Music Favourites: December 2014

5 most listened to songs for the month :

(Random Order) 

1. Baby It's Cold Outside- Idina Menzel and Micheal Buble

December is the month for Christmas music. Now, there are these forever favourites like Disney themed Christmas music, the carols, but every year there is that one oldie that gets a makeover. This song renovation by Micheal Buble and Idina Menzel is the cutest. As chivalrous the song is lyrically, the video just makes it so much more cuter. The video is 80's Gatsby themed in a hotel lobby, and well with a cute bunch of 12 year old's. It's one of those catchy Christmas tunes, with the right concept for the video and just so much fun. The video just makes it so much cuter and catchy.

9/10. For the cuteness factor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bbuBubZ1yE

2. Outside- Calvin Harris ft. Ellie Goulding

Ellie Goulding is just TOO sweet for me. After 'Anything could happen' by her, I couldn't stand listening to another one of her songs. As famous as that song was and well accepted by the world, just not my cup of tea. I am not that big of an EDM person. After refusing to listen to this song because Ellie Goulding sang it, the radio just decided to trick me into liking it, as obviously I didn't know it was by her singing until after the song was done. I LOVED it. Calvin Harris is GOD. He has such a catchy sense of music that even if you aren't an EDM lover, you like whatever he makes. This song gets me dancing just like Animals by Martin Garrix did. Too awesome.

10/10. For making me dance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9NQFACZYEU

3. Don't Wait- Mapie

I just have to put light upon the fact that the picture I found on google was a Tumblr dedication to Tyler Oakley and Troye Sivan. CUTEST. Binge Youtubing makes you familiar to the whole Youtuber scene, cat videos, dog videos, funny videos and songs like Don't Wait. This song isn't a famous one but it is so catchy. It's one of those discoveries that you make and end up making everyone you know listen to it. Yes, I am boasting about my discovery but I am also making the song popular, win-win situation. It is a thoroughly enjoyable Indie-pop hip-hop-y song. One of those songs you play on a road trip. 

7/10. For keeping me company on going home from college drives.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPo7iNKoCGQ








4. Take me to the Church - Hozier

Being a gigantic fan of artists like Lorde, because I am a lyrics fanatic, Hozier rocks my world. The depth in the lyrics is SO maddening that you rethink everything you took for its face value. This particular song was a looking at ones lover as religion, it was about how sexuality is a silent thing when it comes to religion, it was about homosexuality being a sin in religions eyes, it was about human craving of love, it is about love and loss, about rebirth, about pain and suffering, it is about so many things. And when you can take a concept so strong, put it into words and make it work with music, you give the world an extraordinary experience. This song is my most played song throughout the month of December. For the most beautiful metaphors and quality music if you haven't listened to it by now, GO NOW. As an artist if you are making a music video to support your piece of art, the music video must do justice to the song. A brilliant song can become unpopular because of its video and vice-versa. The video is so brilliant that it translates the musical metaphors into visuals. Kudos to the video director.

10/10. For feeding my metaphor craving soul. And For becoming one of my favourite artists.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYSVMgRr6pw




5.  Somebody to you- The Vamps ft. Demi Lovato

Life is too short to not like catchy pop music. This is one of those boy bands that make crazy pop tunes and earn millions in terms of money and teenage girl attention. Cute boys pointing towards you and screaming "YOU" even if it is through my laptop screen, it is still very fun. Demi Lovato's strong vocals help in making it catchier. That's the thing about pop, it is so catchy that 5 years later when the song plays, you will still know all the lyrics and still sing it out loud like no one's watching. The videos is kind of like a One Directions' What makes you beautiful, but I like this song better. Sunkissed. Beaches. Hot chicks. Cute guys. Love song. Done. Perfect boy-band formula.

8/10. For making me scream my lungs out singing because of its catchy-ness. 
                                                                                                       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0go2nfVXFgA






I hope you enjoyed reading.
It's 10pm on 31st December 2014.
I am spending my New Years' Eve with my Biochem textbook.
I hope you are having a better time partying.
If you're not, and are bored, re-read this and count the number of times I have used the word 'catchy'. I need to find better adjectives. XD

Happy New Year. :)




Fin.

The Thing About Faith

It is 2 a.m. I kid you not, yet I am going write this blogspot because for days I didn't get the #BoycottPK and the hype behind it, now I do.


