310 days on the run. 3000 Points to ponder. 36,000 feet up in the air.

In February 2010, I was in a cold leather seat in Satyam Cinemas, Chennai as I sat mesmerised by the world of Ryan Bingham. Who is this Ryan Bingham you say? He was a high flying specialist, on a mission that spanned the Length and breadth of the Stars and Stripes nation. A corporate downsizer, he lived the motto of 'What's in Your Backpack?'. That movie defined the world of a travelling professional to me. Living out of a quickly packed suitcase, quick reflex movements as you clear airport security and the plastic, oh the love for plastic. That was what I wanted to be.

Life interestingly gives you things in ways you don't expect. Oh, I'm not a Jet Set professional chalking up frequent flier miles as if they were bonus stars in a Nintendo game as I headed off to save the princess. Nor am I swiping plastic at every nook and corner buying Omega or Seville Row. Yet, in the last 10 months, starting from the 7th of September 2012, I have managed to live in five different cities/towns/villages, packed and unpacked a dozen times, met a million new people (made new interesting friends) taken every mode of transport known to man(Except a bullock cart perhaps) and slept in buses/friend's couches/in the comfort of home as well, all in the pursuit of that one elusive thing. What is that thing you may ask. 'I'm not exactly sure' would be the appropriate answer most of the time. 'I'm looking for a career opportunity' would be vaguely accurate, but not completely to the point.

I sit in the relative comforts of a jet turbine powered aluminium can, 36,000ft up in the air, Anoushka Shankar playing the role of invisible companion. I ask myself these questions as I head home, from another home 3000km away. What now? What I'm looking for is probably an answer. Obvious right? Are you sure? It's an answer to numerous questions that themselves are not sure what they should be asking, so how can you be sure that is what I'm looking for? Not sure of what to say? Yeah, I thought so.

To your right is an emergency exit. Please pull the cover open and then release the lever to open the hatch. Please keep the pathway clear at all times. The Silken Maiden in Green looked at me till I feigned understanding, then gave a quick smile and left, her orange tresses wavering. Where did that breeze come from just as she walked away gently caressing her hair? Inside a pressurised can that too. The instructions pre-flight come to mind as I spot the hatch by my side. I wonder if she'll disapprove if I did a mock drill while in mid air. Suppose she secretly did want me to. To end it all. Maybe that's why they're called Sirens. I look around, a pot belly deep in slumber. The hatch sounds more enticing. Another aisle down, a cherub is asleep cutely and comfortably. But perhaps, it's in everyone's best interests if I left the hatch alone. 

Another Orange Silken maiden strolls past, curious as to why I'm staring at the Smokey bowtie that lights up now and then in the sky above. The visual still remains a bit of a blur, but I'd have to guess tresses was not the Orange Maiden's thing. Back to that middling cursor that keeps blinking on screen. Nope, still no answer to those questions. The detour into Luka's view of the world did not help. Note to self. Consult Calvin's doctor before the black bag that I've comfortably had sat in the seat next to me and even buckled up during take-off starts talking to me. Just a second, he wants a blanket. Hmm, I might be a tad too late on the doctor front.

Oh well, enough pondering. Enough of your pseudo intellect and supposed knack for untold fiction. The Overlord called. He wants his contraption back. So, It's time to put the seatbacks upright and the trays back into position. it's time to land back to reality. And just to put the reader at ease then about my mental abilities, so, who am I and what should I be doing? Well all I know for now is, I am Aswin, and I shall just continue living the life I'm meant to live.

P.S. PFA a copy of my resume. Please review my profile and advise on any suitable vacancies that you may be hiring for. If you're not a part of the Human Resources team, please refer me to a suitable Human resource person. Your help is most appreciated.

P.P.S PFA-Please Find Attached - Tech Jargon is a necessity to enter the world of management. Or so they say....

The Dream of Perfection

The Great Gatsby. The only thing on my mind after the movie, at home as I write this is, Lana Del Ray, the mist and a green light in the distance. 

A period movie set in the Jazz Age acording to Fitzgerald, it has this elegant combination of Old world charm vis-a-vis the settings and a modern era twist in term of music. This combination is a killer. It has dubstep party beats mixed to Jazz elements and... right, I'll stop here about the music. Credit to Jay Z and the various artists though.

If you've read the novel, you know what you're in for. A cinematic adaptation of what is probably one of your most favourite novels. Now wake up. The movie will never be as good as you expect it to be. Leonardo will be more understated than you expect and may not play the 'passionate, naive and in his own ideal world' Jay Gatsby as well as you want him to. This will definitely disappoint those ladies who go in expecting to come out in tears. But for the record, Jay did get some from the female fan base when I was in the theatre. Tears I mean. ;)

But walk in like me, a person who has heard of The Great Gastby but is as clueless as a, err clueless person can be about it, and you will come out overwhelmed. The movie tugs to your emotions as you hear, see and get to learn bit by bit, a little more about the Mysterious Jay. You know there is a deep dangerous past coming, you can see it in his eyes and when it does, boy does it take you away bit by bit of course. Like I mentioned earlier, Lana Del Ray definitely has something do to with it too. 'Young and beautiful' left my earlobes spent and wanting more. Again and again. 

The thing about this movie is that, they could have gone on and shown more of the 20's; Extravagant dancing, partying, wall street et all were there, but the director could have drooled on and on, romanticising the Era. But he didn't. They made it crisp and more about the characters, With DiCaprio's outwardly happy, hospitable but inwardly romanticising Jay, Carey's Daisy and even Tobey as Nick. Fitzgerald would probably have beeen proud of this piece of work. Gatsby's idea of perfection, his undevoted love and his dream/ambition of making the future can unnerve you. A little shiver down your spine as you wonder whether your orgastic future will be that.

Walk in. Get enchanted by Jay Gatsby.

Come out. Riveted by The Great Gatsby.

Oh, and what do I do when I'm depresssed?

I write.