Silo.

Hello.

I guess, when you really want something, and when you literally give yourself up to the cause, there’s a huge scope of learning that opens up automatically, and you do eventually, move towards that which you expected.

It’s been a very long time since I jotted down something on this blog. Oh my, let me begin by saying, that I have absolutely missed writing on a keyboard. There is so much peace in writing down things in journals, but oh, the joy of slamming down fingers on a keyboard that makes the click click tik tak noise as I write away!

I’d still like to embrace the random, though, as I am growing up, I feel this hidden need to start, what people call, ‘specializing.’ A good friend gave me an advice once – “Do whatever it is that you like, eventually, you’ll really start understanding and start to automatically move towards things that truly call out to you.” Great advice. In fact, another fellow professional once mentioned, “Just, throw stones everywhere.” – And I’d like to add to that statement – “And see which ripple gives you the most peace!” My college professor stated, that “Seek anything that gives you a rush, or increases your pulse rate.”

Unfortunately, or fortunately, there is a certain knowledge gap that I aim to fill in before I can spot what it is that I absolutely would love to specialize in. The road towards it isn’t one that is already built. I have a stone and chisel in my own hands, and I am trying to squint towards the horizon, towards the top of mountains, as well as the depths of the oceans, before carving my own way through it. I say through and not towards it because the road could change at every possible moment and I’d like to keep myself open to that possibility too.

The problem that I have personally faced – is that of existentialism. I see the world as it is, in broad day light, or in absolute darkness. There is no denying that the human race confuses itself with the rat race, that there is always an underlying process of automation in the mechanics of the world, in all possible domains. Be it education, or industrialization, or the gradual growth in a country’s infrastructure.

A friend of mine is currently reading a book called, Ikigai. The book begins by a Japanese proverb that says: “Only an active life will make you want to live a 100 years.” The book also talks about how technology is actually, responsible in adding more time to one’s life. Man is generally, quite a lazy creature. I’d say, everything in the world is actually quite lazy. If that is in response to a need of attaining equilibrium, I wouldn’t know; one cannot deny the ever constant ebb and flow of chaos and order in the world. Is it all in process of attaining immortality? I’m sure our race is collectively building towards a highly connected space across this planet, just like a human brain would strengthen its connections across its neurons with time. All, for automation. All, for equilibrium. All, for immortality. The concept of the ouroboros comes into my mind... 

If anyone is reading this right now, and feels that they have an opinion regarding the above, please feel free to let me know, in the comments, or personally. I would love to have more discussions over the same. I am REALLY open to learning about anything that gives me direction at this point…

Till then, I guess, I’ve to start working over the SMART goals thing in order to give my random goals some finite shape… And yes, I have to certainly learn to prioritize as well as manage my time well.

I think this blog is dying (Dead?)

Hello, S. What's up?

Damn.

Wrote just a single post this year till now? What a shame.

What are your plans to rectify this error?

I'm figuring things out. It's taking time.

What are you trying to figure out?

Dreams. Plans. And my behavior when I'm put in the unknown.

Are you doing something about your, "Dreams, plans, and you're behavior when you're put in the unknown?"

Yes. Them three. In the opposite order.

Well. 

Good luck.

The past few days.

The past few days have been such an exhilarating experience. It's funny how one can find adventure in places they'd least expect it. 

I sought for adventure in the wrong places. Literally. I thought I'd travel to a new place to experience new things, the new city, its roads, its culture, food. But adventure was never about just the superficial. It's always the emotional aspect that matters more. And I had almost forgotten about that. While I certainly have traveled to another place, I've found most of this, so called adventure, not in the new environment, but with people. New, as well as old! 

I've grown so much in this past year, in a direction I did not expect. But I look at myself now and feel that I've done a good enough job with the issues that were thrown at me. The present Sugandha, appreciates the older one, for doing whatever it is that she did, or didn't do. 

In a span of mere 6 months, I've experienced way too many new things. I feel extremely grateful for it all. Prior to this, all of it seemed possible in books, fairy tales, fiction, crime, drama, thriller, what have you. But now, it's all real. It's happening. And it's all bloody fascinating. 

I've met many new people, made innumerable friends, and I even found many who've left a life lasting impression on me. I could find people who share my love for science, food, philosophy, psychology, life itself, with ease, and I'm grateful for that as well. I just feel blessed at the moment. 

This adventure, that I talk of? I guess it's all related to growing up, or experiencing new people in this new phase, where the people around me are growing up themselves. 

Like I said, new, and old. It's all so lovely.

A better person.