Disclaimer:
This is not a spoiler. No, I will not reveal essential details about the movie. Spoilers I think are equivalent to a crime. Somewhere on the lines of Infringement, Plagiarism and Theft. What a spoiler does is: One, essentially 'spoils' it for a person who hasn't watched the movie, read the book or seen the show. You literally take away that joy, pain, agony, depression, disbelief etc emotions that Art in the form of literature or cinema allow you to experience. Even if it is negative emotion. It's all part of the process of accepting Art. Two, It essentially ruins the effort that actors, writers, editors, light-dada (lights-guy), make-up artist, producer, director, tea-guy, umbrella-guy and everyone other person who is related to the making of the movie, play, book etc. How? Well, say I spoil something for 3 people, that is -3 on the list, 3 people who will never fully completely enjoy the moment all those people worked to provide. Because now they either know what happens completely of partially. Latter being worse as it makes unrealistic scenarios arise in the viewers mind which always lead to disappointment like all over thought expectations. Why would you steal that experience from someone and why would you let the work of so many people go to waste? That is just cruel. Also, Third, It leads to cold wars. Like Peace is the way. I know as much as the butterflies flutter in you tummy, just keep it in.

That was a long Disclaimer. I can never be a disclaimer writer now. I m sure you have slept already. Okay wake up. This is going to get interesting. I think.


So. Yes. Let's do this.

My mother has been a part of The Art of Living foundation for a long time now. 6-7 years I guess. Initially, I was extremely skeptical about the whole foundation thing. Why? Well, if you live in India, you will know the amount of corruption that exists and the maniac faith that Hindus have, or wait that most religion followers have. Faith keeps you going. Faith gives one hope. Faith is a good thing. But God or the creator gave us a logical and reasoning brain, so we question. Questioning is good too. But when everything fails, questions can't be answered, faith in time, faith in a superpower, faith in whatever you like is the way to go. Faith teaches you patience. For me, faith without logic makes no sense. Back to it, so Corruption + Harmful level of faith, the WORST combination of this gives us those corrupt baba's, people who make a living out of telling people lies and playing with the beautiful human faith. This also leads to unnecessary sects formed per religion from the already chaotic concept of religion. And with sects, comes disagreement, which perpetuates hate in most cases. Perpetuating hate was that one thing religion was trying to prevent, and there we have it, utter chaos.

Now, in the movie, there is a portrayal of dhongi-baba or a corrupt faith player. There is a mention of gratitude to the foundation in the beginning. So, I thought to myself, if the founder or the foundation had anything to hide or wanted more followers, why would the agree such filming to be done in their Ashram? Answer is simple, the Guruji I have observed over a period of 6 years, doesn't really care about the followers or the fame. He is the most chill guy who wears white, has read a lot of religious scripture yet likes to promote secularism and oneness. He holds satsangs once everyday where people sing positive vibe-d music and can dance to it like no one is watching.  He prays a lot and does a lot of meditation, promotes Yoga and meditation only to help decrease the overall stress of this stressful world. He helps orphans, children, youth, poor, rich and old people. He likes social work. I am not too sure about the other foundations like this, because seeing is believing and I haven't been able to witness others. Yeah, so if it is for the overall good and betterment, why not? So that. End of story. People can over analyze it all they want. The overall concept of the true meaning of God and portrayal of secularism and religion was so good that it doesn't matter that the producers chose this particular Ashram to film. That. Take it easy Art of Living people, Guruji knows his thing well. 

So now that I have got the whole Ashram thing out of my system, I can proceed to the actual thing. God, Religion and What.

What is God? Who is he/she? Or is it an 'it'? Appearance? Residence? Any other distinct features?
Arvind Adiga wrote in his book 'The White Tiger', There are 36 million and 4 gods. I think there are more, but for reference we shall settle to that. If I ask my Mom, she will say, God is within us in our heart. And, honestly speaking, she kind of is right. In my most desperate times, I talk to God, or rather talk to myself. Desperate to be noted. I also talk to 'God' when I am alone, when I am extremely happy and all that. So basically for me, God is like a buddy, who I can talk to without setting bars or norms. Be my true self with.

The thing is, we humans are like clay. Stresses act on us. Like when put into a mold we turn into something beautiful. Sometimes we get kneaded, rolled and life seems terrible then. Usually the 'stress' is a circumstance or an action or a reaction like the mold or the act of rolling and kneading. Think about when you are waiting to be put into the mold. Waiting for the kneading and rolling to get done. Waiting to be picked up by the curious kindergarten child to be turned into a work of art. 
During that 'inter-phase' of life. When the DNA, RNA, essential enzymes and organelles are synthesized and duplicated, what do we do? What do we do in the inter-phase of life? We wait, but we think. We think about the part, present and the future. The could, would and should have or be. The uncertainty is too overwhelming for that 1.3 kilograms of pink, gooey, directly consuming glucose, thinking, reasoning and processing organ of ours. The inter-phase of life is too overwhelming. It is scary. We can't have someone else face it for us. We do it alone. Being lonely is scary sometimes. It is life. This is that beautiful phase where Faith and Hope are also synthesized. 

