The Mountain

ImageSome of the most surreal experiences I’ve had were during my trips to the north east of the country, near the mighty Himalayas. I always wanted to travel around the world, and especially the Himalayas and the beautiful mountains. I have seen a part of the mighty mountain range, and like in the movie The Bucket List I want to see something magnificent before I die. I actually started blogging after my last camp n 2007, which you can see in the early archives of my other blog.

In recent times, another close to surreal experience when I saw one of my most favourite band Poets of the Fall live for the first time! You can read a detailed account of my experience here.

Paperback or eBooks?

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So for this end-week’s challenge, being asked between paperback and ebooks on which medium you prefer reading, I voted for paperback and not so surprisingly that was in the majority about three fourths in number relatively.

Now why is that so? Well for I actually don’t mind either, as I have read lot of books held in my hands and in the past years lots on my computer and my cell phone. While I never owned a e-reader, tablet computer or fancy cell phone, so I can’t really say how much enjoyable reading on one is, say for the few times on an old cell phone of mine and many others on my laptop.

Both have their own advantages. Like in ebook form, I can have many I want with me while traveling and not worry about any additional volume or weight. I have GBs of ebooks (not counting comics, which is another massive world of it’s own) on my computer which if each one were a paperback, I guess I would have to own a building library or something to store them all. But the hassle is, while on the go I’ll have to worry about the battery and the device itself not being screwed.

While on the other hand I don’t have to worry about ‘charging’ my paperback books (or hardcover for that matter). I can read anywhere and in any comfortable position I want (please don’t think about sex, one thing at a time folks), while I could do the same with a e-reader just I’d have to be more careful. Here personally I might be favouring the real thing more as I already said I never had the comfort of a e-reader and lazying around.

But in the end, what matters really are the quality of the book and your level of interest in it. That aside, it should matter much through which medium you enjoy a good read.

E-Readers with e-books are the future, which is what seems likely. But still, the sheer joy of going into a bookstore, the smell of fresh new books and random smiling faces who get your same feelings is a pleasure of it’s own.

36 Random Acts of Kindness

First of all, read this.

Now regardless of whether you actually read it or not, in a nutshell, today is the 36th birthday one of my (our) most favourite and inspiring people in the world, Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park.

Fans all around the world do something special on each of the band members’ birthdays and it’s usually named as a birthday project where fans give messages in form of letters, photos, videos Et cetera filled with their love and best wishes for them.

This year a friend of mine has come with the best idea there is, which is even acknowledged as by birthday boy guy himself.

Many of us do it at times in our live and I have also done so, but this time (read the above post I linked already) I’m going to specifically post them here. It’s not bragging or showing you’re a good guy, but to simply motivate others in doing the same and therefore showing there is still humanity left. You don’t need to be a fan of Linkin Park here too, just be a good human being. Or not even good or human for that matter.

I have always sung the songs of unsung heroes, and I ask you to do the same.

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  1. Helped an old man walk down a slope (near where I live, it’s called Mt. Poisur, as the name says.. ) and cross the road ahead. 1/13
  2. Took part in a book exchange at redditgifts and sent a complete random book lover a set of 4 books comprising of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy and a copy of The Dark Knight Returns graphic novel which is my most favourite. 19/2/13
  3. Took part in the first Pokémon exchange as above and spent a pretty big amount in sending another totally unknown random fan to Romania. The next day was my birthday and I spent everything I had which I had saved on these, though I knew I won’t do nothing for my birthday but was still satisfied. 25/2/13
  4. While walking to my favourite ‘coffee shop’ to get one, the road where I was under construction and in a lot of mess. A relatively middle aged-old man on his ride got stuck on the rocky broken road on a slab, and I almost passed by but then turned around, went back and helped him go. Gave me a happy smile and thanks. 3/3/13
  5. In a mall while walking a small girl was running around and just fell down hard a bit, rushed and helped the little one get up while her family came quickly and thanked by the mother 31/3/13
  6. Helped an old lady in walking down the slope (similar to #1) 8/5/13
  7. Helped a person with directions while walking. 20/8/13
  8. Helped a person with directions. 6/9/13
  9. Helped an older gentleman at a restaurant. 8/8/13

Learning something new

You have to learn a new skill. Do you prefer to read about it, watch someone else do it, hear someone describe it, or try it yourself?

