This whole getting back to work after a vacation is exhausting! Let's see. Where did I leave off...?

This time it was to the villages Kisama and Tupema for some ethnic Angami food (a tribe that lives in large numbers at the capital, Kohima) and the Mr. Big show at Dimapur. The food? Good. The show? Excellent.

We saw them after nearly 6 hours of waiting at the venue and, while loud, it was amazing. Yes, I'm very well aware that most of B’lore had already witnessed the band on 10th but still - amazing. After a long tiring night and turning down an invitation to make to the band’s after party, my friends and I headed back home and passed out.

There was more shopping, more walking and a couple of visits to one of my favorite places in the capital - Dream Cafe. For those of you scratching your heads – it’s a café… at the top of the hill. You can actually get yourself one of those special seats in the café, which overlook the entire valley. It’s a fantastic place - they advertise new bands, old bands, mostly local.

The food was fabulous. But can I tell you how much I ate? Um, no. There aren't sufficient words in the English language to convey how much I devoured. It was painful to get up and walk. But I managed.
Mornings started nice and early (6 a.m) with red tea, heavy brunch and then it’s out on the town at 12. Kohima was chilly and a bit rainy but it always cleared up. We caught an exhibition at the museum. We meandered through the shopping areas that sold knock-off designer items and the busy roads, attempting to make it to the topmost part of the mountain but we got sidetracked. The houses, the people, the little waterfalls...they were all gorgeous. Then the drive back, which helped the sore legs and stops to check out the local fast food joint that created pizzas to perfection.

So, we've walked more miles than god but my work here is not done. I’ve got tons write about and show. More, of course, later...
I'll admit, I haven't listened to much this week. But the past two weeks have seen the release of a near-flawless albums – Battle Studies by John Mayer. Seriously. Flawless. Unless you're a raging gangsta rap fan, I can almost guarantee you'll dig the track 'Who Says'. Give it a listen. You'll like it. This might just be his most mature, well-developed album yet in the catchy department.
Mayer also mentions that this song sounds best between “8pm-3am on Friday and Saturday nights”.

But before hitting play, I have a job for you:
- If you've got a blog, pimp it in the comments, lurkers and non-lurkers alike.
- If you know of a site everyone should be reading - your own or someone else's - open up the comments box and let me and the people who visit this page know about it.

Thank you all for checking in while I was out of town. If I haven't responded to your email, my apologies. I'll have some quality time with my Gmail account tomorrow and the coming weekend! Until then, goodnight from B’lore City.

It’s Christmas Time

‘Day four was a busy day at CharMile. Wedding preparations were underway and the family count had gone up from 50 to 200. Every corner was bustling with conversation, men carrying things up and down, some setting up tents, others creating a ‘Morung’. Women crowded around the big kitchen, cutting, cooking and serving the people that just kept pouring into the house from villages and towns. I met a lot of people, none of whose names I remember and the rest of the evening was spent, snapping away pictures of the loud and busy crowd, recording memories.’

I understand that, for the young, like me, Facebook has a number of tempting qualities.
However, the worst things about this social networking site, as far as I can tell, are that you find out all the people you wanted to date in high school but couldn't dream of doing so because you were such a geek. And all the people you were jealous of and wanted to be so badly that it made you hemorrhage, are now fat and married with a dozen kids. Yep, all those "beautiful people" back in school have now been attacked by balding, gray hair, double chins, expanding waistlines, making known that age has slowly become their enemy.
I love the fact that people who refused to speak to me in school or college are apparently now excited to be my "friend" and remember the good old days. First, it makes me laugh then it makes me pity them, because their lives must be pretty empty. Then I throw in some self-loathing, because I always approve their friend request. Then I wish I hadn't, because they invariably start sending me applications to add... and I dislike that almost as much as I despised them in school.

How did December get here so quickly? What happened to the rest of 2008? Have I been drunk or depressed so much that an entire year has melted together? I wasn't quite ready to accept the answers to those questions. But, if one has to jump right into December and the holiday season, there's only one way to do it- homemade holiday cookies and everybody getting sugar-rushed while we decorate the tree.
With all that’s happening around us nowadays it's so easy to find a way around the practice and just live your life from one turbulent day to another, so moments spent with friends, family, goodies and that warm cozy feeling is more of a treat. It's truly one of the best times of the year. And I've got goodies from Nagaland that are rapidly disappearing!
The good times aren’t going to last long and I'm certainly not ready for a whole season of it yet, but it's awfully exciting to think of it.

Once I put up my Christmas tree and decorate my home I promise to put up pictures.
Happy December, Happy Holidays everyone!

As long as I have blog left in me I will continue to take in your music recommendations and post them here. Jon McLaughlin’s music was introduced to me by my good friend Imcha. I encourage you; I implore you, to please check out his music. Go to his page, stream his music on YouTube, or just press play on the player below that has been posted here on EC. Whatever you do don’t brush this post aside. Let the new pop-rock sounds of Mr. McLaughlin sink to the depths of you and ease you through this weekend. He’s brilliant and you’d be a fool for choosing not to hear his music. The song entitled ‘Beautiful Disaster’ is pure and simple with lyrics and melodies that tug at your heart.

