XII - Trials and tribulations in a "first world" country #2

Trials and Tribulations in a "First World" Country #2

I just had my first experience of "Daylight Savings", a phenomenon which is apparently experienced by almost half the world. Have a look.

My mother had been warning me about this for quite some time, but the experience of it was just surreal. 

I  was doing a bit of reading (Yay!), and I realized that it was getting really late (2:50 am). I've made plans with some friends which would require me to wake up on time. So I was setting my alarm on my phone and I realized that the time on it was an hour behind my watch and desk clock. I was about to correct it, when I realized that even the time on my laptop was in the same state! 

≈≈ It was like being in the twilight zone. ≈≈

Thankfully, Mum's constant warning prevailed! I googled "daytime savings" and voilà! It was as I had suspected. Phew! I finally took a deep breath and corrected my watch and clock. 

Tomorrow's definitely gonna be an off day for people with a tight schedule. :/

XI - Memory

Memory

It was the birthday of some one really close to my heart yesterday. ~*

Its funny how somethings make you look back on the past, and you end up spending hours just going through old pictures or videos or sound recordings of happy times. Things that had been captured just for fun, but which now hold memories more precious than everything money can buy.

I've often cursed my memory.
"It's very weak."
"It can't retain enough."
"I'm probably gonna get Alziemer's really early in life."
But to be honest, I guess I'll only be happy and truly satisfied with my memory when it becomes one like a hard disk...or like Sheldon.

I wish I could retain every favorite event and remember it like it was yesterday. I wish I could remember the smells, the conversations word by word, the thoughts, the sounds, the touch. Sadly, snippets is all I end up with at the end of the day; fractured scenes and sentences. That and a bit of the feeling of the experience, which is the only saving grace.

I believe that the mind is the most powerful and dangerous weapon. People can be controlled though it without the slightest hint. It can also lead to self-destruction. You can end up hanging on to the past and keep living in denial, destroying yourself mentally. However, there is a most magical side to this as well. Your mind can help you re-live some moments with someone through a Dream.

After he joined the angels, these dreams became my safest haven. Waking up was a new tragedy to be dealt with.

Eighteen months later I've reached a point when all I can remember are the happy memories. There's still a little feeling of melancholy when I look back, but time heals little by little. 

As Juan Antonio said in Vicky Cristina Barcelona, 

"...only unfulfilled love can be romantic."

X - A world like our own

A World Like Our Own

Many times, especially these days with gender being one of my subjects of study, I've wondered what would life be like if we lived in a world where it was "normal" to be homosexual, and "unnatural" to be heterosexual. You clever people will immediately bring up the problem of procreation, but what if there was another social system of creating life, like donors, surrogates or test tube babies.

Now you'll probably say that these are systems of our modern world. I do agree, but there are always ways of making space for such a need through socially accepted customs and rituals. For example, I once read a book called The Pregnant King which was based around the time of the Mahabharata. Here we see that there was a system among the people which allowed an impotent husband to choose a young man from the village to impregnate his wife for him. In the book, a man chooses his nephew or some relative to do so. This was all highly acceptable.

So tell me, other than the desperate attempt at reasoning through religion, why can't people freely choose who they would like to be with and who they would like to marry? At first I had major difficulty trying to imagine a world so different from our own, but I just happened to come across an interesting short film dealing with this same issue. The film is called Love is All You Need? and was created and directed by K.Rocco Shields as a part of WingSpan Pictures. Have a look. Its very interesting.

♂❤♂❤♀❤♀

IX - Untitled

Untitled

I've been writing songs since the age of twelve and this developed into the need to write a bit of poetry. Though I've always admired the works of Wordsworth, Tennyson and Blake, my poetry always seems to reflect darker themes. Here's one for now. I'll post some more in time if you like.

This untitled work was written on my phone during a horribly slow traffic jam in Delhi. I had just had a tiring and demanding day so you can imagine my mindset. Its usually a certain feeling that inspires me and not something concrete.   

White jackals running in the stream of darkness

Forever flowing into the black core of this Earth

Its reality

Infecting everything in its path

It cares not for the innocence it robs

Nor the peril it introduces in the life of an ignorant

Its birth was sourced in the very thoughts and desires of the creatures it now infects

Like a slowly festering wound

≈≈≈≈≈ Ω ≈≈≈≈≈

VIII - Fan Girl

Fan Girl

Ok, so I know some of you might not be fans of my next topic, but I simply HAVE to record this. I love watching the Vampire Diaries. I love the plots, the effects, the direction, the fashion and the love triangles. So after two seasons of watching Elena whine about all the horrible things that happening to her, and her confusion about her feelings for both the good looking vampire brothers in love with her, we finally see a fresh love triangle. This time with Caroline and two hot hybrids.

