Scotland, My 30th and Bill W.

Howdy blog-lings!

It’s been a long, long two weeks that I’ve been away from this here blog, longest stretch in a bit and that’s saying something for a serial vanisher like me – though in fairness I’d wager that I’ve been pretty regular here for a while now, though more regular posting certainly wouldn’t hurt anyone! (Oh and for the music lovers here, there’s a great track linked at the end of the post if you want something to listen to whilst you peruse my ramblings!)

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!? (you might be asking, politely screaming at me…)

I swear! That wasn’t my fault! The whiskey forced itself down my throat and then the pavement and wall conspired against me!

Well dear friend(s), I’ve been on holiday actually – far and away from the Indian locales I call home, all the way in merry old England. That was just a short stop on the way in and way out though, the bulk of my time was spent scouring the innards of the (in?)famous FRINGE FESTIVAL held annually in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Now you must understand the nature of this little trip:

1) I was travelling with my Lil’ Sister (she’s gonna hate me for that! :D) who is (clearly) the smarter and harder working of us and is currently pursuing a Masters in a mental health related field and has been studying in the U.K for the past few years. Now, we have a gap of under two weeks between our birthdays and thus, I was able to be there for both hers as well as my 30th. Yes 30th, that ever-dreaded arbitrary age that draws emotive gasps of varied responses from most everyone. So yes, this was awesome!

2) I’ve always, ALWAYS wanted to spend time in Scotland. As a nature loving, literary minded and slightly hippie-esque fellow, it is one of those places that evokes wonder, emotion and day-dreams like few others. To roam the highlands, taste the whiskey and partake of the Scottish good nature, it’s something that those like minded as me on this will already be nodding along with – you know who ye are laddie.

I mean come on! Who’s want to go here right?

3) The Fringe Festival is one of the most awesome and respected cultural milieus there is to be – this one in particular (yes there are others) – and has played host in earlier times to greats like Rowan Atkinson and Stephen Fry and has always been a go-to place for aficionado’s of theatre of all kinds, music, street performances, burlesque and cabaret and of course, comedy. So for a comedy loving goof like me, this was exciting enough as it is but as my ‘coming-soon’ two-part blog post on this trip will illustrate, brought with it many little joys and surprises that made this even more exceptional an experience.

Anyway, so there you have it, where I’ve been and an intro to what I’ve been up to these past weeks.

Blew. My. Mind.
(Click to enlarge!)

I was going to post the 1st part of the above-mentioned travelogue, but while checking some email and other messages online yesterday when I got back to work and was slogging by way through the piled up back-log of two weeks worth of stuff I had waiting for me, I came across this little gem that I felt compelled to share.

Those who’ve been around here before might be well aware of my love of all things Calvin and Hobbes and Bill Waterson, the man is to me not just a genius, but a wonderful artist and in some ways, THE modern philosopher of our times.

So consider my surprise when I saw this little tribute to Bill and his iconic comic from a talented young fellow named Gavin Aung Than (a.k.a Zen Pencils) that takes a beautiful little speech by Bill that he gave to a graduating class and turn it into something unexpectedly lovely and well in the spirit of Calvin and Hobbes, at least that’s how I feel about it.

ALSO, as it turns out, this was posted just the day before my 30th birthday, mere hours before the day, and spoke to something that so amazingly expresses what my own life is like as a struggling, striving writer in a place and culture that does not seem to have much place or respect for what I want to do and be, that it truly took me by surprise and tugged at more than a few heart-strings.

Like my photoshopping? Let me know!

All this of course, led to my wanting to share this beautiful sentiment with you all because I feel many of you will either relate to it as I do or be more able to understand why it carries so much meaning and/or simply appreciate it.

Now, that done and the “need to get back to work” beckoning me, mounted as that devil-monkey is on the pummeled and hog-tied form of my muse, so I’ll see you all tomorrow as I bring you a new little short story before I post the first part of the travel journals later in the week – hasta la vista folks, I leave you now with some this great little track from a band I can’t believe more people don’t know to enjoy and perk up your day a wee bit.

Cheers all!