Here’s to hoping he has a long and successful career because I’d love to hear some more of his particular brand of genius.

If you like the music here then puh-leeez share it with your friends, lovers, etc. And thanks to Imcha for this brilliant song.

Take it away Mr. McLaughlin!

It’s a phase I’m going through now.

I seriously think I’m done with it...

...giving up the search for love.

Of course, not the blog; that I shall keep despite the fact that I do have plans for ‘redebuting’ under a new name at some point in the future.

What's sending my thoughts in this direction is the fact that my failure to spark it with the guy I liked, pre-trip. We saw each other a total of fourty four times (unlikely; maybe more but I just like the number 44) before I discovered he was already taken. And this fellow seemed so perfect in so many ways. A top.

I don't know if it's the universe that doesn't want me to be dating somebody right now; Except that the idea of the cosmos as an attentive being that is actually concerned about what happens to me makes me want to gag. Whatever it is, I'm making a resolution at this time and this instant- I'm not going to search for love any longer. If it finds me, grand! If not, then I'll . . . I'll . . .

Well, I'll just . . . um . . .hmmm...mmmm...

This may be trickier than I anticipated.

Let's move on to the images below that are of recent happenings in Nagaland.





There are more pictures that will be put up at a later date. Right now I'm kind of in awe, a little bit, of this band:

At first color The Wreckers sound like everything you’ve ever loved in a folk pop band. On the second time around you realize that the quality of music they’ve created has forever raised the bar on just what a dynamic duo can produce. Originally I thought their sound was going to be amateur-pop like, but after a quick listen I was immediately in love with their music. There’s something here intangible that keeps me listening to them time after time. A good staying power.

For those that are still unaware what EC is all about here’s a quick refresher. I collect songs and upload the best that I’ve heard in the past thirty days onto this blog. Feel free to go through the archives if you’d like to browse through various artists and events of my life. Enjoy the music, and if you live in beautiful Bangalore then enjoy the glorious weather. Eid Mubarak!

'Shopping at the famous Hong Kong market was interrupted by my dear friend, Z, who wanted to take me out for dinner. Z and I graduated together and I’m meeting her after 2 yrs. She seems to be much the same as always: warm and friendly, distinct, peppy and strikingly beautiful. While not very tall, she has a presence of about ten ordinary people. She has that thing called ‘charisma’.

So we went to the only place that was opened at 6:30 in the evening- a lounge called Fusion. It had a couple of old men conversing over a bottle of whisky and three of us girls, the only girls, gutsy enough to be out at that time of the night. Z brought a friend along named Corinne. Corinne is a model from Guwahati and came from quite a well heeled family. She had pictures of herself all over the room and while she was perfectly good-looking she constantly apologized for not looking her best.

Dinner at Fusion included an assortment of roasted meats. Our girl’s night out was then interrupted by this creepy guy who was absolutely dense. No matter how much we ignored him he still sat at our table and tried to make conversation. Finally we decided we had had enough of him and left the restaurant. Z took me to her home and I met her parents and a ton of relatives but not before we were stopped several times by cops who checked our car and our bags. I was at my formal best at Z’s home but that didn’t last for long when I realized my audience loved me already. So I started off with some jokes on Z and then some about myself and they laughed so loudly that I thought I’d fall off my chair. It took Z some time to get me away from my beloved audience and when she finally did, we went up to her room and to her little doggy- Snowball, who’s the cutest thing since pink candy! We made plans to take a trip to the capital city and then I returned home just in time to kiss my niece goodnight.’

........‘The people who live here are famously agreeable. Whatever you ask of them, they will seldom refuse. Theirs is a culture of almost unending positivism. So dedicated are they to being optimistic that it almost seems as if their speech lacks the term for its opposite. If they shake their heads, it is always to say "yes".
For them, the world is all about the good things. Every day is a festival, leisure chat a celebration, each word a gift. Their streets are paved with laughter. They amuse each other with music and tales. It's so upbeat it made me gape in surprise. Oh, yes, it's a great place to visit.’

Not many days have passed since the tragic events of the Mumbai terror. It serves us all to think back and remember where we were. I was on holiday when I woke up late, stumbled into the dining hall, and had to ask my aunt Anungla, “where is this happening at?” while I pointed sleepily at the tube. 'Mumbai' was her answer, and it took me a moment to properly understand that she meant our Mumbai City, the city I grew to love on my visit there.
Looking back it’s sometimes hard to find the words to accurately describe how we feel today, how that day changed us or the country as a whole.

Here’s a song off of Gotthard’s third studio album ‘G’, in 1996 that sums up everything I wanted to say. Comparing this band with all of those well-known acts might come across as a bit exaggerated but I guarantee you that each and every association is deserved. The lyrics are amazing. Take a listen to this track titled ‘In the name’ and you’ll see what I mean.

