Mausam - Flavour of Seasons

Alright first things first, for those of you who don't know Hindi/हिंदी Mausam (मौसम) means Season(s) and in an immediate sense means weather, but, we Indians love things that occur over long periods of time, so in the broader and wider sense it means Season(s). Following this, this also happens to be the title of 2 movies, one that came out back in the 70's, which the 2011 version has nothing to do with, just so we're clear about that...I'm sure the word Mausam has been used in a variety of other movie titles, and it has most definitely been a part of many song lyrics. C'mon people, seasons play an integral part in our love stories, our dramatic scenes as well as fight scenes, how else can you sit there and mock us for running around trees and singing songs? Khair koi baat nahin. Now, I would like to toss in a disclaimer here, just 'cuz I love doing so, and also because, this one I feel is important that you readers are entitled to. I'm not great at reviews, they aren't exactly my forte unlike my supremely talented creative twin, who writes amazing reviews. Check out his link, it should be listed on the right side of my blog page :)...Blank Page Beatdown, check it out, it'll be the best read of your life EVER!

Since I just finished watching this movie, I guess you're being served up with a tawa fresh review. So...when I first watched the theatrical trailer for Mausam it definitely did pique my curiosity. One of the main things that the trailer and the film's tag line emphasized was the classical, eternal, timeless love story between the main protagonists in the movie, portrayed by Shahid Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor. When I first saw the 'First Look', that's where they unveil the poster of the movie, I half groaned at the timeless love story aspect...yes my generation is a lost cause, our concept of love is defined by it's own set of categories, so when you say timeless and classic and all this other schnazz it actually makes the eyebrows get all quirked up and...well you get the point. This movie had it's fair share of troubles to finally be released to the general public, and, throughout the making of the movie shots on set were posted and you see a very dashing Shahid Kapoor in a military Uniform, and then in subsequent snippets it was revealed that he's an Officer with the Indian Air Force. So it got me thinking, wait what? Oh no a military love story? Oye vey...I hope he didn't fall in love with the General's daughter leading to a court martial 'cuz that would not be cool at all. 

With the theatrical trailer you catch a glimpse of quite a lot of things that gets your mind spinning and reeling at the possibilities of just what the plot of the movie could be. You see this young carefree dude and chick (Shahid Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor) and suddenly the next shot of her, is in some dance studio and him all dressed up in his wrinkle & crinkle free uniform watching her dance and fun things of the sort. Oh and there's also the music accompanying it that absolutely adds on to the curiosity piquing factor. The first bit, that shows them as young, carefree individuals has the beautiful and lilting beginning of "Rabba Main Toh Mar Gaya Oye" playing in the background, and as you see the shift towards I guess adulthood and a not so naive time the music picks up the pace with the intro bit of the beat worthy, heart pounding, emotionally charged "Aag Lage Us Aag Ko". Initially, I wasn't too stoked to watch this flick, but then once I saw the theatrical trailer I definitely wanted to watch it, it looked attention and performance worthy, and most importantly the movie was directed by Pankaj Kapur...well some people may know him as Shahid Kapoor's father, but, most people know him for his sensational acting skills, he's one of the most renowned actors in India, he's a very distinguished actor in the theatre and film circuits and add the fact that he's one of India's most prolific TV stars. I remember when I was younger, I used to watch this show of his on Zee TV where he used to play a detective/PI on this show called Mohandas B.A.L.L.B. and he was quite a quirky P.I haha...my Mom and I still recall a few lines from that show.

So with these expectations I waited until the movie was released, and all those movie reviews came out to see what the verdict on the movie was. Unfortunately the news and reviews weren't all that great, and while I do take the word of a bonafide film critic for whatever salt the critic might be worth, I still like being able to formulate my own opinion 'bout the flicks I watch. So after probably a month or two? I finally watched the movie, well actually I started watching the movie a while back, but life had more pressing matters that needed to be taken care of as opposed to watching Mausam. Now as some of you might not know, I'm not a huge fan of divulging plot lines, but if you really want to know what the story is and then decide if the movie is worth your time, then hey definitely hit Wikipedia up, it will most definitely give you everything you're looking for. 

Before I get all snarky about things I didn't like with regards to the movie, I'd like to laud the Director's efforts into attempting a story of this sort. I definitely liked the incorporation of some of the darker moments from India's recent past that served as the backdrop or rather the springboard for this story to grow and progress on. However, the folly with doing so is that you open up too many story angles, and too many areas of interest that you'd like to focus your energies on and in the process the main plot-line seems to lose it's momentum. The moment you find out the girl is Kashmiri Muslim, and the boy is a Punjabi Sikh fella who prefers the anglicized version of his name, 'Harry', the first thought that pops up is 'Oh crap this is gonna be a religion face-off and it's gonna be a never ending drama between both sides, where either the girl's family hates the boy for his religion and it's all a no-no or it's the other way around, and you have their relatives piling on to the street with an assortment of weapons ranging from pipes to hockey sticks. Thankfully, we've progressed in that area as far as our movies are concerned, and the movie thankfully doesn't waste a whole bunch of time on going through the religious backgrounds and all complications associated with it. Shahid Kapoor's character Harry sums it up very nicely in one of the scenes, when his lady love tells him that her father doesn't think it's the right thing for either of them to be in this relationship, to which Harry says he's right and wrong and ends up telling her how we're all human and in essence the same and follows it up with a very simple yet deep question 'What were we before we were born?' It's the simplicity of such moments that makes the movie almost endearing in far too few sequences. I wish the Director was able to flesh out a more concentrated storyline, the parallels he used were beautiful, and it would have been absolutely poetic, unfortunately instead of a balance there was a lot of displacement that tends to throw the viewer back and forth and wondering about a lot of things. In addition, there was something absolutely beautiful that I learned from the film as well, the meaning of the name "Aayat", it's a very pretty name, and for those of you who like me have no idea what the name means, it means 'Holy couplet'. 

So where shall we start with the flaws? For one I'd say the running time of this flick. It definitely could've been shortened by sooooo much more. There were some scenes that were plain unnecessary and just worked to hinder the storyline rather than enhance or establish it. Also, this whole reunion and separation problem between the main protagonists gets really frustrating. The part that got me all frustrated was this whole affair of how one is searching for the other but they just don't know how to get a hold of them and never seem to find a way to know where the hell the other person is. Yeah I understand the internet wasn't the greatest thing in the mid 90's but honestly by the late 90's pretty much anyone and everyone had a freaking e-mail address and everybody and their uncle found their way into your address book even if it was an old classmate of yours from kindergarten. Their lack of communication and their inability to keep in touch had me absolutely frustrated, I was yelling at my laptop 'What the HELL DUDE?!? Call X, Y and Z and you will know!!! It's India ve, especially the village, anybody and everybody living around your house and a few houses down from your house know where you, your immediate family and your distant relative are at and also know what each one of you does for a living and what you do as extracurricular activities!'....yes clearly I put a lot more thought and yelling into it than necessary, as my advice just didn't help *sigh*. Isn't it frustrating when people NEVER listen to you? 

