Sunset on the beach - My first oil painting

As soon as I finished this painting, I showed it to my mom with so much enthusiasm. Her immediate response was "Ah what is this? Pencils?" No, she wasn't asking me whether this was pencil drawing. She was referring to the stick like figures - my people in the painting. Ha! There goes my art.

The girl I met on bus

She was the conductor (the person who gives bus ticket) of the bus I boarded that day. She was young and I had never seen her before so I assumed she was new. She took my notice because she was wearing the same type of jacket I had thought of buying. Weird reason to notice a person, you must be thinking. Anyway, I noticed her and that’s the essence.

I heard her complaining to the driver that she doesn't have 5 Rs coins for change and that it is a problem. I, beforehand, had decided to give a 500 Rs note for ticket as I was in need of 100s. After hearing her conversation with the driver, I wondered what she would say to me when she sees my 500 Rs note. I imagined her yelling at me for not giving her the exact amount. Well, that is path that most of the conductors resort to when given a chance to accept a 500 or 1000 Rs note. With a smile, she came to me. I thought, 'Hmm, this smile's death is near'. Seeing my 500 Rs note, she was disappointed a bit, but still held the smile. She asked me politely "Do you have 5Rs?” "Oh Yes, I do. Here it is", I said. I was more than happy to give her a 5 so that I can get the 100s that I desperately need. I gave her 5 and she gave me the ticket and the balance amount.

As I had nothing else to do, I started watching her. She was really sweet. Every time somebody entered the bus, she went to them and gave tickets with a smile. And every time she got the smile back. The bus was quiet and there were only a few people in the bus. The driver started talking to her. I guess this was her first day at office a.k.a bus. The driver asked her about her mother. She said "I don't have, sir". He asked "What about your father?”. She said "I don't have, sir". "So who do you have?” She said "Nobody, sir" The driver asked some other things which I could not follow. I was already lost in thoughts of her.

Despite having nobody in this world as her own, she was pleasant and was spreading smiles. My thoughts wandered to some people at office, the people whom I avoid if I can. Some of them, despite having enough (and more) money, family and all that they need, complain about something or the other always. Some people are so negative minded that after a few minutes of conversation with them, we will feel sick. I compared them with this girl. This girl had such a pleasant demeanor that I found myself carrying the same pleasantness along with me even long after getting down from the bus. I wish everybody was pleasant like her.

To listen or not to listen?

You may have had experiences where in some trivial things draws in the nostalgic memories. To me, some songs bring in memories of college days; windy rain reminds the lovely times spent with the friend I cherish; some smell, at times, makes me wander in my mind desperately searching for that elusive culprit, all the while knowing that it is within my grasp but unable to figure out where exactly it is and finally discovering it with a triumph : a moment somewhere in my childhood. I breathe in again and ruminate those pleasant moments.

All good, except for one song. This one, nowadays when I listen to, increases my heart beat and suddenly I become alert as if some menace is getting ready to pounce on me. First time when I felt this way, I just dismissed it as an absurd thought and changed the song. Yup, change the song; nip it in the bud! The song itself is not anything spooky but just a sweet and pleasant one which I used to listen repeatedly during a tense and stressed out time in the past.

The song, which relaxed my tensed mind at one time, now stresses out my relaxed mind! What a bizarre situation! Perhaps, Newton's third law can be applied here as well. This song, indeed, has an equal and opposite reaction.

I tested my mind to check whether it is suffering from a songophobia! But no, it's negative. I listened to that particular song repeatedly to get rid of any hidden phobia, avoided that peculiar song for a long period and listened to it again today. No, it has not gone. The symptoms are back. Heartbeats are rising, palpitations are on the way.Before you dismiss me as a hypochondriac, I'm asking you: Listen or not to listen to music? That is the question.

If...

Incidentally came across this beautiful and inspirational poem by Rudyard Kipling.

"If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,

Or being hated, don't give way to hating,

And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;

If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,'

Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!"

-Rudyard Kipling

A few old sketches

Putting together some old sketches. I can identify lot of mistakes in these ones but I am extremely fond of some of these

I love this one

I like Jesus's smile in this.

I didnt know who this guy was before drawing. (..and not many can guess who this is even after drawing!!)

Does he look like worried about something? It was unintentional, though.

Why not an Eagle?

Here is my new sketch : An Eagle.

This is an eagle. Please don't mistake it for a crow!!

I felt like drawing something today; a break from the sharepoint workflows I have been working and researching on, in and out of office. Since I wanted to finish whatever I chose to draw today itself, I didn't select anybody's face, which is what I usually prefer.

