Would you rewind it all the time?

I am in my early twenties. A little over six months ago, I stepped into the corporate wonderland. I also happen to belong to the significant segment of white-collar Indians living away from home. Naturally, I cook and wash after myself. I am also proud to declare that I am not half-bad at it. I did practice it all throughout college. All of it except the cooking part, okay!

This also happens to be my first job.
But wait, what excited this candor, you ask?
A simple Facebook post, a song and the musings of a active, albeit tired solitary mind. You see, the brilliant thing about solitude is that it lulls you into your natural state of being, while slowly increasing the importance of all that you hold dear. In that moment of immense possibilities, you feel infinite and euphoric. Or is it just me?

People are important to me and I tend to end up missing them in moments such as these. Most of them would have gone to bed by now, except for the ones in other time-zones. Maybe, it's time to give them a call? Hmm. Ah, chuck it. I'll enjoy this rare moment of peaceful solitude.

Now, while you sit back and ponder over the subject of this post, I'll disclose the beauty of a song that led me to log onto my outdated blog. Heard of Goldspot,the band?
Yes? Share other songs that you like in the comments section below.
No? Search for Rewind.
'Would you rewind it all the time?'

I recently caught the Jimmy Fallon bug. From SNL to Late Night to The Tonight Show, he's a true entertainer. Watch the Tonight Show Youtube channel if you haven't already. Special recommendation - the Thursday night Hashtag segment. It's a hoot.

And hey! Happy New Year, dear reader.

#DeadOfTheNightRamble

Musical Musings

Disclaimer: If the title alone stirred your interest in the following post, desist from reading further. Musical Musings did inspire this post, but then I digressed astronomically.

After nearly 2 years of complaining about insufficient co-curricular activities to complement the coursework at our college, we can finally see clubs sprouting here and there like mushrooms and grass in this delightful rainy weather. 

The best part being that they show signs of a wee-bit of growth and the potential to become associations in themselves- something that will not end with the most enthusiastic founder members passing out. They display the potential of blossoming into active communities. 

To name a few clubs in alphabetical order: 

The Anime Club: They meet regularly every Tuesday. Well, most Tuesdays. A large population at IIIT-Delhi used to watch Anime as it is. Now they have an official platform for heated discussions with people across all batches. A great future(for the club) can be seen in the twinkling eyes of every avid anime viewer.

Astronuts:The astronomy club has met just once so far, granted. But that one meeting sure was informative, not to mention, magical. We saw the following heavenly bodies before the poor skies forced us inside -
Jupiter along with Ganymede, Lo, Europa and Callisto.

Kartikeya Nakshatra(alternatively known as M45) 

Gemini, Taurus, Libra Constellations

Orion along with four stars in the Orion Nebula

The main driving force for this club is the founder, who's been practicing amateur astronomy for the past 5 years and is unlikely to give up such a long-time hobby. Plus she's a first year and can help strengthen the foundations of the club before she passes out. Her interest will benefit the rest of us less knowledgeable folks( strictly w.r.t. astronomy). Moreover, her plans for future meetings are quite interesting.

Audio Bytes: They don't have an official structure which assures training for the truly passionate. But then, if you are into music enough to really want to learn it, you don't need anything except maybe a sound-proof room and the right instruments. Currently, we have a decent set of equipment for the all the drummers, guitarists and pianists out there. Moreover, it will take more than the lack of equipment to kill genuine interest in Music. On this note, I digress for a moment to pave way for the latest discovery - the ShrutiBox, a  collection of songs by the music composer and clarinetist, Shankar Tucker. The Hindustani and Carnatic vocalists provide a distinctive flavor to some previously known songs. I find a few more likable than their original versions. And then there is the main man- Tucker, who as their official webpage claims plays most of the instruments in these compositions. Modern Classical music- a great revival technique.

Here's a sample.

Next in line is the Dance club - Madtoes, the lack of funds does not deter their enthusiasm for the art. They have taken the bold step of organizing a Dance party without free food. Hitherto, whenever someone was bold enough to so do, organizers and their most faithful friends made up the entire gathering. People never dare to organize an event without the promise of free food in boldface, for food is the adhesive force that brings us all together. Salute to the Mad(toes) organizers. Hope the event goes well.

