"And still the deep husky sound of his laughter rang against the coming of the night."
- Pg 132, A Pirate's Pleasure, by Heather Graham
Ah romance book heros. Those with deep husky laughters and smooth baritones. And of course physicalities and personalities to die for. Deep in the malaise of a viral attack, what can give more pleasure than curling up with a good old fashioned romance novel. Its February. Spring is around the corner. Love is in the air. Actually, it is literally in the air. Pigeons have been sighted on my balcony in various stages of intimacy. And also on air, is the media with its blitzkrieg of shiny advertisements for Valentines Day. In fact, a cheery red-and-white mail in my inbox informs me, its not just Valentine's Day, its an entire week of (expenditure driving) celebration! So as a woman, let me see how the logic works.
Feb 9 is deemed Chocolate Day. And come on, if the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, surely the way to a woman's heart is through chocolate! So where else could we possibly start the celebration!
Feb 10 is Teddy Day. Cuddly, furry, cosy comforts that herald back from the days of our childhood. The warmth of a soft body next to you, a companion to stave away the loneliness of the world. Perfect metaphor of innocent physicality to set the scene for intimacy. 'Oh to be a glove upon that cheek ... said Romeo to Juliet'.
Feb 11 is Promise Day. Because women want commitment. And loyalty. Most of the time. Today's modern woman may sometimes go for a no-strings attached deal. But it will still have rules. And boundaries. And anyway, won't qualify as romance or love.
Feb 12 is Hug Day. Start with the innocent touch. Always. No need for any overthinking, or expectation building. Building the physical bridge with warmth, affection and reassurance.
Feb 13 is Kiss Day. All that slow build up. Finally time for some real physical intimacy. Something that differentiates a romantic relationship from an affectionate one. Though to think of it, there can be plenty of affectionate cheek kissing too!
Feb 14 is Valentine's Day. So if chocolate and soft toys are done, that just leaves flowers and jewellery. Wow. Nice marketing. After all that buildup, a rose is expected. But will it be enough? After all, diamonds are a girl's best friend!
I've got to admit it. The lineup works (especially for the retailers). But at the end of the day, a simple heartfelt 'I love you' would too. The best things in life are free. Just like the sound of a loved one's laughter in the wind.
Friday, February 8, 2013
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Feb 3 - Line for the day
'I wandered lonely as a cloud..'
- Poems in Two Volumes, by William Wordsworth
I wonder if clouds get lonely. It seems unlikely. There are always many of them around. And even when there are just wisps of them, they seem to gravitate towards each other in a slow floating dance. And then there is the science of it. If clouds are a collection of water droplets, how can it be lonely. Can a collection of something, which by nature denotes large numbers, ever be lonely. Yes, one person can be lonely in a crowd. But can an entire crowd be lonely? Ascribing individual characteristics to a collective seems irrational. And yet, if we can personify the inanimate, say a lonely cycle on a lonely road, why can we not personify a collection of persons. Crowds can be lonely places. But not clouds. They are a jamboree of water droplets, who troop in like invitees to a party. Then they go out and try to gate crash into the neighbor's party. Which, of course, is incredibly rude and creates a dark gloom where sparks fly and light up the sky. And then, after a lot of shouting and hot headedness, everyone comes down to earth for a brief respite. Only for the cycle to start again. So clouds are really big parties in the sky. That really ain't so lonely Mr W.
- Poems in Two Volumes, by William Wordsworth
I wonder if clouds get lonely. It seems unlikely. There are always many of them around. And even when there are just wisps of them, they seem to gravitate towards each other in a slow floating dance. And then there is the science of it. If clouds are a collection of water droplets, how can it be lonely. Can a collection of something, which by nature denotes large numbers, ever be lonely. Yes, one person can be lonely in a crowd. But can an entire crowd be lonely? Ascribing individual characteristics to a collective seems irrational. And yet, if we can personify the inanimate, say a lonely cycle on a lonely road, why can we not personify a collection of persons. Crowds can be lonely places. But not clouds. They are a jamboree of water droplets, who troop in like invitees to a party. Then they go out and try to gate crash into the neighbor's party. Which, of course, is incredibly rude and creates a dark gloom where sparks fly and light up the sky. And then, after a lot of shouting and hot headedness, everyone comes down to earth for a brief respite. Only for the cycle to start again. So clouds are really big parties in the sky. That really ain't so lonely Mr W.
Feb 2 - Line for the day
'A giraffe is able to clean its ears with its own tongue.'
