"Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our mind." - Bob Marley

A brilliant statement which I make a conscious effort to live by.

<<<randomness:

In this day and age,

We need to give up the old adage.

Believe not in the impossible,

But the possibility of the improbable.

:randomness>>>

Think on it comrades, why do we choke in our own binds?Why do we slip into the trappings of conformism and all that it entails? Take a moment to digest the absurdity of it all. As you know, I'm not very good at being succinct, so do yourself a favour and watch Curiosita.God knows he'll be orator to the stars one day, the guy who made this video (he's an old friend of mine). Visit his YouTube and blog.

Holler!

The sheer adrenaline and ecstasy of yesterday show no signs of wearing off! Coming from Singapore, I've never played baseball before. Until the past four weeks in ISH. For all my shortcomings, nothing has stumped me quite like the logic(or lack thereof) behind the True Blue American Game. No offence, but half the time, all we ever do is argue over "outs" and "saves". I think the only person who shares my sentiments is David, otherwise I feel quite tuned out on the pitch. I just do what I'm told: "Stand there","Keep your eye on the ball","Hold it like this","Catch,CATCH!" and once, in a desperate attempt to somehow breathe the American valour into me, someone said(it was either Valmik or Nik), "Think Aragorn". You'd think I was a delinquent. Who reads LOTR....that somehow doesn't quite fit.

So anyway it came down to the wire for me when almost everyone on the team had batted. I walked up to base. Strike 1, strike 2. This was it. Another episode of my inadequacy in the diamond. You see, the whole world had lost count of how many strikes I had wasted over the past 3 matches. I braced myself for the bloody wash of embarrassment.

And then it happened.

The glorious clear-fell sound of the ball tapping the bat, the raucous screams of "Run!" and for a nanosecond, time seemed to freeze and a look of incredulity masked my parched red face. I ran as fast as my legs would carry my stupor-ridden body. I reached base, where Shreya was holding fort.

And I gave the shrillest scream of pure joy - the first successful bat of my life. Bless Shreya, I hope she didn't go deaf. I jumped on the spot at an alarming pace, ecstatic and relieved. I have officially claimed my place in the ranks of crackpots like Liam. Go me.

Other than that, it's been the usual mundane school week, punctuated by the occasional bloodbath of high school politics. I'm fairly content with my place at the sidelines of the smackdown, though not as happy as I would be if I was not within proximity at all. I guess it's inevitable, however I refuse to succumb to the maelstrom of destruction. I am a seasoned sailor and have weathered many a heavy storm, this is a mere gale. 

There are bigger things than you or me, than this crush and that backstabber. In a world where our problems were resolved in a civilised meeting of minds, there would be no bloodshed. Alas, we are all but sheltered from the crossfire. Heck, we're spawning future politicians in Yale - and the disease is not contained. Right here in ISH, hatred is flowing free, wrapping its wretched fist around the adolescents and turning them into vultures.

Is there no salvation? Is there no saviour among us?

No. We are alone,

In our hearts,

In our minds.

Run for cover.

I apologise if you found my last post a tad bit too existential. I have lightened up considerably since. Well, highlight of my weekend was fried chicken. No, I'm kidding, (though it really was good...yum) the highlight of my weekend was Tint N' Tone - ISH's first Art & music festival  Hurrah! It was an unprecedented success and it was an absolutely perfect way to showcase the talents of our school (which are numerous I might add). I was completely dazzled by Madhu's performance, she was phenomenal. Hence, I will now give her a standing ovation here in my room lasting 3 seconds only because I am cramping right now. Please excuse me for a moment...........Alright I'm back.

Nikita was cool enough to give me a lift to and back from the State Gallery of Art where the showcase was held and she was flawless with the clarinet, her instrument of hypnotism (haaha, she's gonna murderlise me if she ever reads this), though I was exhausted of all my powers of persuasion before she finally agreed with me. I especially liked the improvised jazz number with Nikita and Vysh on the clarinets, Ajay on the saxophone, Hadi and Mr. Jonathan on the trumpets and, I think(the details are a little blurred, I was drunk on Pepsi ), a teacher from the elementary school on the organ. The other performances missed out on being my favourites by an infinitesimally fine line, which proves what an excellent evening it was. I will be loading pictures of the artistic extravaganza (hee) on my album soon, so go take a look at how pleasantly neat Nik's hair looked (I mean that).

