Blast from the Past

Have you ever suddenly been given a whammy by someone or something triggering a lever that dredges past memories that have been buried, not because they were bad things that happened to you, but just because there's so many new things for your mind to process? If you have had this experience, you'll know exactly what I mean. A hundred scattered images and words that were spoken and others that were heard are all dug up by your suddenly efficient brain like some paleontologist after stegosauri bones. Then you begin thinking about all those days when you were young. You sigh, knowing those days are gone. They only exist in your memory in Technicolor detailing with high contrast. Gone are those school days when you used to commute by school van. Gone are those days when you'd try and shine your scruffy shoes by rubbing them against the back of your socked legs before the assembly on Monday mornings. Gone are those days when you'd lustily join in singing the morning prayer-song, albeit off-key. You still sing these days. The songs've changed. Your voice hasn't. Its still off-key. Then, you turn your mind to the characters. The ones who featured in your recently reintroduced memory. "Whatever happened to them?", you think. You realise you haven't heard about most of the characters in years. The yearning to know what became of them is overwhelming. You try a few messages and phone-calls to people you think would have kept in touch with them. You try a search on social networking sites. Mostly, you find them. And you get their phone numbers or add them as friends on your profile and promise to keep in touch. Though you both know it isn't going to happen forever. A few messages and emails later, the memory is again back where it belongs - under a thought about the Organization of the Russian Mafia and another about that new movie you just watched. Maybe even a thought about "What would have happened if Hitler didn't opt for a career-change from being an artist to a warmonger?" might put itself right on top of this particular memory and erase it from your mind. Until next time. When a new whammy comes your way. My brain happens to be very musical. I have my very own music player inbuilt in my brain. It plays music throughout the day. The music just keeps playing in the background. If I strain my ears hard enough and focus them inside my mind, I can hear the music all the time. My brain is smart. This I know because it creates playlists that suit my mood. There are happy songs and the disco variety when I'm being happy and hyperactive. There are slow, sad ones for when I'm depressed. And heavy metal to fuel my anger and vintage hard rock for when I'm being me and fully in control of myself - physically, mentally and emotionally. There music playing even while I'm writing exams. I've found out I turn in my best papers if there's Pink Floyd or Coldplay stuck in my head. So, its very reassuring to wake up on an exam morning and find "Comfortably Numb" echoing within the cranium. An hour ago, when I went down to Six's room so that we could go have dinner, I heard the musical strains of an oddly familiar song emanating from my old roommate Pogo's room. Like a man sleepwalking though a rather surreal dream, I walked into his room and sat enraptured by the song. The song behind this post. REO Speedwagon's "Keep on Loving You" - the song that was playing in my head during my first kiss.

Down with the Sickness

I hate being sick. I hate falling ill. That's just what's happened to me. It is so frustrating to be all dozy all day long and jerk awake suddenly and force open gummed-up eyes and feel like hell, not knowing what time of which day it is. For the last few days, its been me, my room and I. My body has been competing with my laptop in a game of "Who's hotter?" My appetite's all screwed-up and the physical weakness is, well, demoralising. I'm usually very in touch with my innate maleness and revel in "feats of machoness". The sickness takes away all that. Most of the day and night, I'm confined to bed, in a bid to conserve energy. The illness brings with it its perennial fan following of cough, runny-noses and constant headaches. All in all, this bout of fever has been my worst ever in a long time. Mom says I had German Measles as a really tiny kid but I have no memories of that. The fever has gone now. I thought maybe, that was that. Wrong. Enter: After-effects, stage left! After-effect #1 : A full-body rash. Itches like crazy. After-effect #2 : Appetite improved. But taste-buds gone on an extended vacation. After-effect #3 : Irritating desire to complain about everything under the sun and some that aren't. And I think I've gone deafer than usual. It really doesn't help that all these days have been holidays. At least, I'd have seen my friends otherwise. Somehow, the rash would've been better with Piggy fussing over me or Puppy taking my case about being spotty. If I continue, I'll continue complaining. Sometimes I disgust myself. So I'll stop now. A last word, all the best to The Nut Case and Sparks who have a big day ahead tomorrow!

