When motherhood brings you to square one

I mean it! My life is back to the basics. Its inconceivable it has been so swift and lean less. He is almost 16 months old, a runner, a screamer and a jumper.

renaissance

Started reading "The Renaissance Bazaar" today at BookPeople. An essay on the silk road to Michelangelo is a contemporary thought on the era of trade of art, ideas and commodities that quintessentially sparked the modern European civilization in 1400-1600. The Renaissance has several depictions, meaning and ideas-this one is a bit dissident. Jerry Brotton labels it as a decisive period of meeting of East & West that brought in cultural and political transformation in Europe - scholars, artists and merchants inspired and emulated the Eastern opulence and other fields of progression. Countries typically traded were Egypt, Portugal, China and Turkey. A period which brought back the lost Graeco-Roman intellectual traditions. He exposes the myth of the western cultural superiority. The iconic images in this era were Hans Holbein, V D Gama, Erasmus and Columbus.

in-o-sense

boy selling kapok, arakan
Originally uploaded by tap tap tap.

haěnhkal muúchraav

Locked Door
Originally uploaded by TommyOshima.

b chus b chus!

A sojourn in Bill's town!

It is seldom adventurous to travel without plans, however, even though this trip was planned on a short notice, our 8-people-8-hour-trip to HotSprings was re-invogorating! Cool temperature, a panoply of fall colors and live humor kept the spirits uplifted. The co-ordination did get cumbersome and unwieldy at times, but momentarily. My favorites were the cracks-over-the-hookah, horse-riding and studio pictures in antique ensemble. I believe most of us did wish we had made use of atleast 2 out of the 4 hours spent in the studio. Although, it was a unique experience in its own way - a perfect collection for a lifetime!

We missed the must-see 18th century bath-houses, which apparently are a handful left operational. Historically, this area was inhabited by Caddo Indians, long before white men set foot in the valley. Hopefully we could get back to HS, when our senile bodies ask call for therapuetic waters!

Kuttu was another piece of attraction - instantly charming us and anonymous pedestrians. I offered my share of affection too and I find myself struggling with dog-hair on our clothes:)
Everyone posted their pictures on the web. I liked Marc's brief introduction on his webspace for the trip. Manoj caught interesting shots at Garbanzo cafe, while others shared cozy moments with the friendly animals at the ranch. Vikram's compositions were impressive and the captions deliciously befitting.

Interestingly, upon our arrival at 4am, the group was looking forward to a post-trip-bash! Can we ask for more?

katrina precedes 'kaif'

A week to go for the New Orleans(NO) vacation, until the web peppered with splashing news raised a red-flag. Yes, NO will be splashed, with enromous destruction. A projection of 50K deaths, 25feet of flooding, $100 billion worth of impending damages, and such suches. NO MORE NO! No more French Quarter?? boohoo:(

@#$@!

two-contrasting forms of art: Avant-Garde and Kitsch. The later form, was a strong term coined by German theorists (theodor) to refer to mediocre, non-innovative art and/or culture. The dissonance ironically, yet ethically promulgates a wide threat to the society and culture....I somehow believe that both are not only an integral part of mainstream art (sometimes seemingly pretentious and abhorent), but Kitsch ends up scoring in this unreal, half-pretentious world.
Interestingly enough, this pulls my memory back to my favourite quote from Jacque Barzun's (a french philosopher for neurotic developments) 'House of Intellect'. He says "Intellectuals are well paid and rising high, however Intellects are neglected and despised".....

Does existentialism exist?

Late 50's cinematic movement inspired by fatalistic (euphemism for 'nihilistic') and existential issues led to 'the new wave' in France. Outstanding artwork from figures such as Jean Luc Godard (i got to see breathless) and Francois made a global impact in movie-making.

Firstly , what does 'existential' mean in this context?
"Existentialism" as a movement affected art and philosophy. It conspicuously dissects human nature-idea, choices, experience, ummm....even why a person would behave in a given situation...gawd... its longwinded and rhetorical...Lets explain.
A pioneer in this stream, Sartre prososed a dictum that revolves around 'the essence of existence for humanity'. A freedom to choose (in the unreal world?? ...authenticity, a super-set of reality, is prime for existentialists as opposed to postmodernists). We acknowledge, choice and experience result in phenomenal anxiety, as it sparks the fear of the logical outcome, and discernibly includes the angst of being judged....freedom to choose insouciantly and yet dread the consequences?? Moreover, existentialists denounce Lord almighty, though are poignantly conscious of death and darkness! Now, now,...help me count the oxymorons...
The dictum rightfully proposes the idea to 'exist to make choices'. Neither fear nor disquietude would exist, as 'existence' itself preceedes the essence of mankind. The essence often refered to as 'truth', itself is meaningless if there is no existence. I completely acqueisce with that, however, if this concept belongs to unreal world, truth and existence need not matter....

Why are noir films existential? as i said before, they are obsessed with the quest for truth within the unreal dark dangerous world, fighting existential issues, while we sit anesthetized ready to judge....

