Just Another One of Those Days

It's been a while since I've written paragraphs and a really longer while since I've spewed out some philosophical stuff, so I thought I'd just ramble on for a bit about things under the sun.

For starters, I really dunno what's going on these days and I'm too busy with college and other social obligations to sort of sit down and think. When I DO think about stuff, it's usually a grand ol' mix up.

Therefore, this is an attempt to sort of relax out and to clear some space out. I guess there's been a lot of stuff happening lately y'know?

Thankfully, one thing has remained constant. Bryan Adams still brings a smile to my face. I'm currently blasting "18 Till I Die". What I like about this is that it's eons away from Porcupine Tree or Radiohead and other such melancholy and downright depressing stuff; which I was chiefly listening to last month. It's not surprising really that I want a change. How much of "Hey man, hold on" or "Did you feel the envy of a thousand sons of mothers tearing you apart?" can a guy take? Not that I have anything against Yorke or Wilson. But then again, I need a break and I need to come back to a totally different genre of music for a while.

Speaking of different things, I spent a considerable amount of time in a sort of limbo, looking for stuff to do. I don't get why this happened yet. Let's see which way the wind blows. 

Until then a certain Mr. Rod Stewart's gonna keep me company.

The Bilge Master

Minutes to Mumbai- A Photoblog

I recently went to Mumbai to attend my cousin sister's wedding and I clicked away like a madman while I was there, with this idea of making a sort of photo blog once I got back. So, here it comes.

It all started with the train ride down to Bombay (Mumbai)

"Always the Summers

Are Slippin' Away..."

These are random shots taken in the train or from just outside the window of the coach.

Now, of course, sitting there on the berth for a good 26 hours is tedious and so we made sure we had plenty of this beverage called tea

I reached Mumbai 26 hours later, tired and excited. For one it was a new city and for two I was gonna meet my whole family for the first time. Some of these people I had seen when I was very young, and some of them I never knew existed. Such as my cousins.

Of course, at this point in time I must introduce the full family, comprising my aunts and uncles from different cities and states who all showed up for the wedding.

And of course, what's a wedding without the people getting married? Introducing my didi, Shreya Dam Shah and her husband, my jiju, Nirav Shah

Then of course, there was the reception over at the Wankhede Stadium, where these two young gentlemen stood out in their suits

And of course, the ladies made their presence felt in equal measure

Bombay presented me with an opportunity to take a random Photowalk the next day

We also found a little time to celebrate Mamadadu's birthday amidst the wedding festivities

And so, in these shoes of mine, I went across to a different state, participated in a wedding, met my family, saw a new city, took pictures and am sharing them with you. My wanderlust has been sated for the moment, but it will soon return and off I'll go once again, with the camera at my side!

The Bilge Master

Delirium Tremens

When his results came out, 
He was dubbed consistent,
A back bencher of renown,
Was what he was known as,
With a history of failed exams under his belt,
Our hero tackled his education with a sense of nonchalant dread,
And one day, the fates smiled on him,
And bumped him up from 3rd Class to a First Divison instead,
The problem was this my friend,
Having been unsuccessful beforehand,
The person of whom I speak,
Had decided to give in,
To Delirium Tremens,
They published his obit in the local papers today,
Just another story, soon to be filed away

The Bilge Master

Hail to the King

Back when I was a kid, I did a lot of stuff. One particular thing I used to do was play Age of Empires 2. It started with a demo, and then a real battle with my (then) neighbor and also my cousins. Then of course I got myself a PC and Dad went to America and got me the game and it's expansion "The Conquerors".

Thus, my tryst with history began. I remember reading about Genghis Khan in history class and playing the Mongol campaign in the game. I remember taking on the role of Saladin's general and participating in a simulated edition of the crusade. In class ten, I remember basing an answer to a question based on my victory in the Battle of Hastings the evening before. Another one of my favourite campaigns was Joan of Arc's.

It's really something awe inspiring, building up your town from scratch, sending out patrols to see where everyone is. Subsequently, converting your town to a city and your city to a kingdom. Setting up trade routes and fending off jealous enemies, while at the same time keeping an eye on your resources and protecting yourself from wild animals. All this being done while, just to keep you on your feet, you've kept Amon Amarth or Evanescence playing in the background.

It also hurts when the enemy takes you by surprise and levels one of your castles, forcing you to retreat and regroup and mourn the loss of your populace. It is equally satisfying to train an elite army, comprising siege weapons, elephants, ships, infantry and archers; using whom you proceed to rain divine retribution down on the said enemy. 

And the point of this little post? The game just got a new expansion for the HD version. It allows you to play as Indians and adds a few new maps, edits existing ones and introduces some new campaigns.

The drums will soon be beating, the axes and swords will be sharpened. The blacksmith's bellow will feed the furnace. A civilization will be born. An empire will rise. Another will fall. All this will happen, from the comfort of your homes.

Age of Empires 2 in short, will NEVER die.

The Bilge Master

V.I.B.G.Y.O.R

Atmospheric refraction causes white light to split seven ways,
And this is visible in spite of the light of day,
That's what Physics taught her on Tuesday,
And then on Saturday of the same week,
A thing called Genetics told her she was colorblind,
And could not see 
These rainbows that her professor had described so vividly,
And so, she went down to her friend,
An old woman who lived down by the river,
And sailed paper boats there daily,
And today, she sees white light split perfectly into seven,
Because my friend, she went to see Lucy

The Bilge Master

(Inspired from the song "Lucy in the Sky, With Diamonds)