The daybreak

Piping hot mug of ginger tea
Kick starts my day
After those hours of involuntary sleep
My laptop gives me company
Feels good to be connected virtually
Emails, Blogs, Facebook and all that...

After some time
The gentle breeze sweeps across
The Azan echoes from Masjids around
The only other sound is the clatter of vessels
From the caterer whose day begins at midnight
The birds are about to chirp and twitter
Though very few of them live near the concrete structures

It's that precious time of morning
When the mind gets nourished with fresh ideas, beautiful thoughts
There is something about the time just before the Sun rises
The darkness before dawn may be the darkest
Yet, there's something about it
Mystic, saint-like feeling...truly energizing, empowering

As I read, write, think, compose my thoughts
Picking up where I left it all
Sometimes stitching the pieces together
Or putting those puzzling thougths together
As puzzles get solved
A picture forms
A picture gets erased
A picture gets recomposed
A picture gets repainted
The canvas waits to be filled with myriad strokes

As my mind brims with new ideas
I try to control my thoughts from wandering
Though my mind resists this taming
There is so much to do
There is so much to complete
Dreams remain dreams if they aren't accomplished
How can goals be reached without focus?
How does one focus without concentration?
How does one concentrate without clarity?
How does one have clarity without goal?
Isn't this something like the circle of ...

The first light of the day- it really brightens me up!
And I am in complete control of myself!

Bird and Clouds

by Shreya Mishra...22nd July 09

The day my car was left alone...
21st July 2009
People tell me I'm very protective about my bike and car. Why should'nt I be so? My bike and my car are a part of my family so I naturally get worried if I haven't parked them well or if they are not cleaned properly and maintained well with regular servicing and so on.
Yesterday was one of those rare days when I missed the ground floor parking in my office building (Auriga Block).* The other slots in the open which face the cafeteria were also full. The parking space outside our IT park which usually has late comers' and visitors' vehicles lined up was also completely packed. I wanted to try my luck in the Vega Block on 1st, 2nd or 5th floors...the moment I crossed the first floor, the security person, stopped me to say it was full. With nowhere to go, I seemed desperate and perhaps cut a sorry figure for the other security person who voluntarily suggested a free parking slot on the 5th floor. Having driven all the way and parked in the "free" slot, I was about to get into the lift...then suddenly another security person approached me and asked me to take away my car immediately. I realized that it was not really a free slot and it was officially allotted to some company, and I was thoroughly misled by the other security person.
After driving out, I kept searching if there was some space anywhere in front of our IT park so that I could squeeze it in at least till lunch time. But I wasn't lucky... now I was left with two options - either go back home or park it on the opposite side of the road. "I can't do this to my car" I felt like screaming ...leaving it all alone on the other side of the road and worrying all the time with "what if...' kind of thoughts !?
Eventually that was the only solution (look at the picture taken by Harry, from the 7th Floor). With a heavy heart I left it on the empty road, but wanted to keep an eye, so parked it in such a way that I could see it from my office which is on the 7th floor. I was just not comfortable...till I found an empty space in front of our building and asked Harry to physically hold on to the space there till I got my car and parked it there...this made me feel better. Now my car had other cars for company:)

Cut to the next day ...I was in office sharp at 9 am as usual ... this time more for my car than for anything else!
* I had decided to come an hour late to office for few days because of some personal work.

The Earth Song - Michael Jackson

a sensational, complicated and controversial life and an even more sensational and controversial death... What a life it must've been! flawed, touching, tragic and tormented..of someone who broke all boundaries with his enigmatic performances...with powerful, energetic visual music...simply phenomenal!
What about sunrise
What about rain
What about all the things
That you said we were to gain.. .
What about killing fields
Is there a time
What about all the things
That you said was yours and mine...
Did you ever stop to notice
All the blood we've shed before
Did you ever stop to notice
The crying Earth the weeping shores?

Aaaaaaaaaah Aaaaaaaaaah

What have we done to the world
Look what we've done
What about all the peace
That you pledge your only son...
What about flowering fields
Is there a time
What about all the dreams
That you said was yours and mine...
Did you ever stop to notice
All the children dead from war
Did you ever stop to notice
The crying Earth the weeping shores

Aaaaaaaaaaah Aaaaaaaaaaah

I used to dream
I used to glance beyond the stars
Now I don't know where we are
Although I know we've drifted far

Aaaaaaaaaaah Aaaaaaaaaaaah
Hope the world really becomes a better place ...as the lyrics of another song go.

Digital art

by Shreya Mishra...5th July 2009