Words , Speech and Joie De Vivre

I don't know what's come over me lately , for people are correcting my pronounciation all the time.

By the way. It's ProNUNciation. Not Pronounciation. (Courtesy one very enlightened friend). So if you were Del-yu-ded like me all this while , then get it right. And turn your nose up in air while you're at it.

With all due respect to all those Who Can Pronounce Words And Phrases As They Ought To Be Pronounced , I can't speak as I ought to. Fine? Fine. So don't correct the next word I say. I'm not impressed and I certainly am offended!

Actually I'm not. I am far too thick skinned to get really really offended. But it makes me In-dig-nunt! You irreparable braggarts!

And it's even more distressing when someone corrects my *French* proNUNciation. I am no um , mademoiselle French , but then , French is a very weird language! How on earth am I supposed to know how to pronounce something which should not be pronounced the way it reads! After all , what meets the eye...what I see is what you get! Right? No , you're wrong!

So I flem-bOy-antly proclaim that I have lost my joie de vivre (or have I) exactly as how you would read it now , mister and this another Excellent French Speaking Friend of mine cuttingly points out that it is Chihua hua hua. Or Wah Wah Wah. What nonsense!
Personally I feel that the only way one can master The Art Of Speaking French The Way The True French Man With His Nose High Up In The Air Does is to imagine that's you are puking. So every word , put that extra emphasis , mentally cOn-jyure the image of you Ree-gur-gi-gayting each word out and hey presto! You master French within no time! So basically Joie De Vivre should sound like , well , Bwah Bwah Bwah. More emotion , the better. The French are very passionate , you know :)

PS - No offence to the Frenchmen out there and those with perfect diction. No , I'm not jealous. I promise xD
PS 2 - Joie De Vivre is actually pronounced as Zhwer Dey Vevre. I *think*. You never know though.
PS 3 - All the spelling errors are completely intentional :)

One Book At A Time

I have made a new resolution and that is to finish every book I read , before moving on to the next one.
I know it sound silly , but I then realised that I have far too many books which are half read or even worse , meant to be half read , which means that I bought them from Landmark with utmost enthusiasm , came back home , read the blurb , put the book in a safe place to read in peace later on , and then promptly forgot to (read - motorcycle diaries) (yes , yes , pun intended :P )
So , my resolution is this. Basically , I start a book , I finish it. One at a time. All in good time. No sticking your finger in too many pies , Vaishali. (PS - I rock at that) (PS 2- Is it "Sticking your finger in too many pies or into many pies"?) (PS 3 - No , I do not mean the computer game :P )
So what better time is there to begin a new idea than now and I decided to start off with (I need applause here...) My Experiments with truth. By Gandhi. And then , The Hungry Tide. By Amitav Ghosh. And then Three Men in a Boat. And then...I haven't decided.
So anyway , I have finished My Experiments with Truth , all four hundred pages of it , and now have started with The Hungry Tide. And I'm itching to quit it and get back to Roald Dahl (Kiss Kiss , Switch Bitch...) , but no.. One Book At A Time!
And I hope to finish Motorcyle Diaries soon!
PS - The Movie (Diaros en Motorcycleta something :|) is a must watch! But you'd need subtitles. :)

12:00 am.

You cannot sleep , which is surprising , since you're usually a sound sleeper. You wake up and you go to your balcony. The road , the same road which hosted a variety of noises , movements and activity in the morning , is cold and quiet now. It is still under the dim light of the street lamps. It waits with bated breath for something to happen. But you know the truth. Nothing will happen until the break of dawn. The road will be silent , the road will wait. Nothing will happen now...nothing else matters.

But you feel sorry for it. You know that what's worse than hope , is disappointment. The day has taught you many important lessons and there is no better time than the night to revisit them. Thus you put on your shoes and you plug in the earphones. Your phone's fully charged. And so are you. You get out.

"I walk a lonely road
The only one that I have ever known
Don't know where it goes
But it's home to me and I walk alone(1)"

The song fades away. Everything does , after a stage. Even the 'we push the envelope' Metallica songs. 10 minutes of energy and it fades away...