In terms of acting, well Shahid Kapoor was brilliant, that guy just keeps moving from strength to strength with each of his films, I guess he's one of the most underrated actors in the Indian movie Industry, and I sincerely hope he has an absolutely bloody brilliant  mind blasting mega super-duper blockbuster. I felt bad for the guy, you can tell he's put a lotta effort into the movie, from playing the carefree young punk to the polished and smart Army man, and then some. You can see the transition in his body language, and his facial expressions and you wish for his sake that the movie had been a hit just for his efforts. Sonam Kapoor...now there's someone interesting. She's an a'ite actress for most part, I mean I don't find her mind numbings amazing or anything of the sort. Sometimes she ends up being a tad bit annoying on screen but that is to be expected, I think most actors go through that, but I think she needs to work a little more on her emoting abilities, especially during highly emotionally charged scenes. She either tends to overdo them or underdo them, I'm sure with time she'll figure it out. Her delivery in the emotional scenes was a mixed bag throughout this movie, in some scenes she actually pulled off quite a convincing performance but then of course those scenes were overshadowed by the under or over performance. I must admit that she does have a beautiful smile, and she's one helluva tall chick, but she definitely needs to work on the emotional aspects of her acting and needs to loosen up just a bit with her delivery of such scenes. Oh and she needs to stop giggling unnecessarily 'cuz that really does seem fake and put on lol. In terms of the lead pair chemistry, there was something poetic about it, it is one of those jodis/pairs that has immense potential, but if the narrative hadn't kept hitting so much turbulence I'm sure the director would've been able to fully tap into said chemistry and exploit that potential. However, that being said, I think other directors should try giving this lead pair a shot in the future, there definitely is something there that the audiences will be able to connect to and resonate with.

Oh yes another beautiful aspect of the film, besides a few of the locales and a few camera shots, is the music of the film. There are some absolutely beautiful songs in this movie...yeah no guesses for which one my fav song from the soundtrack is...that's right 'Rabba Main Toh Mar Gaya Oye' and to pep up my mornings quite a bit there's the other groovy shoovy number 'Sajh Dhaj Ke' which just has a remarkable effect on your neurons and your feet, they start tapping to a beat of their own. It's true, I have 2 left feet and they go off on their own tangents when this songs comes on....it's almost insane. I also loved the way that despite having controversial and violent religious upheavals, that unfortunately India has weathered, never is there any finger pointing nor is there a blame game that holds one faith more responsible than the other. When asked who were the ones responsible for the death or loss of a loved one, I found the response to be quite poignant. Aayat asks Harry who those people were who were responsible for all those who died, and his response to her question was, (mind you I'm translating the lines here,) 'Fearsome/scary shadows, who have no names nor faces.' These scenes have been handled with such maturity and finesse and have been painted into the backdrop to the central theme/plot, namely the epic love story, without spending more time than necessary on analyzing the hows, who's or whys to the situations. Topics like the communal riots India has faced and been subjected to, are very sensitive issues, and need to be treated with the utmost care, and all I want to say is hats off Mr. Pankaj Kapur, thank you for not making this movie a religious propaganda.

In conclusion, I wouldn't recommend Mausam as the first movie to go rent out on DVD, it's one of those movies you watch just to kill time or like the popular usage goes, it's just a timepass movie yaar. Of course you would have the advantage of fast forwarding things as well, which will make the proceedings move along just a tad bit faster. If anything watch it for that poor lad Shahid Kapoor, bechara, but only if you've exhausted all other movie and entertainment options, or if you're having a random insomnia episode. Well...that's it for now folks and I'll catchya on here soon, there are a few minor updates that I have to confound y'all with! Cheers, and I hope all is going sensationally and exceptionally well with each and every one of y'all.

Perception & Competition - The Looking Glass Reflections & Refractions

Perception....it's a tricky little thing to put your finger on ya know? It's either the skewed kind, or, the rose tinted kind or something caught somewhere in the middle of the two. It's an uncertainty that people in general love to puff their chests out and scream, rant and shriek with such confidence and clarity that really the beholder or listener wouldn't even know how far from the shadow of truth this illusion falls into. The last few days if not weeks, in particular, have been highly fascinating and have added quite a bit of growth to my ever expanding growth curve. You know how people say that wisdom is something you acquire with age, time (I guess it qualifies if not falls into the same bracket as age) and time? Well...NEWSFLASH....some people just never stand to gain any regardless of those 3 above mentioned factors, it's as if they're stuck in this moment of time that they might never graduate from.

From time immemorial we're always told about the ticking clock...that concept in life 'bout how we're running out of time...time to be the brightest academic genius in our akademik endeavours, or that coveted musical, artsy or sports prodigy that we're supposed to be, or to achieve and fulfill those dreams we've always had (despite having no clue what those ideas or dreams may be at times) or, to have the time of our lives, to fall in love and things of the sort. In not so many words, we're running out of time to revel in that thing called youth and we're plummeting towards this thing called old age...hold still people 'cuz blink and you may just miss your youth. Okay so tell me oh smart ones who believe in the rush rush, hush hush game, why exactly do you have your clocks ticking on all those things that you have your eyes and dreams set on? What happens if there's a sudden change in plans and you get totally blindsided and suddenly realize all that rush to reach the finish line was pointless? I doubt it's going to make you feel like you accomplished anything...in fact I think it's gonna make you bust out a list of things you have left to accomplish, instead of making a list of the things you know you've accomplished and taking comfort and solace from that list. It's human nature I guess, to never quite feel like you've accomplished whatever you've wanted to, 'cuz want is the one appetite we can never satiate.

In addition to leading such racy, pacy lives there is one crucial and critical cofactor, if I may say so, that one cannot ignore nor sideline. It's the one companion that never finds the exit door in our lives, it's the motivational factor and the ultimate destroyer in oh so many ways. Please put your hands together for life's unfailing constant....competition. It's quite intriguing actually, life might be the only equation in the Universe that has such a unique and diverse set of constants. I'm sure you're all aware of this thing called competition, in some of you it brings out the cattiest and bitchiest sides ever, where you'd be willing to sell your soul to the devil and go through irrevocable and irreversible decisions in life and earn colourful names and titles, but then again you're pretty sure you don't care. Try asking that part of your soul that actually still has a bit of a conscience wandering in there, I'm sure it begs to differ. I'm not saying the aggressive nature of being competitive is a bad thing, it sometimes is the catalyst that pushes us towards the brink of a revolutionary, life altering discovery. Let's just be straight up about it and say that no progress would occur without competition...but here's my issue with competition.

Competition is great and all, but you should know how to handle it...you see like I said before life is an equation, and a balanced one at that. All your actions have a cost and a consequence, so you might wanna think twice before you embark on your journey...try and get rid of those blinkers you'd prefer walking around with you know? And hey, this lil' note I'm adding here you REALLY should take into consideration 'cuz you'd be an absolute ignorant idiot to ignore it or even laugh it off. NEVER...never ever underestimate the person sitting next to you, never for a single second in your life believe that the person sitting next to you is an idiot or dumbass with nothing between their ears, regardless of points served up on an IQ test or grades scored on exams, and then some. To underestimate someone is to be a fool, it just means you have sooo much more to observe and so many more lessons to learn that the world has to offer.

I'm no stranger to competition, it's something that's been a part and parcel of my life from a very young age. But, I'll tell you what about this whole competition thing really pissed me off as a kid. See I get the whole thing about parents wanting and needing to be a part of their kids' lives, it's a very natural and human thing to do. I mean c'mon which parent wouldn't want to be part of the growing/wonder years of their kids' lives? I get all of that, but what I don't get is when parents start interfering in places and events where it is absolutely unnecessary. I think it's essential that kids figure out the whole ground rules for being competitive with each other as well as setting standards, ethics and principles for themselves. Parents need to teach their children right from wrong, and how to pick themselves up if and when they fall, because believe it or not sooner or later each and every one of us go through that crushing drop zone, and there never really is a better teacher than experience. And who best can tell you about epxerience besides the recesses of your memories? Well holy jalapenos Batman, there's your parents as well!