I have never really blamed people around me much in my life, but in the recent months, I have. I could easily find negatives in someones behavior, and the positives were difficult to find. I think I had lost myself somewhere, when I started believing that.

I've been an anti social bee since a couple of months, ever since my birthday, I suppose, when almost no one showed up. But it was all in my head. I pushed important people away on my birthday itself, I shouldn't blame anyone for anything. Things were worse after my dog died, I had started blaming everyone close to me, and soon, myself. Quite depressing if this goes on for months.

Half the year is over, and I've finally started meeting up with my close friends, in a balanced manner, not wanting to run away. I've realized how they've been there for me, how I've been there for them, how people do go out of they way to help the ones they care about, and I see this in love, family, friends, everywhere.

I had cocooned myself up in layers of doubts and depression, but now, the shell is slowly peeling off. It is not because of those who are helping me, but because of me, who's finally agreeing to accept help.

If you really listen closely, to what others have to say, you'd realize that there's just more to learn from everything. There are so many perspectives to everything! It's quite beautiful.

I've remembered a few things that I had almost forgotten about. The fact that me, as a person, was always emphathetic, and never judgmental. Empathy is difficult, but I need to hold onto it as a gift, no matter how hard it gets. It's difficult when you're brushed up with so many emotions of others, when you absorb it all in, to understand them better, but I think I can do a better job by meditating and trying to remain unattached.

You know, how people say that we're the best when we are kids, and adulthood spoils us up, and we waste our lives away only to realize our mistakes when we are old? I don't want to go through that path. I'd like to always remember the fact that our life is a gift, and there's just so much more to discover!

I know of many adults who think they know the world. But no one does. Not me as a kid. Not as an adult. Not when I'm old. There's just so much to learn. I'm never forcing my views on anyone. Certain realizations have dawned upon me, and I've finally understood myself better, and I do believe that's the first step to understanding the world.

I've been told that I'm too confused to do me any good. But I know, that I do too, have things I'm confident about. If I need to be confident as an adult, I'll be confident in my belief that no one knows everything (all hail Socrates). That learning is the much needed curve, in life. I'll be confident enough to know, that good and bad, both do exist, it's about time, perspectives, a million life stories that go behind what makes a person; and all of this, is no small thing.

In a chaotic mess, we each pull others down, or push them forward, unbalanced; this happens, and I guess, it is needed for change. Let's not forget who we are, let's not stop dreaming, the best, the better, is always, yet to come, and I believe it now, because I think I am a better person than I was yesterday.

For the day dreamers.

Stars.
Listen.
Boxes.

Come summer time, the days will be longer.
I'm glad, I guess, it'll give me more time to spend day dreaming.
I'm not sure if it's a wrong habit, but yes, it certainly isn't a crime.

I love day dreaming.

Penguins.
Love.
Iktara.

I waste time, day dreaming. I wonder if that's okay. Productivity takes the back seat. But I'm tempted. Always tempted. To think of certain things, time and again. Again. And all over. Repeat.

Bags.
Beards.
Bow ties.

I've started day dreaming a lot lately. And I'm sure it's doing me no good. But I can't resist. And I won't feel too bad about it. My false dreams, some real, are what make me anyway.

Feathers.
Dream catchers.
QuizUp.

And then, during the night time. I'm wide awake as an owl. And yet, my mind wanders off into an infinite abyss of completely random things.

There is no such thing as random.
It's all, structured, chaos.

I'm day dreaming right now.

I am not day dreaming right now.
No, not really.

Wait.
WHAT?

How to make your very own TARDIS cosplay dress!

Comic conventions are amazing, but they're better when you're cosplaying!

I dressed up as the TARDIS, as seen in Doctor Who in this last Mumbai CC. I've been planning to write a post on a DIY TARDIS dress ever since, and I've finally managed to do it.

Here are some ways by which you can make your very own TARDIS costume! :) 

Materials needed:

1. A TARDIS blue dress/ blue fabric.

2. Black fabric.

3. White fabric.

4. Long Blue/black satin ribbon.

5. Fabric/handicraft glue! (Uber-important.)

6. Heat transfer paper.

7. One sided-sticky book labels.

8. Clothes iron.

9. Black paint. (Tempera paints are preferred!)

10. Other essentials like, cello-tape, threads, needles, sharpies, scissors.

11. Accessories, like shoes, headbands, a TARDIS key, etc.

Step 1: Figure your design out.

This might include sketching countless designs on a notebook. There's a lot of TARDIS inspiration online. So get your creative hat on and scribble away. Make sure your designs incorporate your body shape, and material of the fabric that you will be using.