When humanity began, language and understanding was developed, one person transformed their faith into a person that they could talk to. Another to a pillow they could rest on. Different interpretations and hence different faith. The level, kind and extent of faith is highly subjective. Overall idea remains same. When a bunch of humans, have a similar rough outline of their faith, Religion is formed. This leads to customs and traditions and hence religion becomes what we know it now as.

We often fail to understand that Religion is not completely defined by it's customs and traditions. It is more fundamentally defined by Faith. And faith is the same thing for everyone, just of different levels, forms, kinds and extent of it. That is what differentiates different Religions. 
My ancestors liked cows for the milk it gave and they loved it, you don't murder something you have an emotional attachment to. The cow's milk was sold and they could buy food for survival due to that. The cow was hence a blessing, God resides in the cow. When no one else could help. The cow did. God is Cow, Cow is God. So they became Brahmins. Whereas, Jessica's ancestors were Hunters and Gatherers. On a day they were very hungry ,when they had no food, a cow appeared that was killed and eaten. The meat filled their empty stomachs. When there was no food, that cow appeared. They ate meat, they hence over a period of time molded into Christians or Muslims or whatever. 

Some wise person said, Religion is the way of life, they were right. We choose to eat meat or not, eat before sunset or break the fast after sunset, write our holy books in Sanskrit or Latin or Arabic or whatever we feel like communicating with etc. These little things we do in life, the way we live our lives, shape our faith and hence decide our religion.
We are NOT born with a stamp from a certain religion. Our parents like they pass on their genes, pass on their faith. We grow up choose to follow it or not and pass on something we like, to our children. It's all about how one individual wants to live their life and what they want to propagate.

Now I like Dogs. But someone can like cats. That doesn't in anyway mean that I must or they must impose what we like upon the other. Yes, I will talk about why I love dogs and why I prefer them over cats and why I can't emotionally connect to cats. But as a fellow human being I require you not to get offended and vice versa. When I talk about all that, it is my view. I don't mean to undervalue yours. I might not agree with it, but I accept it. 

Non-Acceptance to someone not liking the same things. Not accepting the others decision. Not attempting to understand the other views. Being stupid and hurting the other by unintentionally imposing what you love because you have a deep passion for what you. This is what leads to misunderstanding and eventually hatred. This is the reason why Hindus and Muslims don't get along. We are both too busy trying to prove that what we believe is better than the other. This is why Jews and Christians couldn't coexist, because what one thought was that what they believed was higher or more superior than the other. We need to stop over analyzing and over doing things. Beneath that turban, moustache, beard, burqah, dupatta, saree, dress, pants, pyjamas, cross, Om etc we are all the same. We were all broken and we all found our kind of faith to fix are brokenness.

This movie beautifully shows, how God is a concept that keeps us going. It's okay to believe in God. It is also okay to follow a religion. Everything is fine. But when we have wars and terrorism that rises from religion we need to revisit our faith and solve the problems. Religion was meant to be positive, faith is a positive word. Why are we negating it?
Why do we bomb other countries? Why do we look down upon inter-caste marriages? Why do we act so judgmental when we see a brown man or a woman in burqah or the Fernandez family that lives down the lane? 

Humans are judgmental self-righteous pricks. We need to fix that. It's human nature. But we can at least reduce it so as to coexist in peace. Indo-Pak doesn't have to be an 'Oh My God' affair. We can all celebrate or rest on the abundance of holidays. This movie is a MUST watch. It teaches us how to understand what is actually wrong, take yourself out of the system. To someone who doesn't know what religion is, what sense does it make and what would they do with the current issue. It makes you think about meaning of life, love, faith, religion etc, which is extremely essential in today's world. We need a perspective, and this movie helped me get one. 

That's the thing about Art, it touches you in ways you wouldn't even imagine. 


Faith caused Religion. Religion was misunderstood and propagated negatively to instill hate.
Faith started it right? Faith will make it alright too.
That's what we do in life's' inter-phase right? 
Have faith. 
Yes. Keep that faith. :)




Fin. 

