Bat for Lashes

So here I am on a Monday evening eating a spoonful of peanut butter, trying to write a post in my state of sickness and praying that I'll stay calm till Tuesday morning happens, at least, when the whole cycle begins again. ‘Work seriously this week’, I tell myself. It’s going to be the last week with my team; cave in on Friday; get up woozily on a Saturday; worry on Sunday that Monday is hours away. The weather is getting cooler although it’s still a bit warm now and then.
The weekend was unproductive in terms of fun. I didn’t go to church; I just stayed in bed trying to get my health back. Abby, my niece came over to spend some time with me. She wanted me to apply some nail polish on her very tiny fingernails. I had to constantly tell her in a very loud voice,‘Keep still’ because little Abby kept moving about (as would be expected of a 2 yr old).
Today, I watched a movie, a love story and I'm persuaded to write an entry on being in love, but perhaps another time. What I really want to write is related to the movie ‘The Reader’.

“I'm not frightened. I'm not frightened of anything. The more I suffer, the more I love. Danger will only increase my love. It will sharpen it, forgive its vice. I will be the only angel you need. You will leave life even more beautiful than you ended it. Heaven will take you back and look at you and say: Only one thing can make a soul complete and that thing is love.”

I've often watched movies and read books and heard people say that a piece of them dies when love has ended, or withers away with the disappearance of a lover. Hurt, pining, maybe the end of free will too. If love sets you free and the end of life is a kind of liberation, then how perfect that these two go hand-in-hand, though they aren’t, in anyway, alike.

I wish the time wouldn't rush by so quickly. I wish there weren't so many things to sort out and unravel and comprehend. But while time's speedy quality leaves me barely holding out for things that slip from my fingers it also helps me pass the difficulties. When the end of May arrives, certain decisions will be made for me.

For now, the week begins again. Let's hope I last through it.

This fantastic song ‘Daniel’ by Bat for Lashes came to my attention a couple of days ago while I was checking my facebook account and on the side of my page was the name of this artist, a fictitious alternative name for English based artist- Natasha Khan. The track was performed on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge in April 2009, so while the song has just been officially released within the last month it already feels like a tried and true classic. It certainly will go down as one of the best songs of 2009. The song is absolutely lovely in every way, the vocals are a revelation and the synthy and mystical-sounding elements throughout is a complete breath of fresh air. If you had a hard time getting into the artist’s debut album ‘Fur and Gold’, as I did, this is the perfect entry point to her music. A song that’s wonderfully accessible as well as vivid, dynamic, and strikingly expressive. This has earned the artist a place on Eve’s Pick. Ever since her music exploded in my head (which is the kind of song that starts out awesome and gets better with time) she’s been showered with hype from all over. I can’t think of a better artist to fill up my space with. If there’s any justice in the world, Natasha Khan, better know as Bat for Lashes, will be the next big thing on the alternative dance front (hopefully causing others to slide into oblivion, for a while of course).

To everyone who hasn’t heard of Bat for Lashes before I urge you to explore her music. And to Natasha Khan, I must say that I am glad you’re still making music and I feel honored to be able to spread your talent around.

"natasha khan of bat for lashes ain't scared. I love the harpsichord and the sexual ghost voices and bowed saws. this song seems to come from the world of grimm's fairytales, and i feel like a wolf."
- Thom Yorke, Radiohead

Tea does not make the brain function any better on a Monday - no matter how much of it I gulp down. The only upside to not doing all that great at all, really, is that the good people in your life pull you out of the dark weeds you sometimes get caught in- like making you laugh, saying the absolutely nicest things and accompanying you on difficult days. And its times like these that make me cherish my life, because anything else would just be messy.

The Oscars were a good time, but frankly, not enough Hugh Jackman to suit my tastes. He keeps getting hotter and I think I’m falling in love with him more with each passing day.
Sean Penn is kind of my hero. I hope I’m mostly as half as weird as he is someday.
Sometimes I feel like a schmuck for thinking Brad Pitt is hot. But I mean, c’mon!

Sweeeeet! Heath Ledger won for “Dark Knight.”

Danny Boyle just won Best Director for “Slumdog Millionaire”! Woohoo all around!

Truly Mr. Boyle, I can’t quit you. Except for during “28 Days Later”. Then I can totally quit you.

“Slumdog Millionaire” totally wins Best Picture! Man that makes me happy. Truly, all the award shows this year cannot quit Slumdog Millionaire.

Writing this makes me feel like Larry King.

My colleague Tina recently released her bunch of little chocolate treats called ‘Tina Truffles’ that come in cute silver boxes. The box is very minimalist. It comes with a purple ribbon on the front and once opened it contains the maker’s name and number.
The chocolates smell great. Very sweet and delicious smelling vodka, mixed with quite decent chocolate. Overall, I was extremely impressed. As far as homemade chocolates go, it was lovely.

These treats are priced at Rupees 30 and are definitely worth it. These are aimed at chocolate lovers who want to just sit down and take a bite of heaven while they read a book. Is that you? Well, then these will have quite the impression. Contact the creator of these sinful delights at tinamary.rajan@gmail.com

I step outside to get myself something to chomp on for a snack. The sky is on its way to getting dim with the street lamps lighting up the faint streets. The sun had already set, and it was only going to get darker. I was in the mood for something acoustic, so I fidgeted with my mobile until I found a track by alternative rock band ‘Live’. I love the polished, roundness of the band’s sound.
Sometimes it feels like music is the only thing that can bring out my emotions again. Most of them have been replaced by hate right now. Everything is about the corporate world because the world is so detached.

The only thing that makes me survive is my faith in god, the belief that one day, I might mean the world to someone and the thought that eventually, I’ll be able to stop defining myself through others, and simply be content with who I am.

Either way, something’s gotta give.

Catch you on the flip side.