The Grey

Posted on January 22, 2013 by The Nameless One

I have a lot of favourite poems, had a very keen interest in them before (and even used to write myself). For now I could think of only this small four lined one:

Once more into the fray…
Into the last good fight I’ll ever know.
Live and die on this day…
Live and die on this day…

This is from the movie The Grey (2011). It conveys a powerful meaning in just few lines, not only in the movie itself, but when you think about it, in our very lives of survival. As subtle as it says ‘once more into the fray, into the last good fight I’ll ever know’, every moment in our lives is a fight we must face, and that may define our very life. Many are generally mistaken that one is at their own best when they have nothing to lose, but the truth is having something to lose, something worth fighting for is what makes one go ahead. It should be noted that it goes live and die on this day and not or (contrary to the popular saying ‘live/do or die’ or the modern iteration ‘do it before you die’) which signifies continuing from the previous line ‘…Into the last good fight I’ll ever know.’ that this is the moment and we must live it, and die with it, the next will play on itself depending on our actions.

“The ‘moment’ has no yesterday or tomorrow. It is not the result of thought and therefore has no time.” – Bruce Lee

Also on another note, if you haven’t seen The Grey you must see this movie, a very moving tale on survival.

Sweet Sixteen

Posted on January 21, 2013 by The Nameless One

When I was 16, I never thought life would be so messed up, boring and insane all at the same time, precisely for one reason – I didn’t have any big expectations from myself.

Rewinding back to those days, that was quite an ‘eventful’ year if I may put it. Most significant in my personal life were these 2: meeting my one of my idols, former president of India Dr, APJ Abdul Kalam on 13 February 2008 (followed by another insignificant boring birthday and the much hyped 10th grade exams in the country) and the change of a lifestyle when I went to another place (Kota, Rajasthan) for the ‘pre-engineering training’ and 2 years of high school.

It was quite a year. I went out of home because I always wanted to get out of this place and see the world. Though now I’m back here for some years and don’t know when I’ll hit the ~~road~~ sky/ocean next. Time will tell.

So that is how I picture my life in the years ahead, whichever path my professional(?) interests leads me to. But as I said, I didn’t quite have any expectations and as the saying goes ‘flowing with the tide’ or whatever that is.

“To grow, to discover, we need involvement which is something I experience everyday, sometimes good, sometimes frustrating.”

– Bruce Lee

What will I be remembered for?

Posted on January 19, 2013 by The Nameless One

So I just finished watching beloved former president of India, his excellency Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam live on his talk for Transforming Indians to India, proud for which my family, friends and most people I know are working towards. (Check out the site and on respective social networks pages) It is a the national moment for empowering our youth and bringing about change in the country.

“Small aim is a crime”

Coming to which, what about me in this equation? Dr. Kalam in his very inspiring (as always) talk had asked the audience to take some vows to bring about change in ourselves, change around us and subsequently the history of our nation, and very importantly write down what each one of us wants to be remembered for. Whoever is unique in our planet is remembered for something, and if we want to be unique, we have to be remembered for something. This is not the first time I’m hearing this, and perhaps won’t be the last, but it makes me wonder to myself for the lord-knows-what-time, what do I want to be remembered for?

“Everyone wants to be unique, and everyone else around work day and night seeing to that everyone is just everyone else.”

So quite true. Almost infinite walks of life ranging from engineering, doctors, inventors, artists, and so on, there are so much possibilities in each one among them (now that’s infinity to the power infinity who knows how much infinite times) Yet many of us struggle for what we want to do and where are we going.

I’m still not certain what I (truly) want for myself, and where I want to go. But one thing is for certain, after thinking about it, if I want to be remembered for something, that would be for for change. Being different. In complete context yet to be determined. So till then the search will be on, and never settle.

“Where there is righteousness in the heart, there is beauty in character.

Where there is beauty in character, there is harmony in home.

Where there is harmony in homes, there is order in the nation.

Where there is order in nations, there is peace in the world.”

– Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam

The solution for much debated and talked about world peace all comes to we individuals, righteousness. So simple, yet most difficult right? It would be a good time to start over, as it’s never too late.

You can watch it here:

In a crisis

Posted on January 17, 2013 by The Nameless One

Honestly evaluate the way you respond to crisis situations. Are you happy with the way you react?

Another interesting daily prompt. If I were to evaluate myself on how I handle situations, it widely varies. My immediate reaction tend to be very spontaneous, while I tend to analyze the situations at other times. I tend to overdo it sometimes though.