Christmas 2014

I am the definition of attempting Ariana Grande level high pitched (terribly) to sing Let It Go from Frozen. I also love my hot chocolate. I love decorating the Christmas tree and the whole buying decorations and craft involved in the process. I love to sing along Christmas carols and Holiday music till 2 a.m. because life is too short. I also love great food, well everyone loves great food. So Christmas becomes that ideal time. Talking about great food, DESSERTS, From cakes to ice creams to mousses' to puddings to cookies to muffins, Christmas is THE time for all that. The fact that Christmas has a vital role to play in lives of children due to the concept of Santa Claus, it just warms my heart that this holiday is a lot about children. At the age of 19 I almost ran to my Christmas tree today in the morning. Presents, who doesn't love getting gifts? Books, Clothes, Decorations, I love them all. But what I love the most is the thought that goes behind the art of gifting. I love planning surprises and making personalized gifts, so for me Christmas time is like the kid in candy shop scene. The though that goes behind gifts is also directly proportional to the relationships in your life. Family and Friends, Christmas is the time for that. Spending that precious time to create even more precious moments with the people you love is just priceless. But most of all, I love Christmas because it was the day that my precious little puppy became a part of the family, and it's the 1 year of loving Zohan day :)


I feel extremely happy even though I have to write my final exams due to the whole holiday spirit, and I just thought I would post a tiny rant about the things I LOVE about Christmas, things I did this year and do every year for Christmas.

So here it goes,

Things I love about Christmas :



1. Music

I don't think it is possible for a human to hate music. We humans are wired to do certain things, like we eat for survival etc. Music is food for the soul. It is so vast with millions of genres and sub-genres that no matter what, you will always find your type. I love the whole feeling of cuddling in your blanket on a cold winter night because you aspire to become a human-burrito and listening to good music. Now I do this a lot, but why Christmas is so special is because it comes with the most amazing Christmas Music and Carols.

Here are some of my favourites,

- Baby, It's cold outside- Idina Menzel and Micheal Buble.
This song is super old, but Idina and Micheal released their version recently. What makes me love this is the video, Great Gatsby themed 20's vibe with KIDS dancing around. Adorable children in 20's clothing dancing around. You can't get any cuter 10 year version than this. 
- All I want for Christmas is You- Mariah Carey
This is an all time favourite for everyone, it plays all the time on the radio and Christmas is incomplete without singing and dancing to this.
- Santa Tell Me- Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande is on fire this year. She has had so many hits and her cute yet sexy girl image is widely accepted. This particular song is super cute and very her.
- Last Christmas- Ashley Tisdale
I don't know why I listen to her version every year. I think it brings back all the High School Musical memories. But I do listen to it every year.
- Jingle Bell Rock- Bobby Helm
There is something very cool reggae meets Christmas to this song which is the best.
- Silent Night (and other carols)
I like the original. This is my favourite carol. There is just something so calming about Silent Night which makes it a favourite. 
- Shake up Christmas, Rockin' around the Christmas tree, A Holly Jolly Christmas etc.


2. Food. 

Traditionally it's the Turkey time. But for me the Chicken BBQ and Bacon does it for me. But most of all, the cakes, puddings, cookies and pies. 

So this year, we had a nice Christmas lunch at this place called, The Only Place, on Museum Road in Bangalore. I adore that place for their Chicken BBQ. 

We also went to the Bangalore Baking Company at the JW Marriot, which is the coolest dessert place with the cutest waiters. Red Velvet Cake. White Chocolate Blueberry Cheesecake. Chocolate Mousse. YUM. The best. Highly recommend it if you love your cakes and pastries.












So for Dinner, I went out with my family to Toscano which is amazing again. I had the best Pigs in Blanket. I was so hungry that I forgot to take more pictures. THAT is the best thing. When you are so hungry and the food is so good that you forget to take pictures or give a damn about the world.

3. The Christmas Tree.

As a fan of fairy lights, craft work, decoration and all things pretty, I LOVE decorating the tree. It takes a lot of patience and effort in decorating the tree and is a beautiful experience as a whole. For most people it is also a tradition, my parents bought me my first one when I was 3 and ever since every year I have decorated it. This is what our work of Art looked like this year :)

4.Family and Friends

Christmas is about the people in your life. People you love, who love you back, and matter to you. I have been blessed with such beautiful people in my life. Spending time with them, talking, fooling around, all those little things matter so much and make life beautiful is what Christmas gives you a chance to do.

I hope you had a great time this Christmas with your friends and family. 

