that strength which in old days Moved earth and heaven

Below is an extract from a speech called "The Man in the Arena" by Teddy Roosevelt at the Sorbonne in Paris, France on April 23, 1910. The title is an extract from the last few verses from Tennyson's poem, "Ulysses.

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

I just saw Invictus the movie. I feel inspired.

The name of the Movie is based on the Poem by William Ernest Henley. The name Invictus was given by Arthur Quiller-Couch.

Invictus

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

Our hearts were singing

A lot has happened, I'm reviewing two papers, I'm pretty excited about the work and about TED, where some one I was helping demoed.

- That's about all.

Imagine - A Perfect Circle (Original by John Lennon)

Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

Stretching on for miles

I have made a journey of a couple of 1000 Kms, and not much has changed. I guess I did have a lot to write about, but now the only thing that strikes me is how much time is wasted, and how much can be done in that time.

I've been putting in more effort now days than I have in a lot of days. I'm further from family and closer to a lot of friends, not a trade-off I'd like to make. Any one who knows me, knows exactly which option I'd choose, I'd make it without a thought.

I've gotten to work with some pretty impressive people, I've gotten to see people who I could not imagine doing what they are doing, I've seen people whom I wouldn't imagine doing any thing else. Effort is inevitable.

What can I say - it's been an experience. I've learn't that photography requires a steady hand, and especially so with cellphones.

"2000 Miles" by The Pretenders

Hes gone 2000 miles
Its very far
The snow is falling down
Gets colder day by day
I miss you

The children will sing
Hell be back at christmastime

In these frozen and silent nights
Sometimes in a dream you appear
Outside under the purple sky
Diamonds in the snow sparkle
Our hearts were singing
It felt like christmas time

2000 miles
Is very far through the snow
Ill think of you
Wherever you go

Hes gone 2000 miles
Its very far
The snow is falling down
Gets colder day by day
I miss you

I can hear people singing
It must be christmas time
I hear people singing
It must be christmas time

Fame And All Its Decadence

I was reading a blog of a person I know, I was disappointed. There wasn’t enough there, he had so much potential. I’m kind of sad. I guess that I should not expect much, I was not too close to him. We’d hung out, we’d gamed together, we’d spoken, suggested movies, suggested music. Not much else, ah – well live and learn eh ?

He’s doing well though – it’s not his life I’m talking about – with respect to potential of course, it’s his blog. Who’da thunk.

I remember I’d thought one day of writing a blog post titled “my disillusionment” it started as follows – “I wonder whether I was naïve, misinformed or just plain stupid to expect anything else”. I never finished it. Is there a reason to my not finishing it ? Of course, will I share it, of course I will, but not now.

Porcupine Tree - The Sound of Muzak

Hear the sound of music
Drifting in the aisles
Elevator prozac
Stretching on for miles

The music of the future
Will not entertain
It's only meant to repress
And neutralise your brain

Soul gets squeezed out
Edges get blunt
Demographic
Gives what you want

Now the sound of music
Comes in silver pills
Engineered to suit you
Building cheaper thrills

The music of rebellion
Makes you wanna rage
But it's made by millionaires
Who are nearly twice your age

One of the wonders of the world is going down
It's going down I know
It's one of the blunders of the world that no-one cares
No-one cares enough

Locked in Clutch

Every couple of years, I go back to the places of my childhood for a couple of days/weeks months etc. This allows the “positive vibes” resonate with my body strengthening the positive emotions and ensuring that I’m in harmony with my surroundings and all that jazz. Now if you believe that ? What I find interesting is that each time I arrive and meet the same people whom I’ve met over so many years – my faith in the human race is reinforced, I see what I have lost due to cynicism and how jaded I’ve become. Ah well – all for a greater good ?

I found out a couple of things over the past month, I have a fear of death, I am susceptible to the same emotions as every one else – and I am much more jaded and cynical than needed. Weirdly the fear of death was the most surprising of them all. There do indeed exist good people who do things for the betterment of others out of no apparent selfish motivation. This completely messes up my world view, sigh, I need to be in the “real world” more often, but giving up on “aura cleansing/vibration resonating” is not something I’m willing to do. Engineering Trade-off it’s called.

Amongst other things I’ve noticed while reading bad novels, I’ve realised that if you can read multiple series by the same author, their biases become obvious. At least it seems to work in retrospect as every one knows, hindsight is 20-20. George R. R. Martin seems to be one of the few without any obvious bias, so far. I’m still waiting for his song of ice and fire series to end, I hope it does get published though. I loved what he’s started, it’s epic, I just hope he finishes it.

As usual the lyrics have nothing to do with anything at all.

A Perfect Circle- "The Outsider"

Help me if you can

It's just that this, this is not the way I'm wired

So could you please,

Help me understand why

You've given in to all these

Reckless dark desires

You're lying to yourself again

Suicidal imbecile

Think about it, put it on the faultline

What'll it take to get it through to you precious

I'm over this. Why do you wanna throw it away like this

Such a mess. Why would I want to watch you.