I’m mostly a self learner. Many times my curiosity gets the better of me an I tend to try out new things, in many cases later I have to look up on it either by reading or asking someone. Guess I should learn to read the instruction manual first.

But I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. While it depends in many cases on which skill we are indulging in, I feel the best way to learn something is to try it out (well if it’s possible that is, which must be in most cases). Well there are many unique cases, such as learning or improving on a language. In such a case reading becomes (a big part of) doing it. Well you get the point, hopefully.

When I hear, I forget.

When I see, I remember.

When I do, I learn.

Who do you spend the most time with?

“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with”. If this is true, which five people would you like to spend your time with?

So I should say I’m the average of 5 times me, which makes myself me. I know that didn’t make sense, but it’s the true story. I spend most time with myself and the next closest be it family or friends dosen’t even come close.

Unless you consider my laptop and bed people that is, in which case I’m a crazy lazy fucking cyberpunk, which I’m sort of.

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Away From Keyboard

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This must be one of the most relevant documentaries of our times, telling the tale of one of the world’s most famous sites The Pirate Bay. While I personally don’t fully condone piracy, this is a tale of our internet culture and in a way, freedom of expression.

You can watch it fully in HD below on Youtube, or download it from torrents in 480p, 720p and 1080p formats. Yeah this time it IS legal so don’t shy away 😀

Visit the TPB AFK site and support it by buying it if you can. I know quite ironic to buy something which is the pioneer of piracy.

Spread and share the film online and offline. This is the documentary of our times.

There is no real life, just AFK.

The Road Behind

A question about childhood. Well sadly mine is not a great one, nor a poor/pathetic turned awesome one (yet) either.

ImageMe about 6 months old with my late paternal grandparents

I was a loner throughout my life, and mostly still am, not that I’m happy or sad about it, that’s the way I always was. I was a very big fuck up while growing up, my insides as well as outsides were both screwed up. I was the don’t-be-with-or-play type of kid, and usually spent my time wandering somewhere on my own, or most other time watching TV, reading comics and doing some crap. Well since both my parents were are working, I spent most time with myself, not counting the young annoying sister before she grew up and my late grandmother before she was… well, dead.

And before you begin to wonder what about school, ya my school was awesome, it was a boys’ school with a girls’ school some 10 minutes away and while most guys went around hitch hiking for scoring with a girl, well those who didn’t already, and I was on my own trying to figure out humanity itself in a way.

The thing is, which prevalent even now, I never felt lonely when I was alone and on the contrary I felt always mostly out of place whenever with a crowd. Solitude was my bliss, well most of the times. More on that in a previous post called My (not so) favourite person.

My childhood was kind of ugly. I lived in way without the comfort of family or luxury of friends. Let me clarify with what I meant. With family, I was nor am close to anyone in particular. Sure I come from an average family who is fortunate enough not to be on the roads or afford anything like over 70% of the world, and be constantly always be reminded of that regardless of my problems, while also look at people ahead in the race of life and not achieving anything or being a mole in the family, which again was always be reminded. Heck can’t I just be who I am and accepted the way I am? Typical (add – South) Indian family. Well I must admit, much better off in lot of regards, but plain pathetic in others. And while always being reminded, mock, insulted of my screw ups which more than half were total unnecessary, my family bonds aren’t that great at all. Just another obligatory situation. And in the other end, when I meant don’t have the luxury of friends, sure I know thousands of people from various walks of life, but that is mostly on a pure greeting and working together basis. I help, I receive help, spend some time together and that’s it, I disappear. As I already mentioned, because of my way of growing up I was the king-lone-wolf and I must have made a proper friend for the first time when I was 13 or 14 years old. Not that I’m a social person, let alone a social climber, I guess this suits me the best.

