Warm Greetings 2016!

Before January slips away into oblivion, let me wish all readers a happy and prosperous new year 2016.

I guess I am tad late on my New Year wishes to readers. Frankly, I have absolutely no idea how many take interest in reading my blog. Ironically, when I glance through friends’ blogs I witness diehard followers and heartwarming responses. Since, hardly any comments come in on my blog; I am possessed with a feeling that none is aware of my existence. Nonetheless, the number of page hits is fairly good. It’s a little assurance that people do read the blog which is inspiration enough to keep plodding on.

However, what upsets me a bit is I couldn’t do 100 posts which I promised in 2015. Not that I didn’t make any efforts. I was caught up with loads of works on professional front. When I thoughtfully weighed the options, work ranked first, the blog, second. I know that’s not an excuse. So, this year, I am revising the strategy and will do at least 8 posts per month, this way, instead of checking progress at yearend, I keep a tab every month. Perhaps this will see me through 2016’s target.

If I can be boastful, let me mention on the professional front, I did some decent work. My work featured in National Geography Magazine. As if that’s not enough, another client of mine won a national award and another, global. Though I was directly behind them, I know it’s the client who will hog the limelight. But, I am quite satisfied at the outcome.

Running a marathon took a backseat. But gym took the driving seat, as I made some visible progress. And I have well-defined abs to vouch for me. Of course, I can’t show it here. ;)

Intentionally, I set 100 goals last year. I was able to achieve only 30% of targets. The rest got defocused, diluted and debunked. This year too it’s 100 goals but aim at achieving at least 70% of them. One major decision of course is to launch my own company which seems near impossible considering market’s slit-throat competition. Anyway, setting aside some capital to start in near future, this could take couple of years. 

However, I have a lot to thank friends who serve as inspiration and egg me on to success. And once again I thank readers and wish them a bright year ahead. Keep looking at the stars, that’s how we aim higher and further. Happy 2016! 

Heady Combo. Melodious Number.

There’s no better combo than a man and a woman when it comes to reeling out staggering songs that put you on a different level altogether. When the combo is Kenny Rogers and Dolly Patron you can lose sight of the ground as you float high among the clouds. ‘Islands in the Streams’ is one song that really was a blast – the duo nailed it perfectly. 

In retrospection, I think 70s and 80s had a wide spectrum of songs that stood out. It was the era of Queens, Princes, Oceans, Stevens and others. Of course, the Jacksons trailed behind too! Then, owning a two-in-one player was a status symbol.  In most well-to-do houses, the gold gramophones shone in style sitting pretty in a corner while doling out melodies. The songs were either played on a 33 rpm or 45 rpm or 75 rpm. No jazz. Just lively music.  

When I first heard ‘Islands in the Stream’ on our ‘Sanyo’ in the late 80s, it was so heavenly; I simply couldn’t shake the song out of my head. That’s when my quest for Dolly Patron’s and Kenny Rogers’ other songs took root. However, we were a disadvantaged lot who needed to run from pillar to post to get hold of good songs. But this particular song remains as the most cherished as it was a deadly combo of bass and tenor. You know the bonding between Rogers and Patron takes the song a notch higher. The amazing stage presence and highly melting chemistry becomes obvious when you watch them live.  Having goose bumps is saying the least.  

Though the duo has belted out many gospel as well as secular songs, Islands in the Streams will always be one of my favourites for the varied emotions it stirs in me. Kudos to the duo!

Art Days

The artist in me sometimes breaks out without the slightest clue to me. Call it in MPD. Or call it passion. Or call it stupidity. It’s right there staring deep into my eyes. The best part about the whole issue is the other side of me sometimes takes a liking to the artist. That’s when the fireworks happen. Some of the chef d’oeuvre take place. So, it was one of the moments recently that welled up inside me and brimmed over with colours. I wouldn't say this painting is entirely mine, I had borrowed the idea from Karrie. a well-known artist.  I don’t call it brilliant but a step in the direction of an artist's destiny.

A Jugalbandi of Art!

One good thing that the technology brought within everyone’s reach is tons and tons of knowledge. Oh don’t worry about the subject, without being verbiage, we all know it’s in almost in every sphere. I am glad the era came to fruition while I am still breathing. Wouldn’t have been gladder had it come early. 

Otherwise, I would have missed out playing in the fields with flowing rivulets all around. Or walking barefoot on lush green lawns or catching dragonflies by whacking them with freshly plucked plants or playing marbles sometimes in muddily mud or watching parrots literally fly into our backyard to take a bite of the guavas or lots of other beautiful things that now light up a smile on the face when I think back.

Life then was extremely flighty and slightly boring. Then who cares, it’s the heydays that counted, the mundane were lost in their own blinding ways. 

This sense of drinking in with the eye and feeling it with the senses has attuned the soul to spotting anything that’s bright and sprightly. So the fine art of Jonas Gerard hasn’t gone elusive either. The maestro of colours casts his spell on all those who stumble on his incredible objets d’art! I am no exception either. 

Surprisingly, I find the artists the most amazing lot. Of course, there’s this danger of leaning too much towards alcohol and smoke – which seriously puts me off. Otherwise, these guys are real freaks who know how to pull the strings of the heart and tap dance to the melodies the life dishes out. 

They do it with such gusto you can’t but join in. Doesn’t it always take two to tango?  So when the artist goes dancing you know you have no option but dance and rhythm-tap to the beat.  But Jonas Gerard, the famed artist, is of a different beat, he dances while he paints. Much to the envy of his contemporaries and to the delight of his audience who seriously wish they were in his shoes and splashing away with colours like there’s no tomorrow better than a colourful one. 