Disconnect and self destruct one bullet at a time

What's your rush now, everyone will have his day to die

Medicated, drama queen, picture perfect, numb belligerence

Narcissistic, drama queen, craving fame and all its decadence

Lying through your teeth again

Suicidal imbecile

Think about it, put it on the fautline

What'll it take to get it through to you precious

Go with this, why do you wanna throw it away like this

Such a mess. Why would I wanna watch you...

Disconnect and self destruct one bullet at a time

What's your rush now, everyone will have his day to die

They were right about you

They were right about you

Lying to my face again

Suicidal imbecile

Think about it put it on the fautline

What'll it take to get it through to you precious

I'm over this. Why do you wanna throw it away like this

Such a mess, I'm over this, over this!

Disconnect and self destruct, one bullet at a time

What's your hurry, everyone will have his day to die

If you choose to pull the trigger, should your drama prove sincere,

Do it somewhere far away from here

Numb and Strange

Have been doing research by remote control, don't like it too much. I'd much rather do it in person. I've been lazing around, I like that, and dislike that, at the same time. I'm scared of not being able to remain sharp enough, of slipping.

Any ways, I've submitted one paper yesterday, got one tomorrow.

Before I Forget: Slipknot

Go!

Stapled shut, inside an outside world and I'm
Sealed in tight, bizarre but right at home
Claustrophobic, closing in and I'm
Catastrophic, not again
I'm smeared across the page, and doused in gasoline
I wear you like a stain, yet I'm the one who's obscene
Catch me up on all your sordid little insurrections,
I've got no time to lose, and I'm just caught up in all the cattle

Fray the strings
Throw the shapes
Hold your breath
Listen!

I am a world before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
BEFORE I FORGET THAT!

I'm ripped across the ditch, and settled in the dirt and I'm
I wear you like a stitch, yet I'm the one who's hurt
Pay attention to your twisted little indiscretions
I've got no right to win, I'm just caught up all the battles

Locked in clutch
Pushed in place
Hold your breath
Listen!

I am a world before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
BEFORE I FORGET THAT!

I am a world before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
BEFORE I FORGET THAT!

My end
It justifies my means
All I ever do is delay
My every attempt to evade
The end of the road and my end
It justifies my means
All I ever do is delay
My every attempt to evade
THE END OF THE ROAD!

I am a world before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
BEFORE I FORGET THAT!

I am a world before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
BEFORE I FORGET THAT!

I am a world before I am a man
I was a creature before I could stand
I will remember before I forget
BEFORE I FORGET THAT!

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, OH!

Eons and infinity, are but a tomorrow away.

So I receive an email, it lies unread in my inbox, I lie sleeping in my room, late night, loads of work. I could say something along the lines of - is an email still received unless it's been read ? Or something more 'Zen', more 'wise' less like me, I won't, mostly cause I can't come up with someting 'wise'. More importantly it was at that time that I was woken up by a call on my cell. It was the professor whom I work for, he wanted to tell me a paper I'd written and presented was being invited for publication in a journal. The deadline ? - not enough for anything to actually be done, not enough could be added, that would make it worth a journal in my opinion.

The email is below -----


Dear Authors,

We are publishing extended versions of the highly rated papers presented at yyyy at the xxxx {a rather decent journal}

Since your following paper was among the top few accepted papers relevant to xxx, we would like to invite you to publish an extended version at xxx. Kindly let us know your decision. The submission is due {Some date is mentioned}.


Thanks again for your contribution to yyyy!



Program Co-Chairs, yyyy


-----------------

A day later I am told that the deadline is significantly later, I check, it's true we have enough time. I am now buzzing with excitement.

A random, completely unrelated song to celebrate this. Interestingly the paper if I've not already mentioned this - was my undergrad thesis, it resulted in an invite, yay me.

Dream Theater - New Millennium

A single star behind me
A red sky burns ahead
A lonely light below me
Awake among the dead
An overwhelming feeling
Leaves me numband strange
A sense of new beginning
I sense a wind of change

Out with the old useless
People so cold ruthless welcome
In a new millennium
How many times must i
Live out this nightmare i
Can't wait until a new millennium

I've got this feeling
The tide is turning now baby
Funny feeling everything's gonna be alright now

Living out a constant deja vu
Keep your head up
Please be patient we will get to you
Keep your head up
Just have some faith and you can see it
Through
Keep your head up
But faith don't pay the rent that's overdue
Keep your head up
All that's glittering is turning blue
Keep your head up
What they want from me ain't gotta clue
Keep your head up
Swallow pride before it swallows you
Keep your head up
Don't dare bite the hand that's starving you
Keep your head up

How can you keep your head
And not go insane when the only light at the end
Of the tunnel is another train

The lies ten feet tall
Have broken my fall
Welcome you all new millennium

It's well overdue and i can't wait to
Welcome in a new millennium
I've got this feeling
The tide is turning now baby
Funny feeling
Everything's gonna be alright now