And coming back to my insides and outsides being screwed up, the reckless person I always was, the award for the maximum no. of accidents goes to my head. I have broken my head countless times, braces, surgeries in my mouth because of various mouth issues and 2 broken jaws, the list is drastic. Sometimes I think I’m insane because of this, then I realize I’m one regardless. I had a brain attack when I was 4, and got eye surgery at the same age, an asthma patient for some years in school, less than average health, well yeah I was pretty fucked up. Physically, emotionally, and even intellectually and mentally.

Sometimes I do wish I could change my past, but then didn’t think of it much as one of the many lessons I learned and always applied was moving on and not give a shit. While I’m not complaining, I’m one of those persons who will say who doesn’t miss his childhood (or teenage as a matter of fact, well all and the same).

So I juts keep calm and do what I got to do. Or figuring that out anyways. And this recent article I read sure does nail it, 6 harsh truths which that will make you a better person. Caution: Not for everyone, just for screws ups and sort of screw ups.

Sorry for the depressing, sad wall of text, as I already warned, not a great story. No one cares for ugly stories of ugly kids unless for some PR. Instead here is picture of a cute baby elephant as a thanks for reading bearing:

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The Perfect Ending

When I think of a great ending, what comes to my mind is my most favourite of all time, The Dark Knight Trilogy, here the ending of the last film The Dark Knight Rises. It was perfect, the way I would have always wanted it to be. The legendary director Christopher Nolan nailed it. Let me remind you, here these 3 films unlike all the rest of Batman stories in comics, animation, video games and others are Batman stories, this was the story of Bruce Wayne, his human side.

665889_10200138954223558_1032348933_oThey say nothing is perfect, despite so called flaws, if there was something near perfect, it is this. After about 2 decades of struggle (not counting childhood) we see Bruce finally finding some measure of peace, which we will perhaps never see in another medium as it is like a curse of Batman to forever being the caped crusader. Even in the acclaimed Justice League TV series which ran from 2001-2006, we see the most possible end of the (animated here) universe, with a over 80 years old Bruce Wayne guiding (in his stone cold fashion as he is known for) his successor as the Batman Beyond.

Well after all the fear, chaos and pain (the themes of each respective movies) he finally finds someone to share his love, Selina Kyle/Catwoman and disappearing to Europe and possibly worldwide, while subtly hinting to his closest friends Jim Gordon and Lucius Fox that their friend is alive and well, appearing before his life long oldest friend, guardian, butler and father figure Alfred possibly for the last time and bestowing all his secrets and ‘the cave’ to his protege. I couldn’t ask for more. Thank you Nolan.

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RuuefP.S. Well with who knows how much billions of secret stash of money and going away with Selina who is played by the gorgeous and hot Anne Hathaway, gets to spend the rest of his life fucking her somewhere in a luxurious place? Not much of a sacrifice eh Bruce 😛

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The three most important years

If I were to think of three important years in my life — not including the year I was born, well quite honestly I must say there is not one which I can pin point to be very important, let alone three. I might go on and say many years, but the reasons for them would only include things which happened in the world, like a new book or movie and not exactly fully pertaining to my personal life, even though if they played a big role in it.

Instead here I asked my mother this question to which she replied:

-1982. She got her first job. She was 20 and despite her poor family problems and upbringing, she has Masters of Commerce, Certified Associate of Indian Institute of Banking, works in a bank and being a 51 year old woman today going to get her third degree in Human Rights. Despite being a working woman both in office and home, she studies now because she gets bored, and goes bonkers because of me, and wants to ‘inspire her son’ to do something useful 😛

So far I’m 21 and still useless. Way to go mother.

-1990. She got married to my pop. I still ask her how did she marry him. Well she was the papa’s girl so. That worked out well, I guess. At least I’m not on the roads so…

-1992. Apocalypse. I was born. Nothing more to say. 😛

On asking my father the same question, he replied with only one:

-1995. He managed to put me in school. Was a big relief for him back then. Not so much now, thanks to my brilliant performance in college and in general. Ah well, life isn’t over yet right?

So which years are important to you?

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