I love Caroline. I feel like I can really relate to her character, and after becoming a vampire, she becomes the girl I'd like to be, strong, smart and well, spunky. Candice Accola is able to balance strong and vulnerable, sexy and elegant, charming and goofy. In simple words, she's AWESOME! *_*

Anyway, so I've been following the series religiously and have become a firm supporter of Klaroline. There's just something about "a dangerous man and the woman he'd change for" type of romantic plot. Though I have been disappointed so far by the separation of this coupling due to the new release of The Originals, which follows a separate tale keeping the original vampires (hence the name) in the lead, I am hopeful that I will have some more Klaroline moments in the future episodes.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures and moments. Enjoy. :)

I like them all, but don't Candice and Joseph look just perfect together!

Girls just wanna have fun (making boys who like them watch from a distance) 

My favorite moment. (She understands him so well. No wonder he can't help loving her.)

The way he looks at her *sigh*

 So yes. I'm a major fan girl sometimes. Can't wait for Caroline to finally be with her "last love".

<3

VII - Trials and Tribulations in a "first world" country

Trials and Tribulations in a "First World" Country

Ok, so being in a new country and living in an accommodation that has above standard facilities offered, there are a few systems I'm still getting used to. Like using an electrical stove, using a white card as a key (and almost locking myself out of the room every time), and getting almost everything done via the internet. (Even charging my bloody laundry card!)

This is the first time I'm using the washer/dryer system. Being in India, we have more primitive but equally lazy ass methods of washing available to us, like the dhobi system or getting the bai or maid to hand wash everything. So I was a bit nervous about doing my laundry for the first time. I didn't want anything to happen to my precious clothes.

But I managed to shrink my favorite gym pants. Damn these first world gadgets!

I know it isn't all that bad, but I like my ankles covered when I wear sneakers with pants so

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VI - My strangely realistic dreams

My  Strangely Realistic Dreams

What's written ahead is a fictional event created during the course of a night's slumber. :)

He was a musician of some sort in my dream. One of the many in Delhi, looking for a break. He and his band were in a documentary recording their trials and tribulations as a young band in the big city. 

The same gang from the outdoor movie outing had come with me to watch the premiere of this documentary. (They were wearing the same clothes.) Apparently the movie had been such a hit at the various prestigious film events all over the world that it was now being shown in the biggest movie hall in the UK. 

I almost tumbled down the steps trying to get the best seats possible as it was on a "first come first serve" basis. We watched him on the big screen and  I remember thinking, "He's so good looking. No wonder he's an actor." *sigh* Such a fan girl.

~ I know I'm strange ~

V - A Beautiful Sunday

~ A Beautiful Sunday ~

'Twas a beautiful, sunny, PERFECT day to visit the Colombia Road Flower Market nearby. 

Though it didn't start very perfectly. :P I overslept and delayed the plan by an hour. Not my brightest moment, but that didn't stop the day from being thoroughly enjoyable.

My flatmates and I headed to the market which took place only on Sunday mornings. The friend who knew the way to the place was joining us at the market place itself, so the rest of us relied on the ever faithful knowledge of Google maps. :P After a point it got pretty easy finding the place as we saw people walking away from a certain direction carrying bouquets and pots of flowers. 

Many such "Sherlock Holmes" observations later we found ourselves greeted by an acoustic band right outside the area for the flower stalls. It was noon by now, yet there were so many people around. I went crazy with my camera, and ended up getting left behind quite a lot, but there was so much to take in that I didn't even notice most of the time. I managed to get some lovely shots of the day.

We squeezed through the crowd, admiring the flowers of the stalls on either side of the road. Even though there were so many people, not to mention their dogs around us, the air still smelled so fresh. When we reached the other end of the market, we treated ourselves to some ice-cream and relaxed in the autumn sun shine. 

After a bit of vintage shop surfing and actually purchasing some flowers, we had spent almost two hours at the market without even noticing it. Tired and hungry, we decided to head to Bricklane for some bagels. It was close by and fell on the way back to our accommodation, so the plan seemed pretty suitable. Some of us went back, while the other more enthusiastic bunch went forward to explore busy Bricklane on a Sunday. I was one of the latter of course.

I'll tell you about that bit in the next post, otherwise this one will become too long. Got some more pictures coming your way. Ciao.

 While maneuvering through the crowd. 

One of the bands at the venue. 

Just a regular Sunday for this man.

I found her so chic.

My favorite picture of the day.

A picture of regular London.

The group of us! :)

IV - Procrastination is a slave-driver, and my Creativity its slave.

Procrastination is a slave-driver, 

and my Creativity its slave. 

I have to confess something.  It's probably become very apparent to my family members who have been following this blog, but I have to face the bitter truth.

I'VE BEEN PROCRASTINATING!

There I said it!
Social Anthropology is not a light subject you know. There's tonnes of books and essays to read. Not to mention presentations, essays, reports and a whole dissertation to work on! I mean I have been doing some of it, but not enough AT ALL.

