'A few years ago, before you were born, a society of humans, a secret organisation, was formed ...'
- Pg 134, Dark Magic, by Christine Feehan
Oooh...what an exciting line. Something about secret organisations always sound so mysterious and thrilling. Even if the society doesn't do anything much. But if its a secret society...it must be exciting work! Or so we like to believe.
There is nothing more exciting than curling up with a warm comforter and a thrilling book full of magic and mysteries. It is the stuff of fantasy, of legends, of myths...of mysterious mists and foreboding castles, sorcery and lightning as evil tries to take over the world and good gives it a good pounding...not before getting bruised and battered itself. High drama and eerieness that stops just short of outright horror (okay I'm not a horror and gore fan). And there must be some star crossed lovers; bold, growing into their power men and women and of course the bad bad villain who has had eons of dabbling in bad things and must be defeated at all costs. Well thats the traditional story anyway. Recently, I read the Game of Thrones series, and the lack of a clear villain, the shades of grey in every character was an interesting revelation. It seems that, for me, when it comes to magic and mystery, a good story can eclipse the sometimes nebulous line between good and bad...because clearly it is all relative. And a master story teller will keep me on the edge as I try and identify with the characters being drawn up. And find that they are oh so human (or elf or mage or shapeshifters or vampires) people, put in circumstances that make them rise beyond themselves and become the stuff of legends. Come to think of that...thats not so fantastical after all!
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Jan 26 - Line for the day
'The duikers are a collection of antelopes found only in Africa.'
-Pg 89, The Overloaded Ark, by Gerald Durrell
No matter how many times I have read this book, I did not remember this animal. Gerald Durrell creates fabulous portraits of animals, places, people and cultures with his word. And they are all real. Not pieces of fiction. Real honest to God experiences. Makes me realize how inexperienced I really am...in life. They say travel broadens your mind. But today, when we travel, it is on set routes with set itineraries and with similar minded people. We sightsee from a checklist, and zoom about like clockwork toys, too busy to 'be there' and 'do that', than actually imbibe the atmosphere of a place. For all that imbibing, there is television and internet surfing. So we know about the cultures of a place from various sources, but when we are actually there, we are too busy 'seeing' the sights, to actually feel the place. How is this broadening my mind? Hell, people even want to eat the same foods! Now I'm not against having a set menu to keep the old digestion ticking during a vacation. But really, not even sampling the local cuisine? I remember a group trip to Italy where the group actually had to revolt right down to the last person for us to have one Italian lunch. Otherwise it was Indian food, morning, noon and night. And I don't blame them. I know many travellers who demand this of the tour organisers. But really, 10 days in Italy and not having pizza even once!!
And that is just gastronomy. In a recent trip to US (my first), we did the usual sights. But then on a road trip from DC to Canada, we detoured into random villages, ate at a diner, climbed the local observation tower, chased down covered bridges, and generally had the time of our lives. I'm not saying that I did not like seeing Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building or the other postcard places. But they didn't warm my heart as much as those detours did. They didn't broaden my mind...come on we've seen them in countless movies by now. But walking around in those anonymous parks and lost village roads ... ah ... thats where the charm was.
And this is where I envy Durrell. For he lived a life that held many many lifetimes of experiences. He found charm in the little unknown places. In anonymous people. In forgotten fellow living beings who inhabit this earth with us. Like the duikers.
-Pg 89, The Overloaded Ark, by Gerald Durrell
No matter how many times I have read this book, I did not remember this animal. Gerald Durrell creates fabulous portraits of animals, places, people and cultures with his word. And they are all real. Not pieces of fiction. Real honest to God experiences. Makes me realize how inexperienced I really am...in life. They say travel broadens your mind. But today, when we travel, it is on set routes with set itineraries and with similar minded people. We sightsee from a checklist, and zoom about like clockwork toys, too busy to 'be there' and 'do that', than actually imbibe the atmosphere of a place. For all that imbibing, there is television and internet surfing. So we know about the cultures of a place from various sources, but when we are actually there, we are too busy 'seeing' the sights, to actually feel the place. How is this broadening my mind? Hell, people even want to eat the same foods! Now I'm not against having a set menu to keep the old digestion ticking during a vacation. But really, not even sampling the local cuisine? I remember a group trip to Italy where the group actually had to revolt right down to the last person for us to have one Italian lunch. Otherwise it was Indian food, morning, noon and night. And I don't blame them. I know many travellers who demand this of the tour organisers. But really, 10 days in Italy and not having pizza even once!!