The second song, seals this post and clocks in at just under 4 minutes. It is brilliant. It is epic. You’ll definitely want to listen to it as I’m not sure another track on this blog (planet) will ever come close to matching the power and energy alive in this song. This is what I mean when I use the word epic.
Janis Joplin’s ‘Piece of my heart’ to Bhumika.

‘I woke up today at around 6:30 in the morning, opened the curtains and looked at the sunrise on the mile-wide expansive land, now beside me. It was strange wandering through the area with just a hint of the dawn peeking over the horizon. It was as if all the energy of the land was just about to begin. There was no traffic thumping through the grounds, just quiet stirring. For some reason I was awake and restlessly treading the grass beneath my still sleepy feet. But it was beautiful and just that scene has been sitting on the edge of my consciousness lately. There are the servants and the masters, creative writers and the real media, pop bands and passionate rockers, Mr. Big followers and Jordan Sparks screamers, addicts and those who watch the world pass by, freezing indoors and warm outdoors, soft woven melodies and freak out heavy metal. Yet here we all are, set to enjoy another day of music and sunshine and in this moment it is apparent that Dimapur wouldn’t be the same without all of these images crammed together on one site.
Lunch for day two was red tea, pork, a hot tomato and prawn chutney with rice that was laid out in the dining room. I am rested and happy; what would have otherwise been a day of staring at the computer has resulted into a dream. My bro-in-law’s sister, his mother and I watched ‘Kung-Fu Panda’. No shopping could be done as everything is closed on a Sunday (Nagaland, being a primarily Christian state observe Sunday as a day of rest). So we stayed at home and occupied ourselves with cake tasting, niece annoying, bird watching and stories while the boys played TT and munched on tobacco.’
Nov 11, 08

A few days ago I finally snagged a copy of Gotthard’s album and amongst other things their music has made me realize that my blog is capable of time travel. So to all of you who love hard rock and haven’t heard of this band until now, you are welcome.
Gotthard put their best foot forward in 2005 with the album 'Lipservice'. And by best foot forward I mean they clearly proved to be a legendary act in creating a trademark sound. They sound like a mix of Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Whitesnake, Deep Purple, Bon Jovi and Van Halen. Their music is cohesive and entirely coherent and there doesn’t seem to be a single misplaced melody or harmony throughout the tracks and that, dear reader, should be music to your ears.

All right, enough of my hollow words. No matter how clever I aim to be you’re just here for the music. So we’re back to retro. Each month I scour the web for what I think are the best tracks out there. Here they are presented in an easy to read and easy to listen to format. Peace out home skillets. That’s all I have for you this time around. Click on the player to listen to the track titled ‘Lift you up’. Tell your friends, check back often, and keep searching for great music. This concludes today’s post, thanks for reading.

I'm Back....

...from my little three week holiday and better than ever. Well, that’s if being better than ever led to being sore, slightly over tanned, a tired like never before.
It’s been awhile since I wrote here. It’s been awhile since I even typed on a keyboard. That’s colossal since I’m only online every other second. What’s even more massive was the amount of messages I received on Facebook and on e-mail while I was gone. During my trip I met quite a few musicians and discovered some new music that I can’t wait to share with you guys. Got Theja Meru’s album ‘Believe’ {score!}, I received an album from a singer I had met called ‘Changsen Pongen’ {double awesome} and while I wont be around in Dimapur to watch White Lion in concert I got a hold of their music.

Three weeks escape could be considered a dry spell {a small death if you will}, but I shall try and attempt to return EC to the brilliance that it was before my heart was reminded, yet again, of how much I love the mountains. So on with the show.

Nagaland was brilliant and impressive abounding with several mountain ranges, beautiful lakes and streams, the food, the military, multiple camp sites, countless shopping, open mic nights, local talent and a general sense of achievement and connection. But now I’m back, I should unpack soon and I must finish this blog before that. Let us all commence crossing our fingers.

While I didn’t have normal access to the internet during my stay in Dimapur, I still kept a record of the things I had experienced and seen during my days there. The next few posts might be filled with bits and pieces of notes from my journal.

For all my readers out there,I hope your November was a funfest like mine and you spent it getting tons of shoes and loads of food in your belly. I know I did. It really is something to behold and as this is my first long vacation since I joined my company, I surely did enjoy it to the fullest.
But regardless, if you had fun or not here is a track that anyone can enjoy. Consider this an introduction to the greatness that is to come. I hope to have a steady stream of posts from now until the New Year with a lot of great music, and quite possibly the best stuff you’ll ever see and hear on EC. Honestly.

If I was in my room all alone on a Sunday afternoon then this track leaves me head bouncing. Wait for the beat to pick up about thirty seconds into this one. It is worth the wait. ‘There goes the neighborhood’ by Sheryl Crow. More music is being collected as I speak. I’m off to unpack my life in awhile. Have fun this week in whatever country you’re currently located at. Cheers, and come back often.

And for anyone who would like to get in touch with me, send me music to listen to and possibly promote, or just say hi contact me: evelinerajan@gmail.com