This blog came into being probably because of the power of Procrastination. It worked up my creative juices, as it always does, just when I have to study. Even in the past I realized its power as I went through my craziest creative streaks around exams. For example, my profile photo for this blog was created during my second or third year mid-term exams in college...

My dear childhood friend suggested that this lack of focus maybe because my mind, at the moment, is confused. Being in a new environment all together it's still getting used to the idea of being a student here and not a tourist. Hence, the difficulty in studying properly. Ah! What would I do without such people in my life?

Anyway, got to sort out my priorities and get down to it. There's nothing else to be done! I'll continue posting updates of course, but there will have to be a better balance from now onwards. Gotta keep the flames burning!

In class the professor was like "There's nothing to be done except reading as much as you can. That's the only way", and all of a sudden Dory popped up inside my head, but in this case the "swimming" was replaced by "reading". 

I missed a few lines from the discussion because of that. *sigh* 

I hear you Dory!

~ Study Mode ON! ~

III - Dream a little Dream of me

~ Dream a Little Dream of Me ~

It was one of those lovely mornings when the world looks brighter, sweeter; all because you had a lovely dream. I love such mornings. I mean who doesn't. The day should always start positively!

I tend to dream a lot. (TOUCHWOOD!) Many of them fantastically real. I'll share some of them with you sometime if you like. It'll be like reading a little story. (Those of you who get bored with such stuff can just ignore those posts I guess...or not! :P)

Anyway, you might be wondering what I saw last night. Well I'll have to disappoint you. I can't can't share it because I once heard that if you have a lovely dream and want it to come true, then you should just keep it to yourself and who knows, it might just happen. It's one of those silly sayings that get stuck in the head. 

I mean I am a bit realistic as well. I don't believe that I'll suddenly become a superhero and fly around (*sigh*), or that I'll vacuum a sticky green creature out of my father. (Thank God!!) But dreams where you see your ambitions realized, where you see yourself with the love of your life, or maybe you see your family on a wonderful vacation together, those are ones that could come true. Hence, the power of "the saying".

I can tell you that what I saw was really sweet. It was about being loved in a very real way. None of that materialistic mumbo jumbo where the depth of your Love is equal to the size of your pocket. I mean I'm human, so I do love gifts and surprises, but for me at least, a relationship is about the little things.

Anyway, having exposed myself to being a complete romantic, I must bid you adieu. Till the next time.

"To Love at all is to be vulnerable." - C.S. Lewis

II - Follow the yellow Brick road

~ Follow the Yellow Brick Road ~

Well being in a new city, you HAVE to go explore the places nearby. 

I had heard a lot about Bricklane for it's general sense of pop-rebel culture with its wonderful graffiti all over the place.  This is where many of the nearby artists and designers come to find inspiration, maybe sprawled majestically on a wall or in the corner of some vintage shop. So this is where I decided to meet up with my friend from Delhi.

After fueling up with some colourful English brunch, we headed out with our cameras set and ready. We had a wonderful time clicking pictures, browsing through interesting shops (we literally spent 1 hour inside an antique shop), and taking in as much as we possibly could from the Bangladeshi-land of London. (Honestly, my bengali heritage seems to follow me all over the world. :P)

I clicked this without his knowledge, but he looked so "English" I couldn't help it. Hope he doesn't find this and think I'm a creep ... well I looked after his bags when he went to the loo, so I guess it should be cool. :P

The street on which the cafe was. Apparently, this area is very popular for people looking for cheap food after a visit to some nearby clubs at night.

Most probably the result of such a night of merry making.

Choose your words wisely!

THE KING

"Dali"- ying around

Cat Fight!

My partner in crime

~ Loving every moment of it ~

I - Hello I'm Confused

Hello I'm Confused 

Hello there.

Welcome to a little part of me I like to call "Confused".
This is the part of me that likes to do a lot of random, and sometimes artistic things. (I'd like to believe.)

In this space I'll be sharing all sorts of things. You can expect tidbits of some of my interesting outings, my likes and dislikes, some of my work, maybe a look into my secret bag of crushes (real or famous? I won't tell), even segments on my thoughts and nightly dreams (and I've had some very strange ones).

I just shifted into a new city...a new country...a new continent...hell! A New Life!
I've never been out of my country before (that is if you exclude the culturally similar neighbours, Nepal and Bhutan), so this was a very nerve racking transition for me.

It's been 2 weeks and it's just sinking in that I am somewhere really far away, and a lot more expensive (my poor empty pocket). I'm trying so hard to be economically responsible...but I fail each time I see the marvels of British bakery before me! *sigh*

Anyway, I'll try to keep you as entertained as possible and hope to keep it fresh and regular. Feedback and ideas are always appreciated. 
I'm not perfect, so do try to be kind with little ol' me.

~ Lets break open the Champagne Bottle ~