My #1-234

Self explanatory post. After years of compilation and archiving. V presents:

1. Love Song - 311
2. (I ran so Far Away) - A Flock of Seagulls
3. Angel - Aerosmith
4. Lost in Love - Air Supply
5. Sweet Dreams - Air Supply
6. Speak Softly Love - Al Martino
7. Year of the Cat - Al Stewart
8. Silence & I - Alan Parsons Project
9. Ammonia Avenue - Alan Parsons Project
10. Old and Wise - Alan Parsons Project
11. Eye in the Sky - Alan Parsons Project
12. Poison - Alice Cooper
13. Man in the Box - Alice in Chains
14. In Memory of Elizabeth Reed - Allman Brothers Band
15. A Horse with No Name - America
16. We Are - Ana Johnsson
17. House of the Rising Sun - Animals
18. Don't let me be Misunderstood - Animals
19. I am the Highway - Audioslave
20. Like a Stone - Audioslave
21. How Deep is Your Love - Bee Gees
22. Stayin' Alive - Bee Gees
23. Rebel Yell - Billy Idol
24. Piano Man - Billy Joel
25. We Didn't Start the Fire - Billy Joel
26. Atomic - Blondie
27. Maria - Blondie
28. (Don't Fear) the Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
29. Eyes on Fire - Blue Oyster Cult
30. Astronomy - Blue Oyster Cult
31. Desolation Row - Bob Dylan
32. Blowin' in the Wind - Bob Dylan
33. Hurricane - Bob Dylan
34. Like a Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan
35. I Shot the Sheriff - Bob Marley & the Wailers
36. No Woman, No Cry - Bob Marley & the Wailers
37. Turn the Page - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
38. Bad Medicine - Bon Jovi
39. Livin' on a Prayer - Bon Jovi
40. You Give Love a Bad Name - Bon Jovi
41. Runaway - Bon Jovi
42. 1985 - Bowling for Soup
43. Dance with the Devil - Breaking Benjamin
44. Diary of Jane - Breaking Benjamin
45. Own Worst Enemy - Bruce Springsteen
46. Last to Die - Bruce Springsteen
47. Summer of '69 - Bryan Adams
48. Video Killed the Radio Star - Buggles
49. Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
50. Top of the World - Carpenters
51. Wild World - Cat Stevens
52. Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry
53. Clocks - Coldplay
54. Big Yellow Taxi - Counting Crows & Vanessa Carlton
55. God Shuffled His Feet - Crash Test Dummies
56. I Just Died in your Arms Tonight - Cutting Crew
57. We Can Be Heroes - David Bowie
58. Space Oddity - David Bowie
59. Yankee Rose - David Lee Roth
60. Breakfast at Tiffany's - Deep Blue Something
61. Photograph - Def Leppard
62. Hysteria - Def Leppard
63. Love Bites - Def Leppard
64. Layla - Derek & the Dominos
65. Listen to Your Heart - DHT & Edmee
66. Sultans of Swing - Dire Straits
67. Romeo & Juliet - Dire Straits
68. Brothers in Arms - Dire Straits
69. Your Latest Trick - Dire Straits
70. Land of Confusion - Disturbed
71. Alone Again - Dokken
72. Take it Easy - Eagles
73. Hotel California - Eagles
74. Society - Eddie Vedder
75. A Girl like You - Edwyn Collins
76. Can You Feel the Love Tonight - Elton John
77. Love Story - Engelbert Humperdinck
78. Knocking on Heaven's Door - Eric Clapton
79. Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton
80. Tragic Comic - Extreme
81. House of Pain - Faster Pussycat
82. Act like you know - Fat Larry's Band
83. All She Wrote - Firehouse
84. You're My Religion - Firehouse
85. Superman - Five for Fighting
86. The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
87. Cold - Fools Garden
88. Waiting for a Girl like You - Foreigner
89. Strangers in the Night - Frank Sinatra
90. Empty Rooms - Gary Moore
91. Adrenaline - Gavin Rossdale
92. Careless Whisper - George Michael
93. Iris - Goo Goo Dolls
94. I Just Wanna Live - Good Charlotte
95. Estranged - Guns N' Roses
96. Paradise City - Guns N' Roses
97. Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses
98. November Rain - Guns N' Roses
99. Wings of a Butterfly - H.I.M.
100. Cat's in the Cradle - Harry Chapin
101. Collide - Howie Day
102. Fear of the Dark - Iron Maiden
103. Hallowed Be Thy Name - Iron Maiden
104. The Nomad - Iron Maiden
105. Cocaine - J. J. Cale
106. Look What You've Done - Jet
107. All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix
108. Annie's Song - John Denver
109. Take Me Home (Country Roads) - John Denver
110. Working-class Hero - John Lennon
111. Imagine - John Lennon
112. Hurt - Johnny Cash
113. Open Arms - Journey
114. Take on the World - Judas Priest
115. Ruby - Kaiser Chiefs
116. Dust in the Wind - Kansas
117. Danger Zone - Kenny Loggins
118. Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