Coming back to new wave, the revolution sparked a whole new series of different movies...fancy tools, new cinematographic expressionism, environment-friendly locations, unusual scripts, remarkable themes and depressed characters.

un sort de l'artiste

Georges Melies, born to a shoe-seller, was a film-maker in the pioneering 19th century French cinema. He created fiction-based masterpieces in the early 1900's. It is truly despicable, the innovator in early cinema, had his artwork imitated by the veterans of other fileds, such as Thomas Edison, without any prior notice or indemnification! and where were all those fancy-schmancy copyrights? loss of freedom of expression... It completely escapes me that an artist would be emasculated after he is about to taste success. He went through several hardships and was not recognized for a long time. Quite a saga for an award-winning film-maker destined to sell toys.
notes: Georges was later awarded Légion d'honneur (Legion of Honor) by French President. Guess they finally realized his contribution!

my newly acquired virus

Its viral again, not long after I recuperated after my sojourn overseas.
Why is it happening to me again? Its a numbing pain originating from the medulla oblongata. My back and my toe-nail hurt occasionally. I saw a med today. Nothing serious. It was expected. I didn't have to waste the co-pay or the gas. Now its my shoulders. The virus is proliferating. A perfectly symbiotic relationship...
My sockets feel dull...i need to shut this mac down.

Neither noir

Western cinema post world-war has been remarkably smothered by various labels by the pioneers of cinema - yes, the invincible French ofcourse. Escapist movies, film noir, genre,sub-genre(relating to movies avant-garde and nitwitted) were few of those inexplicable categories most of the American cinema during that period belonged to. Films were gingerly designed to divert the viewers from the tormenting war times and the socio-economic and political downturns, such as the great depression and world war II. The American cinema was in its righteousness banned by Europe until the war was adjourned.
I am deliriously enthralled with the concept of noir movies and as this french word suggests, the films reflect misanthropy. The black and white, stark and overpowering cinematic tools capture the mood and the characters, which leave you inevitably numb and acerbic. Interestingly yet, noir films are mostly low budget and a bit askew from the mainstream cinema and were mostly directed/composed by Jews. Aesthetically and scrupulously massaged by the infamous Hayes code, until late 50's, the movies never explicitly depicted matters potentially despairing and antagonistic, including religion, sex, voilence, etc. The tactful use of light, femme fatale, stark humor, nuances of existing predicament, argumentative yet captivating cues of fear and disillusionment stir viewer's nuerotic faculties. Legendary actors from Bogart to Nicholson, in the history of perplexing B-movies, put up a brilliant facade of the race after an undiscovered truth, deemed life-threatening, if explored. Wonder if any of the present noirs would realize a similar pedigree...how?
Will Polansky devise another unpretentious, sardonic materpiece?

bar-b-q

'whiskers to tail'....runs back into late 1600 to 1700. Smoked pigs meat. Southern community treats it as a celebration, a popular form of catering in the 19th century. People from all walks of life rejoice the carnal cravings. Roots of bbq tradition, no denying seriously started in south. Official bar-b-q capital of southwest, M..., Texas! Kreuz market started this more than a century ago and it overtook the groceries of most of the Texans. Bbq everyday? ughh...how unappetizing...!

The nail

"Last time I saw her, she looked stunning. She stood at the edge of the gas lamp, drying off the wet corner of her cherished lavendar-brocade. She adorned finely cut amethyst and kohl. "
The index finger clamping the fabric had an infected nail.
Fungus that shot immense pain when in contact with toxic chemicals that those silly companies could not avoid in detergents. You would seldom miss the nail paint on the finger nail. It alleviates her pain. Just this nail...
There she stood musing in part relief, part trepidation.

...thought, the left-over wall paint was enough to create a melange of art. I clicked a webcam image against the sharp light from the picture windows. Never saw it again...eh...doesn't make sense...! NEXT....

a thang called project

So you get to face the real world today! Its your first show at Sumitomo Corp..
Hai...wakarimasen!
I am a bit nervous...thats allright....

The summit at Osaka completely drained me. I could happily sit through three hours of well-delivered presentations to five companies successively, but when i got caught up with those two gentlemen from Daiwa Jin, my energy-level waivered...Water, water!
Soon, we were off for a quick shot of sake and a sumptuous meal. Devotedly surviving on noodle-soup for the last 7 days?? it came as a shock to most of my peers back home. Well,sushi wasn't my cup of tea...atleast till washed the unfamiliar entree' with loads of sake smiling meekly at the J-Phone director....my mind had built up gross images of the revolting salmonella story my colleague recited an hour ago...I survived for the next meal.

....They wanted to see the interface for almost all the products. No need for NDA now....Two hours, three oriental men...interested, influential and most of all patient enough for non-nihon-jins from a fledgling unknown outfit. It mattered.
Splendid, you did a great job! I told you my project will work...I am sure Tsani San would love this venture. Just keep your fingers crossed!
Ok, I am hungry now...Need a quick bite before the next meeting...