I don't think parents should ever get into other kids' faces and tell them that they don't have what it takes to be half as successful nor are they half as talented or skilled as their own. Think about it, you're an adult telling a child that they have no talents or skills and are pretty much stupid, how do you think a kid would feel when they hear something like that? It may seem a little hard to believe, but it's true...there are a few parents who have no stones in saying things of this nature to other people's kids, especially when the parents aren't around. Ya know growing up we all go through stages of uncertainty where we're not quite sure what we're good at and we're just getting to know more about ourselves and all of that fun stuff? Well guess what Sherlock...when you have adults confirming your lil' doubts about things you suck at, I'm not quite sure how that's supposed to make anyone feel any better about themselves. Let's not forget that we're talking about children...and, when they hear adults talking to them they think the grown up knows better than they do 'cuz lets face it we always say grown ups know more and know better than kids. Yeah this is definitely familiar turf for me, this was something I've had a few aunties be kind enough to tell me, how else do you think I got such a sparkling personality?

It's one thing when this happens in childhood, but it's completely different when it still happens when you're an adult. Okay firstly parents doing that is wrong, I've been lucky enough to have folks who don't care for stuff like that, they've always allowed us kids to expand and find our own depths and our own shortcomings, if not they've been kind enough to point 'em out and well you know have a series of jokes going on 'bout it for eternity. Recently, I heard someone's, (falling within the parental bracket might I add), input 'bout a really good friend of mine, and besides being gobsmacked and pissed, there was a part of me that just caused me to shake my head in frustration and disgust at how people have the audacity to say the things they do. How does someone older, and mind you with kids, and apparently mature, have the right to comment on anyone being a fool and a complete brainless idiot without even spending enough time to get to know of their strengths and shortcomings? I mean don't they realize that other people, well forget people...heck their own so called best friends, call and consider their kids to be brainless idiots or worse yet? It's appalling how people never think before they speak, and how their foot finds the way to their mouths faster than their words do.

Perception....it's an art and a skill that one should hone, not waste so foolishly on useless things. It's our gift if not privilege of viewing the world a certain way and working towards that vision. Use it to be a visionary, use it to make a difference in someone's life instead of being a thorn in people's lives, people have too many of those, especially in the kind of world we live in these days. Remember, life is an equation, everything in that equation is meant to be balanced. Variables and constants don't get added to make it look fancy, shmancy and better than anything Newton, Planck, Farraday or Einstein came up with really, they're just the factors we contribute to our own equation and it's the weight of our actions that ultimately end up balancing that equation. Live to make your life count 'cuz end of the day there's nothing like knowing you did what you could to the best of your abilities, and take pride in the little victories as well as the losses.

Euro-trip memoirs - Auschwitz 1...Of silent screams and shattered dreams

This is one post that I've put off for a while, not out of procrastination or sheer laziness (which let's admit it I am guilty of like every other human being)...but the sheer weight of this subject is one that I think anybody would think twice about before writing. There are many things in life that have you re-thinking, evaluating and defining your reasoning & approach towards both the simple and complex things in life. This entire subject was triggered while I was being my shallow self and wanting to write a post on Frivolity v/s Substance - A New Age mantra, but, the mind is a mysterious thing. It likes to wander, and when you give it the full liberty of doing so, the things it thinks of just renders one speechless at times...at least mine does depending on which plane of thought it lands up in.

I'm sure I must have mentioned this in posts past, that there was a mini Euro-trip I was going on with my folks marking the official start to my summer break and all those fun things. While I'm starting to think that such a trip was a complete figment of my imagination at this point in time, I actually have pictures that prove otherwise and are evidence that such a trip happened. There might be thoughts or even queries 'bout the adventures on said Euro trip. Well, there were plenty of adventures, in fact it was adventures galore, and well I got some of the best pix of the folks ever!!! So whenever I hit those blues, I just go through those pix, and a couple vids I took on my trusty iPod gadget. Thank you Mr. Steve Jobs for that wonderful creation, here's to more innovators, geniuses and creators who are not afraid to lead and denounce the automated and sedentary life of being a follower.

Moving on from that sidetrack, this post is about one of the most powerful, life changing experiences I was fortunate enough to experience, visit and feel the full effect of. There are few things in life that we wish we could experience and be part of, and then there are those moments that give us sheer goosebumps at the mere thought of imagining it. I'm not a major history buff, compared to Broda...now, that boy has a passion for history that I think he inherited from the folks, my knowledge and recalling abilities as far as history is concerned is...well...not the greatest. But this piece of history I'm sure each and everyone of you is aware of, because, it definitely is one of the most publicized, recognized and horrific travesties that human kind has ever committed in the history of mankind. Not that brutality and bloodshed is anything new to our kind, it's some sort of legacy that we idiots have taken upon ourselves to transfer down through to every generation and spread and proliferate. These are the things that make me question the theory of evolution, how is it that the thirst and wont for violence and bloodshed has played such a rampant and dominant part through the ages? Have we really learned nothing from it all? With the ages, we've only learned to kill each other off in more efficient ways, we've learned and advanced ourselves in the art of delivering unwanted terror and death faster than we have made any medical progress or scientific progress for that matter.

I'd like to share this particular experience with whoever chooses to read this, because, I think it is quintessential that we all have this moment where we stop, question, and ponder what exactly it is we're doing here, what our purpose is and whether we're headed in the right direction or not. No these aren't rhetorical nor philosophical questions, not after this particular experience. These are questions that we should be asking not just ourselves, but our leaders as well, these are questions that will linger, and should linger and be posed to our future generations as well. While this part of the trip was really one of the last things we did before we headed back to HQ where it all began, I don't think I have enough words to express the exact sentiments that coursed through me during that visit. The last city on our travel itinerary, as well as the first, was the city of Krakow in Poland. One of the things that one just has to do while in Krakow is to visit the concentration camp at Auschwitz...yes the very same one that you learned in those History classes some of you dozed off in, or tuned out in. It's a place that's neither for the faintest of hearts nor the strongest of hearts...it's a place that unifies every heartbeat, every thought and every sentiment of whoever chooses to walk through the gates of one of mankind's own creation of Hell.

It all started on a very early and bright Saturday morning. The three of us got ready and we didn't really need alarm clocks, I think internally we were all raring to go because this was the one thing that all of us were really looking forward to. We rushed, scarfed down breakfast and started our road trip to Auschwitz. We did have our reservations with our GPS, the chick (well the voice on the GPS that gives us our directions) would get us sorta kinda close to the place and then have us going in circles while trying to get to our actual destination. Oh Praha was a perfect example of the GPS driving us absolutely nuts. I think my dad has the story and scars to prove it lol, poor papa bear. The day started off nice and sunny, which had us groaning 'cuz of the cruel and merciless heat beatings that the Sun dished out in Praha. Thankfully this time around, the GPS chick didn't have us land up in Ukraine or anything of the sort, we got to our destination and then there were wonderful signs telling us how to get to our destination. Our excitement and a certain sense of anxiety and anticipation, crept in as we got closer to our destination...only we were completely unprepared for what was coming our way, and to be honest, I don't think anyone can ever be prepared.