FooBar: An institute that prides itself in its CS program, must have a strong group of coders who shine at events like CodeChef, ICPC and the rest, bringing eternal glory to the institute. FooBar, was created to serve this end. They are fairly active, considering that they just came into existence a month ago.

Lit-Soc: This hurts the most, for I helped find this one. Some meetings were held in the past 6 months, sure. But the attendance has been a monotonically decreasing curve with respect to time and unless this club is given a face-lift soon, it may become one of many pre-existing dormant clubs. The one event that had the most active participation was an Online Haiku Writing Competition. It's a little sad, even though the competition was a great success.

Quiz Club: If ever there was a more secure set of individuals, well, I shall do a jig for the entire class to watch(before the Prof. comes in). They do not care for funds or infrastructure. Mind you, the nature of this club is their main advantage. All they need are inquisitive minds with a competitive spirit. I just wish these quizzes were not just a once-during-every-college-festival affair. Still, these guys are pretty active.

Spic Macay: This is the latest addition to the list of extra-curricular activities. This doesn't really count as a club, but a IIIT-Delhi Spic Macay Chapter is just another step towards becoming a wholesome institute.

Sports: Joga Bonito-the annual intra-college football tournament, an annual Cricket Tournament and several Pool, Table Tennis and basketball enthusiasts make a strong enough case for the level of activity in this area. But the rest of the sports are seasonal. This is not a reference to Ice-Hockey or Skiing. Delhi hasn't witnessed snow in the past half-century and we do not have enough funds for creation of an artificial arena. Badminton and volleyball enthusiasts surface once every spring. The 'active' runners can be seen marking the college perimeter once every autumn. However, establishment of proper infrastructure within the next few months, will hopefully change the scene for most sports here at IIIT-Delhi.

Tasveer: A club for all those lunatics who whip out their fancy camera phones or DSLRs everytime they see anything remotely photogenic seems logical, right? Tasveer is still in its nascent stage, not unlike FooBar and Astronuts, but it has inherent potential. (Pardon the repetition, for when has potential energy ever been not inherent?!) Plus, we have some very good amateur photographers already.

So there you go. Those are the clubs that make the IIIT-D news most often.
Without further ado, I shall go back to my studies and let a English novelist and theoretical physicist conclude this post.

'One person with passion is better than forty people merely interested.'  ~E.M. Forster

'I have no special talents. I am just passionately curious' ~ Albert Einstein

Anyone can make an Indian Soap

And I do mean anyone - anyone with access to a sizable amount of resources, essentially monetary. Or/And basic knowledge of the chemicals and processes involved. I say this because there is no dearth of Indian serials. I distinctly remember the time when there was a greater variety of shows that were aired on channels like Star Plus and Sony. A time when the viewership of these channels didn't comprise majorly of aunties.

Side note- I shouldn't comment on the viewership given as a lot of kids watch these channels too, these days. Sad times. *Sigh*

The recipe of a typical Indian serial comprises of the following main ingredients( with a few spices added here and there - slight modifications - according to demand):

1. People - Young, old and a couple of 100 year olds
2. Clothes and Jewellery
3. Huge mansion(s)
4. Joint family - A huge one
5. A hyperactive/slightly crazy/excessively serious protagonist and
6. A commonplace plot

The variety of the shows currently being aired is negligible and I am sure the Indian market demands more diversity and longs for better quality television than what is currently available. 10 years ago Indian soaps were all about marriages and the issues revolving around joint families. Now, the shows are all about love, marriages and the social evils.