And that is just gastronomy. In a recent trip to US (my first), we did the usual sights. But then on a road trip from DC to Canada, we detoured into random villages, ate at a diner, climbed the local observation tower, chased down covered bridges, and generally had the time of our lives. I'm not saying that I did not like seeing Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building or the other postcard places. But they didn't warm my heart as much as those detours did. They didn't broaden my mind...come on we've seen them in countless movies by now. But walking around in those anonymous parks and lost village roads ... ah ... thats where the charm was.
And this is where I envy Durrell. For he lived a life that held many many lifetimes of experiences. He found charm in the little unknown places. In anonymous people. In forgotten fellow living beings who inhabit this earth with us. Like the duikers.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Jan 25 - Line for the day
'Shakti?' asked a surprised Brahaspati. 'Interesting ...'
- Pg 133, The Immortals of Meluha, by Amish Tripathi
How many 's's are there in that line. The first thing my eye noticed was the alliterative 's'es. They seems to jump out from that sentence in a sinuous dance. Essss....! Hissy like the very snake Shiva wears around himself. Of course the line is spoken by Brahaspati, he of lotus flowers and many heads. Oh wait, I'm confusing Brahaspati with Brahma...yeouch! Hubris alert! I am not at all a religious person, but I love mythology. Those are some of the greatest stories. So, yea...cringing on that misidentification there. But come on..they both start with 'Brah..' ... okay okay on thin ice here...best to accept the faux pas and move on!
Well lost track of the sentence in all that misadventure. Looked at it again...and there it is..again..all those 's's. Someone would think thats the most used letter in the language (which of course we all know is 'e' ... or I sincerely hope so...two dumb mistakes in one post would be utterly embarrassing!) This is one of those times I wish I hadn't put a condition on myself to write what comes first to mind. What I would give to do a quick google check! Maybe just a tiny search...
...
...
or not...sigh! Maybe I should just give up and wait for a new day. Shiva...the destroyer...today was not a day of creation. I hope Amish T. is having better luck with his final book of the trilogy!
- Pg 133, The Immortals of Meluha, by Amish Tripathi
How many 's's are there in that line. The first thing my eye noticed was the alliterative 's'es. They seems to jump out from that sentence in a sinuous dance. Essss....! Hissy like the very snake Shiva wears around himself. Of course the line is spoken by Brahaspati, he of lotus flowers and many heads. Oh wait, I'm confusing Brahaspati with Brahma...yeouch! Hubris alert! I am not at all a religious person, but I love mythology. Those are some of the greatest stories. So, yea...cringing on that misidentification there. But come on..they both start with 'Brah..' ... okay okay on thin ice here...best to accept the faux pas and move on!
Well lost track of the sentence in all that misadventure. Looked at it again...and there it is..again..all those 's's. Someone would think thats the most used letter in the language (which of course we all know is 'e' ... or I sincerely hope so...two dumb mistakes in one post would be utterly embarrassing!) This is one of those times I wish I hadn't put a condition on myself to write what comes first to mind. What I would give to do a quick google check! Maybe just a tiny search...
...
...
or not...sigh! Maybe I should just give up and wait for a new day. Shiva...the destroyer...today was not a day of creation. I hope Amish T. is having better luck with his final book of the trilogy!
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Jan 24 - Line for the day
'A significant fraction of thru-hikers reach Katahdin, then turn around and start back to Georgia.'
- Pg 153, A Walk in the Woods, by Bill Bryson
I am a vicarious traveller. I'll go anywhere with you in my mind, as long as my body is warmly cocooned in the comfort of my home. And when I do travel, I like it pest-free, luxurious, minimum physical exertions and nice weather. Thats why I usually end up at the beach. So it boggles my mind, why anyone would want to hike miles through rough flora, pesky to deadly fauna, poor sanitation and uncomfortable beds. Even if the weather is nice.
