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It finally happened, rain found its way to Delhi!

After weeks and weeks of sweltering, body-melting, brain-draining heat (that I avoided for the week past by taking Iron Maidens advice and running to the hills) that left you lifeless by the time the day was half over – the monsoon rains have finally shown themselves!
Brief and belated they are but any is better then what we’ve had thus far – here’s hoping it rains more in the days to come.

But its been good these last two weeks – suddenly work and assignments have been cropping up – opportunity is knocking and Im going to open all those doors even if it kills me! After much patience and not giving in to conformity and good behaviour I’m getting a chance to do what I want to do my own way. So let this be my time!
Other then that I managed to skip out of town for a week this past week and did a quick run up to Manali side where I actually for the first time spent time in Manali proper instead of one of the smaller towns in the region. Honestly, its nice and has some good spots – particularly in Old Manali where I loved hanging out at Dylan Cafe – where I chatted with the manager, sang along as my friend strummed a borrowed guitar and sat down to write – and The Lazy Dog which is one of the classier joints in the whole town with a nice bar, good food, a killer location and view over the river and nicely prepped flavoured hookahs that are awesome as the day turns to dusk and the temperature drops!

But I needed that week, that one week. It was not the greatest vacation ever but it gave one a chance to relax, to recharge and keep going with the daily grind of city life.

I even managed to finally sit down and put down all the ideas Ive scribbled on pieces of paper over the years into one notebook. Granted I wasnt able to save them all but a great many. Now I have a place to put them as they come to me and not fear losing the scraps of paper and notes I try and leave myself when I get ideas at inopportune moments! 😀

In other good news, I recently found a newstand I frequent has started carrying Heavy Metal!
For those that aren’t familiar with this graphic monthly:

Heavy Metal is an American science fiction and fantasy comics magazine, known primarily for its blend of dark fantasy/science fiction and erotica. In the mid-1970s, while publisher Leonard Mogel was in Paris to jump-start the French edition of National Lampoon, he discovered the French science-fantasy magazine Métal Hurlant which had debuted December 1974. The French title translates literally as “Howling Metal.”
When Mogel licensed the American version, he chose to rename it, and Heavy Metal began in the U.S. on April, 1977 as a glossy, full-color monthly. Initially, it displayed translations of graphic stories originally published in Métal Hurlant, including work by Enki Bilal, Jean Giraud (also known as Moebius), Philippe Druillet, Milo Manara and Philippe Caza. The magazine later ran Stefano Tamburini and Tanino Liberatore’s ultra-violent RanXerox.

(issues I just picked up yesterday)

It is hands down one of the most wicked monthly productions, the artwork, the writers, the concepts – next to 2000AD (which is the British magazine that gave us some of the most awesome works by some of the best creators in the medium – people like Ian Edgington, Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Grant Morrison, Dave Gibbons, Brian Bolland, Alan Grant and many, many others who are icons and legends to live up to today. Its also the magazine that was the birthplace and permanent home (still) of the iconic Judge Dredd and many others.)
While 2000AD has always been a more story strong magazine, Heavy Metal has been a hub for some of the most amazing artists I have ever had the pleasure to see. Historically having works by people like H.R.Giger, Terrence Lindall (they printed his illustrated version of Milton’s Paradise Lost), Luis Royo and a great many others.
I have to admit though, I am a huge fan of Royo’s work and style – the man has an imagination second to none – if you feel up to it, go and check out his art.

I would have posted some sampled of his work, but it would have taken far longer to choose from among them then I have to spare – so I leave you instead with advice and a pretty face: Go check out Luis Royo’s artwork, if you have an appreciation for it you will find some pieces of his to love for certain.
And as for the pretty face, here is the lovely Martina Ivezaj who became ‘Miss Tuning 2009‘ and this is one of the oh-so-hot pictures she did for the 2010 calender.
I came across the calender by chance and loved this picture – plays right to every pirate based, rum soaked fantasy I ever had! *insert evil grin here* So with this I bid you good day on this happy day and will catch you all the next time around.

Cheers.. 😉