- Fact of the matter, Gurgaon Times, Times of India, Feb 2, 2013
Why would I want to know this? How does it matter in my world whether a giraffe is able to clean its ears with its tongue or not? And why is the giraffe able to do it anyway? When no other living being without access to an ENT doctor or vet can get their ears cleaned, why is the giraffe singled out by evolution? Actually I don't know if there are any other species that can do this feat. If there are any, lets have a show of hands! Now that I think of it, you don't need doctors or a vet. One reads of so many mutualism examples where one animal feeds off another's detritus, thereby earning its eternal gratitude (presumably) and establishing a viable source of nutrition. There must be some who clean ears too. And that reminds me of the babel fish (from Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series) which lived in the ear canals and translated galactic languages for its host. I wonder if it also cleaned ears.
- Fact of the matter, Gurgaon Times, Times of India, Feb 2, 2013
Why would I want to know this? How does it matter in my world whether a giraffe is able to clean its ears with its tongue or not? And why is the giraffe able to do it anyway? When no other living being without access to an ENT doctor or vet can get their ears cleaned, why is the giraffe singled out by evolution? Actually I don't know if there are any other species that can do this feat. If there are any, lets have a show of hands! Now that I think of it, you don't need doctors or a vet. One reads of so many mutualism examples where one animal feeds off another's detritus, thereby earning its eternal gratitude (presumably) and establishing a viable source of nutrition. There must be some who clean ears too. And that reminds me of the babel fish (from Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series) which lived in the ear canals and translated galactic languages for its host. I wonder if it also cleaned ears.
Friday, February 1, 2013
Feb 1 - Line for the day
'Today if you feel frightened then feel inspired.'
- Season 6, Episode 7, Grey's Anatomy, TV Show
A line that stands out in everything I've heard or read today. Sometimes there are words that just fit. That are just right. That are simple and short. And yet they contain a cosmos within themselves. They echo in your head again and again, restructuring your thoughts, reframing your experiences, showing you a different you. A different you than what you think you are...but the you that you really are. Because we think linearly and in structured boxes. But we exist in omnipresence. And once in a while, there will be words, or an image, or an experience that suddenly makes us realize that we are more than what we think we are. We can be anything. It is only fear that holds us back. Beyond fear is inspiration. And equanimity. That there is no chaos. And all is chaos. Everything just is.
- Season 6, Episode 7, Grey's Anatomy, TV Show
A line that stands out in everything I've heard or read today. Sometimes there are words that just fit. That are just right. That are simple and short. And yet they contain a cosmos within themselves. They echo in your head again and again, restructuring your thoughts, reframing your experiences, showing you a different you. A different you than what you think you are...but the you that you really are. Because we think linearly and in structured boxes. But we exist in omnipresence. And once in a while, there will be words, or an image, or an experience that suddenly makes us realize that we are more than what we think we are. We can be anything. It is only fear that holds us back. Beyond fear is inspiration. And equanimity. That there is no chaos. And all is chaos. Everything just is.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Jan 31 - Line for the day
'How did a flying boy first meet a certain one-handed pirate?'
- Back cover, Peter and the Starcatchers, by Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson
Everything about the outside of this book is exciting. The obvious Peter Pan reference, the front cover which calls it a 'rip-roaring pirate-filled adventure', its fantastical yet piratey cover image, a suitably fat paperback that promised to be a thrilling read. Yet this book has been sitting on my shelf for years, and I have yet to read it. There is nothing about it which is stopping me. It somehow just never gets read. I wonder how many more such books are there in my bookshelves. Actually, I don't have to wonder. Straight of the bat, I remember those Indiana Jones books on the top shelf. Again, something I've been meaning to read for ages, but they are just gathering dust.
Why is it that there are some books that you really want to read, buy and display in prominent places, and then just never manage to pick up. Even when I get the time and don't have a book in mind, my hand never goes towards these books. I'll either re-read some oldies, or do something else. And I never really forget these books. I know they are waiting for me. But somehow, I don't actually want to read them.
Peter and the Starcatchers. The first thing I loved was the name. Its just the kind of name to want to pick up and read about. Then I loved its image, its nice blue-white twilightish colors. Even the back story was compelling. Sometimes, you can get everything right, and still lose.
- Back cover, Peter and the Starcatchers, by Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson
Everything about the outside of this book is exciting. The obvious Peter Pan reference, the front cover which calls it a 'rip-roaring pirate-filled adventure', its fantastical yet piratey cover image, a suitably fat paperback that promised to be a thrilling read. Yet this book has been sitting on my shelf for years, and I have yet to read it. There is nothing about it which is stopping me. It somehow just never gets read. I wonder how many more such books are there in my bookshelves. Actually, I don't have to wonder. Straight of the bat, I remember those Indiana Jones books on the top shelf. Again, something I've been meaning to read for ages, but they are just gathering dust.