"Life it seems, will fade away
Drifting further every day
Getting lost within myself
Nothing matters no one else
I have lost the will to live
Simply nothing more to give
There is nothing more for me
Need the end to set me free...(2)"

Depressing songs do not go well with you right now. It's easy to be depressed when everything's gay around you. Now...it scares you. You shuffle through the songs , ignoring Hallowed be thy name (doesn't sound very right...) , The Unforgiven (too long) and raining blood (inappropriate). You settle on something which you think will cheer you up

"I drive these brothers crazy,
I do it on the daily,
They treat me really nicely,
They buy me all these ices.
Dolce & Gabbana,
Fendi and NaDonna
Karan, they be sharin'
All their money got me wearin' fly
Brother I ain't askin,
They say they love my ass ‘n,
Seven Jeans, True Religion's,
I say no, but they keep givin'
So I keep on takin'
And no I ain't taken
We can keep on datin'
I keep on demonstrating...(3)"

But Fergie's misguided opinion on love disgusts you , for you're quite the purist when you choose to be. Love is everything and lust is not even worth discussing. Love happens once , Love is forever , Love...improves your life. And not just your hand-bag collection.
Feeling slightly sick , you change to a song which you hope ,would reassure you that your weird notions of romance do find approval somewhere...

“Girl, it's been a long time that we've been apart
Much too long for a man who needs love
I miss you since I've been away
Babe, it wasn't easy to leave you alone
It's getting harder each time that I go
If I had the choice, I would stay

There's no one like you
I can't wait for the nights with you
I imagine the things we'll do
I just wanna be loved by you..(4)”

And then , with horror , you realise that your favourite song and what you considered as the epitome of true love , is not really what you think it's all about. It makes your heart sink , makes you want to give up on your fangled notions , makes you feel all the more alone for noone else , let alone Klaus meine , and the chill of the night makes it worse...

"Black night is not right,
I dont feel so bright,
I dont care to sit tight.
Maybe Ill find on the way down the line
That Im free, free to be me.
Black night is a long way from home..(5)"

And then , you smile cynically , realising how true the lyrics are. Home is far behind and you have no idea where you're heading to. You haven't seen these roads before , these houses , these closed shops , did they pop out during the night and fade away during the day?
You're glad that the street lights are on. Despite all your bravado , you're scared. And you're grateful for that small consolation - that the lights are still on , which means someone installed lamps on the street you're walking in , and which means that someone knows the street you're walking on. Probably that someone is fast asleep , probably he isn't. Your innate sexism amuses you - humour never seemed more appealing than when you're alone.

"Now, what do you own the world?
How do you own disorder, disorder?
Now somewhere between the sacred silence
Sacred silence and sleep
Somewhere, between the sacred silence and sleep
Disorder, disorder, disorder

More wood for the fires, loud neighbors
Flashlight reveries caught in the headlights of a truck
Eating seeds as a pastime activity
The toxicity of our city, of our city (6)"

Dopey songs remind you of another famous song , the meaning of whose lyrics still remain a mystery. Some claim it's about love and love lost , and some say that it's about drugs. But you don't care really. All that matters to you , is the song , despite it's annoying refrain. And the voice , that heavenly voice…

"Theres a lady whos sure
All that glitters is gold
And shes buying a stairway to heaven.
When she gets there she knows
If the stores are all closed
With a word she can get what she came for.
Ooh, ooh, and shes buying a stairway to heaven"

"And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our soul.
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
....
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last.
When all are one and one is all
To be a rock and not to roll.(7) "

You are now getting bored for all this while , you've just been walking and listening to songs , poignant nevertheless , but not what you'd call fun. But since you aren't one of those who believe in absolute refinement in anything , let alone music tastes , you decide to settle for something which you'd disapprove on the outside , but secretly enjoy on the inside.

"You spin my head right round, right round
When you go down, when you go down down
You spin my head right round, right round
When you go down, when you go down down
From the top of the pole I watch her go [down]
She got me throwin my money [around
Ain’t nothin more beautiful to be [found]
It’s goin down down
From the top of the pole I watch her go [down]
She got me throwin my money a[round]
Ain’t nothin more beautiful to be [found]
It’s goin down down
I’m spendin my money
I’m out of control
Somebody help me
She’s takin my bank roll.
But I’m king of the club
And I’m wearin the crown
Poppin these bottles
Touching these models
Watchin they a**es go down down
down down, down down...(8)"

…And you spin and spin and dance like no-one's watching you , for no-one is , and dance away everything you wanted to , but couldn't do during the day. You open up during the night , the night is your true self , for it lets you do what the day bars you from....you spin and spin..and you fall down.