119. Self Control - Laura Branigan
120. How do I Live Without You? - Leann Rhimes
121. Kashmir - Led Zeppelin
122. Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin
123. The Battle of Evermore - Led Zeppelin
124. Steal My Sunshine - LEN
125. Ain't No Sunshine - Lighthouse Family
126. I'd Love You to Want Me - Lobo
127. Swingset Chain - Loquat
128. Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd
129. Free Bird - Lynyrd Skynyrd
130. Broken - Madonna
131. Warriors of the World - Manowar
132. Time - McAuley-Schenker Group
133. Symphony of Destruction - Megadeth
134. Land Downunder - Men At Work
135. Fade to Black - Metallica
136. Unforgiven 2 - Metallica
137. One - Metallica
138. Wherever I May Roam - Metallica
139. Beds are Burning - Midnight Oil
140. Nights in White Satin - Moody Blues
141. Home, Sweet Home - Motley Crue
142. Too Young to Fall in Love - Motley Crue
143. Broken Wings - Mr. Mister
144. Freewill - Mythiasin
145. Summer Wine - Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazelwood
146. Say it Right - Nelly Furtado
147. 7 Days to the Wolves - Nightwish
148. Come as you are - Nirvana
149. Smells like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
150. The Man Who Sold the World - Nirvana
151. (What's the Story) Morning Glory - Oasis
152. I Just Want You - Ozzy Osbourne
153. Shot in the Dark - Ozzy Osbourne
154. Bark at the Moon - Ozzy Osbourne
155. Floods - Pantera
156. The Music of the Night - Paul Potts
157. Jeremy - Pearl Jam
158. Dreaming of the Queen - Pet Shop Boys
159. Another Day in Paradise - Phil Collins
160. Something Happened on the Way to Heaven - Phil Collins
161. Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd
162. High Hopes - Pink Floyd
163. Brain Damage - Pink Floyd
164. Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd
165. Carnival of Rust - Poets of the Fall
166. Every Rose has its Thorn - Poison
167. Lazarus - Porcupine Tree
168. Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
169. We Will Rock You - Queen
170. Silent Lucidity - Queensryche
171. Come On, Feel the Noise - Quiet Riot
172. Nightswimming - R.E.M
173. At My Most Beautiful - R.E.M
174. Losing My Religion - R.E.M
175. Electron Blue - R.E.M
176. Temple of the King - Rainbow
177. Black Sheep of the Family - Rainbow
178. Engel - Rammstein
179. Sympathy for the Devil - Rolling Stones
180. Fading like a Flower - Roxette
181. Closer to the Heart - Rush
182. Wind of Change - Scorpions
183. Rock You like a Hurricane - Scorpions
184. Alien Nation - Scorpions
185. Broken - Seether & Amy Lee
186. Anarchy in the U.K. - Sex Pistols
187. The Boxer - Simon & Garfunkel
188. Sound of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel
189. I am a Rock - Simon & Garfunkel
190. The Dangling Conversation - Simon & Garfunkel
191. El Condor Pasa - Simon & Garfunkel
192. Doomsday Clock - Smashing Pumpkins
193. Misery - Soul Asylum
194. Runaway Train - Soul Asylum
195. String of Pearls - Soul Asylum
196. We Built This City - Starship
197. Kid Charlemagne - Steely Dan
198. Born to be Wild - Steppenwolf
199. I Just Called to Say I Love You - Stevie Wonder
200. Shape of my Heart - Sting
201. Stray Cat Strut - Stray Cats
202. Eye of the Tiger - Survivor
203. Pale Shelter - Tears for Fears
204. Love Song - Tesla
205. Yesterday - The Beatles
206. While My Guitar Gently Weeps - The Beatles
207. Across the Universe - The Beatles
208. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds - The Beatles
209. Twist and Shout - The Beatles
210. Honest Mistake - The Bravery
211. Jerk It Out - The Caesars
212. Wherever You Will Go - The Calling
213. Leave Me Breathless - The Corrs
214. Painted on my Heart - The Cult
215. Bohemian like you - The Dandy Warhols
216. Riders on the Storm - The Doors
217. Waiting for the Sun - The Doors
218. Smile like you Mean it - The Killers
219. Mr. Brightside - The Killers
220. Forever Lost - The Magic Numbers
221. The KKK Took My Baby Away - The Ramones
222. Bittersweet Symphony - The Verve
223. Baba O' Riley - The Who
224. Behind Blue Eyes - The Who
225. Unbreak my Heart - Toni Braxton
226. I wanna Rock - Twisted Sister
227. Where the Streets have No Names - U2
228. Sunday, Bloody Sunday - U2
229. Girl, You'll be a Woman Soon - Urge Overkill
230. Jump - Van Halen
231. Heaven - Warrant
232. Teenage Dirtbag - Wheatus
233. Memories - Within Temptation
234. Judas - Yngwie Malmsteen

