The Metro

I am talking about the Washington Metrorail. It gets me to work and back on time and the rides are  punctual (mostly) and enjoyable. But yet somehow some thoughts keep nagging me.

• People stand and read, even if the stop is just 5 minutes away. Is the book really that interesting or are we so scared of wasting away a minute.
• Everyone, seems to be having a iPod. I looked but I see no other players.
• There hardly is any conversation. People seem so detached from everyone around them even if the they are packed in too closely. (Maybe I miss the Indian buses where everyone just chit-chats away. On second thought …)
• The only phrases you hear are: “I’m Sorry”, “Excuse Me” & “Thank you”. Over and over again.
• There are the select few people who come and talk about things , well,  that I would consider private and should not to be talked about in public.

I don’t know why I am babbling about this -  sooner or later I will be one of them.

Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs

Out of a mixture of boredom and curiosity I decided to google on my favourite cartoon/anime that I used to watch as a kid in Germany: Saber Riders and the Star Sheriffs. Anyway, search and you shall find, cause I found some episodes on youtube. I’m too lazy to post all the relevant links here (you can search youtube by yourself for them), but I will give you this one video of the Title soundtrack that I never seem to have forgotten (there is a little bit of a German intro in there , but the song is in English).

I remember telling my friends in India, when we had nostalgic conversations of childhood TV favourites, about this anime, but nobody heard of it. How is a kid (or an kid trapped in an adult body) not to like it? It’s got 3 heroes with different specializations placed in a space western theme, plenty of alien enemies, laser weapons, a hot female, a transforming spaceship and every episode ends with a showdown between huge robots.

Now to get that song out of my head.. or not

Here Comes Another Bubble – The Richter Scales

Simply amazing video. Thanks Johnny, for pointing it out to me.

(I’m blogging the song as requested in the song)

AR Rahman vs What’s-his-name ?

“What’s-his-name” is that guy with that cap, coat and a permanent cold. I really can’t pronounce or spell it. Everyone knows I’m not a big fan of indian music. But sometimes even i need to stand up to some injustices. Check out the advertisement I found a few days ago on a prominent website.

WTF ?? Need i say more?

What happened to Swen?

I wish i could tell you that i was away on an adventure of grand proportions which would explain the radio (rather blog) silence maintained by me. Truth is i was busy -working 7 days a week for nearly a month. I am not regretting this cause i like my work; i just wish i had more time for other things. That said, things should be slowly getting back to normal now.

Anyways, here are a few notes from the month of radio silence.

Iron Maiden live in Bangalore: Was there, and loved it. Parikrama was also neat though they gave too much of stage time to that violin guy.

Internet radio: I discovered the joys of Internet radio in office. This is what kept me going for the past 1 month. Somehow the firewalls haven’t blocked this one …yet. While listening, I am always reminded of Murphy’s law. Why is that people only come and ask doubts during the songs that you really really want to listen to?

Bubble wrap: Ever wondered how a bubble wrap feels like when a somebody bursts the bubbles of the wrap? I got some first hand experience there. Long story cut short: Group game, the thinnest guy in the group (yours truly!!) has to be stuffed with balloons under the T Shirt so as to make him ..well large. As fun as that was, what i enjoyed more was the frenzy with which everybody loves to bursts balloons (still under my shirt) once the game is over. Anyways, all i got to say is: Next time, go easy on the bubble wrap …

Swen’s Feel good mix

My friend always says that he wishes life had a background music. Not tunes, mind you, such as the ones played when the heroine is in the shower and you see a knife approaching through thew shower curtain. Rather real songs. Good ones, you can choose. Anyways I’m just rambling on here.

Point is, there are some songs that instantly put you in a good mood (even on your worst days). These songs may not do the trick for you, but they sure work for me. So here goes :

Swen’s Feel Good Mix

• Hey Julie by Fountains of Wayne
• Jumper by Third Eye Blind
• The Saga begins by Weird Al Yankowich (listen only if you watched “The Phantom Menace” and you like Star Wars)
• Free Falling by Tom Petty
• My Cubicle by (not really sure where this is from)

This is just the core of the playlist. Mix it up with some more songs you love or you feel suits your mood and your ready to go. Most of the time i end up smiling to myself. Before you judge me by that ‘weirdo’ alarm bell in your head ,try it. Maybe you have some sings you can share too.

Hey Julie – Fountains of Wayne

Sorry , this is just the audio.

And here is the Scrubs version.

This songs reminds me of my corporate life. Only things that’s missing is a “Julie” for me.
Applications for prospective “Julie’s” are welcome.

Lyrics follow:

Working all day for a mean little man
With a clip-on tie and a rub-on tan
He’s got me running ’round the office like a dog around a
track
But when I get home,You’re always there to rub my
back

Hey Julie,
Look what they’re doing to me
Trying to trip me up
Trying to wear me down
Julie, I swear, it’s so hard to bear it
And I’d never make it through without you around

Hours on the phone making pointless calls
I got a desk full of papers that means nothing at
all
Sometimes I catch myself staring into space
Counting down the hours ’til I get to see your
face

Hey Julie,
Look what they’re doing to me
Trying to trip me up
Trying to wear me down
Julie, I swear, it’s so hard to bear it
And I’d never make it through with out you around
No, I’d never make it through with out you around

[Bridge]
How did it come to be
That you and I must be
Far away from each other every day?
Why must I spend my time
Filling up my mind
With facts and figures that never add up anyway?
They never add up anyway

Working all day for a mean little guy
With a bad toupee and a soup-stained tie
He’s got me running ’round the office
Like a gerbil on a wheel
He can tell me what to do
But he can’t tell me what to feel

Hey Julie,
Look what they’re doing to me
Trying to trip me up
Trying to wear me down
Julie, I swear, it’s so hard to bear it
And I’d never make it through with out you around
No, I’d never make it through without you around
No, I’d never make it through with out you around

Silence is golden ..

I for one may not have really realised that. But there always is a day of reckoning ( or rather days …). Traveling daily approx 45 mins from my training location back could be a lot less painful if there wasn’t the background singing. Yes I know that I am sounding like a spoil sport. But hey isn’t it obvious that we are not heading back from a “School Excursion?”.

Fine maybe I could adjust to some songs being sung and danced too. But what about different language groups trying to outperform each other in this huge cacophony of regional languages. And I’m stuck in between them. Just when u think it cant get any worse .. How about ‘guys’ dancing so close to you that their butt is wriggling in front of your face ..Yuck .. I would have gladly payed any girl for that in regular strip club .. Sigh ..

I need an MP3 player or that V3i i’m craving for …

The College Anthem

I’m not talking about the actual college anthem. People would kill me
for just mentioning it. its one of the most monotonous songs ( song??
) that just keeps going on and on and on… and on ( just like
energizer). Its so boring u can stand and sleep.

The Anthem I’m referring too is actually a song by a band called
Simple Plan – “welcome to my life.” Listen to the lyrics and many
people have agreed – its the perfect KIT song.

its been a while since i have been to counselling . so I’m curious
whether i will actually listen to the original song. (Did i just say
that??? i must be sick… ) .