Mr. Jonathan mentioned on Friday that I should get involved in the school's music scene a bit, an offer which I will consider seriously. And since I'm obviously no longer with my Singapore band (Quixotic - remember the name!), things on the music front have been depressingly mellow for me. I mean it's cool practising Weezers and Moldy Peaches in the deathly quiet of my lair but it would be great to get out a bit. I was a Senior Soprano 2 for three years straight in choir, one of my humble collection of achievements. People back home keep telling me its a shame I'm letting my experience go to waste. But I don't know. I'm on the fence right now. Stay tuned for that decision.

Well, technically, it's Monday morning right now - 1:27 am. And I hope it's going to be a good week, you'll know soon enough. Au revoir, this is Mithrandir (I'm a lass though - my Singaporean pals just like calling me Mithrandir a.k.a. Gandalf) signing off.

P.S. This a random,useless fact that would be an utter waste of what might be 10 seconds of your life (I'm a slow reader) but here it is nevertheless:

In 1765, the sandwich was invented by John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich, who gave the food its name. The Earl used to order roast beef between pieces of toast for a snack while he was at the gaming tables, it allowed him to keep one hand free to play while he ate.

I've really been swamped lately, so much so that my mental prowess has been spiraling vertically...downwards. In Computer Studies today, I kept clicking the paste button on my word document, thinking that it was the save button...laugh, you ought to. *sigh* Seems to me lately that it's important to shake yourself and just laugh about something, anything, just to keep yourself from breaking down.

My mom's away again for 3 weeks which is dreadful, for both of us. Returning home everyday from the hellish boot camp called high school, one really need some powerful muse, something to draw love, inspiration and hope from. And my mother is all I have. What can I say: I love her, more than anything or anyone in my life. And no one inspires me like her. I have seen with these tainted eyes the horrendous trials that have dogged our steps, most especially my mother's - and looking at where she is now, I know she is nothing short of extraordinary.

Mommy's girl: I know. Not like I have a father. Ain't ashamed. So bugger off. No, don't. Or at least read the rest of my post before you do :)

Being alone with my thoughts is a very scary prospect for me. But it is enlightening even though it leaves me feeling drained, vulnerable.

And like a drowning young lad, when you finally emerge with a gasp from the swirling abyss of your thoughts, and the cold stabbing wind of change and the reality of the world sweeps in - you feel it: The cruel scalding heat that burns your very soul - the feeling of being lost. Lost, lonely, afraid. Afraid of the workings of the world that, sometimes, seem to  deliberately plot your downfall.

" ‘I wish it need not have happened in my time,’ said Frodo. ― ‘So do I,’ said Gandalf, ‘and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.’ " - ‘The Lord of the Rings’, Book I, Chapter 2.                                         

(this is a little excerpt from my doodle diary)

Ai! Ilya ná lá vanwa...

'lo again.

Events came to a standstill, 4:30-ish today. The bus engine got overheated which meant a wrought metal enclosure full of heady distressed sudoriferous teenagers - definitely a brew for trouble. Soon enough, transport negotiations were being thrown about the bus, people arranging for cars to rescue us from the unforgiving heat. But after approximately 20 minutes of baking on low-heat rotisserie, another school bus came along and with it the offer of salvation, which we jumped at. The monstrosity of the entire predicament was the fact that I was just a 5 minute walk from where I live but the attendant was too tied up in the moral obligations of his job to let me walk home.Geez...I mean, it's straight ahead and I'll be walking right in front of the bus. You'll be able to subdue me if I decide to jump into the back of a Camero and escape across the border, don't worry!

Had an amazing Literature lesson today, or should I say an epiphanic lesson. I mean, truly, if you haven't tried to fathom Sujata Bhatt's 'Muliebrity', you aint seen nothin'. Hats off to Mrs. Bhalla of course, and no thanks to the demented likes of Mr. Richard Old, my pretentious obnoxious ex-Lit teacher from MAIS. Seriously, Mr. Jay, if you're reading this, you need to get him GONE.With a capital G.....oh yeah, and a capital O,N and E as well. Oldy fed us some crap about Sujata writing this from the perspective of a foreiger...dumbass.

But on a more pleasant and serious note, I am delighted to say that no poem has ever moved me in the introspective manner 'Muliebrity' did. Even if you are not a literature enthusiast, (which is absolutely blasphemous-nah just messing with ya) 'Muliebrity' is a keeper for every member of the human race simply because we need to be shaken out of our urban slumber. Read it, and more importantly think about it - you will not regret it. It is an elegant paradox unto itself.

Sujata Bhatt -I thank you.

Well, guess it's sayonara for now cos I am drrrrrrrrrained.

Ciao.

P.S.