I’m more of the leader-entrepreneur types so I don’t tend to look back after I’ve taken a decision. Well no point in thinking afterwards right? Life is no RPG where you can always reload and choose a different option for a different outcome.

So far I’ve managed to get away/solved, whichever applicable. So I do okay I guess, not taking into account most shitty instances though 😛

And wish I could do this:

Take one, Descend. Take two, Rise.

Posted on January 12, 2013 by The Nameless One

Run outside. Take a picture of the first thing you see. Run inside. Take a picture of the second thing you see. Write about the connection between these two random objects, people, or scenes.

Today’s daily prompt is one of the most interesting so far, which actually made my lazy ass get up and do something. It is late evening now and I don’t have a great smartphone or camera, and me being a passionate photographer planning to get one soon, this is the best I could do at the moment.

Descend

Just opened my door and this is the first thing I saw. Stairs leading down from my home. This reminded me of one of the most famous rock songs of all time, Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin. I think I should name this Stairway from Heaven, or rather Hell, I don’t really know.

Rise

This is the first thing which is visible after entering my house. Got this as a gift in December ’12 by my secret santa via redditgifts. On my living room wall ever since.

The Connection

Now before I could think of a connection between the two, and write some arbitrary stuff, to my astonishment I didn’t even have to think of anything! The connection is so clear (or I would like to think of it that way). The first image (outside my house) the stairs down. In the title why I preferred descend rather than fall from the epic The Dark Knight, though that did strike my mind first, I just felt we mostly likely fall at one or even more than one point of time in our lives we will fall but to my interpretation here that depicts in life we must get out of our comfort zone (ie our home in this context or any other in general terms) and descend to move ahead. We don’t fall willingly and falling down the stairs is pretty bad too (saying this with a lot of experience)

The second image, the poster of one of the best films made in our history, The Dark Knight Rises, and also my most favourite, is the second ‘stage’ or however you might put it. No matter who or where we are, to succeed we must make effort and Rise. The way back home, the stairs up is also a pretty dam relevant here. And Rise not only in the world, but also within (inside home).

So much connection metaphoric to life in just two simple images I took within 5 minutes following this challenge. Now I’m astonished myself.

Also this is directly the themes of The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises, the second and third films of the epic The Dark Knight Trilogy. Another degree of connection.

(Begins). Fall. Rise.

The story of my life (first edition?)

Posted on January 11, 2013 by The Nameless One

If you could read a book containing all that has happened and will ever happen in your life, would you? If you choose to read it, you must read it cover to cover.

That would be interesting really, After a bit of thinking, yes I would read it. While we remember a lot from our lives, no matter what we evidently forget lot which has happened over time and it would be good, no matter how pathetic it is, to read it all again and reflect over it. Once finished from the start to NOW, things will get interesting, might be boring, exciting, some things glad while some not digestible (for the moment) others and even perhaps bit awkward. I mean, will the book say “And now you are reading your life story from the beginning, you have reached the present and continuing further…[ ]… after finishing you say to yourself ‘holy fuck!’ and faint.” Now that would be funny 😛

While many would be of the opinion (even me in quite some circumstances) that not knowing what lies ahead would be better, exciting and a challenge to face, I’d personally rather read it and be able to change what I want, and be prepared for which I can’t change. Well if I’m able to know what lies ahead, odds are very well can. Life would be perhaps a lot better, if not interesting, and well the very fact knowing things might change the probabilities of something happening and how. Alright, I got too much into probability and science (fiction?).

If it were possible, I would like it to be a graphic novel 😀 as that is more of my tastes. And of course would like to ‘see’ all the ‘beautiful’ aspects of life behind and forward too 😉

Fear is not afraid of you

Posted on January 10, 2013 by The Nameless One

It’s interesting to think if someone was locked in a room with what they fear and how their reactions will be. What is more interesting, is what that fear will look like, especially if it’s not a ‘real world object’. Please note, there is a difference between having a certain phobia and having a fear of something (or someone)

So what if I was locked up in a room with my greatest fear? How would the room be?

I try to think about it. The room would be full dark and void. As I would look around I would see pieces of floating, moving images… of various points of my life. Like video clips of certain parts of your favourite movie(s). That would be my room of fear.

Choices, which I could have made, but never did.

I’m no way the type who would tend not to cling on the past but there comes a time now and then where I’m reminded of many of the (countless) choices I have made, but for some reason I never did. Things I could have done but didn’t. Which I’m supposed to but I’m not doing it. Perhaps changing my life over and/or of others’ but didn’t. That is my fear.