The group tours started later in the day, but we chose to do the solo tours. As we stepped out of the entrance building, the main reception area and all of the administrative areas...and stepped out into the external area surrounding the camp a certain sense of trepidation started permeating my pores. My senses were growing more aware of the surroundings and my fight and flight sensations seemed to be kicking into high gear as though it was anticipating and sensing some imminent yet unseen threat. The feelings became harder to shrug off as we got closer and closer to the entrance to the concentration camp. The moment we crossed that threshold and entered the concentration camp, it felt as though I was teleported into a different time, a different plane of existence. The hairs on the back of my neck shot up, as did the goosebumps....it was an overwhelming feeling that, to this date, I have not been able to metaphorize nor compare to, and I sincerely hope that day never comes where I actually have something to relate those feelings to. A certain chill crept into my bones, I turned around to see if I had been teleported elsewhere or if it was my mind playing tricks on me...nope there was no teleportation, the world I had left behind at the threshold of Auschwitz was still there; those tourists taking snaps of the motto (that sealed the fate of it's residents) "Arbeit Macht Frei" which roughly translates to (Work makes one free) were still there. It was as if my senses had stretched out up till the entrance and came rushing back to me like waves possessed by the currents, with a force and power that could knock you off your feet. It was overwhelming, to say the least... As I turned around to proceed walking down the path ahead, I looked both ways at the path intersecting the one I was on, to see just how far the path stretched both ways at the entrance. You see after crossing the gate there's a path that goes horizontally, it expands the entire length of the compound, and looking both ways all I could hear was the deafening screams and bloodcurdling roars of silence. It was as if every stone, brick, cement block, leaf, blade of grass, barbed wire, glass and tree was sharing and shedding the tears of those at the receiving end of the horrors and atrocities carried within their gates...their eternal curse, their eternal memory. Right then, in that very moment, you realize that no amount of reading, analytical abilities, rationality or logic can prepare you for what you are about to see.

Now, visitors visiting Auschwitz had access to a few of the blocks located within the camp. The Polish Government has converted these blocks into a museum of sorts, that, houses remnants and possessions of the many inmates/prisoners. This way it not only serves as grim reminders of history, but also so that we will NEVER forget exactly what we are capable of. Reading about the atrocities Hitler, the psychopath (such a bloody understatement), committed is one thing, but to actually walk through those corridors, passageways and hallways truly is something else. What's even more appalling, besides Hitler's twisted notions and theories, is the willingness and conviction with which people followed him and carried out his orders. Sure you can tell me the soldiers within these camps were threatened if they didn't follow orders or would have had their families and themselves executed and what not, but, if you know what you're doing defies common human decency are you telling me you would not do everything in your power to end it? But that is not even a topic up for discussion in this post.

Most of these blocks contained either huge display cases or rooms with maps and documents and presentations about prisoners, the SS guards and survivors of these camps. One of the first display cases was almost filled to the brim with this dark coloured material/substance that looked like unprocessed cotton. Now these display cases were freaking huge and spanned a huge length, they're almost the size and volume of my living room. Now, this material pretty much lined up almost halfway if not a lot more than the halfway mark of the display case, and as we kept walking towards the end, where the display card next to it said that the material was human hair. Hair shaved off of the heads of women prisoners of the camp....this hair was then sent to factories where it was processed and then used to make fabrics (I believe drapes) and other things...and how this fabric was coveted amongst citizens and was actually worth a lot in monetary value. At that point in time, I think I was thinking how breakfast was such a bad idea....just seeing and reading that had invoked such a repulsive reaction from me...I wasn't sure if I was going to last the rest of the trip. With each display case and block that we covered a deeper feeling of disgust and an unfathomable and unshakeable feeling of sorrow and loss gnawed it's way deeper and deeper into my soul. One of the other display cases that shook me to the core of my being, was one that was filled with piles and piles of shoes almost the whole way. The sign next to this display case said that these shoes belonged to all the women and children that were brought to the concentration camps. Usually when people were brought to the concentration camps they were divided into primarily two groups...those capable of doing work and those who were incapable of doing work and were considered useless. That usually constituted 3/4th of the group of people brought to the camp, and the section of the population that fell under this 3/4th category were children, women with children, the old and destitute, and those who were ill. These people upon being brought to Auschwitz, were told to shower and decontaminate themselves...sometimes the facilities were on the train and at other times the infamous gas chambers. The gas chambers were made to seem like actual bathrooms where the SS had placed fake shower heads...and so the prisoners would undress and go to take their showers, which was when the gas chambers would dispense their toxic substances and seal the fates of these unknowing souls. Once the gassing procedure was complete, these SS soldiers would go collect anything of value that might be on the person, such as gold teeth/fillings and things of the sort. None the less, seeing those mountains of shoes that belonged to all those women and children was something beyond heartbreaking. Each display case was just more heartbreaking and soul stirring than the previous one...there was one that housed luggage and prostheses that  belonged to the prisoners, yet another housed the dishes used by the inmates and this particular display case was the size of a basketball court and also the volume of one...yet another one was filled with toothbrushes, shoe brushes, razors/blades, and glasses worn by inmates. Other blocks were replicas of the living conditions the prisoners were subjected to and some rooms had pictures and descriptions ranging from portrait paintings to caricatures, to letters written by inmates and sent to allies. These rooms contained the stories of some of the bravest people the world has ever known, who fought until their drying breath to free others and themselves, even if that freedom cost them their lives.

One of the most striking sites, within the camp that has been maintained, is the firing wall. There's a wooden barricade either side of the entrance and there are windows from the blocks overlooking the firing range. The moment you enter that area, there's a jolt of stillness that grips you hard and envelopes you and shuts down the screaming silence. As you stare at that wall, where countless innocents met their end all because some sick sycophant thought it to be a worthy agenda, I kid you not when I say that I could almost hear the echoes of the shots ringing out. It's as if nothing else has penetrated those walls and that entrance since it was first set up. We also got to take a look at the cells where the prisoners were herded if not throw in...there were certain cells that had absolutely no light, some, that were tiny enough so that people could only crawl, and, some where there was only a limited air supply....and then, there were the standing prison cells. These are cells where if one were to stand their heads would hit the ceiling of the cell. People had a little bit of a pit area dug up so that they could stand in them but the pits were neither too deep nor did they have enough of a circumference to allow people to sit, so regardless of what people tried to do they wouldn't be able to sit, and one can only imagine what it would've been like for someone who would've been extremely tall. Add to the fact that each of these standing cells didn't house 1 person but sometimes 4 people to just one of those cells.

With each block we passed, there was this clawing urge to get out and get back to a reality away from this reality, away from the screams, the cries for help, for mercy....Finally unable to see any more, we headed back towards the entrance to Auschwitz...there were a few blocks that we did not visit which were the dispensary blocks that were set up by country/region. The decision to skip the dispensaries/hospital/medical facilities located at Auschwitz 1 was primarily influenced by whatever we had read in the previous block that mentioned Josef Mengele. With all that we had seen, heard and read (as a result of history books, documentaries and later the displays at Auschwitz 1), we were definitely not ready to see any sort of medical evidence or proof of all the sick experiments Mengele deemed fit and a necessity to better understand the human race. I don't think seeing any visual evidence of Mengele's experiments with identical twins, or for that matter, seeing evidence or reports of the medical experiments conducted by any of those unworthy blots in the history of mankind and medicine would have been something we could have handled.

