Dessau

Ethos India organises a quiz for students of architecture every year and a few years ago they started one for professionals as well. My former teacher and boss Abhijit De and I decided to team up and participate this year so I started to prepare for it.  Reading about art nouveau and modernism reminded me of a hilarious story; though hilarious only in retrospect!

It starts in 2003 when I was in my second year of architecture college and was preparing to be a part of my college delegation to the annual National Association of Students of Architecture (NASA) meet. That year, a college in Hyderabad was hosting the competition and the theme for it was 'DESSAU'

I told my father that and he asked me (with seriousness and the slightest bit of suspicion) - 'why would anyone want to name it Dessau?'

Now, just to give you a background, Dessau is a place in Germany which holds the utmost relevance for us Architects as it was the site for the relocated prestigious 'Bauhaus school' which was one of the pioneering places for modernism in architecture, art and craft to grow and proliferate. So understandably, I was super thrilled, while my father seemed to have some serious reservations about it. We were at odds... I explained to him as to why I thought Dessau was a very good idea for a theme for a gathering of said nature and he told me why he thought it wasn't... 

A career military man that he was (also a huge military nerd) my father told to me that Dessau was an important base for the Nazis during WW-II and also the site of a large concentration camp. And something about an important battle towards the end of the war which I can remember nothing of. 

What I can remember is that none of us spoke for a few minutes... Till I asked for money for my train ticket to Hyderabad and back, which he handed to me promptly.

And this was just one of our typical military dad - architect daughter conversations. 

If you're wondering about the quiz, we finished at a respectable third position with a prize money of twenty thousand rupees in our kitty!

My father would have said 'Good. Just wish you'd have dressed better for the event'

No complaints there...!

Soulmates- maybe. Maybe not...

Never expected his call, but it tickled my soul. I wanted to meet him, and I'm guessing he felt the same. So as menacingly as possible, challenged me to a mini cycle race. I wanted to beat him. But I didn't know how fast he was. So I accepted on the condition that we wouldn't race. The ride was supposed to be to the airport and Vohuman cafe for breakfast. We rode, we talked and clearly I was way faster than him. So I asked him to get his bike seat raised so the posture would help him ride better. I offered to let him ride my bike for a bit. He took it.

At Vohuman, we ate and talked and drank tea. I loved our conversation. Just a matter of a few months and we were together. And both wanted to buy new bikes. 

So we decided to go to the bike shop one fine march evening. I arrived to find him already there making conversation effortlessly with someone. We hung out there with one of the owners who showed us bikes and his new tattoo. We test rode our cycles. I knew which one I wanted. He was undecided. 

It was getting dark and the streetlights were on and the conversation was flowing when the shop owner just said 'It's great that you both want to get bikes together...'

'...Like brother sister bikes...' 

And we both looked at each other and then him. He realised he made a faux pas, and tried some damage control

'Oh... Friend bikes then...?

'

'Yes...' We were both fine with that.

Two weeks later I bought my bike. 

A year and a half later we broke up.

He never bought his bike.

It's been more than four years since we were called siblings. And although I don't care for him as I used to, I think of him sometimes. And the brother and sister bikes that we never had. 

It usually makes me smile.

And usually makes me listen to melancholic songs. Like this one:

The Matrix vs Everlong!

I've seen the music video of Foo Fighters 'Everlong' by Michel Gondry many times till date. I've analysed the visual, aesthetic, low key, metaphorical and not to forget the mischievous and high concept yet slight absurdity of it all. But it wasn't until today that suddenly out of the blue, I realised that the video is like the most brilliant version of the 'The Matrix' by the Wachowski siblings!

Let me demonstrate by the clever use of certain strategically taken video screenshots:

Trinity and Taylor... Both fighting the bad guys...but need Neo and Dave's help...

Neo and Dave both mess up before realising they aren't who they think they really are...

Neo and Dave in the club!

THE BADDIES...!!!

Neo and Dave both wake up from Nightmares and take *the* call...

A brick wall instead of an exit... well well well....

The baddies transform...!