You are dazed , for that has never happened to you , since you were 6 , anyway. But you collect yourself and get up , rather gingerly , but determined. You must not let your mask slip. Dance is for those who can dance , and is surely not for you. Why , if anyone saw that , what would they think? Oh no. You must keep your emotions within you and within your headphones. Only in your mind will you dance , you sing , you laugh , you joke , and you love...

" My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone......(9)"

NB – (1) and (9) Boulevard of Broken Dreams (Greenday)

(2) Fade to Black (Metallica)

(3) My Humps (Black Eyed Peas)

(4) No One like you (Scorpions)

(5) Black Knight (Deep Purple)

(6) Toxicity (System of a Down)

(7) Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin)

(8) Right Round (Flo Rida)

Refrains , vocalists and dogs whining.

Sometimes , the refrain in a song really does matter.

I was listening to Stairway to Heaven sometime back for possibly the millionth(?) time. I love that song. At first , the quiet vocals and the apparent lack of energy would put me off  and thus  I gave up on it , for maybe I expected a little more gusto after being subjected to Metallica , Children of Bodom , Slayer and the like. Not subjected , exactly. Subjected would mean...submission or involuntary involvement. More like...I don't know. And I'm digressing.

Anyway , it's a lovely song. I love the way it begins , I love the guitar , the matter-of-fact tone , the voice...Robert Plant has the second best voice in heavy metal music. The first is Dave Mustaine. Never walk alone! A tout le monde! :D

But then the refrain spoilt it all.

I understand that the lyrics aren't meant to make any sense for it is a '60s song and thus provides a good enough reason for it to not mean anything.

But the refrain and the way it is sung...reminded me of Hey there Delilah and that is very bad , for a classic song is being equated to a trashy loser song which at best can be laughed at! "ooo...it makes me wonder.."...it sounds pompous and a mockery at best. And it is repeated around three to four times in the song , so I can't resist a smirk everytime Plant goes "...and it makes me wonder" which I find truly distressing. So much for a classic song and it's imperfections. So much for me. ^ ^

Hey there Delilah is a trashy song at best. Some argue that it portrays true love , it's touching...but I think it's crap. But I shall not post more in this vein so as to not affect certain sentiments. I'll only say that the refrain ('oooo , it's what you do to meeee') sounds incredibly like a dog whining. o_O

A song in which I really like the refrain is Black Night (Deep Purple). 'The black (k)night is..far away from home"...it introduces the possibility of 'Night' being interpreted as 'Knight' too. I love that song. It's really catchy and short which makes it intensely likeable. One reason I do not like Smoke on the water is that it's too long. It's got a good beat and all , but it's plain and repetitive. Black Night is crisper and better. I love old songs , especially You've got another thing coming (Judas Priest). That's another long song , but more ruing for another day. :P

PS - 'Classic' need not necessarily be interpreted in a strictly technical sense. It could mean , superior , excellent , or vintage , depending upon the context. :P

Kubla Khan - Coleridge

I'm not a person who enjoys poetry generally , I think it's overrated. I dislike romantic poems , socially conscious or self-obsessive poems. But there are few poems which have made an impact on me , and I never do get tired of revisiting them again and again. One such poem is 'Kubla Khan' by Coleridge.

Kubla Khan (A Vision in a dream - A fragment) was written by Coleridge in the autumn of 1797 in a farmhouse in Exmoor , England. The legend behind this poem is quite interesting. Coleridge , an inveterate opium eater developed this poem in one of his opium-induced dreams. On waking up , he began to furiously write down what he remembered of that dream. However , he was interrupted by a 'mysterious visitor' from Porlock who detained him for an hour. After that meeting , Coleridge was unable to recall the rest of his Vision , and thus , the poem remained a fragment. This person from Porlock can also be interpreted as a metaphor for all the obstacles/turning points  a man faces in his life , which throws him off track and perhaps , changes the course of his dreams and actions.

The poem is based on Kublai Khan , the prominent Mongol ruler of the 13th century Yuan dynasty. It describes his summer capital at Xanadu , a surreal and enchanted place , besides the sacred river Alph and the Xanadu Hills , both based in Antartica.