Initially we had planned on going to Auschwitz-Birkineau as well, but by the time we got out of Auschwitz 1 we didn't have it in us to go to Auschwitz-Birkineau. How would the atrocities committed in one place be any different from those carried out at another concentration camp? Walking away from Auschwitz, there were absolutely no words that either of us had, it was a quiet drive the whole way back to the hotel. While we were at Auschwitz 1 the weather had drastically changed as well, compared to how the morning had started out. It had turned cloudy, there was a certain pallor of gloom visible in the skies and the clouds, and while we were at the camp, there was a moment when there was a bit of a light drizzle, that lasted for a few seconds or probably a minute or 3...even the heavens couldn't bear the sight of such a memoir of mankind's darkest hours. No amount of tears from the heavens could possibly cleanse or wash away one of history's starkest and darkest moments.

Just when you think you understand or maybe grasp the extent of what mankind is possibly capable of, you see something that redefines that feeling and that makes you feel so small and insignificant....it reinforces that feeling of just how little it is we know, understand or value our lives or the human experience. I for one know that the entire experience has been burned into the deepest recesses of my memory and is something I will remember and value until the day I die. I strongly recommend that if you do get a chance to visit Auschwitz that you take that chance...if anything, but to experience and see just how low we as human beings can get. Reading about slavery, violence and camps are, as I mentioned earlier in this post, one thing, but seeing and experiencing it first hand is something else by itself. Auschwitz can be seen as the ultimate epitome of human depravity, insanity, cruelty, hatred and evil....but it is also a symbol of bravery, determination, hope, fight, courage and survival. Let us not forget those who died staving off & saving the rest of us from the hands of those hellbent on snuffing the very life out of us. To forget them, their trials and tribulations, and most importantly their pain and suffering isn't just an insult to their memory but it's also an insult to our very natures. They gave up pretty much everything in their lives in the name of humanity, so lets not sully their memories. An experience like this makes you re-think all the things in life you spent bitching and whining about, and it really makes it all seem small and futile and worthless. As if on autopilot, your mind starts sorting events and people out based on how much they help you or hinder you, and things suddenly seem clearer than before.

Don't waste your time with regrets, don't fill your world with hatred, anger and words and actions you know you can never take back...there isn't enough time to waste on such things. We as human beings should learn from the gravest and worst mistakes of our past in order to secure a solid foundation of harmony and coexistence for the future. Why are we so hell bent on the trivial things in life? Why are we so hell bent on bringing each other down, instead of standing shoulder to shoulder? Why is there such an insistence for discord based on differences like race, colour and nowadays that biggie called religion? We're all the same for crying out loud, we all have DNA within us, basic molecules made outta the same damn components/units needed to make DNA, we all believe and wish for the same things...so instead of wasting time trying to separate and segregate you'd think we'd take the time to find out common interests and build something together. Have you ever noticed the following? In a conversation, it's easier for someone to pick out the differences and things they dislike faster than it is for them to find commonalities and similarities. Sounds kinda ridiculous doesn't it? Let's hope the future is one where every other front page headline isn't about bombings (be them suicide or IED's) or military coups....it really is depressing when you only read about the ways in which we're eradicating each other off of the face of the earth. Let the future generations say that we actually paid attention to the past and made the future count.

Beating the Odds

'It's all about beating the odds, right?' famous words uttered by Detective Kate Beckett on Monday's episode of Castle. Of course there were more words to it than just those, I just don't want to give away anything with the stuff she said before those words. They just kinda stood out, in their own nice, stark, crisp, mulling way. The moment those words were uttered, my mind was flooded with a bunch of images, snapshots of times past...probably it was a subconscious mental sweep to reassure myself that we (as in the collective me) are not strangers to the odds per-se and that we have always been able to fight the odds, maybe not beat them all the time, but it's the essence of that fighting spirit that keeps us going...(in this case I guess the us and the we refer to not just the collective me but the rest of us collectively)

I guess it's important we all have our quotes, our magic motivational potions and our lucky dice, besides probably something stronger than an espresso and more potent than an Irish coffee. Beating the odds is definitely a lot more tiring and draining than we expect or anticipate it to be. I'd like to say I've mastered the art of beating the odds, but, that would be a lie. I'm no gambler, in fact I'm pretty hopeless at it, but I've gotten better at riding the wave that goes with beating the odds. Some days it's a crushing, brutal force that knocks the wind outta you and sucks the life outta you. It does more than make you give up you know? It eats it's way through you from the inside out and at times it just obliterates you and makes you question your very existence.

It isn't just love that's all about beating odds, it's a concept that is weaved in with the whole fabric of life, whether it's the hem or it's the actual shroud of life that's woven, it plays a role. Brings to mind a quote from the Hunger Game series, 'May the odds forever be in your favour'. There's just such power, weight and responsibility that lies behind those words, no not just the quote from HG, it's easier said than analyzed, understood and interpreted. However, like all things that possess great power, they all come with great responsibility (Oh yeah Spiderman would be proud :P), it would be absolutely stupid and ignorant to believe that all odds can be evened out. It would be wiser to assume that all odds exist to strengthen our choices as well as chances with every randomly occurring moment of probability. Be forewarned, probability wasn't really one of my favourite subjects to tackle or handle in school.

There is a certain addictive nature attributed to probability....well perhaps it's a gambling thing. I wonder if gamblers view their lives as a probability problem where they can approximate with a certain degree of accuracy, probably to the 2nd decimal point, the outcomes of the decisions they make. I wonder if they're the kind of people who can plan their moments 40 steps ahead of a non gambler...imagine, if such a thing existed and if it was scientifically proven that gamblers made for efficient decision makers and planners, then I'm pretty sure every kid would get an all access pass to be the best at poker and blackjack by the age of 6. Scary thought 'en it? I think my folks would be stunned if kids who came up to my knees were all *psht, you don't know how to play poker? What's wrong with you?* Or actually knowing them, they'd agree with the kids and I'd be the proverbial 'sore thumb', you gotta love family...they know when to jump the ship to nominate you as the entertainer/regular stand up comedian...even if it's the sleep inducing kind. Now c'mon you know you wanna have the power to induce sleep...I mean imagine knocking people out without physically clocking 'em, but with the power of words...it's almost like uttering a chant or incantation loaded with the power of nature and majick :D.

Yes I'm in Harry Potter withdrawal mode, oh well what the heck can I do about it, except go into a crazy "I shall read all 7 books within the next 2 days mode?" Ooh speaking of books, I'm close to being done with this highly fascinating book, a review will be up as soon as I'm done reading. Anyhow, this post has nothing to do with reviews, it's all about beating the odds.

We all definitely hate those times when the odds don't favour us, thing about those times is they aren't just a one time event, but there's a bunch of them that occur simultaneously and make us feel like we're ready to be sucked into the depths of our own blackholes, never to resurface, never to reappear. Those odds of ours, break us down quite a fair bit, I wouldn't go as far as to say that they mock us, they sting us, especially our souls and our egos, 'cuz you all know we have that crazy egotistical thing going on within us, like freaking bee stings and our reactions vary from anaphylactic shocks to the slightest shadow of hurt, pain and disappointment. None the less, it's not reason enough for us to shrug our shoulders and say no...possibility is the parental figure for the basis/existence/establishment of all hypotheses, as well as the key ingredient in the composition of the delectable nectar of knowledge, and the stepping stone a visionary needs to fulfill and make their visions a reality.

