Phil Lynott - Old town

I first had heard about this song, being performed live by The Corrs at MTV unplugged. But little did I know that the song was sung originally by someone else. I wasn't sure for almost 6 years, when I discovered who's the original artist. 

It is Phil Lynott. A talented man from the same country as The Corrs - Ireland. It took me a while to appreciate the song but once I did, boy, I just fell in love with it. 

I cannot believe this is an 80's retro song. The instruments used in the song, like the piano, keyboard, drums, bugle/trumpet, guitar are all done to precision not an inch of overdoing things and its the simplicity which keeps the song going.

Well the youtube version may not be acoustic enough, need to check out the song in a different player on a local copy to appreciate the instruments.

In the age where music instruments are played digitally, here you get what is like a naturally aspirated music instrument sounded like back in the 80's. The piano sounds fresh, the trumpet overflows with soothing effect and can you just believe this was 30 years back? 

No wonder I proudly proclaim - " I LOVE 80's".

The sad part is Phil Lynott happens to be one more of those musicians from the British Isles (Ireland to be precise) who left us early, 36 to be precise, apart from Steve Clark, Freddie Mercury, I can't believe such talent of making music comes at such young age. 

All I can do is sit back and think wow what a song, what a life!

Cheers to Phil,

PS - Here goes the song performed by The Corrs - sounds rather boring after listening to the original one, that too with so many musicians around, can't create the same charm as Phil. I better stop listening to the cover version else, I will lose interest in even the original tracks by The Corrs.

Song blog

So I get up early this morning and do what, well file my IT returns and then got some more time, I revive my old blog which was unused for almost 7 years and then use it up as my song blog.

There you go, dual purpose served by waking up an hour early.

The link for my song blog is -

http://sandeepskulkarni2.blogspot.in/

I'm just adding it here, to keep myself reminded about the URL if I ever forget!

Cheers,

What an irony

This sure is my favorite irony in recent times. This is a real life incident. The above statement in the picture is really simple and makes loads of meaning. I had never embraced so much of solitude at workplace until the time when two of my team mates left and I was left with no one to talk to or interact during office hours.

Though my team at work place was replenished with 3 new people, I had fully seen what solitude can do and chose silence over unnecessary yapping at workplace. Loads of things have happened since then. Recently I shared this picture with another person and told that person, what silence, solitude and being alone and thinking can do, how much it helps.

And irony is that person got so much impressed with this idea of solitude and silence that, the person stopped speaking to me also.

I somehow made an effort to understand why that person is not responding to which the reply was precise - "You showed (told) me what silence can do, now I don't want to talk to anyone, including you too and rather remain silent.!"

Such is life. In a way, I'm happy, in a world where noisy people are dominant everywhere, here's one who whole heartedly embraced solitude or rather silence.

Cheers,

And regarding what solitude/silence plays in my life, well, I'll leave it to your brains to guess it out!

PS - I have used silence and solitude together or interchangeably. In reality these are two words, but go hand in hand in a super awesome way, that I felt like using them together!

Nostalgia - one more!

I always wanted to have a song blog. A blog which lists all of my favorite songs over the years. I never started that thing, but I wish to do it soon. I would love to have one such blog, I'm being honest. So, if I ever started a blog, I was wondering, which song would make up as the first entry or the first blog post. 

Yeah, you are right, this one, the above one. The song is by John Mayer from his debut album Room For Squares, name of the song is "no such thing". This song brings back tonnes of memories, what more apt than this song to chose as an opener. Hence thought of writing this on blog too.

Regarding what memories it brings well here it goes!

- I was in college while this song came out, (College memories)

- There were not much radio stations in Bangalore and the one I used to enjoy was radio city 91.1 FM and especially the show at night 10PM.

- This song used to play regularly at the night 10PM show and many a time, I had left the radio on and slept off, with the radio playing all through the night! it was indeed sweet but I used to get loads of scoldings for this habit of mine.

- This one's right or wrong not sure, the year was 2002-2003 when this debut album of John Mayer called Room For Squares went head to head with the debut album of Norah Jones, "Come Away with me" and alas Norah Jones won grammy. I always had secretly wished it would have been John Mayer for this particular fantabulous album and superior piece of song writing.

- How I knew about the album and stuff back then, well, I was following contemporary music back then. Back then great music was being made and played on radio too. 

 Unlike now where only advertisment plays and each and every song is over marketed, instead of its actual merit doing the trick, its force fed to people by playing 100000 times on the radio even though the song sounds like a jerk, you can hear the jockey telling it being an awesome song(paid media/marketing, such is the era). 

So I stopped following contemporary music since few years and have dived into retro only and I'm happy. One such song is this, whose video I have attached, great  lyrics, and in the song he talks about reunion and yeah, its been a while I have graduated from college, this song reminds me that too. Loved what the song speaks about, there is no such thing as real world, after working for these years, yeah, I just feel the same, its all what we perceive and just a lie which we gotta get above!