For MM

Here you go! Happy? And the font is not italicized. And I hope I'm still funny.

Star Wars : The Next Episode

Ripe time for a new post methinks. Methinks methinking a lot these days. Now if mesa only start replacing "me" with "mesa", mesathinks me could give Jar Jar Binks a run for his money or Empire Credits or whatever those floppy-eared, stalk-eyed, stick-legged, lizardlike, amphibious, God-you-talk-too-much, creatures use as money. I've been re-watching the Star Wars for the I-don't-know-I've-lost-count-th time. The thing is, there has always been something about the first 3 episodes that's always bugged me. I couldn't quite put my finger on it till finally, I realised, it was JAR JAR BINKS! I mean come on, what was the necessity of introducing such a character? Any species so stupid would have died out long before they could even evolve into sentient beings that could take control of a very earthlike, albeit marshy, planet! It goes against all known theories of evolution. Can you imagine how it would be if evolutionary deadends were given a second chance? We would all be ruled by dodos! We humans would be restricted to living in jungles or we'd have to take to the sewers and live among dodo poo or risk being caught and put in tiny 8X10 ft cells in zoos where dodo chicks would come and ogle at us and stick ice cream through the bars just to taunt us. Or worse, maybe the dodos would have evolved into really cruel dumb birds and would kill for sport; just for the heck of it. But you really can't deny it. George Lucas may have screwed up badly with the last installment of Indiana Jones, but he has given us the all-time greatest sci-fi saga. I have been hooked on to Star Wars ever since I was 12 years old. I still have the lightsaber toy, that has a thin, long filament that lights up when activated by a button, that my grandma brought for me from the US. It still lights up. I can't take it anymore! Have to watch Episode 5 again! Meanwhile, here's some good, sound advice - watch old seasons of The Simpsons. Read all the Asterix comics. And please comment. It doesn't matter what you say, even a "I read this post V" will do.