Lyrids

It's not the first time I have accidentally witnessed a meteor in the sky. And I'm sure it's not the last... Last night, just before I slept on the terrace, I saw a bright streak in the sky lasting just about a second rushing from the north eastern sky to the south western. Perfect axis.

I knew what I had seen.

I was told that that night of the 22nd of april was the peak period for the Lyrid showers, and I was lucky to have witnessed it.

And I remembered that December morning back in 2007 when I saw the most beautiful astral sigh ever - the Geminid meteor showers. About 50 meteors and 4 fireballs.

Again- accidentally.

I had stayed awake the previous night waiting for the showers, but I was destined to witness it the next morning with a new friend. It was magical.

I think I am very lucky to have witnessed such wonders of nature. Not once, not twice, but every now and then... Just when I feel low, a sight like this cheers me up, and I think... I am still rich... 

A pen is mightier than a sword... but does it have to be an expensive pen?

It's weird calling myself a comic artist because:

1. I'm no good at drawing

2. I don't read most of the cult comics stuff. 

3. I don't have much of a comic style

4. I don't have many great script ideas

And most importantly,

5. I don't have an expensive pen.

But what does having an expensive pen got to do with comic art? I would never know, since I never owned or used an expensive pen to draw, right? 

Except when I studied architecture and we had to draw using Isograph pens and ink. But those were architectural design drawings. And most of my isograph pens were hand me downs. 

I could never really afford high end and expensive equipment, although I wanted to buy all that once I started earning. But I didn't when I did. 

And I was never even gifted an expensive pen.

I think it's the commie in me that prevents me from buying an expensive pen. (thats being a hypocrite of the highest order... )

But I've been drawing and I have been writing. Mostly for myself... and I like it like that. 

I don't need an expensive pen.

Or do i?

PS: a 'pen' encompasses more than just the 'pen' in the above article, you can read it as 'a complete set of tools and equipments required for a so called graphic artist'

Tales from the construction site... and beyond... I

Client during the pooja

Before evert new construction starts, the owners and contractors usually perform a little Bhoomi Pooja. So on one such construction site of a project I am designing for, I clicked some photos of the client performing it. One of the rituals is cracking open a coconut on a stone or pavement. The Roofing contractor had two coconuts to crack: one for the machinery and another for the construction material. The client cracked the coconut for the machinery, and I was asked to do the same for the material stock. 

I clicked some photos of the client cracking open the coconut in one go... And the contractor clicked some of mine, while I was having a go at the other coconut.

As I showed these photos to my folks individually, all of them had the same question to ask me:

"Did you manage to break open the coconut?"

All three of them... it was crazy!

I managed to crack the coconut open with the second blow... 

Up and Coming!

Recent photos from an ongoing residential project at Sonala village in Wada, Thane District.

The site is located within the Warli heartlands. It's a load bearing structure with a foundation and retaining wall in black trap stone and superstructure using local brick. The structure will be kept exposed from outside with recessed pointing for the brick and stone masonry.

The ridge level of the sloping steel roof is at 18' from the floor. As warm air rises up from the ground level, it flows out from the brick ventilators above the windows, thus ensuring constant air circulation from the windows at lower level.

These beams are cantilevered on the other side for a wooden deck facing a splendid view of fields and the Sonala village beyond.

The roof is being made using structural steel tubes and traditional Mangalore clay tiles.