Not as interesting like seeing someone afraid of insects shrieking out when seeing a spider or someone pissing themselves over heights, but well that is my story.

Life Lessons

Posted on January 9, 2013 by The Nameless One

Tell us about a teacher who had a real impact on your life, either for the better or the worse. How is your life different today because of him or her?

I can’t comment on just a particular individual who has impacted my life, in this case, teacher so would just I like to thank all teachers who have taught me since I was a kid in school till date. (I pardon myself if I forgot to mention anyone in particular, but if I have to start covering the complete picture, I would take infinite time as everyone and every’thing’ from birth to death and beyond has to teach us something, so I’ll just spare you and myself from that)

I would like to thank all my primary teachers who were responsible primarily (get it?) for my upbringing. Forgive me as I don’t know what I have learned though.

In school days, my gratitude to Sister Mary, Brenda, Prabha and Sherene Mam (in school, a female teacher’s last name was always ‘mam’, and a male ones didn’t have one, perhaps they were universally bishops or something) Also a shout out to Devtosh and Pandit sir, because they were dam awesome.

In my higher school days, kudos to sirs Anurag Mishra, Amit Gupta and Sonal Rajora. I may not be a awesome-as-fuck-achieving-student that I was ‘supposed to’ but at least I’m a better person than before (hopefully)

In my (current) college days, I’m thankful to Shewta, Rohini and Anuradha mam. Also Ranjit sir. And how can I forget my first teacher in college Utkal?

And I would like to highlight some of my life long idols, teachers who have taught me valuable lessons in life.

Thank you Chinmaya, for showing me the journey is what matters, not the destination and even this shall pass away.

Thank you Bruce Lee, for helping me realize to be like water, and the secret of life is that it has to be lived.

Thank you Steve Jobs, for teaching me to follow my heart, and showing that anyone (crazy) can change the world.

Thank you Mike Shinoda, for telling me not to wait for something which has never happened, and to do it myself.

Thank you Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, for showing me that genius comes from simplicity and humbleness.

Back in ’03 or ’04 which I don’t clearly remember, (back when I used to write poetry) I had a written a poem being a tribute to teachers, which had undergone some revisions later in ’06, school acknowledged then (a friend who a member of the student council read it, as I always preferred, the backstage) and remember a senior teacher ~~asking~~ saying out loud “WHO IS ADITYA IYER!? WE WANT TO SEE HIM” I thought I was really screwed thinking was it that horrible? Well not quite as they said then, and that being one of my only 5 seconds moment of fame further escalated when in my last year of school, the former (and till date the most loved, respected and only real) president of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam visited out school for its 100 years of existence, who saw my work, was really pleased and ‘congratulated’ me (I still don’t have a word for it) for it. That was a big deal for me, since he was a big inspiration to me and one of my idols (as I mentioned above). That was the first best moment of my life (considering we have so many) 😀

Personally, I find it (and almost everything I ever wrote) horrible and silly. People always said and some still say that they are great, but I feel they are just being nice. (Or really don’t care)

As for the poem itself, I would have posted it here, but I’d rather have you go here to my first/’original’ blog when I posted it back then. Hope you like it.

All of the worlds infinite possibilities rest within one simple circle.

Posted on January 4, 2013 by The Nameless One

This is a brief (add- epic) scene from a episode (S02E11 to be specific) of one of my favourite shows and perhaps the best network show out there- Person of Interest. This gives so much insight on perspective and personally I have been in the same lot most times, and this simple scene is like a eye opener. Don’t worry no spoilers and I recommend you see this show, I’m sure you will be sold.

Finch: (to students) ‘Pi’. Can anyone of you tell me what it means?
(after silence and looking at disinterested students in their own worlds)
I’ll settle for an intelligent question here.

Girl: My friend has a question here. What is any of this good for and when do we ever use it?
(all laugh)

Finch: (smiling) Let me show you. Pi. The ratio of a circumference of a circle to its diameter. And this [3.1415926535… ] is just the beginning.

It keeps on going. Forever. Without ever repeating.

Which means that contained within this strings of decimals is every single other number.

Your birth date, combination of your locker, your social security number.. (continues to write more decimal digits)

It’s all in there somewhere.

And if you convert these decimal digits to letters, you would have every word that ever existed, in every possible combination.

The first syllable you spoke as a baby, the name of your latest crush, your entire life story from beginning to end. Everything we ever say or do… All of the worlds infinite possibilities rest within this one simple circle (pointing to the circle on board)

Now what you do with that information… What it’s good for… Well that will be up to you.