A very Merry Christmas to everyone and a Happy New Year. :)

Fin.

The first encounter with HATE

hate

heɪt/

noun

1. 1.

   intense dislike.

   "feelings of hate and revenge"

   synonyms:

   loathing, hatred, detestation, dislike, distaste, abhorrence,abomination,  execration, resentment, aversion, hostility, ill will, ill feeling, bad feeling etc

When was the first time you experienced hate, in whatever form for instance when someone expressed their hate for broccoli?

When was the first time you felt the emotion of hate towards someone or something? 

I honestly can't remember.

When was the first time you felt love? First love? When was the first time someone told you that they loved you?

I can remember countless incidents, and countless times.

Even if you are the most depressed, morbid person who is devoid of love, of family, of friends, or even love for oneself, you will still remember one moment filled with love.

Love leaves a huge mark on our lives. It often shapes the kind of people we become. 

Sadly, Love doesn't change or affect the world.

HATE affects and changes the world.

Every adult I know, if they could, they would relive their childhood. Even if someone has had an abusive childhood, they would still want a chance to go through that phase of life again, not their phase, but some phase of being a child. Why is that so? You could say that it's that time of your life when you don't have to worry about the world, you don't worry about the money, you are carefree, you have your parents to care for you, you have an innocent mind etc. But why do we actually want to relive it?

Because a child doesn't feel hate. 

A child is carefree for various reasons. You hate that boy who teases you? No. You dislike that boy for a day or a month, you get over it. You don't like broccoli, doesn't mean you hate it, you still eat it because it's good for you. Or you give it to your dog when your mother isn't looking. You will dislike broccoli, but you will never hate it. Even if it is a passionate dislike that makes you have a gag-reflex every time you think about it, you wont hate it constantly at the back of your head. 

A child doesn't understand wars. A child doesn't understand crimes like murder and rape. A child doesn't even understand why his/her mother doesn't let him/her play with the kid from XYZ family that lives down the road.

This not because a child is not "mature" enough. If a child can understand the most complex human emotion of love and reciprocate it hours after coming to life, maturity isn't even the question.

It is because, a child doesn't understand hate. Or the logic, rationale, cause, repercussions, end result, by product etc related to hate. 

It makes no sense in irrationally killing someone you don't like.

It makes no sense to wage a war against another country simply because one country didn't agree with the other.

It makes no sense for your mother to not let you play with the kid from XYZ family that lives down the road.

Children are right. It never makes any sense. And never will. 

When one grows up, they will think of a billion reasons why they hate someone or something, but they will never think of the logic behind it. 

If love is blind. 

Hate is the paralysis of the logic part of the brain or the Cerebrum.

So I asked my 12 year old sister a couple of questions, and this was what she had to say.

Q: What does love mean to you, where does it come from?

A:"Love is a compassionate feeling. It comes from the heart. I mean, it comes from your brain only, but it warms your heart. When you really like something or someone it leads to love. 

Love comes from within".

Q: What does hate mean to you, where does it come from?

A:"Hate is higher level of disliking. I don't really know where it comes from, it's mostly your mind that makes you not like something but I don't really know why".

Q: I am your sister, if I did something bad, would you still love me?

A:"Kind of, like in the middle. Yes and No. I mean, because you are my sister and I love you, I would still love you. If like you were to be sent to jail, I will think it is good that you are going to jail because you will get better but my heart will still love you. My love will be more than hate. But it depends on the kind of 'bad' thing you do".

Q: What do you think is closer to humans, love or hate?

A:" Love. Because it is a part of life, if you don't love (or have loved) anything, you're not human. You can live without hate but you CAN NOT live without love. It's kind of equal, but love is little higher."

Q: When was the first time you felt hate and first time you felt love?

A:"I don't have like a first memory of hate, but I can remember a lot of memories filled with love."

Sometimes, no always, kids are the most logical and rational beings. 

Why am I analyzing hate from a child's point of view? Because I want to know what a child feels when they first encounter Hate.