Cheers,

Half through the year 2017

A friend of mine asked me, its been half a year and the number of posts is not even touched 25, and yet again asked me, if I would make it to 100 by the end of the year or not.

I'm not sure of reaching 100 or not, because, I get myself occupied with loads of things these days and with minimal travelling and interaction with people, I get nothing to write. Everyone seems to be busy with their own lives. And after years of writing posts over here, I just have slowed down, being more self conscious than ever.

I remember, my last year trip to Himachal and Punjab is still pending to be written. So that would count for a good 10 posts atleast. I wish to write about couple of other treks which I did in western ghats. But yeah apart from that, all that I get to write is about the crap which runs in my mind!

But yeah, will attempt a 100 this year too,

Cheers,

Jayanagar Nostalgia

Well, the day I joined my new organization, I had to undergo a pre-employment medical checkup. So, since the office I was joining was located at South East End, I was told to report to a hospital close by which was Jayanagar 3rd block.

I headed out and got to know, my check up would be done in two parts, first part where a blood and urine sample would needed to be given plus a chest XRay and a second part including doctor consultation.

There was a good 3.5 hours gap in between and I chose not to come back home. Instead I chose to have a breakfast somewhere in Jayanagar then chose to sit in Madhavan park before being told to leave because the park closes somewhere around 10 30 am and then walked all the way to cool joint 3rd block in search of someone selling books on the street. Couldn't find any and had to walk all the way to Sapna book stall just to see that, RK Narayan's autobiography being unavailable.

Didn't chose any Ruskin Bond books as they seemed to be pricey and the kindle one appears to be cheaper. Then managed to pass some more time and finally had my doctor consultation and then left.

So why am I writing this post in the first place. Well, I have been through Jayanagar area many a times, during the last few years, days or months or whatever, each time, it was business purpose, buying something, meeting someone, some function, getting some stuffs, never it had been with a no mission intention. I used to travel through Jayanagar while coming back from office almost many such days.

This time, with 3 hours to spare, I just did not have any such above mentioned business motive and wandered aimlessly around Jayanagar. It had been almost a decade, I had been to Jayanagar just like that for casually spending time.

Gone are the days of less traffic less people and less noise. Every inch of space is used up and the moment you enter Jayanagar vicinity all you want to do is leave the crowded place behind, atleast myself.

Finally the day came to a close, I joined my new organization and its been a month, I recollect and write this,

Cheers,

Ode to my towel

Strange looking title. Ever since I had started working out in the gym probably last week of December 2013, I have used lots of clothing and accessories. One thing which remained constant from Day 1 till yesterday was my towel. I was using the same towel for almost 3 years 6 months.

It was my constant companion soaking up all the sweat and occasional tear, blood and whatever came out of my nose too! It never complained. I had put it through places and it still took everything. I used to soak it in water after workout, drain it and put it up for dry, every single day I exercised and it did not complain. Finally after all it had gone through, it just tore apart.

I had changed my running shoes, track pants, T shirts, head gear, inner wear almost everything, but this one remained constant. Now this one gone, I have nothing left to remind me of the day, I stared to workout. How I was! All I have now is memories. This towel, will be cut into pieces and used for cleaning house hold stuffs and alas, few more months it shall vanish. Until then to this ever so useful piece of equipment, adios my friend. Honestly feels nostalgic!

Yeah, I do have a picture of it! Its a good 4.5 feet in height, would cover up almost 3/4 of the exercise mat!

Cheers,

Vellarimala trek

I had stayed away from travelling for the last 2 months or so, owing to my workplace related stress, plus full summer was on. I did not want to get sick by drinking water from animal water holes as last year. So this year avoided a good two months.

But yeah, I'm proud, I was regular at the gym in these two months. Lots have happened. But I managed to get back to my old trekking ways yet again.

Last to last monday, I got a message on whatsapp, requesting anyone who wished to join Vellarimala trek in Kerala. I was ever so interested in this trek, but getting permission for this, plus a person who could speak Malayalam was way too touch for me. Hence it had remained a dream. Now when everything was arranged for only thing I had to agree, was to say yes to join. And I did.

The bus tickets were booked and Friday we left Bangalore amidst heavy downpour!  We were delayed by 3 hours on our departure owing to heavy rainfall and hence delay in starting our trek.

The trek was a very difficult one, infact the toughest of south India, plus your's truly was carrying tent as well, I guess, by the grace of god, weather god and my gym trainer I could climb this heavy climb with almost 8+ kilos load. We fell short of peak however, which was another 3 hours away, it turned night and we had to camp pitched in the tents and next day descended.

I'm least bit of sad that we could not make it to the peak vavulmalai, because it was super tough. Plus rain and leeches caused extensive slowness to the trek. I got bitten almost 15 times by leeches, almost 6 times, the leech had completely fattened after feasting on my blood. I have no regrets on it either.

But an eventful trek came to an end and we finally left God's own country on Sunday evening, not without some beautiful memories and a refreshing experience.

Cheers,