I guess some would argue that these serials are a desperate attempt to ensure the continuance of Indian morals and values amongst the youngsters of today. Hey, I have no problem with that. I just dislike the over-dramatization and overly prolonging a scene that could be finished in one-tenth of the time it is allocated. Mainly these serials serve the need to portray life from the perspective of an average Indian and the extreme emphasis on the complicated status of each and every relationship cannot to be missed. The naivete of the protagonist and his/her coterie makes you want to pull your hair out. Not to mention the holier-than-thou family members, most of whom have a dichotomous emotional scale - sad/perplexed/angry v/s happy/ecstatic. I do not know whether it is an indication of producers/writers' perception of the viewership or the lack of ideas on the part of the writers- but nobody seems to have heard of the word 'subtlety' for every thought that passes the character's mind must be voiced out loud for the sake of clarity for the viewers. It seems like a huge insult to the common intellect when these people manage to achieve reasonably good TRP for really poor standard shows. Besides wanting to be entertained, most people look for some amount of intellectual stimulation by not wanting to see shows that make them feel brain-dead. Importance of content can hardly be overstated.


The people on the story board(or the creative team) are as endowed with the power of imagination and creativity as the Tin Man is with a heart( that is, before he visits the Wizard of Oz).


For all those who think light fiction is all that these show are about, do pause and reconsider before lashing out at me - Do these shows truly promote healthy behavior? All that I gathered from a few minutes of watching a particular soap was that people in the serial world have nothing better to do and each and every member of the house must rush to the family meeting that takes place at the slightest of issues.

Example 1
Girl: Oh! I cannot find abc object!
Rest: *Gasp*<Something sinister must have happened, that  requires the attention of the entire family( A HUGE joint family, mind you)>
And all the members drop whatever they were doing and start searching for a blessed <insert an object of your choice>. A family of jobless idle souls is what the house is made up of.

People who would accuse me of being anti-nationalist (or something along the same line), to them I will say this- all English soaps aren't too great either. A similar article can be written about them too. The bias that exists towards the English TV shows is probably because they are considered to be lesser of the two evils. The bottom line being that excessive unrealistic drama is the staple of all TV shows irrespective of the language with the sole exception being the ones that teach maths, science and other subjects' course to secondary school students. Even the short attention spans of the viewers do not justify the extremely crappy soap opera productions being aired these days.

Why do You like the things that you Like?

I have a lot of time on my hands. And its times like these that make insignificant things highly noticeable.

So, what did I notice, you ask.

Facebook's widely popular feature of liking a comment/status/picture or what-have-you.
I know, I know. Its is not a remarkable observation.
But the question is :

What makes people press the 'Like' button?

People will like anything due to one of the following reasons:

1. Because it is witty/new/enjoyable etcetra and they appreciate that.

2. The emotion behind the status/picture/comment resonates within them 

3. To show support/faith

4. To publicize the event/widespread distribution of knowledge

5. To engage in battle of wits

6. They agree with you but have nothing more to add to the conversation thread

7. Because of herd mentality -  Everyone is liking it

8. To gang up against someone they do not hold in high regard

9. Because they do not like the alternative

These are all I could come up with. Do feel free to add to the above list.

'When the the stage is set right, a scene shall unfold.
When the thoughts are ripe, words shall follow.'


I rise from my lotus position and make a dash for the nearest table. Too late, its gone. The very last piece of  the delicacy I had been lusting after for the past 3 days. I see the impish twinkle in his eye, the half-concealed smirk, only so because table manners won't allow him to open his mouth and express his true feelings. He loves getting away with food, especially the food that I like. God forbid, he develops a taste for all the food items that I like. I remember how he didn't really fancy chocolate ice-cream or fizzy drinks. Now, I have company for whenever I open a bottle of Coca-cola or a new brick of choc-chip ice-cream. Life is Hard.
I come out of my reverie quickly. But it wasn't quick enough. I missed another round. I am not fast enough. Or maybe he's had way too much practice.

# LifeWithASibling

The opening lines simply refer to a state of mind at some point in time.

The Law of Jugaad

The law of Jugaad dictates that the following must be obeyed. Only then will one have mastered the art of Jugaad.

