Happy new year!

2013 is here!! The apocalypse failed!! I guess this time I better stick to my resolutions!

Not aiming high. Just want to keep on writing.

Happy blogging! And a happy new year to all!

Digital Art

sketch, a photo by namita_kumar on Flickr.

A sketch I created using the sketchbook app in Samsung Galaxy note2. It is the same app I used i to create the images in the-art-of-doodling and my-first-try-at-digital-art. The only difference is that this time I had the help of a stylus.

Predictability

Ever wish life was predictable? Sure you have! Well I just thought of way of making predictability plausible!

Oh I really do hope I didn't get your hopes up. My justification is hypothetical and involves amateurish science. Here I go.

Anyone who attended highschool would know a bit of science. They might not remember or even have understood most of it. But they will have some idea regarding it. In layman's terms science involves the study of us and our surroundings. Now, this study helps us understand how objects react to changes. Once we've got that figured out, its easy to predict what change would occur in an object when subjected to that change.

For instance, an object at a particular height will fall under the force of gravity if not supported sufficiently. If it were to fall, we can predict its position from the ground at each instant by our basic laws of physics. Isaac newton discovered the phenomenon of gravity. On further study of objects under free fall, he came up with laws that govern the action of gravity on bodies. These laws helps us predict certain things.

Let me take up another branch. Chemistry is full of chemical reactions. These reactions were put together on study of components under different conditions. During any reaction, we can predict the state of the reaction, temperature, the phases present, the composition of the components in the reaction.

Its clear that due to our extensive study, we can predict certain things in a chemical reaction. Now let's apply it to a larger scale. The universe began with the big bang. The big bang is nothing but a chemical reaction. So, in other words, everything in this universe is a chemical reaction. Even the lives we lead are chemical reactions. So, if were able to study the entire universe, we'd be able to predict its characteristics at every instant just like we do in chemistry. Ergo, we'd be able to predict our lives.

What I've said till now is only hypothetical. In our chemistry labs, we can entirely study a reaction only after its completion or on reaching a steady state. The universe is vast and is still growing. Life on earth is still developing. Since the universe is no where near a steady state or completion, we cannot conduct a complete study about. Hence making life unpredictable.

Maybe one day we will be able to predict life. "The theory of everything" which many scientists including Stephen Hawking are working on might actually succeed in doing so. It would be marvellous if we new what the future held!

But think about it. If life were to be predictable, we'd be able to lead an idle life. We could avoid mistakes and there would be only success. Basically it would be a roller coaster that just kept climbing up. Now, where is then fun in that? I might want to predict what will happen in my life. But I want it only by a wee bit.

007

"The name is bond, James bond"

I have lost count of the number of times I have repeated the dialogue. Most of the times trying to modify it to fit my name. "The name is Kumar, Namita Kumar". Sounds wrong, doesn't it?

Along with that dialogue, the bond series brought along with it other epic lines like the "License to kill" or one of my favorites "Vodka martini, shaken not stirred".

I guess there no longer exists a need for me to specify that I am a bond fan! Everyone has a favorite when it comes to a bond, mine being Sean Connery. Connery brought the entire package. He had the charm, the looks, the slight humour. In other words, he was the perfect choice to be the first Bond. He allowed us to visualise Bond to be the most ultimate spy.

Apart from Connery, I loved Roger Moore's version of Bond. No other bond could match up to him when it came to the subtle sarcastic comments. Most of my friends prefer Pierce Brosnan. According to me, he failed in bringing something new to the character. But he did manage to reinstate the touch of Scottish accent in Bond's speech.

 Finally there is, Daniel Craig who is considered by many to be a disappointment to the role of bond. He lacked the dashing looks and the flair to carry out the role. Also his movies were considered to be boring and lacking the qualities that made Bond films what they are. This is where my opinion differs from those of my friends.

I believe Daniel Craig was chosen with an initiative to show the vulnerable side of bond. As much as we'd like to believe against it, Bond is human. His debut as Bond was in Casino royale. Bond falls in love, something we haven't seen since Lazenby's "On her majesty's secret service". Who would have pegged bond to be willing to give up his career and settle down. The second, Quantum of Solace focused on Bond's hurting, which I agree was a snoozer.

I understand that its a bit to late to give my review on the latest Skyfall, since most of you would have already read reviews or written some of your own. But, I just had to voice out my take on it. Just a few words.

While watching skyfall you need to take into consideration two critical points. The first, this is the end of Daniel Craig series. So it is only apt to make this movie a bit more dramatic by having Bond return to his home in Scotland. It is the only way to tie up all the loose ends created in the first two Craig films. The second, this was the last movie we got to see Judi Dench as M. In other words it was an end to an era. This justifies the dramatics involved in the film. Taking in the two points made above, it makes sense that the movie focussed on Bond's childhood insecurities and the relationship between M and Bond. One thing I'd to applaud them on, is how they gave us an insight into the new Q without the showy equipments. Also the introduction of Ralph Fiennes as the new M did get me excited. Another thing that I liked about the movie was, the subtle manner in which they managed to explain the story of Ms.Moneypenny. I couldn't come up with it in any better way. It was unexpected and innovative!

