany has been alright, with Australia showing some very good fighting spirit.
But Argentina looks like they’ve really got it together, and I’m putting my money on them.
Meanwhile the FIFA officials have made the match very tame, and seem to be giving fouls, and yellow cards left-right and centre.
Remember the movie GIANTS OF BRAZIL ? Now that was real football.
The other day I was discussing this with a Swiss client, who said that they've now begun playing BARRY MANILOW outside Swiss stadiums to keep the hooligans calm and under control !! I dont know how far its true, but that would be self-defeating in my opinion...Barry Manilow for Chrissakes !!
At home I’ve pretty much hijacked the TV and remote for the month. When I sit to watch a match, Alisha tries to understand what the big deal is about ( the last World Cup was the year she was born, which makes it all the more special that I should be watching it with her. She also asks very detailed questions about the game to figure it out. Armaan sees them running and has figured the game is about “RUN” and “BALL” as well as “BOOMBA” ( falling down ).
Deepa has joined in the hooliganism, and is propounding a centre-field strategy which largely involves off-sides. She and Ronaldo must meet up to fully explore this.
Its good to see whatever few fans in office and around, talk of something besides cricket; which in my opinion is getting highly overexposed, more commercial and less exciting.
My top favourites for the season are Brazil ( of course ), but they seem to be playing some weird game. England has been playing like the pussies that they are, with one exception CROUCHing Tiger who is a Hidden Dragon. 3 yellow cards in one game. With a height similar to Kilimanjaro ( 6ft 4 inch ) his name is “Crouch”, can you believe that ?
Germany has been alright, with Australia showing some very good fighting spirit.
But Argentina looks like they’ve really got it together, and I’m putting my money on them.
Meanwhile the FIFA officials have made the match very tame, and seem to be giving fouls, and yellow cards left-right and centre.
Remember the movie GIANTS OF BRAZIL ? Now that was real football.
The other day I was discussing this with a Swiss client, who said that they've now begun playing BARRY MANILOW outside Swiss stadiums to keep the hooligans calm and under control !! I dont know how far its true, but that would be self-defeating in my opinion...Barry Manilow for Chrissakes !!
At home I’ve pretty much hijacked the TV and remote for the month. When I sit to watch a match, Alisha tries to understand what the big deal is about ( the last World Cup was the year she was born, which makes it all the more special that I should be watching it with her. She also asks very detailed questions about the game to figure it out. Armaan sees them running and has figured the game is about “RUN” and “BALL” as well as “BOOMBA” ( falling down ).
Deepa has joined in the hooliganism, and is propounding a centre-field strategy which largely involves off-sides. She and Ronaldo must meet up to fully explore this.
Don Quixote
Downloading music, I found Nick Kershaw don Quixote ( ..."your mind can play tricks, makes you what you want to be )…
Remembered a faded acid trip around 1987.
The Nik Kershaw poster and the track by Simply Red - Holding Back The Years…….. And while I currently am reading NLP.
Rating 1/10
Remembered a faded acid trip around 1987.
The Nik Kershaw poster and the track by Simply Red - Holding Back The Years…….. And while I currently am reading NLP.
Rating 1/10
Thursday, June 15, 2006
From Thus Spake Zarathustra
And Zarathustra spake thus unto the people:
I TEACH YOU THE SUPERMAN. Man is something that is to be surpassed. What have ye done to surpass man?
All beings hitherto have created something beyond themselves: and ye want to be the ebb of that great tide, and would rather go back to the beast than surpass man?
What is the ape to man? A laughing-stock, a thing of shame. And just the same shall man be to the Superman: a laughing-stock, a thing of shame.
Ye have made your way from the worm to man, and much within you is still worm. Once were ye apes, and even yet man is more of an ape than any of the apes.
Even the wisest among you is only a disharmony and hybrid of plant and phantom. But do I bid you become phantoms or plants?
Lo, I teach you the Superman!
The Superman is the meaning of the earth. Let your will say: The Superman SHALL BE the meaning of the earth!
