Luis and Rich

Luis Santos and Richard O'Flynn. My two best friends from LIPA. We've had some of the most memorable and mad times together this year. I can't look them in the eye when I talk about going back to India. And my heart sinks when they look sad that I won't be here next year.

I know this isn't goodbye forever though. Hopefully, I'll visit them while they're still at LIPA in the coming years. And they've got plans to come to India..if not sooner, at least for my wedding!

It's still weird though for me to imagine their lives in Liverpool without me. I don't even really want to. Heh.

I'll miss Luis and Rich's laughs..both explosive in different ways and very contagious. I'll miss Luis' "Hey Cuddly! Wanna watch a movie?" and Rich's "Oh Ari, I'm so fucked!" Hahahaha. I'll miss all the nights of inebriation, and I'll even miss them bullying me into watching the scariest horror films on the face of this earth! I'll miss pulling Luis's curly locks (I can't believe you chopped them off!), and I'll miss teasing Rich about how his face feels like a baby's bottom the day he shaves! I'll miss sitting in silence while they played their guitars and sang. I'll miss Luis' enthusiastic hug when he's not seen me in a while, and how he lifts me off the ground while hugging me cos he's so tall! I'll miss Rich tossing me over his shoulder while playing football and even dragging me across the grass till my jeans were full of grass(you cheated, rich! hahaha)! I'll miss Luis's salmon and broccoli, and Rich's delicious stir frys! I'll miss their music. I'll miss how they like to hear my opinions on things like songs, even essays in the past. I'll miss mothering them (hahaha)!
I'll miss their enthusiasm and zest for life, and their affection towards me.

Tsk. I'll miss them SO much. They're such "legends". ;)

Bob

This entry, I can safely say, will not be an accurate enough description of how I felt and how it was, but this is atleast the tip of the iceberg of emotions and excitement of April 11th 2007.

This day will be etched in my memory forever. It's the day I saw the legendary Bob Dylan live in Glasgow. I got to Glasgow on the 11th afternoon, and a few hours later, I found myself walking into the SECC theatre that read the illuminated sign at the entrance: "Bob Dylan 11 April"..My heart wasn't pounding, but there was something unusual going on in there. I got into the theatre from the side entrance and that's when my heart leapt. There he was, in a white cowboy hat, merely 10 feet away from me!

I can't really describe how it was. And how I felt. I must sheepishly admit that I behaved like a stupid fan by trying to get closer and closer to the stage, and first politely and then rudely being told to go back to my seat repeatedly.

I found myself swaying to the new stuff, I felt goosebumps on my bare arms whenever I heard the harmonica. And all the slack he got for "selling out" because of "going electric"...it sounded fantastic. I was hoping he would play Hurricane,Blowin in the wind, The times they are a-changing, Mr Tambourine Man, and Just like a woman...but even though he didn't, I enjoyed every minute of it. And he did play one of my favourites... :)

More than anything, I had this overwhelming feeling that I was witnessing history. I was watching Bob Dylan live. Overwhelming is the right word. I was completely and utterly overwhelmed. He sat there singing, right infront of my eyes. I jumped, I cheered, I screamed, I swayed, I smiled..and when, completely out of the blue, without any warning, they started to play "Like a Rolling Stone", I bit my lip sheepishly..desperately and barely successfully trying to stop tears. His rendition of the song was new to my ears. I'd heard the original version, and this was very "modern". But it was amazing. He didn't change the song, he didn't ruin it..he evolved it. It was a beautiful feeling. Choking on my own breath and tears, I sang along with him. He ended the gig with "All Along the Watchtower".
When I was talking about going to watch Bob Dylan, a lot of people told me that he's old and past his prime, people told me he was no longer the musician he used to be, and that his previous concerts in the recent past had been "shit".
I say - Bollocks.

Despite the fact that he is 40 years past his prime, despite the fact that he is 66, despite the fact that he went electric, and despite the fact that his voice has aged with him, he was absolutely brilliant.

I mean, would you expect any less from a genius like him?

Monkey taunts tigers

Hahahaha this is too FUNNY!

Baby Tiger Cub

Hahaha...SO CUTE.

Slapdash

When I compare how I felt a month ago, to now..I feel so much better!
Everything seems great now.
Yes, its 4 months till I'm back, but a month ago it was 5 months.
Also, its 4 months till I'm back. And only 2 till the LIPA term ends. Only 2 months. After that, I might never see a lot of these friends of mine again! So I'm living every moment and enjoying it!
I have easter holidays now. 15 days of fun! A month ago, I thought it'd be the loneliest 15 days of my life..but -
I'm going to Whitby to be with Becki for a weekend. I'm very excited! I'll see her home, meet her family, walk around on the beaches.
I'm also going to watch Bob Dylan live in Glasgow and have yet another mad few days with Guru.
I've been reading Isadora Duncan's autobiography. It's brilliant.
I'm cooking an Indian meal for friends tonight.
And last night, I fell into a hedge. Ahem. That was fun. :D