Hopefully the next bond movie will be better. Maybe we might be in for a classic Bond movie because by the looks of it, they are starting over. New characters like the young and quizzical Q, Ralph Fiennes as the new M, and not to mention a new Bond leave me wondering about the new series. And maybe just maybe we might get to see a younger bond, combining the accent and the acting skills of Sean Connery, the looks of Timothy Dalton and the wit of Roger Moore!

Betrayal

Benedict Arnold, was a man who betrayed his country. Though he did bring a few successes to the US army, he went down in history as one of the biggest traitors after Judas. He might have had reasons to support his plot against his own men, reasons that I don't know entirely of. Even if I did, I probably wouldn't understand them. But those reasons, might still not justify what he did.

As I thought more about betrayal, I couldn't figure out why one would ever do a sort of thing. To betray the ones you work with definitely has to be a crime. And to betray those who trust you is an unforgivable act.

Trust is a crucial part of our lives. But to trust a person is not a tiny thing to do. Family is usually the first to gain one's trust. Then follows friends. A relationship based on this faith is fragile. So fragile, that a tiny bump in the road is magnified to the size of a trench. I guess this probably is the downside of human ties.

In my post Every little thing, I said even a small smirk or an insulting remark causes an affect on the receiver. When that sort of a comment is made by people close to you, it has its consequences. The small, petty stuff are easily overcome. But a big issue like going behind a friend's back, and doing an activity that would hurt them, comes with trouble. This sort of an action causes a big mess, especially when its done knowing that it would hurt that friend.

Like I said, they might have their reasons. Reasons that makes sense only to them. But I just can't seem to get my head wrapped around the force that impulses them to carry out that deceit. How do they go forth to do such a terrible task? Are they oblivious to their conscience? Do you remember those cartoons of an angel and a devil, one on each shoulder, when a person is about to do something wrong? Well, in case of traitors, its as if the angel is choking on its own tongue! I think, in order to ever understand what provokes one to deceive another, you have to be of the same mentality.

Not to brag, but I am a sort of person who commits a lot in any sort of relationship. I like going beyond my limits to help out people. In return I do not expect much from friends or family. I do not expect them to even greet me on my birthday, let alone present me with gifts. But what do want is their loyalty towards me. Loyalty is some thing that holds a position of immense importance to me. Perhaps, this is why I love dogs. My pet, Bubbly!

When I think about people who can betray ones close to them, I feel disgusted. The only thing that lifts me up, is the thought that my true friends and my family would never do such a thing to me. At moments like this, I realise how nice it is to have people you can count on, to always by your side when you need it. Makes me feel happy.

Problem with blogger and Internet Explorer

My blog has been facing issues when viewed through internet explorer. Some times the pictures get enlarged or worse, they do not load at all. This problem is faced by many blogs. If your blog isn't facing a problem, well, lucky you.

The issues with Internet Explorer exist with other blogging websites like Wordpress and Edublog. The only fix that I could find was just to use another browser. This problem isn't encountered with chrome, firefox, safari. So I suggest you do the same.

I got to know more regarding this problem when I read the following post:
http://honeybunchblogdesign.blogspot.in/2012/04/blogger-internet-explorer.html

Happy blogging!

The art of doodling

The air filled with the mist of monotony. None, stand in the room except for one, with words flying out of a mouth that ought to be shut. The words swirl around you unable to penetrate the shield caused due to sheer boredom. You shuffle restlessly to avoid the discomfort of sitting on the hard desks of wood. The mind unlike the body is idle. Idle...I don't think so. The eyes glimpse at the door waiting for someone to interrupt the speaker. Then they look at the hands go by and wondering as to why time doesn't fly when you want it to. The ears fringe against the sound of the chalk shrieking against the board. The hand fiddle with a writing instrument. Alas, the weapon touches the plain white sheet, and then the magic begins. The pen (I prefer pencils) moves as if it were possessed by something other than your mind. Its sweeps and glides across the corner of your sheet to create a piece of one of the most simplest forms of art. Simple, due to its lack of meaning. The doodle!!

The best part of doodle art is that you do not have to be an artist to do it. Even a tiny squiggle qualifies as a doodle. Thats the beauty of it.

A doodle I created during what I think was Chemistry class

But in today's world, doodle art no longer requires a piece of paper and pen or pencil. With today's technology, it can be done at any point of the day by just pulling out your smart phones! Here is a doodle I created using an app on my phone. This is the same app I used in my previous post "My first try at digital art!". Isn't technology great?

A doodle I created using SketchBookExpress  app on my phone