Why is it that there are some books that you really want to read, buy and display in prominent places, and then just never manage to pick up. Even when I get the time and don't have a book in mind, my hand never goes towards these books. I'll either re-read some oldies, or do something else. And I never really forget these books. I know they are waiting for me. But somehow, I don't actually want to read them.
Peter and the Starcatchers. The first thing I loved was the name. Its just the kind of name to want to pick up and read about. Then I loved its image, its nice blue-white twilightish colors. Even the back story was compelling. Sometimes, you can get everything right, and still lose.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Jan 30 - Line for the day
'The great doors are invested with the same power ...'
- Pg 312, Phantom, by Terry Goodkind
Whenever I think of great doors, I think of the pearly gates. Its a amazingly clear visual of fluffy white clouds, big shiny white and gold gates, standing open, with lots of light behind it. A visual made possible by so many movies and other entertainment media. Irrespective of religion, the pearly gates visual stands strong.
The imagery immediately makes me wonder about this innate belief I have that open doors lead to good things, while closed doors are forbidding places. There are, after all, both the unknown. It seems its not so much the fear of the unknown as it is the fear of the dark. Or maybe they just feed off each other. All I know is that in today's world of mistrust, those may be the only doors that we are likely to find open at all!
- Pg 312, Phantom, by Terry Goodkind
Whenever I think of great doors, I think of the pearly gates. Its a amazingly clear visual of fluffy white clouds, big shiny white and gold gates, standing open, with lots of light behind it. A visual made possible by so many movies and other entertainment media. Irrespective of religion, the pearly gates visual stands strong.
The imagery immediately makes me wonder about this innate belief I have that open doors lead to good things, while closed doors are forbidding places. There are, after all, both the unknown. It seems its not so much the fear of the unknown as it is the fear of the dark. Or maybe they just feed off each other. All I know is that in today's world of mistrust, those may be the only doors that we are likely to find open at all!
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Jan 29 - Line for the day
"Well, it's a start," Jobs said, "but basically, it stinks."
- Pg 132, Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson
Why is it that every great idea essentially starts as a stinky one. You think of an out of the box solution or something radically new, and basically everyone will tell you it stinks. And it usually does. But those who stay with the idea, keep at it, work with the stink ... those are the people who go on to change the world.
Sticking with a stinky idea, however, is easier said than done. Once you've come up with what you think is something utterly awesome... only to find out everyone else thinks its duller than mud...that disappointment is a hard one to get over. And no matter how many times you tell yourself that this is the initial phase, if I can just stick with it...it will be glorious. It. just. doesn't. stick. Instead, it just stinks.
So I have great respect for the world changers. And am slowly learning the value of failure. When you are growing up, you are taught to excel. You are not taught that you can excel right off the bat only in known things, where there is a benchmark, prior knowledge, and hard work/intelligence will pay off. You are not taught that you cannot excel right off the bat in the unknown. That you will fail again and again. You are not taught to use failure.
And this is my grouse with today's education system. We are so focused on succeeding in a limited set of things, we go through our entire life blinkered to a lane. We are lauded when we do well. We are given extra classes when we do badly. We are never encouraged to try something different. We are never encouraged to use failure. We are only encouraged to avoid the stink.
- Pg 132, Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson
Why is it that every great idea essentially starts as a stinky one. You think of an out of the box solution or something radically new, and basically everyone will tell you it stinks. And it usually does. But those who stay with the idea, keep at it, work with the stink ... those are the people who go on to change the world.
Sticking with a stinky idea, however, is easier said than done. Once you've come up with what you think is something utterly awesome... only to find out everyone else thinks its duller than mud...that disappointment is a hard one to get over. And no matter how many times you tell yourself that this is the initial phase, if I can just stick with it...it will be glorious. It. just. doesn't. stick. Instead, it just stinks.
So I have great respect for the world changers. And am slowly learning the value of failure. When you are growing up, you are taught to excel. You are not taught that you can excel right off the bat only in known things, where there is a benchmark, prior knowledge, and hard work/intelligence will pay off. You are not taught that you cannot excel right off the bat in the unknown. That you will fail again and again. You are not taught to use failure.
And this is my grouse with today's education system. We are so focused on succeeding in a limited set of things, we go through our entire life blinkered to a lane. We are lauded when we do well. We are given extra classes when we do badly. We are never encouraged to try something different. We are never encouraged to use failure. We are only encouraged to avoid the stink.
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