A Few of My Favourite Things

Okay, listen up.

Tomorrow, Sunday the 14th, Parachute XVI is having their gig at Alliance Francaise de Bangalore. I've heard great reviews about them. Trippy laid-back bluesy - kinda, kinda progressive/psychedelic, kinda their own thing.

Most of the members of band are already gigging musicians (members of the Galeej Gurus and Kryptos) but this is a whole new deal. They're playing with other band sheld at Alliance Francaise de Bangalore. They will be celebrating World Music Day (Fete de la Musique).
This is the ideal opportunity to get in on the ground floor for a cool new band. Things kick of kinda early - 5ish (pm) – the band goes on at 6 - so I'll see you there!

What I’m really grateful for –
Do you know how I feel about Foosball, internet? Sometimes even I’m not sure how I feel about Foosball, but I know those feelings are always strong, and plenty, and that no one else ever wants to talk about Foosball as much as I do.
This amazing picture is of the table at our office and boy, do I love it! Oh Foosball, what you do to us.
I think it goes without saying that this baby is getting a professional matting and framing job and a prime spot on my bedroom wall.

I am so in love with the game lately. Yesterday, it was all sunny and crisp, and I was walking around the office, just smiling. Sometimes I want to high five Bangalore, and other times I want to roll my eyes and ignore it, but Friday, I wanted to kiss. I spent every spare minute of the day at the foosball table. I’m sure the day of the week has something to do with my good mood. Friday is my favorite day of the week. The few times in my life that I’ve fallen in love, it’s been on a Friday. Right now I’m enjoying the fact that my happiness doesn’t depend on another person. I’m thankful that I’m the one responsible for my own happiness in life. I’m thankful that my life is full of so many fabulous people. I’m thankful that right now I have loads of goodies on my table and I’m about to take a warm bath and ohhhh man that’s going to rule.

Zeroing in on someone who will play the “random stranger and tell me their life story off the top of your head” game with you: Rich

Meeting someone who is great at playing the “random stranger and telling me your life story off the top of their head” game: Prize

Stumbling upon someone who does all of this and is also a really good kisser: Platinum.

I spoke to an ex-boyfriend, who is moving to another city next week.

It’s a nice feeling to realize you didn’t waste six years of your life.
There nothing like a good peppy song that can boost you back to normalcy when you’ve had a rough week at work.

Erin Mcarley, is a singer out of Garland, Texas and to be honest she’s pretty much the same as countless other alternative music radio friendly American artists hitting the airwaves right now. I would like to point out that she’s pretty much the same, but not exactly the same as everyone expects to hear when they tune into a Ryan Seacrest countdown. And I can’t put my finger on what exactly sets her sound apart from the pack, be it ever so slightly. Maybe it’s only my cheery subconscious screwing with me on this today, making everything slightly brightly colored. Maybe I just needed to hear a song that’s a bit up-tempo or maybe it’s just that everything sounds spot on her latest album. It’s fast-paced enough to keep you awake and yet reflexive enough to keep you calm enough to have energy left into the wee hours of the morning. Happy Weekend y’all.

I love it when you go out and even though it isn’t your typical kinda outing you rise to the occasion and try to have fun with it. I've come away from situations like that and find it a bit strange and - bluntly - silly when i hear people say things like, "I wish they had sung different stuff!" or "He acted quite foolishly" or "There are too many people here," or "I couldn't really see anything because the guys in front me were standing and jumping around" - because as everyone knows having fun is all about sitting on your arse.
It makes me ask this question – ‘why is it that this person always picks on the off-putting and keeps out of the positive?" and related; an incident about a really awesome social gathering where I had been at with a couple of friends, and one of my friend’s friend spent the entire evening whining and moaning about how this person she really wanted to see didn’t turn up.

Aside from the fact that she was being really rude to the people all around her and that this one person she wanted to see so badly was what was going to decide whether the night was good or bad. That whiny girl was keeping herself away from having a good time by looking at what was wrong, rather than simply having fun with what was right.