Yea, I get the whole lets get back in touch with nature bit. But did we forget, nature is dangerous! Man has spent centuries creating security and comfort from the ravages of nature. So why in Gods name would I want to go back and experience a Neanderthal's daily struggle?
So whether its hiking or thru-hiking (whatever that means), I'll pass thank you. You can take the hike, while I sit and read about it from my beach lounger :)
- Pg 153, A Walk in the Woods, by Bill Bryson
I am a vicarious traveller. I'll go anywhere with you in my mind, as long as my body is warmly cocooned in the comfort of my home. And when I do travel, I like it pest-free, luxurious, minimum physical exertions and nice weather. Thats why I usually end up at the beach. So it boggles my mind, why anyone would want to hike miles through rough flora, pesky to deadly fauna, poor sanitation and uncomfortable beds. Even if the weather is nice.
Yea, I get the whole lets get back in touch with nature bit. But did we forget, nature is dangerous! Man has spent centuries creating security and comfort from the ravages of nature. So why in Gods name would I want to go back and experience a Neanderthal's daily struggle?
So whether its hiking or thru-hiking (whatever that means), I'll pass thank you. You can take the hike, while I sit and read about it from my beach lounger :)
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Jan 23 - Line for the day
'"Come in!" said a quiet, low voice.'
- Pg 73, Come To The Circus, by Enid Blyton
The line, in a children's book, immediately created a sense of foreboding in me. It (the feeling) made no sense. This was an innocent children's book. Enid Blyton was the staple of my childhood vicarious adventures. I loved the naughty, intrepid, fun loving kids. But my first reaction was one of dread. Thats what this world has come to....lost innocence. As a mother of a young daughter, I am constantly worried that my child is going to grow up in a world that has no place for the innocents. Our children are barely innocent anymore. Every day in the media you hear about unspeakable acts on innocent children, while a strangled justice system runs circles around itself and the perpetrators run bold and free. From a young age, you are told to beware of strangers, strange things and strange places. And never ever to accept anything from anyone. Forget strangers, today most crimes are committed by known people. In this dreadful scenario, where is the space to let a child's natural curosity grow? A child's development is expansive...it needs space. But for security reasons, we are constantly shrinking this allowable space for them. And even then the worry doesn't go away. So much so that an innocent statement in a much-loved book starts to take on sinister tones. What world are we bringing our children into?
This may of course also be a parent's heightened need to keep their child secure. It reminds me of Marlin, the dad fish in the movie 'Finding Nemo'. There is a dialogue between him and Dory, his travel companion. Marlin promised his son that he would never let anything happen to him (Nemo). Dory says, thats a funny thing to promise...because then Nothing would ever happen to him! As a parent, this is the fine line to walk. A very very fine line.
- Pg 73, Come To The Circus, by Enid Blyton
The line, in a children's book, immediately created a sense of foreboding in me. It (the feeling) made no sense. This was an innocent children's book. Enid Blyton was the staple of my childhood vicarious adventures. I loved the naughty, intrepid, fun loving kids. But my first reaction was one of dread. Thats what this world has come to....lost innocence. As a mother of a young daughter, I am constantly worried that my child is going to grow up in a world that has no place for the innocents. Our children are barely innocent anymore. Every day in the media you hear about unspeakable acts on innocent children, while a strangled justice system runs circles around itself and the perpetrators run bold and free. From a young age, you are told to beware of strangers, strange things and strange places. And never ever to accept anything from anyone. Forget strangers, today most crimes are committed by known people. In this dreadful scenario, where is the space to let a child's natural curosity grow? A child's development is expansive...it needs space. But for security reasons, we are constantly shrinking this allowable space for them. And even then the worry doesn't go away. So much so that an innocent statement in a much-loved book starts to take on sinister tones. What world are we bringing our children into?
This may of course also be a parent's heightened need to keep their child secure. It reminds me of Marlin, the dad fish in the movie 'Finding Nemo'. There is a dialogue between him and Dory, his travel companion. Marlin promised his son that he would never let anything happen to him (Nemo). Dory says, thats a funny thing to promise...because then Nothing would ever happen to him! As a parent, this is the fine line to walk. A very very fine line.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Jan 22 - Line for the day
'The room we have rented looks gorgeous, all red velvet drapes and deco accents, like something out of an Erte drawing.'