When I saw this eagle's picture, I thought "This is the one for today". I liked this eagle. As far as sketching experience is concerned, this was pretty easy to sketch. I just used a 2B pencil, a tissue paper and an eraser(I didn't have to use it much, that is evident from the sketch, I know).

Well, anyway, I enjoyed it. That's what really matters, correct?

Cartoons

A few of the cartoons, which were all created during my school/ college days. It seems, in those days I wanted all the existing colors on one piece of paper. Nowadays I prefer black and white.

Changing passions or getting old?

I guess I'm finding new passions as life goes on :)

Hancelman's list of Tools

Here is an excellent list of useful tools for windows. It includes tools such as Reflector, Fiddler, Firebug etc, which make a developer's life easier. Have a look at the list. Lot of utilities, not just developer tools.
http://www.hanselman.com/blog/ScottHanselmans2009UltimateDeveloperAndPowerUsersToolListForWindows.aspx

Charcoal Painting Workshop

Today, there was a set of sessions on fine arts, culinary and photography conducted as part of GPTW (Great Place to Work) activities in my office. As all the work shops were conducted simultaneously, one could attend only a single workshop and I chose charcoal painting. Glass painting, water color painting, cooking and photograpy were the other workshops.

Most of the people were for photography. It had about 30 people where as cooking , glass painting, water color etc had almost 5 people each. Yeah, just 5. Art doesn't sell much?
And charcoal painting had only 1 lone pupil, Sindia. The teacher, an old lady, joked to me that I'll get individual tutoring.

We waited for half an hour more hoping that some people might have an enlightenment and join the session. Well, some did have an enlightenment, it seems. As I was wondering whether they would cancel the workshop itself since I was the only one present, two more people joined our workshop.

The session started and she said there are four types of charcoal. 1) powder 2) dry 3) oil based 4)wax based. Wow, I thought, because I wanted to see how they do with the powder. And then she told " For beginners, oil based one is better, today we will try with that." Well, I didn't like that. Then, we got our weapons. Charcoal stick, muslin cloth, tissue, eraser and a piece of paper.

I didn't like charcoal at all. It was nearly impossible to draw a thin line with that brittle thick charcoal piece she gave. I ended up with a pathetic charcoal painting and a disappointed heart. Well, this was not what I expected. Anyway, it reinforced my faith in my pencils.

And here is the painting. Probably the only charcoal painting of my life because I don't intend to touch charcoal anymore.

Done with charcoal . Die, charcoal die.. Pencil Rules!! Pencil is the best!! I love Pencil.

Forgive my dear pencil, for not giving you the respect you always deserved, for the times I abandonded you and went in search of lesser mortals like charcoal. I am coming for you, dear, you are the best :)

-Sindia

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead,
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

-W. H. Auden

Federer's Date with Destiny

Yes, he got it. If last month he got a "new" friend(french open cup), this month, he got back his "long term" friend.

It was definitely a tough match(5-7, 7-6, 7-6, 3-6, 16-14). How on earth can a man win a set after being down for 2-6 in a tie breaker. Who would have thought he would win that second set? I definitely didn't. :) Well that's the reason why I was not the one playing there.

Tennis greats watching the wimbledon 2009 final. Sampras, Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg. Wouldn't the thought of being watched by these people make anybody nervous?

The winning moment - It was like a little boy jumping with joy.

Final Scoreboard

Federer's 6th Wimbledon title.

Left to right : Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, Rod Laver. If I may imagine this as a family photo, Laver be the grand father, Borg the father and Sampras the brother of Federer.

Let nobody forget Andy Roddick, the man who almost took away Federer's trophy. He played really really well. Till the fifth set, he was the better player from all angles. Broke Federer twice, kept his calm even after losing the second set after having the lead in tie breaker by 6-2. Played the epic 5th set(16-14) composed, though towards the end he looked a bit tired. A fantastic sportsman with the right sportsman spirit. You can rarely see such genuine guys like Andy. He was seen clapping when Federer was rounding the court with the trophy. He has gained a million more fans all over the world for his brilliant performance this time.

Well Done Andy!

The man with 15 grand slams( 6 Wimbledon, 5 US Open, 3 Australian Open, 1 French Open). The Aces this man fired in this match(50) were more than enough to make 2 set points.


What next champ?

...finally conquered roland garros

Now that mission is accomplished, go for the wimbledon!!

Mr Bean Sketch

A new beginning.

Yes, it was Mr Bean that I attempted. I have read somewhere that drawing is simple and that you just have to draw what you see rather than draw what you "think" you see. So, this one I sketched with that principle in mind. And the result did surprise me. Personally I would consider this as the best picture I have ever drawn. (Yes, every other picture is worse than this) Shading is always a trouble for me. Somehow this one came out better than what I expected.

Criticisms are welcome :)