I have been born and brought up (mostly, because of my father's Air Force background) in Bangalore. My parents are from the center of India-Pakistan conflict state, Jammu and Kashmir. I go to Jammu once every Summer, it's not like all scary as higher areas of Kashmir and how the media portrays it. It's pretty peaceful for a small town. Bangalore is my home, but Jammu is my parents' home. And that's cool I guess. My grandfather, was born somewhere in Pakistan. The Dutta's (Punjabi ones) are ancestrally from that region. When India got its Independence, in 1947, My grandfather, then 7 years old, left all his belongings, didn't wear his slippers, left home to cross the border to come to India with his father and siblings. For if they hadn't left everyone would have been killed. Being 7 years old, I don't think he understood why he had to leave everything behind or why the situation and the war even existed. That same wonder leads to his teary eyed childhood stories that he tells me with a smile when he is two drinks down. I have noticed how that smile never goes, for I know, as bad as it seems, it was still his childhood. It still means so much to him and he still doesn't get the hate. Does he hate Pakistan now? No, because as a child he never understood the hate and that shaped him into the person that he is now and he doesn't hate Pakistan. Yes, the conflict over Kashmir is bad, and it's not going away anytime soon, but there is still no concrete or logical reason to hate.

When I said hate affects the world, it does so immensely that we often begin to feel regret, pain and love as a part of humanity because of its colossal effect.

Like my 7 year old grandfather did not understand the hate then when he experienced it for the first time. I am sure those 132 children killed on December 16th 2014 in the military-run school in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar, did not understand the hate either.

It breaks my heart to even think of a child, scared little child, staring into the terrorists eyes at point blank range. Memories of his/her short lived life and of his/her family replaying over and over in those seconds before a bullet goes through his/her brain. Scared but still can not understand why there is SO much hate in the shooters eyes.

Being scared and dying is one thing. Being clueless about an emotion you have never witnessed. Experiencing it at its maximum, in such an unexplained gargantuan intensity and dying is just something else. 

Something indecipherable.

The First encounter with HATE for any child is extremely confusing. Most children won't even remember it as they grow up. But those 132 children, they experienced the worst first encounter with HATE and died with it. They didn't get to grow up, they didn't get a chance to make a list of reasons to hate something with no logical reason behind it. They did not get a chance to digest the reality of hate for there is nothing else we humans can do about it. They did not get to finish lesson 10 of their math textbooks or get that A+ they worked on for the whole weekend. 

They wore a clean fresh uniform in the morning, and had it stained by blood, before the mud from the playground or the oil from the lunch box could have stained it.

It breaks my heart that people are talking about the dynamics of India-Pakistan ties. It breaks my heart that World Politics still is looking for ways to tackle and handle their diplomacy. It breaks my heart that we humans think the superficial political ties are the ones that matter. It breaks my heart that parents who sent their children to learn are now cleaning their dead bodies to be lowered into their graves. It pains my heart to see that humans, in the name of religion, in the name of hate, in the name of proving ones opinion over another, kill other humans. For some reason killing children just seems so much more worse. 

It's not that children deserve to live more than adults. It's just that imagining a child, who hates no one, not even the bully who kicked him/her, is a victim or rather collateral damage of this hate that he/she will never understand. We adults have the power to propagate such nonsensical hate, to feel anger and convert it to hate, to let our egos rise, to understand that these murderers wont care about who or what you are. The only thing a child has seen is love, And THIS is the worst first experience of HATE. It breaks my heart that for years now, things like this happen, we loose faith in humanity, we write blogs and Facebook posts with #FaithInHumanityLost #RIP, share it and like it, propagate this loss of faith, And this loss only increases. Brave humans once in a while turn that hashtag to #FaithInHumanityRestored for a post or 2 only to be lost again by another heinous event like this. For ages have passed that the Human Race has fought pointless wars that are taught to 7th graders in History class. Taught in a way to inform and memorize rather than actually trying to understand or not make the same mistakes their illogical ancestors did. 

But most of all it just pains my heart to open the newspaper in the morning to news of hate, in a neighbourhood or a country, in the form of rape, murder or mass murder. It breaks my heart that innocent lives are collateral damage. 

It breaks my heart that 132 innocent children died on their first encounter with HATE.

With a broken heart, I pray for those 132 souls.

I pray for the children who are being brainwashed by Terrorists.

I pray for the humanity. 

I pray that when I become a parent, I don't have to worry if my child is safe at school.

May those confused little brave souls Rest in Peace.

Fin.

Music Favourites: November 2014

5 most listened to songs for the month :

(Random Order) 

1. Thinking out loud- Ed Sheeran- X

So as a dancer, the most attractive quality in a guy is if he can dance. And not just the Dougie. If the guy can lead you in a romantic couple dance song or has amazing Usher like party moves, I am swept off my feet, gracefully.
Ed sheeran or otherwise Ronald Weasely. Haha, I m kidding, or maybe not. So this Ginger, writes unconventional rap. He also sings cute songs with Taylor Swift. And, "It's too cold outside, for angels to fly" from The A-team is his genius work.
Love song X dancing. DONE DEAL. X is by the way read as Multiply, that is the albums name. It's a generic love song, with a very beautiful and addictive tune. Plus, the video, my oh my, is the cutest thing ever. From his video where a puppet version of him runs around town (Sing!) to a hip-hop dancer breaking into homes and weird parkour (Don't), Thinking out loud is my favourite video (I have the chronic case of Dancers bias).

