I am currently loving this song…. and it’s dedicated to *that* one special person for being her.   (The artist is Jason Mraz, and the song is I’m Yours)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDftOxHLN98

It goes something like this…

Well you done done me and you bet I felt it
I tried to be chill but you’re so hot that I melted
I fell right through the cracks
and now I’m trying to get back
Before the cool done run out
I’ll be giving it my bestest
Nothing’s going to stop me but divine intervention
I reckon it’s again my turn to win some or learn some

No I won’t hesitate no more, no more
This cannot wait I’m sure
There’s no need to complicate
Our time is short
This is our fate, I’m yours, I’m yours

What’dya say we end this long hard week with post number 250 and some beautiful beautiful music.

This goes out to a special friend who is looking for life to stand up with her, step away from nostalgia and mediocrity, towards a direction which brings back THE real challenge of life…

For those of you who appreciate music, I hope you do enjoy these tracks. For those who don’t, well – listen to the words…

Both tracks are courtesey of Playing for Change, track 1 is titled “A Change is Going to Come” which features Clarence Bekker and Grandpa Elliott, and they have played some AWESOME old school RnB/Soul. Listen to the words on this – they make your hairs stand!

Track 2 is a cover of Bob Marley’s “War/No more trouble” which features Bono alongside collaborations from artists from around the globe (check ‘em out). Listen to the strings cry in this track – you get a flavour of different cultures – just TOO beautiful if you appreciate intricacies of sound!

Enjoy the next eleven and a half minutes as we look forward to the new week…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvayzIktTJ4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgWFxFg7-GU

Saturday was a family day up north. It’s been a while since I had attended a big family get together; infact when we had one last year, I decided to skip it and get out of town for a while. The setting of the get together is always awesome. First requirement – there is always a barbecue; there is just something else in the taste of the food which is cooked on a coal fire! Then, there is the company; I love spending time with the oldies – there are always stories to tell and listen to, always the political arguments, sports, more politics, stories from yesteryear (they just never get too old).

However, the greatest time during these occasions is the gathering of all the kids in the family. At almost 27, I am the oldest of all in the UK; but just as when I was 12 or 13, I have my group of people around me and we do our thing. The thing is… as I have grown older… my company hasn’t. The age range of the people I hang out with is between zero to 10 years old.

One can spend umpteen hours in the company of the grey haired ones, and come close to understanding the meaning of life, but when I hang around the kids, I SEE life. I LOVE the energy that they maintain through the day. I love listening to their stories, their experiences, what they did at school, the time that they fell down last week; I love playing the games that they made up, answering their umpteen questions. I love asking my kiddos questions and then watching them exercise their imagination and make up an answer, I love teaching them new things, and experience them actually remember them so many months down the line – the feeling is just awesome! (Pics on TwitPic)

I love the length of day that summer brings us in the UK; for those who don’t know – sunset is round about 2130 in London on the longest day of the year (21st June). I don’t know about you, but I love the satisfaction of spending creative time with so many energetic people. All in all there were 12 of them under the age of 10, and it is very interesting to see how each one acts as a role model to another, and how they look up to each other – it’s a promising sign for this generation.

As we wrapped up the day and headed back into London village late at night, I realised once again why I love driving…. driving long distances… it gives me that chance to think, contemplate, converse with myself, relax, and enjoy music like it should be – sung out loud. During this journey back, I thought…. and I sang to the music… I sang with every track…..

I thought about how I missed the moments with the kids already. I thought about how I spent almost every weekend babysitting my cousins and nephews and nieces when I was at university. I thought about something which has been niggling at the back of my mind for the last couple of days too…

This weekend marks a year since I learnt what it meant to be alone again. What is so weird is that the circumstances were almost the same – day trip up north on the Saturday, busy day working on the Sunday… and heart break on Sunday night. I have peace in knowing that I won’t go without sleep for two or three whole days this time around (I hope). I thought about the last year, and the trials and tribulations, and thought about the lows and the very lows; then I thought about the day that I had, and the people I was around. I thought of the people I have had the opportunity to get to know in the last year, and what they mean to me. There was a common factor in what I am missing from every aspect….