If you are happy with your designs, you can go ahead and stitch the fabric up into a dress. I personally spent a lot of time designing, but ended up purchasing a perfect TARDIS blue gown instead. It was almost like the dress I had imagined myself to be in, so yes. That saved me a lot of extra time and trouble.

Step 2: The black boxes.

After ironing your dress, spread it out on your workspace. The lower portion of the dress needs the black boxes, that we will have to paint in. For this, create a stencil using cello-tapes. This is how I stuck it onto the dress. Two strips of tapes, centring a perfect little box, pasted about 1-2.5 centimetres apart.

 

Make sure you measure the length of the dress, before fixing up the cello-tapes. Perfect squares are easy to make, but you can try and make the boxes slightly asymmetrical, shorter in length on the top, and a tad bit longer on the lower ends. This will give your dress a better perspective.

The next job is easy to do! Just paint in the space between the strip of tapes with your black tempera. I chose tempera paints because they are mostly washable. (You might want to test paint and wash it off before you paint all the boxes up though.) Wait for the paint to dry, 10 minutes are enough, really. Peel off the tapes and stand in awe of the little boxy glory that you've just painted yourself.

Step 3: Windows.

Take the white fabric and cut them according to the shape of your dress.  If yours is a square dress, you can go for squares as windows. Mine was a halter neck, so I needed to cut them out in a trapezium. Place the fabrics onto your dress and make sure they fit! (Yes, yes, it should keep the same shape once you've worn it too.)

Sew in at the edges! White thread's good. I didn't use a sewing machine for this because I wasn't really planning to stitch the windows on the dress forever. Handmade stitches are easier, if not more cleaner, to remove.

Next, cut up the blue or black ribbons into tinier strips, and place it along the edges, and on the white fabric. If you're happy with what you see, simply glue the pieces on. Wait for a long while as they dry out, and just like that, you'll be done with the windows.

If tampering with the blue fabric isn't a great deal, you can always machine sew the white fabric, and also the blue ribbons right in. Thin black, blue strips of fabric could be use as a replacement for the ribbons, but ribbons have an extra gloss on them, so they do look a bit more shiny.

Step 4: Transfer paper to the rescue. (Pull to open!)

So I saved the image needed to be printed on the transfer paper from here -

http://www.deviantart.com/art/Tardis-44709735

And if you want to be the eleventh Doctor's TARDIS -

http://www.deviantart.com/art/St-John-Ambulance-Vector-Logo-208391708 

(I heart DeviantArt.)

Flip these images using photoshop or any other software. Before printing this flipped image, make sure that its shape, size is perfect for it to fit in the upper black box that you've already painted. You might need to edit the image a little.

Print the image out using a transfer paper. You can get a transfer paper from most stationary shops!

Place it on a white fabric, printed side down, press along upper edge of the transfer paper using an iron. Keep this up for some 5 minutes, or more. When the paper it warm enough, allow it to cool.

Peel off the transfer paper, and lo and behold! Your image will be on the white fabric! Just the way it is supposed to be. 

Cut the fabric out in the shape of your little black box. Sew it on by the edges. Fix some more blue/black ribbon around its edge, and you'll be done!

Step 5: The Police Public Call Box.

Take the black fabric and cut it out in a long rectangle. This can either be stuck onto your dress, or worn around the neck, or over one shoulder (Like I did). I used velcro at the ends of the rectangle so that it's easily to wear it around, or remove.

Take the labels and cut out the letters of 'Police Public Call Box'. This might be tricky for the smaller letters. The letters in 'Public Call' were really tiny, so I used a black felt tip pen to colour in the spaces/gaps inside them. Stick on the letters after finalising their proper positions on the black fabric.

Step 6: Accessorise!

I didn't have enough time left until the Comic Convention, so I bought myself a nice blue headband. #GoodEnough? You can also attach a real blinking light overhead, that uses batteries. You can get them in many stationary or gift shops.

Hats made by chart papers can also be used. You could even try a customised top hat!

Couple the outfit with some nice black shoes. Attach a (TARDIS!) key like a pendent, and wear it as a necklace. Works perfectly. 

Step 7: Finally, to top the look, freshen up, put on some makeup, sprinkle some golden bronzer all over yourself (how about some golden nail paint?) and VOILA!

You're now a Time And Relative Dimension In Space! :D

~*~

Of one thing, I guess I'm sorta/kinda sure.

Life goes on, forever. Of course, most probably until you die.

But it basically goes on for a long time. You may think it's over, but no; Your story never starts. Never ends. It always is. What's true is the fact that you're alive.