It's is just 5 minutes of pure ballroom choreography by Nappy-Tabs ( Tabitha and Napoleon D'umo). Nappy-Tabs are famous for their lyrical hip-hop pieces from So You Think You Can Dance (I LOVE THAT SHOW). But this cute ballroom has so much of musicality involved. 

A little into Nappy-Tabs brilliance, Top 3 favourite Sytycd Nappy-Tabs routines:

1. Get outta your mind- Alex Wong & Twitch- Season 7

2. Bleeding Love- Mark & Chelsie- Season 4

3. Scars- Robert & Dominic- Season 7

Back to Ed Sheeran, being the amateur dancer he is, he did a good enough job as a dance partner in most lifts and as an artist to give a great cinematographic support to his music. 

This song, is my go to song before I go to sleep, and when I am in that "lovey-dovey" mood.

Great Song. Great Video.

8/10.

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp-EO5I60KA

"Darlin' I, will be lovin' you till we're seventy"

........

2. Blank Space- Taylor Swift- 1989

Taylor Swift has smashed records with her new album 1989. The album is a commercial success debuting number one on U.S. Billboard 200, it became the highest sales week since 2002 and Taylor swift became the first artist to have sold a million copies or more within a week. 

Taylor swift used to write a lot of Country-Pop and now she has moved to more Pop and Synthpop (pop with the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument), and well it is clearly working for her, even though she has still stuck to her love song writing.
This song is not like the lovey-dovey cute song or the generic break-up song. It is a whole new level of creepy. If you have watched the movie Gone Girl, you will get the whole creepy girlfriend/wife vibe.

The video begins with Taylor Swift, the 'serial-dater' in her castle in the most gorgeous black lace dress. Her lover for the weekend, Sean O'Pry (MY O' MY) arrives in an AC Cobra. The music goes, 'Oh my god, Look at that face', when he arrives which is so apt.

Their relationship is in the beginning stage. They have their royal dinners, walk around the lawn with 3 Rottweilers, chase each other, ride bikes in the living room, carve their names on a tree, etc. She paints a portrait of him and then hangs it in a hallway filled with defaced portraits of all her other ex-lovers. Only at this point you realize how creepy this is going to be.
So they are out, for a picnic, and she catches him texting someone else. This unleashes the Stalker/over-possessive/creepy/jealous girlfriend that she is.

Things to do if you are the creepy jealous kind:

1. Fight. Chuck a flower vase at him.

2. Wear a leopard dress and mascara (not waterproof), sit at the fireplace. Cry and let your make-up be the evidence. Punch a hole in the wall. 

3. Drop his phone, in a fountain, while he is watching. Metaphorically, the woman he was texting is also drowning.

4. Take a knife, or a sword, and deface the portrait of him that you painted. 

5. Take a pair of scissors and cut out 2 holes from his Armani shirt so that we can see his nipples. Just like how it is done in Mean Girls. If you feel adventurous, give the shirt some cowboy frills. Cut some pants to make them into sexy shorts or 3/4th's. Be the designer you always wanted to be. 

6. Stab a Heart shaped cake so that red blood-like liquid comes out of it, for the Dramatics sake.

7. If you have been the kind who thinks being the Princess from Disney movies is too mainstream, go ahead be the evil queen with the poison apple which is also a voodoo doll that controls the guy.

8. Throw a temper tantrum by taking a Golf club and smashing his BEAUTIFUL vintage AC Cobra. You can pretend that it is the girl he was texting and or your Tai Chi teacher because channelizing your anger didn't work and he wouldn't give your money back.

 9. Take an axe and chop down the tree you carved your names on. There is nothing more liberating than deforestation.

10. If smashing the car doesn't help. You can cry and throw a tantrum while sitting on his dead body (If you manage to kill him), that would definitely win you an Oscar.

If you are Sheldon Cooper, I WAS BEING SARCASTIC. Don't be a creep.

The video ends with Sean O'Pry running away, and Taylor Swift welcoming her next victim.

