Bass-ic attempt

Here's me with a bass cover of Metallica's Master of Puppets.I'm pretty jittery,I know and that's because I've never taken lessons and have been plagued with all sorts of technical difficulties ever since I got my 1st bass around 3 years ago.I'd like to thank the Laney RB2 for being there...






The volume is a bit low so you'll need to fiddle with the volume knob on your speakers.Also,the light is low as well so those who are wondering,I play with m fingers and not a plectrum.

DLF IPL season 2:Double-take fest,anyone?

Well Lalit Modi is back.India's newly-found most awaited sporting event of the year makes a comeback,this time in the fastest emerging country for cricket locations,South Africa.The fact that its not being held in India makes little difference to me as I would have seen all the matches on TV either way.But getting down to the event itself,well its turning out to be as good as any Heroes episode,isn't it?

This time the IPL has had twists RIGHT from the start.The defending champions Rajasthan Royals led by the most-talked about captain of 2008 are now trying to sweep up a 'royal' mess;the Delhi Daredevils who provided at best a slightly-above average performance last year are now battling for top position;with none other than the team that finished last in the 1st season (and the one I chose to keep my faith in despite last year's paltry performance),the Deccan Chargers.But wait,its not over yet!The 1st edition's runners-up,the Chennai Super Kings,are now playing a tug of war for 4th position (at least) with probably the most bashed team of last year,the Royal Challengers Bangalore! Vijay Mallya,take a bow (and not a nervous swig).The Kings XI Punjab team continues with the form they were in last year,and the Mumbai Indians are putting up a much tougher resistance than last time.

So that covers all the tea....OH.Wait.I seem to have missed one out.Ah! Of course,its difficult to spot right at the bottom anyhow;the most glorified team of the IPL...King Khan's Kolkata Knight Riders.I always felt the advertising of this team was way too much,and now that has finally acted against them.The only time you will now see a happy member from that team would be during an advertisement.EVERYTHING has gone wrong for this team otherwise.From the controversial 4-captain theory,to Sourav Ganguly's dismal luck with Australian coaches and now,the Fake IPL Player blogger (chances are he's reading this himself).And that is just OFF the field predicaments.Last year's bat-brandishing knight from New Zealand Brendon McCullum now plays it easy by scoring a maximum of maybe 19,Chris Gayle believes in the Sehwag theory of '3 fours and a dismissal' and well,everyone else is happily dropping catches and batting at test match paces.The only ones putting up a fight are Bengal Tiger Sourav Ganguly and Aussie Brad Hodge.This team has almost certainly bagged last spot this season.

Another interesting thing about this year's IPL is how,despite it being called the 'young man's game' and all,its the classic veterans who are tearing the bowling apart.Matthew Hayden,Adam Gilchrist,Sanath Jayasuriya,Sachin Tendulkar,Jacques Kallis are people well in their late 30s but are playing like excited 15 year-olds.One just can't help smiling at their Viking spirit.Also surprising statisticians are the spinners.Sure,guys like Yusuf Abdulla,RP Singh and Lasith Malinga and 'firing it in the blockhole',but its been people like Pragyan Ojha,Anil Kumble,Shane Warne,Harbhajan Singh and even Suresh Raina who are actually turning out to be the partnership destroyers.

This season of the IPL has also seen the introduction of the Tactical Time Out,a 7.5 minute mandatory break after 10 overs for both teams to strategize and plan for the rest of the innings.Its a very fair decision of course,but its also a party pooper at times,being the main reason for the downfall of a set batting side on numerous occasions and the jinxed 16th over or the 'over of death.

I personally am enjoying this time of year as my exams are over,next 2 years are set and all I need to do is put on the TV and watch these matches.Shocking,dismaying,exciting,heart-stopping...no this is not the new Bond film,but the DLF IPL season 2.

With Oden on my side...

I'm writing after some time, ain't I? Well the reason for that is the that there have been a lot of things happening in my life lately.Good things mostly.I finished with a slave stick of a Bachelor's course in Physics on 29th April;and,more importantly,at a time when my other batch-mates will be running around looking for Masters courses to do,I'll be enjoying this summer (the near-Death Valley temperature is a mere occupational hazard now) as my last one in New Delhi.Yes everybody,I'm leaving.For Singapore.I had applied at just TWO places for a Masters,the other being Bangalore.I got through to Singapore (though not without episode,but more on that soon) and now I'm headed for a Master of Fine Arts in Animation and Digital Arts from Tisch School of the Arts Asia.

I'm not leaving just yet though,my session starts only on September 8th.And yes,the episode bit.Well,the application for this course was to be sent in the form of a creative portfolio by the turn of the year,along with transcripts of the UG course.I managed to send it all in time,though I had to keep making those mandatory 'Indian government office' trips to South Campus for a replacement marksheet (my 1st year marksheet had 'eaten itself up',so to speak).After I sent it all,it turns out that I had missed out my resume (DAMMIT!).After hurriedly sending that and giving their telephone interview, the college decided to extend their deadline for submissions to March 2nd (so maybe they could gleefully point and laugh at those people who were running around to submit their applications on time).A few days later,I get a letter telling me my status of admission.My hands trembled as I double-clicked the downloaded PDF.But the heartbeats almost hit a wall when I saw that I was wait-listed.But I came to terms with it (more so because I had obviously lost my chance at getting a large scholarship amount) and decided I was going to Bangalore after all.

Days passed.I got immersed in the only studying I had ever done the whole year-studying for the final exams.But on the day before my last paper,I got a call on the Airtel landline at home (the one that greets you with a mechanical "Airtel pesh karte hain..." almost with a 100% success rate per call).Expecting the usual,I decided to just press the 'speaker' button,listen to the 1st few microseconds of that recorded voice and cut the call.When I did press the speaker button,I wa greeted with a few moments of silence followed by a LIVE human voice,asking for me.I then picked up the receiver and to my trepidation,it was TISCH!They said they liked my portfolio and were willing to give me a second shot at this.I gladly accepted like a weary traveler accepting water.Few days later,I get a mail telling me I'm THROUGH,with an $8000 per year scholarship.The scholarship was by no means enough,and I was again prepared to resign to the fact that I was not going.But then my parents rose to the occasion and gave me ample support and now,I'm OFF!!!

This is going to be a new chapter of my life.A new era.I'll be studying and living with people from different countries and cultures,something I have never done.To say that I'm looking forward to this is just the beginning.But at the same time,I'll miss the time I had in New Delhi.The school days,the college days,the scraping through in the exams,the manipulation of my 3rd year project (Shhhh... ) and most importantly,my friends.I wouldn't have been who I am without them.Expect another post in a few months on them.

So basically,WITH ODEN ON MY SIDE,I AM VICTORIOUS!!!!!