You are able to think, choose. We are lucky to be born in an age where there isn't much to be afraid of, to fear. You are free. Free to use your speech. Free to make choices, judgements. But for many people, the freedom is only almost. The only one thing that would, and is ever stopping you, is you. You create the barriers in your own mind.

From whatever had or has happened to you.

Or from whatever you fear.

It's all a false facade.

Imperfections. Lies. Fake. False. Deceit. 

All, are but the reality, the truth. They exist. And you have the choice, and intuition to know what is right, and wrong. You always do, or have to means to find out the truth. 

If you have wings, and the wings are trapped, don't cut it in pieces, hoping to see tiny bits of your wings fly a little mile on their own.
Fight for freedom that will so easily be yours if you desire. Dream, and the wings will know how to break free.

It's all about how ready you are to reach out, how far you can go, how hard you can try to test your limits.



(Fuck. I preach a lot to do me any good.)

Oh hello, Steampunk!

Welcome to the world of Steampunk!

Imagine an alternate universe where romance and technology reign. A world of automations, ornate clockworks and time travel, where scientists and dreamers, intrepid orphans and schoolgirls, solve dastardly crimes, escape from monstrous predicaments and hover over volcanos in steam-powered airships.

These were the words written behind a carelessly dropped book in a bookstore I went to recently. I took a look at these words, and thus was introduced, unawarely, to the world of steampunk.

Steampunk is a sub genre of science fiction. It basically revolves around machines, or steam powered machines, life like machines, clockworks, making the impossible - possible, via simple yet amazing mechanical jobs, by gifted engineers. The 14 stories I read in this anthology (a compilation of stories) were pretty interesting. All of them were pretty weird, morbid. But every story left some sort of an impact on me. Science fiction was always my favourite genre. Anything becomes possible.

I'm always smitten by any book that I read. But as I retrospect, this book wasn't all that amazing. I did have problems understanding a few stories from this book for they were based in an entirely different culture all together. But never the less, I was introduced to the world of steampunk, and it's actually pretty interesting! Of course there are so many more steampunk based stories out there.

There are plenty of movies based on steampunk too! I had watched quite a few without even realising it. The Golden Compass, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Stardust, Around the world in 80 days, The Prestige, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Hugo, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (still have to watch this one), are all that include elements of steampunk.

This genre is indeed very interesting! The internet is filled with steampunk art. Some of them are way too beautiful. Here are a few of them.

So there you have it. The steampunk that I know of through my little tinkering with the internet. But I'm sure this genre has a lot more to offer. With time, perhaps, I shall discover more.

Sources: 
www.deviantart.com
www.google.com

.

This would be one of those attempts of mine wherein I try and put forth my creativity for I am trying to come up with something new and explaining which, hopefully wouldn't be much of a problem as I try to well keep writing and come up with something more solid as a subject to write about which on the first place was never related to this creative decision of mine and thus I shall speak about time, which as a topic itself, talks so much about itself for time will always be, and never be as well, creating it within itself as a multi layered dimensional setting creating more and more universes along, around, within, or no where near our own tiny world, thus breaking the popular belief of it actually being the fourth dimension of this world where we humans reside and keep moving forward in time so what I think of now are the possibilities by which one person could not ever stop and keep moving forth, or backwards, just like how I keep writing, word after word, creating new things out of what once were mere thoughts, which too were nothing but a culmination of all the influences that surrounded me from the advent of whatever was that made me today, parents, their parents, the seed of evolution, the non living things that existed before life existed, and everything that made those things, which takes me back to the moment where I as a being came first into existence, not as a physical form, but perhaps a thought itself, a thought that was certainly thought of since the beginning of every thought that ever was, and thus perhaps I was, just after time came into existence, hence I prove that I too am nothing but an entire universe with my own views and thoughts moving further like the roots of a tree, deeper into the soil wherever it shall reach and be reaffirmed of it's survival, better if prolonged, but still, me being a universe shall not exactly be same as the multi dimensional situation that I had earlier mentioned, perhaps just like a layer within, around, along, or no where near another layer would be, similarly a universe would be surrounded, or not surrounded, by many others, or by none at all, every universe having it's own layers of dimensions and time extending in all directions possible, the infinite possibilities around everything that ever was, and everything, like nothing being inside, or outside everything or nothing else, as a point in a line that extends away in one continuos progression, and that dimensionless point, being a single infinite dot, lost within the infinity of that line.
                                                                                    .
                                                     
(Looper and Pink Floyd did this to me.)