On the amount of Dramatics and Creepiness Scale, with the music and Taylor's amazing fashion sense I will probably rate this an 8/10.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-ORhEE9VVg

"Cause darling I'm a nightmare, dressed like a daydream"

........

3.Uptown Funk- Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars- Uptown Special (2015) 

As the name suggests, the song is a Funk and Soul tune. The Lyrics don't mean much but the music is so catchy. The minute you listen to the song, you automatically go into the nodding and snapping your fingers mode. It is a great workout song if you like gymming to funky tunes. 

The video has a 1980's vibe to it. Hats, Gold chains and Funky Blazers. I don't know how Bruno Mars does it, but he pulls off that pink blazer with such funk. The video is based on Bruno Mars' funky moves, and the hooligans walking and dancing around a vintage car. Like the lyrics, the video is pretty meaningless. But the Funk factor is maintained.

For being snazzy and funky.

6/10.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPf0YbXqDm0 

"Girls sent you Hallelujah."

.....

4. Secrets- Mary Lambert - Heart on My Sleeve 

So we all have our share of secrets. Secrets that we tell our closest friends only.Secrets that we take to our graves. Embarrassing secrets, hurtful secrets, bad memory secrets and what not. Mary Lambert effortlessly tells us something that P!nk tried telling us. SO WHAT?

We need to stop caring about what everyone thinks of us. Everyone judges because everyone has their likes and dislikes, basically opinions. It's good to have opinions on things. It is bad to promulgate negative opinions because that might overshadow the truth that you missed out. But it is worse to be affected by bad opinions or opinions you don't necessarily like in a self destruct fashion. Sometimes, being affected by a negative opinion helps us in finding a flaw and fixing it, only if we consider it a flaw in the first place. If it is just a personal trait, just because it has a negative opinion attached to it, DO NOT make it a flaw. For instance, being over weight is not a flaw. If someone calls you fat, the only thing that you should be thinking about is if it healthy for you to be that way, if not, get healthy, not size zero. If you chose to live with the unhealthy lifestyle then being called fat should never affect you. So you shouldn't care what people say once your choice is made.

I followed a rant-y tangent. Anyways, the lyrics to this song are brilliant, so much depth comically executed. 

It is fine. Don't let the secret eat your insides. Let it go.  

Mary Lambert is asking you to come out of your secret closet. LITERALLY.

Haters Gonna Hate.

Potatoes Gonna Potate. (huh?)

It is a catchy pop song, with THE best lyrics for the issue at hand.

8/10.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqqqV50zaAc

"I love my butt and I won't shut up."

......

5. Yellow Flicker Beat- Lorde- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 OST

ARE YOU EXCITED FOR MOCKINGJAY PART 1? If you don't live in India, you'd have probably watched it. Mockingjay Part 1 releases this week in India, Nov 28th to be precise. And I CAN'T WAIT.
I hate to admit this, but I haven't read the books. Please don't hate me. I thought Hunger Games would be like Percy Jackson. Yes, I know, but I didn't like Percy Jackson. I hated the first movie. It was boring and I swore to not watch anything like that EVER. That was also an added reason so as to why I didn't read the book then. Now, after watching Catching Fire, I am inspired to read the book. (Divergent also goes by the same line of inspiration for me)
I have been waiting for Mockingjay. For the aftermath of Catching Fire. For J.Law. For Peeta. For EVERYTHING.

Okay, I just fangirl-ed for a paragraph, but it's allowed.

Lorde, is a year younger than me, I am sorry but I can't get over it. It is also one of my driving forces, "Lorde is a year younger and she has won 2 Grammy's already, what have you done?".
But man this girl is on fire. From Royals to Tennis Court to Yellow Flicker beat she has taken her eerie-spooky yet amazing style of music and is headed towards World Domination.
The lyrics are so deep and mature for a 19 year old. But that's Lorde for you.
That is the reason why this song goes so well as the Soundtrack for Mockingjay in terms of the correlation in meaning of the movie, book and song.
The tied up boy-cut updo looks so amazing, And her Red Blazer and Pants set is just phenomenal.
Lordes' dancing skills are a little unconventional. If you have watched the video of her cover of Use Somebody by Kings of Leon, you will know it's her signature hand gesture dance,

Her vocals are killing. The vibe is fantastic. The Lyrics are beautiful.
10/10.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PdILZ_1P74

"And I'm locking up everyone who ever laid a finger on me"

So, I hope you enjoyed reading my little rant about my favourite music for this month.

Ok. Thanks. Bye.

Fin.