"In Xanadu did Kubla Khan

A stately pleasure-dome decree :
Where Alph, the sacred river, ran
Through caverns measureless to man

Down to a sunless sea."       

                                                                                                                      

The 'sunless sea' described here , reminds me of another Coleridge poem , where he describes with contempt ,  the slimy creatures which seemed to eat up the base of the ship...

"The very deep did rot: O Christ! 

That ever this should be! 

          Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs 
           Upon the slimy sea. " (The Rime of the Ancient Mariner)

Coleridge further describes that , despite the enchanting beauty of it all , the place is haunted by a woman wailing for her 'demon' lover. Or maybe it's enchanting because of the supernatural elements it posesses. 'Demon lover' suggests that the woman has been betrayed by the man she loved and thus she wails 'beneath a waning moon'. Her seething emotions bursts out in the form of a 'mighty fountain' whose intensity is described as follows :

"And from this chasm, with ceaseless turmoil seething,

As if this earth in fast thick pants were breathing,
A mighty fountain momently was forced :
Amid whose swift half-intermitted burst
Huge fragments vaulted like rebounding hail,

Or chaffy grain beneath the thresher's flail :"

This mighty river flows into the 'lifeless ocean' , creating an altogether tumultous scene. And amidst all this , Kubla Khan heard strange voices prophesying war.

Coleridge calls the whole series of events as a 'miracle of rare device' , a 'shadow of the dome of pleasure' :

"The shadow of the dome of pleasure

Floated midway on the waves ;

Where was heard the mingled measure

From the fountain and the caves.

It was a miracle of rare device,
A sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice!"

Coleridge further recounts his vision of an Abyssinian maid playing a dulcimer (a plucked musical instrument) and singing of Mount Abora. The poet further claims that if he could revive that music within him , he'd build that 'pleasure dome with caves of ice' in air ,  implying that that damsel's music could be equalled to the surreal happenings of Xanadu. 

"A damsel with a dulcimer

In a vision once I saw :

It was an Abyssinian maid,

And on her dulcimer she played,

Singing of Mount Abora.

Could I revive within me

Her symphony and song,

To such a deep delight 'twould win me,

That with music loud and long,
I would build that dome in air,
That sunny dome ! those caves of ice !"

I'd compare this to another poem , written by Coleridge's counterpart , Wordsworth :

------------------------------------------

"...No nightingale did ever chaunt

More welcome notes to weary bands

Of travelers in some shady haunt,

Among Arabian sands;

A voice so thrilling ne'er heard

In springtime from the cuckoo-bird,

Breaking the silence of the seas

Among the farthest Hebrides.

....Whate'er the theme, the maiden sang

As if her song could have no ending;

I saw her singing at her work,

And o'er the sickle bending;

I listened, motionless and still;

And, as I mounted up the hill,

The music in my heart I bore,

Long after it was heard no more."

(The Solitary Reaper , Wordsworth)

------------------------------------------

All those who heard him build that dome would cry in horror and close their eyes in holy dread , for he had drunk the milk of Paradise or Opium.

"And all who heard should see them there,
And all should cry, Beware ! Beware !
His flashing eyes, his floating hair !
Weave a circle round him thrice,
And close your eyes with holy dread,
For he on honey-dew hath fed,
And drunk the milk of Paradise."

And thus the poem ends...rather unconvincingly. But then , it's a fragment and noone knows how the original poem was like , in Coleridge's dream.And despite its limitations , the poem is regarded as one of Coleridge's masterpieces , along with the Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Frost at Midnight. 

However , some parts of the poem confuse me. For example : Kubla Khan's summer palace is said to be built beside the river Alph and Xanadu Hills , both located in Antartica. Why would a summer palace be built in Antartica? And the lack of continuity between the fourth and the fifth paragraph..the damsel with the dulcimer part is unsubstantial and does not fit into the scheme of the poem. But maybe , there is an abstract meaning in the structure of the poem which I fail to understand and it all probably does  makes sense. 

This poem has also served as a reference for many writers to come. William Dalrymple , especially in his travelogue 'In Xanadu' pays a tribute to this poem when he finally reaches Jerusalem , after a long and ardous journey. That book , and Dalrymple in particular , is fodder for another post altogether :)

Sun signs and the human personality...