The colours that take birth after his dash at painting amidst zesty, pulsating beats are mind-boggling and inspiring. The fusing of colours with a fusion of music is something only a genius could think of.  Jonas is one cunning old man who has many tricks up his colourful sleeves that never fail to add colour to life. 

So, here’s a toast to the zestful spirit of Jonas Gerard, whose life is like trail blazing path on which anybody would love to tread, including moi aussi!

The ‘unbelievable’ Journey to the Centre of Mars!

Am I being taken for a ride in the name of rocket science?! Or is it just plain foolhardiness that people believe whatever is grandiosely dished out in the name of technology and science. I for one find exploits of ‘Rover’ or whichever spacecraft is traversing to Mars and beyond –gullible and unauthentic. After all, isn’t there a bit of Doubting Thomas in every one of us for the good of someone?! 

I consider Mars expedition is nothing but a colossal hoax. National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) might declare whatever they like to but I wish to hold onto my horses and not place trust in any of these far-stretched stories. Now, don’t go mouthing bad words or drawing  gasps of disbelief over the aforementioned radical perspectives. You see, after all, my beliefs are my beliefs. And you are fully entitled to yours. I wouldn’t be appalled at them either. 

Ironically, on the other hand, I would trust Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) rather than NASA. Not that I hold anything against NASA, but when you get duped once you tend to be twice shy. For instance, how many of us believe that we, earthlings, have walked the face of the moon?! Naysayers can join me in saying ‘Cheers’ because neither do I believe in this hocus-pocus, mumbo -jumbo.

The moon expedition was a gigantic fraud, which Americans successfully pulled it off right under our very noses. There are countless mind-twisting loopholes that scarcely qualify the whole mission as a reality. Let me put forth few questions for enlightenment as well for rationalization. When was the first time Neil Armstrong along with his other astro-buddies step on Moon?! 1969?  Good. When was the second time?! You don’t remember?! That’s because there has been no second time. Sounds unbelievable, isn’t it? If you have been to the Moon once, why didn’t you go there at least a 100 times in these 50 years?! Nobody has an answer. No country till now has dared to do this. Why?! 

Secound, if you have watched videos of Astronauts on moon planting the flag, you will notice the flag fluttering. What puts the spanner in the works is that how does the flag fly and flutter when there’s no air or wind on moon? Hilariously ridiculous! 

Third, you see pictures of astronauts on moon and beyond them you see the earth in the backdrop, how come you don’t see any stars? Did somebody forget to put the stars up there? Unless someone…you get the drift, right?

Fourth, Unlike the 1960s, technology has advanced so much we now hold access to super powerful telescopes that would easily gaze at moon in close quarters and discover whatever machinery and the flag the astronauts have left on moon. Of course NASA would find one way or the other to counter this too! 

Scientists claim that radiation levels on moon are so high there’s hardly any possibility of survival of human beings even for minutes. Then, imagine the impossible technicalities of landing safely on moon. And then photographing everything and then making it back to the main shuttle to return safely. Too much of good luck or too much of deceptiveness. I’ll go with the former though. 

The Russians, who were actually the first to put a man in space, Yuri Gagarin, expounded these erroneous expeditions of moon earlier and laid it thread bare that the whole mission was eyewash.  Russians, who they held the capabilities of putting a man in space, couldn’t they have achieved the same feat in these last 46 years?! 

Finally, I trust ISRO for the simple reason that they have been able to embark on space missions at almost one-third of the costs of US space missions. And the success rate of these missions is simply phenomenal. ISRO has lot of potential, if properly backed by Indian government, can prove its strength in some mind-numbing, eye-popping space-related outcomes. 

For the love of Chase!

Others might look on this legendary writer as another author, but when it boils down to spinning first -rate crime stories, he simply is a prodigy par excellence. Allow me to introduce James Hadley Chase. I know some might shriek and jump out of sight at the very mention of his name; others might feign ignorance and a few others might actually be fascinated by him, which is quite an astonishing act considering that most intelligentsia looks down on him.  Not that he isn’t a prolific writer but because he writes sleazy stuff. Well, I stand for what I believe; therefore I stand with my elementary belief; he is an awesome writer who holds many aces up his sleeve and would outsmart anyone in the game of storytelling. 

I became an official aficionado of his works, when I passed out my secondary education and became a pre-university student. How did it all began? Actually, my friends surprised me on my birthday by presenting a Chase. The cover as usual was a seedy one with a half-naked woman holding on to whatever remained of an unbuttoned shirt. Initially, I got scared to receive such a book and decided not to touch it with a barge pole. However, an avid book reader among the gang guaranteed that the cover was always a grossly misleading picture of the actually story within. “Most stories are clean with adventurous twists and turns,” he affirmed. 

Taking him on his word, I ventured out to reading one. One was enough to get me hooked. It was opium. I became an addict.

God! I was surprised why I haven’t read him before.  The sleuth in me surfaced and went hunting for his books in every nook and corner of the city. Soon, within a span of six-months I must have read almost all his titles. There were times when I read three books in a day flat. That was the time, my elder brother and sister, who had graduated to reading more serious stuff like the Kafkas, gave me irate looks which explicitly stated: time you grew up kiddo! 

Thanks to the soul of steel I possessed then, I didn’t easily give up. So, I stuck to ‘Chases’ while they chased other writers who never were within my immediate intellectual parametres. Thus began my love for Chase.

Although I have traversed many miles with other authors as guides, philosophers, magicians, storytellers, friends, intellectuals, navigators, problem-solvers, extremists, lovers… I haven’t come across anyone that was as fast-paced and as mercurial as Chase.Even today, when there’s a holiday or a long journey on the cards I ensure a Chase is tucked in along with my other books and necessities.  In fact, Chase will always remain a favourite no matter what.  For those who give me those shady looks for reading him, I can only say ‘Go, have a life’ while I have mine on my own terms.