1. When one metro card fails to function and two need to pass through the barrier, one shall pass quickly enough to ensure that the other gets to pass through the use of the same card.
2. When almost broke and certain ends need trimming to ensure the basic necessity- food, adjust with friends of friends. It is a great way to make new friends along with being a classic Jugaad.
3. Suction will not always work and sometimes the bot that was created with the sole purpose of picking up balls through a suction mechanism may not work. The chances of Jugaad in such a situation are negligible if and only if your friend does not have the quick-mindedness to readjust the balls with an expert hand.
4. Jugaad must be your first resort the moment you enter a certain college that shall not be named for anonymity purposes. I've met good, average and below average students who attend the college in question. All bow down infront of the power of Jugaad.
5. When the necessity arrives, seven people can be adjusted in a room meant for three. All hail the power of Jugaad!
6. Jugaad will always come to the rescue of those who need it.

History is witness to the exercise of Jugaad. Remember Birbal? The famous courtier in Akbar's court who was one of his nine gems? He was one of the most jugaadu person of all time. Pick up any Akbar and Birbal book.  Apart from the wit and the humor, you will see a shade of jugaad in almost every other story.

Lyrical talk

When you get what you want but not what you need
Lights will guide you home, and ignite your bones

                                                                                                            - Fix you (Coldplay)

She finds colors in the darkest of places and she finds beauty in the saddest of places.

                                                                                                            - Walk Away(The Script)

Its all a game, avoiding failure
When true colors will bleed,
All in the name of misbehavior
And the things we don't need. 

........

When the world is burning, don't walk away. 

                                                                                                          -Carnival of Rust (Poets of the Fall)



More than once in a while, a song is released. And the lyrics catch hold of you. They seem to possess you. You hear yourself humming them all throughout the day.
The lyrics are so great that the otherwise awesome music score becomes all the more extraordinary. Makes you listen to the song on the loop.

P.S.: The songs mentioned above weren't released anytime in the past few months.

Blood Suckers

*I dug this post out from the depths of my Drafts. I had meant to post it earlier (as is obvious from the date). I guess I am not very different from the general forgetful multitude.

Vampires- moody, xerophobous, strangely intriguing undead creatures that have, over a surprisingly short period of time, transformed from foul blood suckers to tragic heroes. Vampire stories originated from the Eastern European folktales and have now become an integral part of the clan of supernatural (alive/partially dead/undead) creatures that walk the earth.

My perception about zem vampires has never been very good. Here's how I saw them up till now.

The Cartoon Age: Vampires could be seen lying in coffins and lurking in the shadows. These animated vampires could only have been slightly scary when they played a sweet host to a lost damsel or passenger looking for shelter for the night. The gracious host kept an eye on his guest by looking through a painting or hiding behind secret doorways in his extremely ancient and spooky mansion. This was all very adorable because I liked Dracula.

The Teenage: Those sitcoms with cute guys playing a vampire trying to live a normal life. Frankly, I don't remember seeing any vampire movies. Werewolves were much more popular despite vampires being more attractive to the human race. Ruskin Bond's omnibus did nothing to increase my interest in vampires. Those nocturnal blood suckers failed to leave a mark.
Oh and vamps(short for vampires) became synonymous with the female soap opera villains.

The Sad Age: Its sad when a single series changes the definition of a vampire. Whether you believe in a certain mythical creature or not, you cannot, all of a sudden, change the way it functions. And now according to Stephanie Meyer widely popular series, vampires shine instead of burning. The 'hottest' vampire on the block has made girls fantasize about vampires than fear them for all eternity. Shocking.
The latest vampire craze is a show called Vampire Dairies. And when I did give it a chance after a lot of persuasion, I found it to be nothing more than a soap opera that gets too dramatic for my taste.

If you are a vampire fan , this might interest you.
Speaking for myself, the only way I see myself actually liking vampires is if I myself turn into one.
Even then, the chances aren't too high.

Happy, Are We?

This ain't a rhetoric.

Or maybe it is. Many a times you'd have done things for no apparent reason and  just because you were persuaded into thinking it'd make you happy. But did it ? I ask you again- DID IT? Before you start questioning my sanity, think. Seriously. Did it?
The general idea of a "good time" does not pass for a universal formula for guaranteed happiness.

A happy person makes others around him/her happy. ~ Anne Frank
This isn't a direct quote (Its been a while since I read her diary).