Okay... there's a bit of a mix-up here...

That moment when Neo and Dave finally believe!

Neo and Dave get aggressive and ready to fight anything or anyone!

Neo and Dave fight the baddies... swift and easy!

Neo and Dave get good with their guns!

BADDIES DESTROYED!

Additional observations:

'M' is for Matrix! (Also, looks more like a hand painted Motorola logo...)

Watch the 'Everlong' video here: 

Bare-feet.

This day last week, I went to the tekdi with Pooja after work to take a walk under lovely skies which changed form every five minutes!

It had rained, so the earth was wet and kept sticking to our sandals so much so that we couldn't walk properly. Walking barefoot was the only option. Mud caked sandals in hand, we started walking towards the Hanuman tekdi, with our feet covered with a thick sole of mud. We had a lovely walk to the Mandir and back!

 Beautiful day!

I'm having a FUN moment

FUCK  U  NOSTALGIA*

*Sans serif. will see you in Helvetica

No kidding

I am 30 years old. Soon to be 31. Also, surrounded by friends and acquaintances who either have had/going to have/are planning to have children soon. 

I am not one of them. Needless to say, I'm not even married. Not even about to be. Not even planning yet.

I've often found asking my self if I wanted children. And most of the times, the answer is 'No'. I always thought I would be one to possibly adopt a child. Then one day at my friend's new born's barsa, another friend who was vehemently opposed to having children asked me if I was ever going to. I said I wasn't. But instantly added 'Accidentally ho gaya toh... I don't know.'

Sure it was funny and all, but it got me thinking. What did I really want? To have a child or to not have a child. I am, for sure- not at all comfortable at the thought carrying a child in me and giving birth, but then I'm sure no one really is. 

What I am afraid of is the immense responsibility on my body and mind and that's just till I have the baby. I'm not even sure I'm going to make a half decent mother, let alone be a good selfless soul.

Other times, I strongly feel that I should bring up a child. Because it's a process which I see all around me to be extremely rewarding. Guiding a child to be a strong, self reliant adult in the future and nurturing them to be what they truly want to be. But in my day dreams, It's never my own child.

Then again, so what if it isn't? 

I admire my friends who have/are going to have/are planning to have children. They have a will of steel I don't know if I posses. I think instinct is overrated. In the end it's just their resolve and commitment that gets them through. 

Nothing is set in stone. Time and people I am with will facilitate change. Someday, I might get married and have children and contrary to my belief, be able to go through with parenthood. But the fear that I will not be as good a parent as I ought to will always be there at the back of my mind.

PS: I will, in the future wonder what made me write about this and just to remind me, I read this article about what a few famous women on TV and the movies had to say about why they didn't want/have children.

Linkedin weirdness... In a warm, fuzzy (non creepy) kinda way.

I updated my linked profile a couple of years ago to include my previous part time venture of teaching swimming. I was a swimming instructor from 2002 (Started immediately after i appeared for my 12th standard board exams) till 2009. Not bad eh... for a student of architecture and later an architect working in a firm to find time to teach swimming for one hour every day? Considering we are always facing a time crunch, it was quite an achievement. 

After I started working on my own and travel increased, I stopped teaching.

I never thought adding this bit of my professional life on linkedin would amount to anything except for creating an impression on my contacts...

Till yesterday, when I received this email... 

My day was made :P

Update: For some reasons, I've deleted my linkedin account.

Mixed signs.

My mind sees what it wants to see. 

But if I were not me, what would I see? What would I feel about these 'Signs' that the universe is giving to me. Is the universe also giving me signs I wouldn't like but turn a blind eye to because I do not want to see them? 

But who would tell me that? 

Should anyone tell me that?

I am tired of signs. I don't want to believe in them anymore.

Under reinforced section

I was wondering if I should give a deep beam in a project so as to eliminate the Lintel beam  when I though I should read up on the under reinforced RCC section. In the image search, this is what popped up :P 

A dog trapped 'under reinforced concrete slab'

Made my day. The internet is funny. 