Do yourselves a favour, besides making lemonades galore and downing tequila shots with the lemons life hands you, go with the odds, 'cuz one way or another they're only preparing you to realize your full potential and unleash all that you've got. Remember they may make you think you're weak, but there's nothing more powerful nor stoic than facing your most crushing moments head on, nor looking your failures in the eye and overcoming them. Not a lotta people are lucky enough to do so, so don't you dare hesitate nor feel embarassed while relating or reliving your failures and fears, because nobody is perfect and everybody has a story to tell.And don't you dare gloat and boast nor let your victories get to your head, 'cuz pride always comes with a downfall. For all you know your story and your experiences may give some people the solace, advice, support and strength they never realized they needed, and there's nothing more gratifying nor satisfying than knowing you managed to change someone's life.

Well that's my random schpiel 'bout odds and probabilities, I just had to throw in my 2cents about it. Don't worry nothing cataclysmic nor catastrophic has occurred...take care people and I hope you have a great week ahead!

Reviews and Reviewers - The 43 Minute edition

*Commencing Transmission*

Hello all,

Welcome to another fine tuned webisode of my verbal onslaught. I would call it Verbalis Mentalis but who knos what the hell that means and who knows when someone is actually going to use that term to start diagnosing people with some life threatening shit? Fun thing about Latin and Medicine, well the Health Industry I guess...if you know a little of both, then you can probably have fun driving up combinations that have people fearing for their lives. Besides, the world capitalizes on fear now, doesn't it? Be it a Capitalist mindset or a Socialist one, fear drives people and causes establishments to thrive. Don't worry, I'm not going to start an aandolan (strike/resistance/movement) against fear, I'm not quite sure if that is possible. None the less, fear is not the main topic of this particular post...clearly can you see fear anywhere in the subject line? Yeah didn't think so.

So what I have for you today is the simple yet dismissive art of reviewing, and on that menu for reviews, there's a few TV shows and movies lined up to get evaluated. Well the movies might find themselves headed for another post, so you can heave a sigh of relief. No don't worry I make no profits outta doing this, and if I did do you actually think I'd let you know? Well....that depends on the profit margin and also on the presents I get myself :D.

So as you all know, fall TV is the time we have new series being launched, old series being renewed and we all wait with bated breath to see what happens next after that 'cliff hanger' moment we had on the season finale of the show back in April/May. Well hello, we've had a busy week, well it's been a busy one for me 'cuz a lot of my fav. shows came back...and some of 'em came back with a BANG! And the others...well they left a bit to the imagination, a bit to the 'hmmmm' part of your curiosity 'cuz you kinda sense a major plot storm brewing or you just get all hyped up, and there's a few patches of disappointment where you feel that a particular situation could've been handled better. But overall it wasn't such a bad week in tele land.

Let's see first up is the season premiere of the most anticipated show (for me), namely 'Castle'. That season finale was one helluva season finale earlier this year. To match pace and tempo with that season finale definitely would have been challenging, because you want to find new ways and means of keeping the audience guessing and reeled in and wondering what happens next. The lighting, cinematography and effects just set the mood and pace for the entire episode, it was terrific. It will definitely be interesting to see how twisted and wound up this season is going to get...the character graphs tend to get a lil' jumpy and hit spots you didn't see coming. Then of course there's the whole Caskett (Castle and Beckett for the newly inducted Castle members) thing that I think a lotta fans are talking about, but in all honesty, I don't really care 'bout the relationship just yet as I do the plot and the writing. The one thing 'bout the writing on Castle that I've truly enjoyed is how snappy, sharp and of course witty, the dialogue tends to get between characters and the character dynamics are also just bloody brilliant. The other cool thing about Castle is how the show is actually expanding on the whole main character and actually gets the books that Castle supposedly writes published in real time. Heck Marvel is even doing a graphic novel for Derrick Storm, one of Castle's major 'cash cows' in terms of character, and a very popular and loved character in the whole murder, mystery, spy thriller genre of things. I'm definitely curious to know just how this season goes.

Next in line we have one of the other shows that I've been absolutely looking forward to since it's finale and since all this casting news that's happened between the end of Season 6 and the Season 7 premiere. That's right people, the brilliance called 'Criminal Minds' was back in full force and action on Wednesday and HOLY SHIT was it AMAZING!!!! It's so bloody brilliant to see everyone back, Season 6 definitely had it's moment, the best story arc being the one involving Prentiss and that whole Lauren arc with Ian Doyle. It was such a well shot and well executed story arc for one of my fav characters on the show, Agent Emily Prentiss! A few of my other fav episodes being JJ and Coda. The action packed, adrenaline pumping season premiere was OUT OF THIS WORLD!!! And I think this is going to be one amazing season of CM! Season 6 saw quite a bit of a falter, and I thought it had quite a few shaky moments, especially towards the end, but hey the rest of the team held it together even with the addition of Rachel Nichols, who yeah the fans absolutely despised 'cuz they figured she was a replacement for our beloved JJ. I must add thought that it is very unfortunate as to how popular a person is due to their character on screen, and we all tend to have that lapse where we forget to differentiate between the character and the actual actor. None the less, thank you Rachel for all your efforts on CM while you were there, however, it would be pretty freaking cool to see you return for a few episodes or a story arc. But other than, oh man did the fans of the show have SO MUCH to rejoice and celebrate 'bout on the season premiere and yeah as an aside, Hotch looked pretty freaking cool with that scruff going on haha. Here's to an amazing season up ahead!

Then we have 'The Mentalist' to follow up on Thursday. Well, the Season finale of 'The Mentalist' was pretty freaking awesome...it was quick, action packed and pretty much outta nowhere. Well I thought the Season premiere was pretty standard. Pretty much Jane and his charm, tricks and his personal story and his personal vendetta to find 'Red John'...sometimes the story line irritates me 'cuz it goes winding around and around and around without touching on anything substantial. I'm not sure if it's something I'd tune into every week, or just wait till the season is done before I do a marathon. Well that's what I did last season, it's not on the top of my must watch list, but hey keeps the mind amused if I'm bored outta my mind with my hectic schedule haha. I guess we'll see how the season goes. However, the one cool thing 'bout the show has to be the episode names, I love how they incorporate 'Red' into pretty much every single episode title, absolutely brilliant work at that.

I decided I'd give 2 new shows that premiered this past week a shot to see how gripping/interesting they would be. The promos looked fairly interesting over the summer. First one up is, 'Unforgettable' with one of the actresses from one of my fav shows, 'Without a Trace', as the main lead. It was refreshing to see Poppy Montgomerey grace the screen yet again, however, I dunno man I thought the premiere of 'Unforgettable' was pretty forgettable...however, that being said I'm not giving up on the show just yet. It's like a mix of 'The Listener' and 'Without a Trace' in terms of the way the show's been edited and put together. Maybe in time it'll turn out to be cooler and I might actually eat my words from this post. Remind me 'bout this post if you happen to find me screaming 'OMG OMG Did you watch that episode!!!??? It was freaking AMAZEBALLS!!!'...well you won't hear me screaming but I guess you can anticipate it with the enunciation in the key strokes and all.