And I see it happening a million times around me. I'll be the first to admit that I’m guilty of it at times and I think I completely get it when they say "If you have nothing good to say, don't say anything." It doesn't just mean "Be courteous or zip it," it also means "If you alter your perspective, you'll have fun." And it doesn’t mean that we should completely zone out on the bad stuff either.
It's all about overlooking the point. If all you've got to say about a show is "the concert sucked," you're missing the point of going to see it. If all you've got to say about an event is "but the one person I was hoping would be there wasn't there," you fail to see the point of going to an event.
So it's not really all bad that I’m never at my cube because I’ve to constantly shadow my colleagues to catch up with the new process and will therefore be so much more busy from here on in. Hell, I had to give up reading all the usual blogs I read and the frequent Facebook visits because now I have more time to... er well to work. There's a bright side in there somewhere...
Since this is a music blog, I don’t talk about movies unless there’s music to be heard in them. The film 'Magnolia', has a pretty sweet soundtrack it also contains one of the best concept songs I have ever heard. The song called ‘One’ by Aimee Mann is what I’ve decided to play on today’s post. If you get the chance you should take a break from your hectic life and see the performances in the movie “Magnolia”. The kind of film that expects you to leave logic at the door. Do not expect subdued taste and restraint, but instead a kind of operatic ecstasy. The movie is extremely daring, very enjoyable, remarkably well-written, and wildly actor-driven. This song is for Tatz, who’s leaving the company to educate himself further – ‘Miss you!’If you like the music here, and want to share it, please direct your readers, friends, lovers, etc., to this blog post. Thanks and enjoy.

Today, I got the best gift ever and I had to share the photos with you of it. This amazing gift was given to me by my Colleague and Friend and fellow Foosball player, Tatz.
The reason I want to share it is not to make you envious (even though that might happen anyway) but to show you how generous he is! Thoughtful, generous and a person to look up to and take after!
This is what got me smiling big and getting curious looks from people around me:

Isn’t’ that cool? I absolutely love this gift because 1) It’s been themed around the first album of Paramore titled ‘Riot’ and 2) I fell in love with the personal touch he gave to it. I’m so happy I was the one to get it! Yummy! I feel blessed. I am lucky and very happy! And it’s all even done in my favorite colors: red and black! Look how well made it is. What a girl wants… I will send everyone I know to order designed shoes from this guy. Thank you Tatz, YOU rock! XOXO

OK, I'm sold. Bring it on,

[edit - details but no spoilers.] Damian Lewis fans all over the globe have been claiming that the show ‘LIFE’ was going to be where the actor made the transition from uninteresting puff into great and compelling tv.

It's too early to tell yet, but the first two seasons are easily & by far the best seasons I’ve seen to date. This show is different. It was 100% based around the central concept of the show which is of a cop framed for the murder of his friend and his family. As a result he’s been shoved in prison for 12 years. By the end of his 8th year he is found innocent and offered a huge settlement, in double-digit millions, and is also been placed as a detective at the prestigious LAPD. Each episode brings up lingering background subplots (the people who framed him) to the boil. And increases the darkness quotient of the show tenfold - we're reminded that, despite his reputation as the king of wisecracks, Lewis has a strong affinity for some great action scenes.

Best of all, his character really shakes things up and makes the central mystery more compelling. There's still a chance - maybe a strong one - that the show will immediately slip back into generic tv fodder. But the fact is that if two seasons didn't impress me I was going to give up on ‘LIFE’ altogether. I'm keen to watch the next season, no doubt at all.

I realize that I’ve become programmed to love everything that Andrew Chaikin a.k.a Kid Beyond puts out but this song takes the guy’s talents and general awesomeness to another dimension. It’s amazing how easily he blows you away with his bluesy vocals, beat boxing and live looping with “I Shall Be Free” (a big favorite for me). The track absolutely rocks in the most revolutionary of ways, it is a complete rush. Conclusion: I love this track in every way, although it isn’t the genre of music I’m used to listening to. Listen to it right away if you haven’t already. The track was featured on the show ‘LIFE’. Also, I hope that you die in a decent pair of shoes (you got a lot of long walking to do).

Why do people HAVE to get married???