I wanted to see what other great men/women thought of this particular emotion(There were plenty of definitions) and I found the one I liked:

Happiness is often the result of being too busy to be miserable.

                                                                                                ~Anonymous

I have found this to be true.

Hence, if traveling, painting, googling, doodling, cooking, driving, reading, partying, playing a game or a particular sport or even studying is your slice of heaven, do just that. As much as you want(and can) and when you want, without breaking any important and genuine laws. And you'll be happy.

Happiness lies our own backyard, but its probably well hidden by crabgrass.

                                                                                                ~ Dell crossword puzzles
Just another quote to underscore my last statement.

'ellow

I recently got hooked to Yellow by Coldplay.
And then the following happened.

Yellow became synonymous with deceit.
An almost room mate declared her love for certain songs that top my playlist.
A number of common-cold related references to Big Bang Theory culminated in a hot beverage session.
The wide acknowledgement of the surprisingly large number of yellow colored shirts that I possess.

So yeah. Its safe to say that I like yellow. Not the kind that reminds you of jaundice. The kind that leaves you with a happy feeling and makes you want to sing from the bottom of your stomach. The kind that reminds you of a bright sunny winter day.

Mind Map

Its always been very intriguing for me. I know that the signals are transmitted through neurons via electrochemical signals. But how does a signal decide its path?  Isn't the unpredictably relatively on the higher side for any decisive conclusion? Isn't the complexity of the brain quite mind boggling? Years and years of extensive study later, the brain can be labeled into the Occipital region, Parietal region, Frontal Lobe, Temporal lobe- each having its own specific functionality. The functional, connective and developmental regions of the brain, though not completely understood can be defined with remarkable precision. Different regions of the brain process different types of information.  Patterns have been observed. Humungous volumes have been written. Its fascinating how after more than a millenia of research, the human brain offers further scope for exploration. The scope seems almost infinite given the space occupied by the brain is finite. Similar to calculating the number of dots that can be drawn in a 1mm line segment.

Did you know- The brain makes up only approximately 2% of our entire body weight while it can require upto 20% of the body's total energy.

The beauty of the brain is astounding. I would have posted another picture of a human brain( for I have quite a collection now) to emphasize on this. However, since more than one person complained about being too grossed out to read Organ Talk , here we are. Sigh. No photograph. For those who think otherwise, try reading 'Silence of the lambs' by Thomas Harris. It will make up for the lack of a photograph here. Its also been filmed starring Jodie Foster( if that makes one see it).

For those of you who consider this to be random outburst of my love for biology - you couldn't be more wrong. As improbable as it may sound, electrical subjects can be quite inspiring. That is what got the cogs of my mind in motion. I can now go back to my assignment, due later today.

Just like that

The following extract has nothing to do with the photographs. Its just something I like.

Full fathom five thy father lies;
Of his bones are coral made;
Those are pearls that were his eyes;
nothing of him that doth fade
But doth suffer a sea-change
Into something rich and strange.
Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell
Ding-dong!
Hark! now I hear them,--ding- dong, bell.
                -William Shakespeare(The Tempest)


These were taken a while ago and I post them here for the simple pleasure of it.

A cute companion

Conjoined twins

Beautiful, isn't it?

Don't read this if you are anti-HP

Its that time of the year again-When the magic world threatens to abolish the International Statue of Wizarding Secrecy and reveal themselves to the Muggle world. The reality of the magic world acquires a surreal quality. It's the one time when you can tap bricks with your wands and shout spells without the fear of ridicule. Only the skeptics will roll their eyes and call you a crackpot. It's a matter of perception. You see what you wish to see. Those who believe in it's existence, see it. The rest - poor unfortunate souls who wish for the existence of a parallel awesome world but can't bring themselves to accept HP.