I then caught drift of the track to which I was subconsciously singing to…

… and it fits in with what I have been thinking about most…

Companionship….

… my Achilles heel…

(This is how Toploader said it)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zZztNg_I2s

(Anyone see the subtle connection in the video and the post?)

I am a HUUUUGE fan of the British Asian Music. What most people don’t know, is that so many British Asian artists are not properly funded at all; their music is either brought up into mainstream music via underground clubs, or underground labels. The likes of Rishi Rich and Bally Sagoo do a lot to scout talent, and get them recorded, heard and exposed.

In the last 10 years, the British Asian music scene has exploded globally. The likes of Jay Sean, and Juggy D have been  collaborating with artists stateside to expose the British music industry.

One artist who has been making a name over the last few years, but really breaking through off late is Navin Kundra. He has been around for a while, but one of his latest tracks has just blown me over, and I wanted to share it with you. The song is called Tere Liye (it’s a romantic ballad I guess), and the lyrics are just too too good to ignore….

There is a musical instrument called the Dafli (type of drum), which is central to the score – I am absolutely loving the sound of that in the track.

Hope you guys enjoy this too!

What do I do to ignore them behind me?
Do I follow my instincts blindly?
Do I hide my pride from these bad dreams
And give in to sad thoughts that are maddening?
Do I sit here and try to stand it?
Or do I try to catch them red-handed?
Do I trust some and get fooled by phoniness,
Or do I trust nobody and live in loneliness?
Because I can’t hold on when I’m stretched so thin
I make the right moves but I’m lost within
I put on my daily facade but then
I just end up getting hurt again
By myself (Myself)

-Linkin Park :: By Myself

Time has flown…
and the wounds are healing…
the year has passed on…
I feel as I am moving…

You knock on my door…
You open them again…
It’s like a bad dream…
I pray for it to go away again…

I hurt others in the process…
When I try and push you away…
Your visit is brief…
but you make me weak all the way…

I hit the canvas…
just as you leave me…
The memories of us…
severely depletes me…

I lose myself to remembering the past…
how does one forget whats embedded within…
I’m trying hard to move on…
it’s not so easy… just by myself…

I want to share a little something with all you guys…

I love simple collaborative works like this one from Playing for Change; it is also the reason why I love music – a single language, culture, existence for each of us as human beings.

Enjoy this for now, and I am back again in a day or two!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-TVg40ExM

So in my previous post, I mentioned that I was going to remain quiet for a few days… once again, I have contradicted myself! The reason for this? Well, have a look at this!

All 6 inches deep at 8am in the morning!

Suffice to say, my trip this week wont be going ahead! The snow will continue for the next day or two. In the meantime, we did something more important…. Snow Soccer!

And ofcourse, snow cricket!

An hour later….. a lot of the snow was now ice, and dangerously slippery… so we went in!

The busses and trains are suspended, and any train service which is running is running with severe delays. The issue however, is whether it would be safe/easy enough to get back from work later on in the day… it has not stopped snowing, and will get heavier over the course of the day.

I think I will stay indoors, and “work from home”.

Enjoy your day if you have been snowed in too… else… have a great start to the week anyways!

Almost there! it’s been one of those weeks where I have been trying to tie up loose ends, manage guests, try and prepare for my break, and sort out I don’t know what else…

I spent sometime trawling through iTunes, and picked out some really classic albums to listen to while I travel… some Lenny Kravitz, some Latin house, reggaeton, Santana, Linkin Park…… at least my ears are sorted!

I feel kinda bad that I haven’t posted much this week, but it has been that kind of week I guess…. I have read a lot of bloggers going through a low week over the past few days….

Hopefully, I shall have something more creative to post while I am out there…

Till then… Adios!