One of my best friends in school got engaged yesterday and when a friend gets engaged, there's only one proper reaction: TERROR. Engagement is often the doorway to matrimony; the foremost reason of monogamy. And as someone who really despises marriage I would choose to prevent it or stay far away from it.
The fact that my twin and I are eligible young women in the ripe age of 25 means that at family gatherings we get a lot of advice from people we would try and avoid on the street if we saw them. They begin by asking about my job and then eventually bring up available men. Family friends’ sons, their son, sons of their friends, or ‘this-person-they-know’.
They ask us for our tastes in men: Appearance? Behavior? Aged or (yeah, I don’t get a choice in the other department). I say, “Money”, but they know me well enough to know I’m teasing. A joke to bury my response, for to disclose myself in this way is to reveal a weakness. So they tiptoe around the matter and ask me if I like anyone, imagining that if I tell them about a person I’m attracted to, they’ll be able to make out what person I’m searching for. It’s knotty, I think to myself, and reply with a sharp “No”. They ask me if anyone likes me. “No”. That’s even more knotted up.
Last week, my groom finder (yes, I have one. All thanks to my lovely folks) asked me how old I was. “25″, I told him, “Still, only 25”. “Well”, he says, “we’ll find someone for you now and by the time you’re 27 you’ll be all settled down. It’s time for you to get married. So don’t put this off”. He says a couple of Naga boys; he knows of, are looking to settle down with someone here. My older sister walks in and announces, “There won’t be another Naga in this family. One is enough.” Phew! Thank god for her big mouth. That ended the conversation for now.

My parents and their friends who regularly visit our home tell me that they want to make sure I don’t get involved with the wrong type of men. Someone who will take our money once we’re married, or force me to stay with him once he traps me with children. I want to tell them, that I hate the thought of having kids of my own, but I shut up because that could stir another riot. They go on to tell me that I need my parents full approval if I want to get married to someone and if I have someone in mind I should bring him to meet them, to make sure they’re okay with it.

I wonder; is love this easy for other people? Something others can control, when I can’t control it myself?

I get very nervous and fearful when I’m at the office nowadays. This is because I don’t like to admit to myself that something’s wounding me, but when I’m there, it’s a very real reminder that I have problems with my work.

I’m at odds on more than a few concerns but let’s not get into it. Moving on to the MUZICK!!!

Hailing from the streets of Georgia ‘The Dead Confederate’ has been making gorgeous rock/ psychedelic music for the last 3 years. Props go to my beautiful ears for singling out this band and today I’ll be playing you guys a track called ‘Rat’, that got them sup-ah famous this summer. With the huge exposure this track acquired, I’m sure they won’t have a problem earning fans. Their sound is brooding and melancholic, not in an overly bleak way but more so thoughtful and reflective. It’s definitely not music you’ll want to blast out in the car, but for those quiet moments in-between (best experienced on headphones). So, yea, I’m really digging it. You can count me as one of those who have utterly fallen for this band.

Food and Music

Yesterday, I went to F&B (Friends and Bacchus) on St. Mark’s Road with the music maestro, Tony, Runa and Ruan. I’m so glad my friends know where to eat and I get to partake in all the amazing food places they take me to. I’m wondering how much weight I’ve gained so far.

There were prawns, lamb, chicken, fish, pasta, steak poivre, bread pudding, caramel pudding, rum soaked chocolate cake, and chocolate mousse. So much delicious food that I could eat, now that I’m over the food-poisoning. I’m an awfully selective eater, but I greedily devoured everything that came across my plate (aside from one type of dessert, and skewed chicken). I’m not sure if it’s because the food is fresh, cooked well, or because I can’t cook food this well myself and have been without for a long time, but everything at F&B tastes so good. And these aren’t photos of all the food I ate. This is the reason why I love going out with Runa and Ruan, who are gourmands beyond me. And because they love trying new things, especially food related. Over the course of a few years we’ve been to many great little places such as this and in return I get a memorable meal and some great photos.






I think I’ve really developed as a photographer in the little time I’ve owned my first SLR camera. Looking back on a year of photos has made me realize that I’ve learned a lot, not only simple photography, but knowledge of my camera. I still have a lot more to learn though, especially with the way I take pictures in light, as digital cameras make it easy to get good shots without really needing to have an exhaustive comprehension.

I stumbled upon this track called 'Bringa' by Channel Two couple of days ago. And for some reason today I’m supremely frustrated with life {I actually know the reason. I’m still waiting for the chance to start my dream career}. For those of you looking to move to some good music on a Monday {or just looking to get in the mood} feel free to hear the track below. I have no idea what’s going on in this song but it’s very danceable, lovable and it’s a quasi crowd pleaser. I feel like this could easily be the background music to some trippy modern day after work special.

Ok, enough of me blabbering on and on. I’m tired, it’s after 7 in the evening and I was playing foosball at work all day. Have fun this week on whatever state or country you’re located at. Cheers, and come back often.