I believe in Zodiac Signs a lot.  Linda Goodman, Rick Levine (http://www.tarot.com/about-us/bios/levine/), Bejan Daruwalla... 

Linda Goodman , especially. I'm one of those who invest in every single book by Linda Goodman, or spend hours poring over them in the Astrology section of Landmark. Sun Signs , star signs, relationship, compatibilities...it's all about the sun and the stars for me... :)

Much to the chagrin of some of my friends  who believe it's all hogwash, or an all too convenient set of words to describe a person. The major arguments I've heard, is that it's general. It isn't always true. Why, I'm a Leo and I'm supposed to be vibrant and talkative, but I'm not! I'm quiet, shy and I hate being the centre of attention! How would you explain that?

I wouldn't. I agree that sun signs aren't always accurate and horoscopes can never map your future the way it will be, but I do believe in sun signs. For it has worked for me, in analysing people. Probably , accepting people as they are. And I believe that if you allow for a little bit of deviation, sun signs could work for you. You needn't necessarily swear by them, but maybe  if you don't disregard them, you could be exposed to a lot more insights into a person's character than you can ever imagine. Or maybe , you could just be imagining either ways :) But that's what I believe in , and you needn't necessarily subscribe to it.. :)

My personal favourites include Cancer , Virgo , Pisces , Libra , Capricorn , Taurus (:D) and Scorpio. But I have friends of (almost) all sun signs and I find something interesting about each friend which probably corresponds to his/her sun sign. Like one's creative and stubborn..she's the Aquarius. Another one is a Cancer , moody , secretive and possessive. Yet another is a little too obsessed with discipline , a Virgo for sure. The jealous , possessive ,  the altogether intense Scorpio. The centre of attention , never short of words Leo. And the indecisive ,friendly Libra. (I haven't figured out the noun forms yet , as you can see. English grammar has never been my strong point!)

Maybe I'm just generalising. I do not claim to know all about astrology, if anything, I'm an amateur; but I believe that there's some element of truth in it. Sometimes , maybe a little too obvious , sometimes not. And again , it depends on what time the person was born , the position of the planets and all that. Astrology is a complicated science , mathematics even (pun intended!). 

Another science which interests me is Tarot. I'm planning to get myself a Tarot book and try to learn something about it. Let's see how it turns out!

Satriani , names that roll and big words.

I'm listening to Satch boogie , by Joe Satriani.

I love the way it begins - jazzy and full of energy , if I may say so. Spirited and lovable. But after a while , it seems like a disorganised array of many tunes , so I move on to Always with me , Always with you.

This is a classic song. I love the way it begins , the way , it moves up , from low to high , the cheerfulness of it all. It's a very cheerful song , tune rather. And with amazing guitar. I love Joe Satriani. I think he's an amazing guitarist. Even better than Steve Vai , who's kind of my namesake. I like how all Satriani's songs are so...joyous. 'Summer song' couldn't have a better name.

Is it just me , or does the beginning of 'No One Like You' (Scorpions)  sound like a Joe Satriani/Steve Vai piece (I wouldnt know whether it is Yngwie Malmsteen's , for I haven't heard any of his songs. And even if I have , I wouldn't remember) to you too? Probably , it's just my imagination. Or maybe , a guitar riff/chord is the same. I wouldn't know. I don't play the guitar. 

I admire people who play the guitar. Or any instrument for that matter. I think it's an achievement to create music. Pluck the right chords. Not sound awful. And concentrate and keep in tune.

I love the names of the classic guitarists - Joe Satriani , Steve Vai , Yngwie Malmsteen , Lynyrd Skynyrd. I love the way it rolls out of your tongue! It makes for a very satisfactory pronounciation. That's another word I like. Pro-nun-see-ay-shun. And dee-nun-see-ay-shun. I love that word too. I think it is pul-chri-tu-di-nous. There , I said it!

I like using big words. Sometimes I don't know what they mean , but I still like using them. Which is not a very good thing to do. It is viperous (Thank you , Thesaurus!). And can make you look foolish. Not to mention , a Rodomontade. Gasconade! Fanfaronade! Gatorade! Lemonade! 

Not the last two. I'm just bored. And jobless. :D .Which is why I created this blog. Welcome to my blog!