Anyway, coming back to the essential issue. How great is the Harry Potter franchise? And by that I mean the characters and not the actors. Don't get me wrong here though. The filming of the Harry Potter books was a necessary evil. The movies can never match the audience and the magic created by the books. But it did make the novel reading a more pleasurable experience, providing a face to those few characters we couldn't visualize. However, I still think that Voldemort did not receive justice. (Read further before going into shock upon reading the previous statement.) The guy plotted and murdered. He rightfully won the title of the darkest wizard of all time. And still none of the versions of Voldemort(at different stages of his life and after he was resurrected) shown in the movie look anything like the word picture painted in the books.The seedy-looking kid in the movie hardly has any resemblance to the book's description of last heir of Slytherin when he first met Dumbledore. And that is not where it ends. Take Sirius and Lupin, for instance. Or Bill Weasley. However carefully I looked, I couldn't locate the coolness in him in Harry Potter 7.1. No fang earring or long hair tied in a ribbon.
I do loath not seeing the book being truthfully portrayed in the movies. The details get distorted.And that sometimes spoils the experience if you've read the book. Plus, anyone who hasn't read the book will not be able to get the story behind the story.

There are a very few cases where the movie turns out to be as interesting and gripping as the book. Expecting faithful  portrayal of the book is like asking the Americans to speak British English. So, in spite of myself, I watch all the HP movies and enjoy them a lot too. I have done that ever since I became sensitive to HP's existence. And it won't be any different this time.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows- Part 2.
*Jumping with a combination of excitement and elation*

The End Of the Beginning

Today marks the end of one year of college life. No longer freshers with shiny faces,we are now the all-knowing second-year students rearing to have a go at the humungous work and bucketful of fun in the academic year to come.[We have repeatedly been told how ' your workload is nothing compared to ours. ' Its funny how seniors (be it the ones in school or college) always say that.] But we need to contain this steam because its still three entire months before college restarts. Till then it is Fun, fun, fun.


And when it comes to fun - nothing is fun on an empty stomach. So, we celebrated the end of  the end-semester exams with a visit to Pizza Hut. And the best(and most delicious) part was the cheese cake(see pic, if you haven't already).

There are so many things that need to be done during the vacations. Not to mention the great list of must-watch movies to be released this summer. So much to look forward to apart from the usual hobbies which are almost always neglected during term time. Its exciting just to think about it all.


P.S.: This post was due to be posted on 29th April 2011. No explanations available for the delay.

First Things First ?

Hardly the time to be writing a blog post but then, its been a while since I sat down to write something significant and even if its only a blog post, I like to think of it as doing something constructive(though at this point of time it most certainly is not).

I thought of numerous things that can be recorded here but are they significant enough? The significance of most things can rarely be fully comprehended. Anyway, usually some thought goes into my posts but this time I feel I must have one impromptu post. One which does not include me thinking about a specific something and then taking some time pondering over what all can be said about it.
 And I came up with something but suddenly as if on cue, a chat message started flashing in my gmail tab and before I knew, I was chatting to people about all kinds of relevant and irrelevant stuff. Then I started browsing about some random stuff and after an hour or two of that a little something in the back of my head reminded me of the homework I had to submit next weekend.So, I got down to look into the related specifics. Then when I decided to call it a day and was getting ready to sleep like a log, I remembered my original agenda. And it hit me (its hit me previously too but never with the same intensity) : That is how things I plan to do never get done. Because I usually get distracted by something or the other. But then after that brief distraction I should revert back to my original work. But I don't. I should. I will.

H v/s H

Being home after a particularly long spell in hostel, I grabbed one of the most fluffiest pillows on my bed and settled down. Two minutes into this semi-sleepy state, the following came to me:

1.) Home - means food is only a few steps away and every time you hear an odd rumble, you don't have to walk a few hundred meters to satisfy your hunger pangs.

2.) Home is spacious.You can jump, dance and hop all you want without the fear of hitting some random piece of furniture. On the other hand, hostels provide you just enough room to study, sleep, etcetra, etcetra...but NO jumping and absolutely NO dancing.

3.) Take a really prolonged bath. And if in the due course there is no banging on your door asking ...nay, ordering you to come out asap- you know you are at home.
And if its Holi, 'you gotta be home'. Or stay that tinge of green, red, pink, orange, purple, black or silver (or all together) till you get home.