The second new show to premiere this past week was 'Prime Suspect'. Yes it's a cop drama, yes I enjoy cop dramas, they're pretty freaking cool. It was a pretty cool season premiere, to a certain extent it reminded me of 'The Closer' only unlike Kyra Sedgwick's character (Brenda Johnson), the main character on the show definitely doesn't seem like the kinda person who would put someone down/retort and retaliate verbally with the kind of finesse and dare I say Southern hospitality Brenda Johnson does it with. I'm definitely looking forward to the next episode, oh and I definitely dig the main character's, portrayed by Maria Bello, fashion choices haha. So far, I enjoy Maria Bello's portrayal of Jane Timoney. The opening scene had to be one of the best scenes to this pilot episode, the main character trying to kick the cancer stick habit and trying to get a better handle on her health. The way the entire episode went about I think there's a lot more character development that the viewers can look forward to. Right from the get go the creators have made it a point to showcase the layers to Jane Timoney, from the tough and thick skinned cop who is the only source of estrogen in a testosterone filled Homicide Detective division, to the dedicated and efficient cop who puts people in their place and takes no BS in terms of following protocol and getting the work done, to being the street smart NYC chica who doesn't give up getting leads to a case, to the vulnerable woman who shows her colleagues she doesn't get affected by what they say but cracks in the confines of her own personal space...it's refreshingly done.

I have yet to check out 'Ringer' but once I do then my valuable opinions shall make their way here. Shows I'm definitely looking forward to in October include Homeland, Grimm and Once Upon a Time. I cannot wait to see Damian Lewis back on screen, it's such a shame NBC cancelled 'Life', it was such a good show, something I'm sure a lot of Life and NBC fans will never forgive NBC for doing. Well that's it for now folks, have yourselves an awesome weekend, or at least what's left of it. And...watch this space for more stuff. May the power of thought, imagination and progress forever be yours to acquire, gain and possess, for they are the most important ingredients to make this life of yours count. Well on that cheery and dreary note, cheers, adios and all that good stuff.

*Transmission ended*

Hiatus

Gotta love that word, hell it makes me feel like those prime-time fall shows that go off the air over the summer and come back with a BANG some time around now in the fall. Well here I am, and ready to go through a verbal free fall. So let me start off by saying, how kind of you to tag along and join the ride. I have no spoilers for the season ahead, oh wait, *doh* this ain't a TV show now is it? What do we have on the menu? Nothing in particular, the usual fare, randomness served up with even more randomness and just the general joy and angst of being back to the writing board.

Man did the summer fly by, I mean one moment it's all *bloody hell I hope it's summer soon*, next moment *Boom! Bang! Kabang! Alakazam! Hello summer here we are*, and then *Bam!* the next moment it's all done and it all happened in the blink of an eye, and you honestly do stop, ponder and wonder if all that time really did pass you by. Well I keep bringing back summer like something major happened over the summer, but no, nothing major happened, I mean we had a few major comic book and other novel adaptations on that huge ass silver screen come out this summer, some bigger than others, but of course one thing has to be said about them...The movies never quite live up to the books and I'm not sure how many ever will, but it's still an attempt that should be lauded, and despite saying that, I know, I'll be one of those people lining up to see how they adapted my favourite book on the big screen. Curiosity will always be the biggest draw for such genres of cinema, yes it is a genre 'cuz nowadays it has carved out it's own niche, it has it's own set of viewers who will definitely show up to show their support for said project. However that being said, the screenplays aren't exactly original now are they? They're adapted from the original creator's body of work and given a life of their own. That being said, my summer was a time to recharge the batteries, to re-align and re-design priorities, and to refresh and revel those bonds that matter. Oh yeah I'd love to say that it was also the time I took to rescind those bonds that are just a pure waste of my time and energy, but I didn't exactly get around to doing that. I mean who the hell thinks of stuff like that when they have more important things to take care of? Garbage always finds a way to dispose of itself..

I literally spent my time in my Fortress of Solitude brooding creating, destroying, contemplating and regrouping myself. There's always going to be a point in everybody's lives where the hustle bustle of life literally pops you all out and you just need a lot of time to pick yourself up and do what you think is best for yourself. I'm not sure if it makes sense but picture it this way, you are physically free but your mind is caged in, absolutely trapped and weighed down by the sheer volume of thoughts, actions and plans of action that you keep creating and discarding. People are at peace when they're mentally freed, freedom isn't just about the physical source of being free, where you aren't tied down, or cuffed to a radiator or sum'n, freedom is when given the time of day you don't feel like the wind is being knocked outta you by the right hook your brain assaulted you with. It's not having that feeling of being Atlas or inverse Atlas where the weight of the world resides on your chest and not on your back. The human mind is an amazing tool all by itself, you don't need scientific research to prove that, you just need a few On days and Off days to do so. There isn't a more liberating feeling in the world than to think through everything and find your solution instead of hitting up dead ends and bigger obstacles that you have to find more ways to overcome. 

Of course don't ask me what happened, 'cuz I myself didn't see the final result of all that summer fresh brain harvesting. But here I am giving a discourse on freedom and brains and fortresses and things of the sort. There were a few but fabulous events from the summer that I absolutely loved being part of and just feel really special and blessed when I think back to them, and then there were some not so pleasant events. But I guess if you look at it from an astrally projected 3rd person point of view you can't have the good without the bad, but, I must say thank you to my wonderful family/el familio/family outside of immediate family that beats immediate family at being family :D, for being so awesome and supportive. You guys know how to make things right if not better and you make every moment count. Thanks for keeping me in check and keeping that big picture in perspective, we are so totally gonna take over if not dominate the world. Look out world, we're on our way, coming soon to every billboard near you...well if you're not the billboard kinda person then every monitor/screen/device near you. Oh yeah we're that damn good.

Alright so here's the deal, I'm making quick random spurts of acknowledgement to things that I think you all should keep your senses peeled for, 'cuz I think it may blow your mind away.

Firstly, mad props to my boy Shah and his co-creator Gui for bringing their beautiful web comic creation, titled 'Qwixotic', out there for us heathens to revel in and enjoy. I believe it is coming out soon, so watch your spaces for updates 'cuz that's something you will get from me. The artwork is simply bloody brilliant. Congratulations with your Fan-Expo stint, I can only wish you guys all the very best and much success in the upcoming Comic Cons and conventions, You guys deserve nothing but the best for all your hardwork and dedication! In case you have no idea what the hell I'm talking about I strongly encourage and recommend visiting the link following up in the next few lines. So do yourselves a favor and check out,

http://qwixotic.wordpress.com/

Next on the list is the Hunger Games series. It's quite an intense read and not your regular fare sorta tale. It's a fantastical concept and very original and imaginative. I believe the movies are coming out soon, none the less if you can read the books I'd say go ahead and read 'em. They're not your standard fare, well nowadays standard fare would be vampire, werewolves and supernatural tales wouldn't it? But they aren't any of those, to put it simply try imagining it this way...well this is the way the author imagined it, so, try imagining and blending  war and reality TV. In essence that's the base if not core foundation, of course you do have so much more to it than just that...but it's the starting point. You  may find the beginning boring, but, it gets quite a grip on your attention a few chapters in.

