Anticipation of a Change in the air….

Ever since I attended my first Bloggers’ Meet organized as part of the Manipal Media Students’ Convention, where I was subjected to the nuances of serious writing, I have been constantly contemplating on changing my very mindset with which I write each and every post in this blog. My mood during my writing sessions can swing anywhere from sentimental to creepy to outright sarcastic and temperamental. Not to forget the innumerable occasions during which I have had a much “HIGHER” insight into the world around me-thanks largely to a lot of water, with some Alcohol content of course (usually around 40%). This being the case, I realized that there was never enough motivation for me to churn out a post which would possess some positive literary value.

I primarily am motivated to do some serious writing after I started reading some blogs which I personally rate very highly on the literary and informative aspect. It is another fact that these blogs that I read regularly are written either by Journalists or some freelance writers. I, being a Civil Engineer, will definitely have to tread a long, hard path to begin to churn out material which are somewhere even remotely close to their standards. But nevertheless, I can always see that there is some standard that I am definitely capable of achieving. And maybe, once I hit some improvement, I can go further and hope that it is a recursive  process. But how I go about it is a question that needs to be addressed at the earliest.

I find that most of the well written articles or essays are more opinion oriented than information oriented. Whether it comes to a debate on some prevailing policy or a review on a book, there seems to be an inherent opinion in the minds of the author/writer which is expressed, sometimes camouflaged, amidst relevant or corroborating pieces of information. When it comes to reviews- either of movies or books- it is usually found imperative to identify and communicate the ‘mood’ the book or the movie creates in the way it is written. I find that it really takes good talent and skill to be able to not only identify but to also be able to put into words, the mood that is the subconscious result of the experience of reading a book or watching a movie. It is this reason that I frequent The Middle Stage very often.

Apart from Book and Movie Reviews, the prospect of ‘Serious Writing’ extends over many dimensions which include script writing, political commentary and an objective analysis of any widely debated issue. Though I am definitely not going to try my hand at script writing, I may at sometime write some political commentary or debate both sides on a hot topic. It is also a good option to take a mildly sarcastic view of things which happen to be beyond my control to change, or to just describe quite literally, the world around me, either in my immediate vicinity or the general atmosphere in meticulous detail, explaining the contribution of each and every item to the general mood that is created!

So here is what I am going to do to put these massive plans of change into action. I will most likely be opening a new blog for this purpose so that I can continue to write nonsense unhindered in ‘this’ blog. I will post the link soon-provided I actually make the effort to open one. And in that blog, you will find me writing book and movie reviews, some political and policy commentary along with some verbose description of totally irrelevant places or events. And maybe someday, just someday, I actually feel that I can churn out a decent script.

This is one thing that I have really been wanting to do, as my passion for writing seems to be accruing at a steady rate since quite some time. And hopefully, with regular (????!!!!!!????) writing sessions, someday I can actually be in a position to be able to put into words, anything I feel or see…..

A Stranger in Manipal- Part I

Final semester at NITK calls for an inevitable paradigm shift in the life of the hostel inmates. Suddenly one is expected to understand and realize the true importance of not doing anything worthwhile for months together and still feel happy and satisfied about it. As a corollary, it is also expected of the students to make complete use of all the facilities that are so easily accessible to them in the hostel. This includes buying a quarter of cheap Old Monk rum for a mere 35 bucks from Garuda Bar along with the cheap Baba Cola which further costs 4 bucks for 300 ml and then getting high-at least 4-5 times a week. One is also expected to drag one’s lazy ass outside the campus to explore greener pastures.

And that was exactly what I did on Saturday. After 3 1/2 years of getting stuck in my hostel room, I finally made up my mind to explore the earth that existed to the north of my college at Surathkal. All the 3 1/2 years, I had been frequently subjected to highly regarded parables about the treasure cove that existed about 60 km north in a place called Manipal. There was a general notion that all that was of high value there was largely due to the unequal and unfair distribution of the same. So off I went, finally,with my friend, seeking greener pastures.

I was to be greeted there by one more of my friends who stays in the very place itself. So after the ball breaking bus journey, I finally arrived at Manipal. And by the time, I stepped foot on the ground there, I knew that I would not be disappointed. Now before I venture into describing the exact nature of the highly valued assets of the place, let me just tell you in brief about my situation.

Now you see, my college is widely known for its academics and relevant stuff. Exactly-relevant stuff. The only thing that you can possibly improve on is on those very lines. But if you come to my college with an expectation of meeting and befriending people of the XX chromosome type- you have come to the wrong place pal. NITK Surathkal is the perfect illustration for the saying (or fact): “`Beauty and Brains never go hand in hand.” That was how we guys used to explain the phenomenon of the lack of ‘chics’ in my college. But soon we realized that the girls in my college had neither the brains nor the beauty. And I have been stuck in this college for over 3 1/2 years. So I guess you have now gathered my situation as a whole. And it is seeking greener pastures in this regard that I took my trip to Manipal.

And in my next post, you will find in detail, my tryst with the treasure cove and the subsequent realization that I was indeed a stranger in a strange land.