GAS LEAK YEAR

In the 'Community' universe, Season 4 which aired in 2013 was a gas leak year. It was because the characters weren't quite themselves and the situations were not as weird and meta and complex as before. The show was still loveable and since I was already invested in it so much, I had to live through it. 

But it was not just a gas leak year for Community. It was a gas leak year for me as well.

2012 had not ended quite so well for me personally. And with my health deteriorating, It made my life more than just a bit less exciting. Not good times. I fell very sick and the doctor couldn't diagnose what was wrong with me. So I was suffering. By June, I had lost too much weight and I was feeling too weak to do anything so decided to consult a different doctor. I got better soon, by my earlier treatment had left me with a lot of other ailments which really took a very long time and willpower to get through and heal. 

I was different. Not the same. Gas Leak Year. 

So how did I decide to write about it now? After half the year 2014 is already past me? It's because today, I was telling Vivek that I needed to upload photos from 2012 on flickr, but when I logged on, I realised that I had already uploaded it sometime in 2013. That's how bad 2013 was for me that I wasn't even able to recollect the photographs I had uploaded. 

Gas Leak Year.

On a more positive note, 2013 ended so much better than the previous year end. And 2014 started with some rather sweet surprises. And it keeps being so much more pleasant. Just like Community season 5 was... :D  

Reactions

Every year in college, the students participate in a week long design studio where they are divided into mixed groups from each year. This year, they were given a very unique design exercise. To REACT

Today we have become quite used to the scenario around us. The good, the bad and the mundane... we take it in our stride. We accept everything without blinking an eyelid.

A reaction to an urban space is what is expected. Which got me thinking: How many times do I give a reaction to things around me? How many times do I come across as a skeptic, a philistine, or an asshole if I do react? How many times have I told people that I have stopped reaction to traffic in Pune or the poverty I see around everywhere. Every time I see a homeless and helpless old man or woman I want to cry. Instead I just shake my head, accept it and move on.

But why must I move on? Why must I not react? Even though my reaction might not amount to anything why must I not make an attempt? 

After all this, I might still not react and live as blissfully inert as always. 

  

Clearing

Every once a while, I decide to rid my computer of excess stuff because of a space crunch. I realised that no matter how valuable anything seems when it's created, if you give it enough time it eventually becomes redundant.

I found a folder which I have time and again debated whether to keep or to delete. It's of no value to me being a folder of photographs from my ex boyfriends camera, but I wondered if a day came when he asked for those, and I didn't have them, would I appear to be a spiteful former lover whose heart is filled with so much hate that she didn't even considering asking him to take it away?

BUT then I thought that if he wanted those photos, he would have asked for them by now, seeing as it's been nearly two years since he called things off between us, and I am not bothered about what the world thinks about me anymore. So, I've deleted the folder, and any regrets about the said deed. 

While clearing I also came across some long forgotten stuff. For instance - this time I found a word document called 'freedom' and when I opened it, there were only these two lines typed in there:

"Freedom costs nothing. But only when you're born unshackled. 

The biggest and strongest shackles are those which come with being a flower child of the urban types."

 

I wonder what I was writing about and what it meant when I wrote it, but there's some truth to it. I shall remember someday...

Fruity weekend

Last weekend was a "Karm kar, phal ki chinta mat kar" weekend.

it all started on Saturday morning when I went for a site visit at Girivan, 40 kms from Pune. I plucked loads of Jamun fruits. They were small but tasty! Also, I plucked many Karvanda fruits abundantly available there for everyone to eat. These sweet and tangy little perishable berries are found on the hills in the western ghats and it's rare to get these in the city. 

The next morning, my friends and I went for an early morning drive to my friends farmhouse near Panshet. They have Safed Jaam trees growing there and we feasted on this low hanging fruit. It was so easy to pluck, we filled our bags with them! 

And as I came home, I found that my aunt had sent us a big box full of Alphonso mangoes from her own family owned orchards! 

And it ended on a wonderful note when my friend got me a box strawberries from Mahabaleshwar!

 I am so lucky! :D