Sweet home Alabama!

Long time since I've written anything. The compres( comprehensive exams- highest graded exams in a semester at BITS) are upon us, which has led me to give away my laptop power cord to a friend so that I would'nt waste time messing around on it. But then I got really bored and took it back for a while just so that the blog would'nt be completely lonely. Everything else except studies is on hold. No sketching, painting- though I did a huge charcoal sketch of the campus with Sammy for Kala; it was our gift to the passing out batch- they had their farewell a couple of days ago. I'll put up a pic as soon as I get one. A bit of guitaring here and there, thats about it. I can't wait for the exams to end. And I really want to go home now. Every night, as I cook Maggi or munch on some crappy biscuits, the sheer thought of my mom's food haunts me. I can't stand the sight of the mess plates with their dozens of compartments and weird smell. I dunno how many ideas I've killed in the past few days. Seriously- I had some really awesome( why have I started to think that this is the only adjective today's generation knows?) ideas to write and sketch. But I had to stifle them because I need to study, atlest for the next fifteen twenty days. I hereby take a solemn oath that I will spend my summer holidays doing nothing but sketching, painting, guitaring, writing, playing cricket and most importantly- eating; in short basking in the glory of pure awesomeness and nothing else.

Yeah I miss home. Love that song- sweet home Alabama by Lynrd Skynrd. They're one of my all time favourite bands and this song is one of my all time favourite songs. Nice lyrics- especially the take on Neil Young- another one of my favourite performers, is incredible. Beautiful music; the last time I went home, after the first sem here at BITS, I had this song playing all night in the journey. It touched chords- Its really wonderful when some song, some music, or for that matter any art as such- a painting, a poem, a story brings exact same emotions you are feeling at that time- its like a resonance, and that is the real purpose of art- to emote. To emote as gracefully as possible. A two line poem can say things where a huge book is insufficient. And a photograph has a touching story locked inside it. It is one of the most wonderful feelings to actually experience it all.

Anyways, I think I should get back to studying now. I'm trying to do organic chemistry- E1 and E2 reactions. Won't write for a while now, but when I will, I have some pretty cool ideas to follow up. Exams are right in front- rearing up for an attack. So, good men, see you at the other end- if I survive! ;))

self portrait!

Thats me! And I'm playing Hotel California. What a song! Especially the Hell freezes over version is like one of the most awsome songs ever made. The slow beat of the bongos, the masterful guitar solos of Don Felder and Joe Walsh( I love that part when he plays the two chords by pulling on all the strings with two fingers!) and the raw, rusty voice of Don Henley on the lead vocals! the song's an absolute masterpiece!

Anyway, I don't want to start off on Hotel C now. I want to write a separate post about it. So. the above sketch is done with charcoal and is a self portrait. Tell me how it is.

I had gone to a trip to a nearby fort today with a few friends. I'd taken my sketchbook with me, but couldn't sketch the view because some of the guys comissioned me to make their portraits instead. So most of my time up there was spent doing portait after portrait with a black pilot pen. It was a nice practice. Can't post the sketches though, cause I gave them to the guys and forgot to take snaps. Sometime later, maybe. Well, I'm completely exhausted today. Had really long and great day( More about that later.) and today might be one of those times when I actually would sleep before three.

Yup, I'm sleepy. I seem to have gotten a temporary typing dyslexia, becuae I am tpying likthis wihtut correctoins! So I'd better nod off.

Of guitars and pencils!!

This is my latest sketch. Did this at three in the morning yesterday, after watching Shawshank Redemption. What a movie!! What a movie!!! Too good!!! Tim Robbins has done a superb job as this calm, composed guy, someone who makes his own destiny-builds it up, piece by piece with utmost patience. And Morgan Freeman's performance is absolutely breathtaking. Even his voiceover in the complete movie, as he narrates the whole incident is so stirring. Some scenes were absolutely wonderful. Hats off to the director. For example, in a scene where Red( Morgan Freeman) finishes his sentence after about fifty years in Shawshank prison, he starts working in a supermarket. One day, while wrapping groceries in paperbags, he looks up to his manager and says, "Restroom break, boss?" The manager calls him over. Red walks up to him. Even the way he walks- humble, slow, awkward- a servant' walk. His demaneor is so modest that you seriously can't believe that this is the same guy who has played the imposing and commanding Lucius Fox in The Dark Knight. So, the manager says "You don't have to ask me every time you need to go take a piss. Just go, understand?" Freeman gives an awkward nod and shuffles off. The camera lingers for a moment on the amused face of the manager. And then Freeman's deep voice narrates- Forty years I've been asking permission to take a piss. I can't squeeze a drop without saying so.

So, please watch Shawshank redemption. Its a really beautiful movie and I bet you'll thoroughly enjoy it.

Anyways, I went a bit off track here. So, the sketch- As I've told you before, I've got two guitars at my place now, so after watching the movie when I was remotely sleepy, I decided to sketch both of them. I was a bit confused on what medium to use. I was thinking about oil pastel or watercolour or inksketching, maybe. I settled on graphite beecause its been a long time since I've done a pure pencil sketch. I 've got this other idea to do a mixed medium sketch of the same thing, maybe more symbolic. Hopefully I'll put it on paper soon enough. The guitar on top is mine and the other one is Akhil's. Exams are over, which is the reason I am at the liberty to stay up at two at night blogging, watching Friends and listening to an awesome Hendrix song called Little Wing. Its one of my Hendrix favourites. Do listen to it. Thinking of sleeping, I've got workshop pracs at nine( LOL who am I kidding? Won't be able to sleep till four, atleast.) Ah, here comes my favourite riff!

.....When I'm sad, she comes to me,

with a thousand smiles, She gives to me free

Its all right, she says, Its all right

Take anything you want from me, anything!

Fly on little wing.......