- Pg 102, Pick me Up, by Zoe Rice
So the last 'e' in 'Erte' has an accent on it. I'm not sure how to reproduce that here...or even if I want to take the time and effort to figure out. Something about the world of art always makes me feel that its so pretentious. Really, all those squiggly lines or dabs of color actually mean something? I mean I get nice photos of stuff, landscapes, babies, stuff in action. I don't get random swirls of colors...most of the times. I don't get why a painting should cost more than how much it would take to sustain a community of people. I don't get why knowing how different brush strokes, artist names, schools of work, time periods etc. should be quintessential to be considered a connoisseur. So some people call differentiate one stroke of brush from the other...good for them. What I don't understand is why if I can't differentiate it, I'm not worthy of art. If true art is something that makes people think, see things in a different way, open their eyes, appreciate something ... how does it matter if I can name fifteen gazillion masters of art or not. To someone red velvet is art...to another its garish. I've really lost track of my rant here! All I know is that the world of art is much larger than a few people who are pretentious about it. And I don't care if what I like is a masterpiece or worth less than the medium its made on. The fact is I like it. And red velvet ain't really my cup of tea. Having said that..I'm off to google Erte drawing and how to get an accent in blogger text!
- Pg 102, Pick me Up, by Zoe Rice
So the last 'e' in 'Erte' has an accent on it. I'm not sure how to reproduce that here...or even if I want to take the time and effort to figure out. Something about the world of art always makes me feel that its so pretentious. Really, all those squiggly lines or dabs of color actually mean something? I mean I get nice photos of stuff, landscapes, babies, stuff in action. I don't get random swirls of colors...most of the times. I don't get why a painting should cost more than how much it would take to sustain a community of people. I don't get why knowing how different brush strokes, artist names, schools of work, time periods etc. should be quintessential to be considered a connoisseur. So some people call differentiate one stroke of brush from the other...good for them. What I don't understand is why if I can't differentiate it, I'm not worthy of art. If true art is something that makes people think, see things in a different way, open their eyes, appreciate something ... how does it matter if I can name fifteen gazillion masters of art or not. To someone red velvet is art...to another its garish. I've really lost track of my rant here! All I know is that the world of art is much larger than a few people who are pretentious about it. And I don't care if what I like is a masterpiece or worth less than the medium its made on. The fact is I like it. And red velvet ain't really my cup of tea. Having said that..I'm off to google Erte drawing and how to get an accent in blogger text!
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Jan 20 - Line for the day
'Sure, the presents you've stacked up for baby are perfectly safe and appropriatefor his or her play, but there is a good chance that the gifts you are giving to other family members aren't.
- Pg 523, What to Expect the first year, by Heidi Murkoff with Sharon Mazel
Okay, once you have a baby in the house, no one is going to give you gifts. All gifting is baby gifting. And those friends who are not very versed with parenting...you will get chocolates/sweets, or flowers...or both. Basically, the center of the world will be the baby. And most of the time you will be perfectly happy with it. But there are teeny tiny times when you'd like a gift that has nothing to do with kids, family or motherhood. Even if you are no longer sure what you need it for. Something to remind you of yourself BC (before child). Because once you are in AD (after delivery)...you are in a totally different stage of life, where you always tend to put yourself second (or third or last). And thats fine too. The key (as always) is in balance. Which is a great thing to say... and an insanely difficult thing to do.
- Pg 523, What to Expect the first year, by Heidi Murkoff with Sharon Mazel
Okay, once you have a baby in the house, no one is going to give you gifts. All gifting is baby gifting. And those friends who are not very versed with parenting...you will get chocolates/sweets, or flowers...or both. Basically, the center of the world will be the baby. And most of the time you will be perfectly happy with it. But there are teeny tiny times when you'd like a gift that has nothing to do with kids, family or motherhood. Even if you are no longer sure what you need it for. Something to remind you of yourself BC (before child). Because once you are in AD (after delivery)...you are in a totally different stage of life, where you always tend to put yourself second (or third or last). And thats fine too. The key (as always) is in balance. Which is a great thing to say... and an insanely difficult thing to do.
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