Archives

It seems that I have quite a few posts over the last few years that
are still in drafts and in private view form. There might have been a
reason why I didn't publish them at the time, but whatever be the
reason, I can't seem to remember why. I've decided that I should
release one or two every week or so till there are none left.

In advance, if I do end up embarrassing some of my buddies, I do
apologize ahead of time.

till next time.

GJ

Letters

Letter writing is an art form. Many years ago back in middle school a teacher once introduced this art to his pupil. He began with the general structure and the usual salutations. The one thing he emphasized was on how you address the person the letter was intended to. He said the first and biggest mistake was using the phrase 'Dearest'. He said reserve that for just one person. Everone gets either 'Dear','Sir/Madam' etc. It is not to be used for parents and friends either. Another aspect he points out is the sign-off. Classic ones include Sincerly, Respectfully, 'I Remain'... reserve 'Much Love' for someone who you might be friends with but it is an indication of interest or affection and lastly 'Love' only to the one who was addressed 'Dearest'.

Over the years I remember that first class on classic letter writing. The ripples of giggles and winks through the crowd of tweeners. I remember making a mental note regarding the Reserved words.Over the course of the next decade or two, several sweethearts and several heartbreaks, the one thing I always held back were 2 songs and the reserved words. Finally at the turn of the century, I met someone who was to make a huge impact in my life. From the moment I first saw her, there was a sense of familiarity. I knew her from somewhere. It was something elemental. I just know that I knew her from somewhere. We drifted in and out of our respective lives for the next few years, being there when we need someone to listen or talk to. Circumstances and a series coincidences brought us back to a place where we had a choice to make. This time around, we saw each other. We found each other. I knew

Our journey has only just begun and the road ahead lies in shadows. But least we have each other to travel with and with every step we take together, the shadows seem to retreat.

'Love will find a way, Darling Pretty
Find a Heaven for you and I.'
-Darling Pretty - Mark Knophler (Golden Heart)

Centaurs

But fix thine eyes beneath: the river of blood
Approaches, in the which all those are steeped,
Who have by violence injured. ' O blind lust!
O foolish wrath! who so dost goad us on
In the brief life, and in the eternal then
Thus miserably o'erwhelm us. I beheld
An ample foss, that in a bow was bent,
As circling all the plain; for so my guide
Had told. Between it and the rampart's base,
On trail ran Centaurs, with keen arrows armed,
As to the chase they on the earth were wont.
                - Inferno Canto 12, Dante


As Virgil and Dante descended into the 7th circle of hell, they see a circular river of blood Phlegethon. Murderers, tyrants and others who violently shed the blood of others in life are immersed in it.Centaurs, led by Chiron patrol the river's shores, armed with bows and arrows. they shoot any who attempt to raise his head out of the river.

Centaurs are creatures, half-man, half-horse. In traditional mythology they were skilled warriors,poets,astronomers and physicians. Centaurs nursed and taught heroes of old like Achilles and Hercules. Even though they are romantic symbols in modern storytelling and often portrayed in positive light by classic authors like Ovid and Statius,they are in fact symbols of insane wrath.

Amazing Grace

Something heard .. and noted down... Pardon my lack of posts, other priorities have since taken precedence.

She was Grace,
in name and in essence.
To those she loves,
she exudes strength, life, laughter and light.
To me, also sorrow.
for circumstance had bound her to my best friend,
through whom we met
in the warmth and serenity of her home.
Nothing from the first day I saw her
and no one who has happened to me since
has ever been as frightening
and as confusing.
For no person I have ever known
has ever done more to make me feel
more sure,
more insecure,
more important,
and less significant.

Wonderwall

Can a man ask anymore ? Random lyrics.. random thoughts.. will add more to this post later ..


...said maybe... you gonna be the one that savess me.... and afterall.. you're my wonderwallll..... ..I don't believe that anybody...Feels the way I do, About you now.... ..said maybe... said maybe... maybe. I said maybe....You're gonna be the one who saves me ?...And after all....You're my wonderwall



--

till later

GJ

-------------------------------------------------
"per astera ad astram"

Best Days, Summer Haze

I know I have been absent ever since the knopfler concert back in July and I am truly sorry. Let me fill in the details ( or at least try to ), but first a confession:

This summer has been one of the most amazing four months in my adult life, its possible I might have experienced this state of mind at some point in the past, but it seems so long ago and so far away, the resonants are very faint. It almost seemed as the darkness had finally passed and the demons finally laid to rest. After my trip to Singapore and meeting up with Mahesh, spending time seeing places and things ...art, photography.. I began to remember..
There was a me before all this, there was a time when things were different. There was a world outside Dark City. I remember again. I live once more.

Melodrama aside, Made some significant changes, the major one being moving to my condo permanently. The commute was getting to be a killer and the distance a buzz kill when it comes to party invitations and staying sober all night long so that you can drive back home.

Prominent lunar forces have brought about a sense of calm and purpose in my life. The question is, are these forces temporal or of a permanent nature ?
I suppose their purpose and reasons could be worked out in the following weeks or months. But they demand patience.. should ? could ? may ? shall ?


Summer is coming to an end, and i wasn't able to go rafting this summer, perhaps next year ? I will however do a roadtrip down to the US to Falling Waters. There is a house built by Frank Llyod Wright that I'd like to see.  So September is here, the summer is almost over, fall creeps in... and I think of that Killers song 'Change your mind'........

Racey days
Help me through the hopeless haze
But my oh my
Tragic eyes
I can't even recognise myself behind
So if the answer is no
Can I change your mind

PS: Heading for the Oasis concert this weekend. It will be good.

Telegraph road, Telecaster, Knopfler Concert (July 17)

I was 8 and at a Christmas party  when I first heard a Dire Straits song. Walk of Life, hit from their album Money of Nothing that was released earlier the same year. One of my dad's friends performed and from what I can recollect, he did a fantastic job at the guitar and the vocals.

20 years later, in another life, another city I finally saw Mark Knopfler live at a concert on Thursday. Can't believe I've waited 20 years to see the man play live. It was amazing. He still got the voice, and the signature guitar strokes. This concert was to promote his new album Kill to get Crimson. He started off with a few new ones, followed by the classic Dire Straits tracks like Romeo and Juliet, Sultans of Swing etc. I was really hoping he would play Tunnel of Love or something from his Shangri-La album.

As the notes played out, each song, an ode cried for a lost memory..Remember listening to that album in our empty apartment in Scarborough?  Lady Writer, Romeo and Juliet, Tunnel of Love, Brothers in Arms... Darling Pretty (Golden Heart) .. a song for each... minus one. When he started playing Telegraph Road, something flashed through a series of fail-safes put in place carefully over the years.. and the floodgates burst open... the diffused swam into focus, everything was just obvious... nothings that complex. Nothing is ever completly futile. Nothing...


You know I'd sooner forget but I remember those nights
When life was just a bet on a race between the lights
You had your head on my shoulder you had your hand in my hair
Now you act a little colder like you don't seem to care
But believe in me baby and Ill take you away
From out of this darkness and into the day
From these rivers of headlights these rivers of rain
From the anger that lives on the streets with these names
cos Ive run every red light on memory lane
Ive seen desperation explode into flames
And I dont want to see it again. . .

from all of these signs saying sorry but were closed
All the way down the telegraph road...........


EDIT: The pictures of Knopfler were originally taken by a gentleman who was at another one of his shows. These are some amazing pictures, and he has very generously allowed me to use one or two. For more
pictures here is a link to his site

YouTube video of the above song :