1. I'll open a thread for 'Muliebrity' under "Byron & Keats!" in the forum, so you can read the poem there.(please note that it is not your average prose about love and life, Sujata takes the road less travelled)
2. 'Power98' is a link to a Singapore radio station(my personal favourite actually) which you can stream live. I thought I ought to share it since it my tool in keeping up with the latest music while here in India.(Catch American Top 40 with Ryan Seacrest, Sat 4pm,8pm and Sun 10am,2pm)
3. I've put in my album under the bookmarks so check it out too.(Pictures best viewed in full-screen mode.)

  Welcome one and all to the show, we're wired up,fired up and we're ready to go - as in the words of the talented Michael Kenji Shinoda.

I've somehow managed to piece my blog together and I'm fairly proud of it since it is palpably decent-esque. Got some freebies in the "bookmarks" bit, so feel free to entertain yourselves if you find I'm ranting on too much. I just threw out some random topics of interest into the forum, waiting for someone to get the ball rolling. I don't wanna act like I'm pluggin it - and even that sounds like a plug - but all the art you see on this page, all 100% homemade by yours truly. (If you look at my profile, you'll notice 'digital graphics editing' as one of my hobbies-I have sneaky feeling that I just coined a new term right there.) I will be adding a Photo Album soon, which will showcase my amateur artistic attempts and other photos, so keep an eye out for that.

Just returned from my birthplace, glorious Singapore, to Hyderabad where I am now schooling. Had a blast on my sunny island 'course. I transformed into a cinema addict before the eyes of the world, caught up on movies such as

Juno(Jason Reitman kicks ass),

27 Dresses (which was bordering on mediocre),

Jumper(which was a complete and utter waste of my time and money),

Cloverfield (I regurgitated my sweet n salt popcorn all over the poor epileptic teenager seated in front of me, and OH YEAH it was a complete and utter waste of my time and money) and of course

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street, my latest muse which I watched 3 times :D (thank god for insane barbers which somehow keep us sane).

Was in Dubai for a while too, and people, if you know China as 'The Waking Dragon' and India as 'The Reigning Maharaja', Dubai would probably be 'The Rising Camel' or something 'cos i have never known a desert bursting with more life. The nomadic equivalent of a rollercoaster in Dubai would be the Desert Safari. Do not underestimated those silken undulating dunes and the charming driver of your jeep. Definitely not for the faint of heart. The Emiratis are such warm people, down to earth but extremely savvy. They are at the top of their game, truly.

It feels great though to be back in ISH especially since there are more people. Personally, a classroom of 11-12 people is what I call mentally stifling, simply because the more people, the easier the flow and circulation of ideas. And now there're 21, yes you heard me, 21 students in our grade. Maybe its because I'm used to my having nearly 30-40 people in a class. (that's what's considered a healthy class size in Singapore )

I have great memories of Vysh's Birthday party on Saturday (Happy Birthday again if you happen to read this, which I highly doubt ). Had lotsa fun, although at the expense of the peace of mind of fellow Fusion9 diners.(We're a rowdy lot) Met Vysh's grandmother after the party,a sweet a gracious individual whom I had the privilege of being acquainted with, along with the rest of her family. I got back home and promptly hung the party glowband on my wall. (I latch on to memories like a basket case for those who don't know)

And all Sweeney lovers out there, be sure to check out the poll of the month. And in honour of the occasion, I have here an impeccably done tribute to Sweeney Todd - ALL CRED TO WAYTINO who indirectly introduced me to the infectious magic of Yann Tiersen. This tribute is very aptly named "Revenge"

<<<randomness:(this means the following paragraph[s] are just some of my random musings that I jot down when inspired)

"He left the bistro, shuffling down the street with the look of a broken heart bleeding all over the place. She'd been unfaithful, he'd been unwavering.

And on this oh so gray

                  Valentine's Day,

                  He swiped the roses

from the blistered hands of a pedlar

handed the man a 50,

just enough for a  pinch of weed,

and as if the beauties were gritty,

he threw them into the dump,

then woefully he said,

'Love is a place where all is rosy red,

and salvation is dead'

'Even pedlars should not sink to the level of promoting love'

                       The pedlar was left puzzled but content with his easy money.

                                           And he sank deeper into the suffocating trench of heartbreak...

:randomness>>>

Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd,

His skin was pale and his eye was odd,

He shaved the faces of gentlemen

Who never thereafter were heard of again

He trod the path that few have trod,

Did Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street

Sorry, couldn't resist the urge to put that in, heehee :D

P.S. Be sure to give a shout(angry or intoxicated, I won't mind) at my tagboard before you leave.