I TEACH YOU THE SUPERMAN. Man is something that is to be surpassed. What have ye done to surpass man?
All beings hitherto have created something beyond themselves: and ye want to be the ebb of that great tide, and would rather go back to the beast than surpass man?
What is the ape to man? A laughing-stock, a thing of shame. And just the same shall man be to the Superman: a laughing-stock, a thing of shame.
Ye have made your way from the worm to man, and much within you is still worm. Once were ye apes, and even yet man is more of an ape than any of the apes.
Even the wisest among you is only a disharmony and hybrid of plant and phantom. But do I bid you become phantoms or plants?
Lo, I teach you the Superman!
The Superman is the meaning of the earth. Let your will say: The Superman SHALL BE the meaning of the earth!
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Did You Know 001
Did you know that if you go to the BSNL Telegraph office, you can pay your phone bill anytime......24 hrs a day !!
I discovered that today; and frankly I'm impressed.
I discovered that today; and frankly I'm impressed.
THE 'TWEEN SIZES
My waist currently measures 35"
Which speaks about my sedentary lifestyle, and possibly my love for the nice and greasy KFC which has recently opened downtown.
I was 36" for a short while, but then that troubled me, and so i unconsciously began to bring it down. But now I'm stuck here.
At 35.
Which is not so bad in itself, but these darn clothing companies make trousers in increments of 2 inches, so its 34 or 36.
Guess where that leaves me.
34 clearly shows my midriff protrusion, and 36 slides down to "half-bum". Unless i tighten the belt a notch further, in which case it gets bunched up around the butt, and i begin to look like a hood from Chicago in the 60's.
Now i have to either lose an inch, or gain an inch and love myself either way...
I also worry about how this is going to impact my already dis-jointed wardrobe.
( I'm moving back from the half-sleeved "Chennai corporate office" look, to the pin striped-with-tie Milan look )
Which speaks about my sedentary lifestyle, and possibly my love for the nice and greasy KFC which has recently opened downtown.
I was 36" for a short while, but then that troubled me, and so i unconsciously began to bring it down. But now I'm stuck here.
At 35.
Which is not so bad in itself, but these darn clothing companies make trousers in increments of 2 inches, so its 34 or 36.
Guess where that leaves me.
34 clearly shows my midriff protrusion, and 36 slides down to "half-bum". Unless i tighten the belt a notch further, in which case it gets bunched up around the butt, and i begin to look like a hood from Chicago in the 60's.
Now i have to either lose an inch, or gain an inch and love myself either way...
I also worry about how this is going to impact my already dis-jointed wardrobe.
( I'm moving back from the half-sleeved "Chennai corporate office" look, to the pin striped-with-tie Milan look )
ALISHA ASKS 002
Thursday, May 04, 2006
ALISHA : Papa why is the signal light red, yellow and green ?
Me : it’s a standard people decided it should be like that
She : Why didn't I get to decide ? ( why was I not part of the decision making ? )
Me : I wasn’t either, it was before you or even I was born
She : When I grow up can I decide ?
Me : Sure.
ALISHA : Papa why is the signal light red, yellow and green ?
Me : it’s a standard people decided it should be like that
She : Why didn't I get to decide ? ( why was I not part of the decision making ? )
Me : I wasn’t either, it was before you or even I was born
She : When I grow up can I decide ?
Me : Sure.
ADOPTION
I had this thought about a month back.
Why is it that when we think of adoption, we only think of parents adopting a child ?
Why cannot the reverse be true ?
Why cannot a child adopt a parent ?
And suddenly instead of feeling helpless, I felt empowered with the thought that I can adopt parents of my choosing !!
It seems like a wonderful and liberating concept to me.
Suddenly life doesn’t seem as depressing.
Why is it that when we think of adoption, we only think of parents adopting a child ?
Why cannot the reverse be true ?
Why cannot a child adopt a parent ?
And suddenly instead of feeling helpless, I felt empowered with the thought that I can adopt parents of my choosing !!
It seems like a wonderful and liberating concept to me.
Suddenly life doesn’t seem as depressing.
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