Next on this list is the movie 'Sucker Punch'...holy hell did that movie pack in quite a punch. Such brilliant bloody cinematography and a brilliant script to go with it too. Such beautiful work, really there's a lotta scenes in the movies where the actors didn't have to mouth lines to convey a message, their expressions, gestures and the cameras did a fantastic job of telling the story. It was a brilliant movie that just rocked me to very core, bloody fantastic movie. If you're the faint of heart who cannot bear topics of violence and abuse and the darker and grittier aspects of humanity that isn't delved into too much, or might be overly done in terms of treatment and all of that fun stuff, or the kind who can't stomach the conceptual aspects of Law & Order SVU or Criminal Minds (well it isn't as gruesome) then you might want to think twice about it. Otherwise, take a watch, it's a pretty brilliant flick.

Check out the following shows, if you haven't done so already, they're worth the tele time

-Leverage
-Rizzoli & Isles
-Body of Proof
-Alphas (interesting show/concept, it's Heroes with a more scientific approach and reasoning to things)

New shows I definitely wanna check out that might cause me to rant and rave 'bout it include the following, and you'll hear from me if sucks or totally rocks my socks.

-Ringer (C'mon who can say no to SMG big return to prime-time tele? I know I can't say no to Buffy I mean SMG :P)
-Grimm
-Once Upon a Time

Alright folks, so that's a wrap, I just wanted to make my big bang return to my verbal outflow centre. I hope things are going well with all of ya'll and until next time take care and have yourselves a bloody brilliant time.

Theology + Fiction = Theoction + Ficeology...a potent concoction?

Special Potions available and brewed only at Hogwarts School of Theology...

'Huh?!' is that your first reaction? Don't worry, you aren't the only one scratching your head there and trying to figure out what one has to do with the other…I did too, when I first wrote the subject line for this post. Alright so now that we have established the fact that theology has nothing to do with the wizarding world of Harry Potter, can someone please explain what the hell the point is of even putting the two topics together? It's not as if Harry woke up one fine day in the middle of the school year and decided to become Catholic or Protestant or Hari the Hindu or Haroun the Muslim or Harmanveer the Sikh...and so on and so forth with all the other faiths out there…so then, what could one possibly consider to be scandalous or controversial from a theological point of view?

Bleeding torch burning, flailing, wielding morons with no sense of appreciation for something so rich, diverse and all encompassing in it's own way. You must have fallen off of, if not, created off of the shitty side of the G-man's disposition. Forget me saying the Dark side of the moon, at least more civilized things came out of there, namely the residents of Cybertron. Anyway, there is nothing more annoying than dragging something, which might I emphasize, has nothing to do with a whole buncha things, through unnecessary mud. And what's worse? When you actually have more dimwits, who actually jump on this bandwagon like a bunch of sniveling, grunting cavemen/cavewomen.

Religion, at least from what I can understand and what I’ve learned, seeks it’s place in reality so as to try and show people that it all makes sense and that everything is connected. Fiction, on the other hand, seeks to liberate people from the confines of rules and regulations and all other things that we’re bound by and sometimes pulled down by. It’s the key to letting our imaginations grow and to appreciate all that we would not have thought of had someone not conjured something so simple yet profound with their magical use of words. So what's got my neurons in a knot? Well how about the unnecessary need for people to drag religion and fiction all together into one dicey, spicy, unnecessary mess? See, my Newsfeed keeps getting inundated with excerpts from scripture, the Quran/Qur’an to be more precise...and you know what, that's cool an all ya know if it helps give meaning and a reflective perspective to Ramadan to those of you seeking it...but honestly, don't be a git and say ridiculous things like, 'Oh you know something is messed up with the world when people spend money and make movies like Harry Potter a blockbuster while there are people in Somalia dying without food or water.' I'm sorry pal but there's nothing wrong with the world and in case you haven't noticed the world's been this same exact, self absorbed way for a very, very long time.

Although I must admit, I'm glad you have some sort of empathy/sympathy coursing through your veins...shows you're still human or at least have a bit of your humanity intact. But here's my question to you, what have you done/contributed towards providing relief or helping out with the drought situation in Somalia lately? Don't sit there and bitch about something that everyday average Joes' and Janes' enjoy partaking in. If you don't wanna be one of them then that's your choice, but please, don't go around making obnoxious statements. If anything maybe you might wanna take a look at the global headlines as well...instead of making all this hullaballoo about how Somalia isn't getting any relief or aid because it's an Islamic nation (IMHO this is definitely the most preposterous thing I've heard so far)...why don't you stop slandering and bringing to light such unfounded statements, and instead, take a nice good long look at the headlines of the papers of the neighboring Islamic states. There was this other post that popped up on my Newsfeed that was an excerpt from I assume, a leading daily in the U.A.E that went on to highlight how approximately 500 tonnes of food (how much freaking food is that?!) finds it's way to trash cans and dumped out. The source of the food dump? Well how do Iftaar buffets organized by hotels sound for a start? (for those who don't know what Iftaar is...it's the time when the fast for the day during Ramadan is broken...for more detailed info hit up Google...I hear reading is good fer ya) People gotta pay quite a bit to be able to sample and enjoy the finest cuisines being dished out at  those buffets. Well obviously, after long hours of not eating or drinking anything it's no wonder that a lot of the food cannot be consumed. Your body sorta kinda comes up with a way to handle that sorta thing. So what ends up happening? Hey here's an idea....Hmmm if patrons aren't eating let's chuck that food out cuz hey who else could possibly use it right? Talk about double standards...the city of Dubai besides being known as a tourist's paradise *cough bullshit*, how about melanoma/skin cancer paradise instead? It's definitely the world's biggest farce. Underneath all that glamour you see, remains hidden the stark, naked truth. Anyway my rants about Dubai and that good for nothing place are definitely for another post and not for this one anyway. None the less, you would think that these people would have had the common decency to get this food out to people who can barely afford even one meal during the day...these people would be those at the labour camps who, toil day in and out in ruthless and merciless conditions so as to put up those glass towers in that City of Glass. Yeah those people...don't you think they deserve a bit of the G-man's mercy? And isn't it especially part of the season to give to the needy?

Alright let's forget that and go back to the Somalia issue...so if the rest of the world is being all racist and communalist (no not Communist, the 2 words bear absolutely no resemblance to each other ) about getting relief there then what the hell are the sister and brother nations that are not communalist doing about it? Oh yeah I know they're wasting if not squandering all that potentially relief worthy stuff away. Seriously people think before you start posting your gaffs online...there is nothing more obnoxious and revolting than bringing your obnoxious selves to light. It makes the rest of humanity especially those who still thankfully think, act, represent and carry themselves with grace and dignity hang their heads in shame.

Oh and one other thing, as I've mentioned in a previous post. If you wanna go around raising awareness and doing humanitarian work do it out of the goodness of your heart not out of any religious agenda and don't bring religion into the equation. Yeah don't worry the G-man or whatever other higher power it is you believe in or don't is watching. You don't need to keep a physical tab on it ya know? It kills the whole doing it out of the goodness of your heart notion....it makes what you do seem something that's more of an obligation than a choice.

On that note I bring this post to an end. I figure for some of y'all it's the holy month of Ramadan so Ramadan Kareem to y'all and I hope it's a good and reflective one. For the rest of y'all well I hope things are going well in general and that life has been treating you decently...and well if it hasn't, then there ain't no point in keeping your chin up unless you yourself are convinced that that's what you should be doing. Take a little time off and think things through and you will definitely be surprised by what you find, and believe me life revels in doling out surprises.