4.) Going home on the very weekend a live band is performing in (almost)your college grounds implies there's a 99% chance you are going to miss an Awes..full ...Awesfull performance. It should actually have been 100% if unlike me, you don't believe in miracles.

Yawn...Post Holi lethargy catching up with me.
Continue this in another post.

Addiction

Addiction - they say is bad , but is it ?

Most things can be classified into a number of categories and I just figured that addiction follows that rule too. You can be addicted to almost everything or nothing at all. Anything that completely engulfs you and leaves no room for anything else is termed as addiction.You simply cannot live without it. If addicted to alcohol, liver cirrhosis will eventually become a part of you while tobacco addiction will considerably reduce the distance you need to cover on the road labeled Life. ( Fyi, besides being a major cause of cancers and respiratory disorders, tobacco consumption also increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke.) Drug addicts are no different and by the time they are finished with drugs( or the drugs are finished with them), only a shadow of their previous self remains. Most of them look little better(and sometimes worse) than a corpse.Internet addiction is another one that is clubbed along with these three.But I'd like to honour this one with a post of its own.
Then there is addiction to music, novels, and all sorts of stuff. But these activities are healthy as long they are  practiced at the right time.I'd prefer to replace the word addiction by the love of music, etc, etc.
You might also be addicted to fun ... pure undiluted fun that will make you highly allergic to work.Trust me, this is Bad. Been there. Done that. I know its Bad.
Tobacco, alcohol and drug addiction are undeniably, forms of escapism. A simple and self-destructive way out of a situation. Literally making a part of your brain numb and oblivious to certain things around you. But the rest, I am not even sure should be referred to as addiction since the word is considered to be synonymous with evil by many.
The point I am trying to make or rather the question here is - Till what extent can you go before your addiction ruins you?? In a way, you could be called lucky if you are alcoholic or a chain smoker, for then you have a solution - rehabilitation centres and counsellors etc, etc...but otherwise who can you go to other than the latter(most shirk away from this considering it to be a sign of weakness)? Who decides where and when to draw the line? Usually, people don't come to know when they cross the line and turn into addicts.They just take the plunge and don't realize the magnitude of damage they are incurring on themselves untill its too late.
So, lesson to be learnt : Always take the right path not the easy path and if you get both , then you are *el.you.see.kay.why.* . 

Ignorance - The Root of all Fear

Walking down a long lane in the dark and the lone street light goes off . How'd you react? A majority of people would halt in their tracks(even if its only for a second).A single human eye has the range of 150 degrees whereas use of both eyes enables you to span an area with 180 degrees subtended at your eye. But when the sun goes below the horizon and you are enveloped in complete darkness, you are as well off as a person with no sight.(Assuming you do not have any man or machine-made device at hand in this situation).

Another situation : Alone in a place ... you get a weird feeling of being watched every second (especially if its night time).Or someone is about to pounce on you from behind. This feeling is creepy and believe me or not, you are not being paranoid ..its natural and its just the lack of a pair of eyes at the back of your head that make you feel like this.

It is in situations like these when fear sets in.
FEAR-A natural shot of adrenaline which cripples you and renders you incapable of movement (though some are able to gather enough courage to scream).
Humans , by the very definition of humans, are afraid of whatever they cannot comprehend.

Certain everyday observations:

• We plan for the future ...and why is that ? Because we worry about what will happen because we are unaware of it .Surely, nobody plans for the past ! (Because most people who are not affected by amnesia are aware of it).                                                                          

• All the Hindi (& supposedly) horror movies have got one thing right ...the protangonist is always scared of something he / she can't see or is not able to supplement with some rationale. And its only his or her curosity or the fear of losing someone dear that makes them overcome their fear and live in the present and find the antidote to Fear.

Mirror translation: 'Replace fear of the unknown with curiosity'.

The conclusion is simple....." You fear what you don't know" or in other words " Man fears the unknown."  So, if you don't like to live in constant fear, make sure you "know".And this you can be done (exceptions include "darkness" unless you can wear night goggles all night and somehow miraculously have an extra pair of eyes which'll give you a full 360 degrees view).