Mordor Rock

Let's talk about Led Zeppelin! Led Zep were inspired by Tolkein's Lord of the Rings, and there was a discreet sprinkling of LOTR all over their lyrics in some songs. As a fan of both, I thought I'd share some of these lyrics which combine the best rock arrangements, vocals of Robert Plant and guitar by Jimmy Page.


"The band's individualistic style draws from many sources and transcends any one genre. Their rock-infused interpretation of the blues and folk genres also incorporated rockabilly, reggae, soul, funk, classical, Celtic, Indian, Arabic, pop, Latin and country." - Wikipedia


I wish I could have gone for one concert of their's in the 70's and seen them perform like Gods!



Misty Mountain Hop

If you go down in the streets today,
baby, you better, you better open your eyes. WOAH WOAH YEAH
Folk down there really don't care, really don't care, don't care , really don't,
which, way the pressure lies,
so I've decided what I'm gonna do now.


So I'm packing my bags for the Misty Mountains
where the spirits go now, over the hills where the spirits fly.
I really don't know.


'Misty Mountains' signify the Shire in LOTR


Over the hills and far away

Many have I loved, and many times been bitten,
Many times I've gazed along the open road.
Many times I've lied and many times I've listened,
many times I've wondered how much there is to know.

Many dreams come true and some have silver linings
I live for my dream and a pocketful of gold.
Mellow is the mind who knows what he's been missin',
many many men can't see the open road.
Many is a word that only leaves you guessin',
Guessin' 'bout a thing you really ought to know.
You really ought to know.
I really ought to know.


The 'pocketful of gold' mentioned here signifies the Ring


Ramble On

Mines a tale that cant be told,
My freedom I hold dear;
How years ago in days of old
When magic filled the air,
Twas in the darkest depths of mordor
I met a girl so fair,
But gollum, and the evil one crept up
And slipped away with her.
Her, her....yea.
Aint nothing I can do, no.

'Gollum', 'Mordor'...etc etc.

Customer Complaint

So, I wrote a customer complaint to a major footwear chain - Woodland. This is the first time I gave feedback to a company whose products I consume. And it turned out to be a hilarious exercise! There was no feeback book available at the store and I wondered if I should email them. And then my friend Sushmit inspired me, by calling the company’s lapse as "Sexist Capitalism!"
Here is what transpired:-

from Harmanpreet Kaur <harmankaur.82@gmail.com>
tocare@woodlandworldwide.com
ccsales@woodlandworldwide.net
date Sun, Jul 12, 2009 at 12:35 AM
subject Customer Complaint

Hi,
As a resident of New Delhi, India and a regular shopper at the Woodland stores, I'd like to complain regarding the availability of trekking shoes in the women's range. Why are trekking shoes for women unavailable in India? Doesn't the company manufacture them? Or are they just not stocked or sold in India?
As a woman who frequently likes to be outdoors, I would really appreciate if Woodland launched a few interesting designs for women in the trekking range. Woodland has such a wide variety for men's trekking shoes. Does the company feel that women in this country do not like the rugged outdoors like their male counterparts?
The designs that are available in the shoes range, are not made for the purpose of trekking. Women only buy them to keep their feet warm in the winter season. They are quite boring actually.
There is a market for a whole lot of women in this country who have started to travel and explore. It would be profitable if you would cater to their demand. There is also no other brand in this nation that caters to the demand of outdoor shoes like Woodland does. If a woman wanted to go a trek in the mountains, she would not buy sports shoes from Nike/Reebok/Adidas. She would buy them from your store, BUT you do not manufacture it for her! It's a clear gender bias.
As a customer of Woodland since it launched in the early 90's, I remember purchasing the women's trek shoe (olive and brown) with leather laces when I was a teenager! Please resume that style or launch new ones!
Rgds
Harmanpreet Kaur

from Harkirat Singh <harkiratsingh@woodlandworldwide.com>
toHarmanpreet Kaur <harmankaur.82@gmail.com>, pksharma@woodlandworldwide.net
mailto:ccchamanlal64@hotmail.com
date Mon, Jul 13, 2009 at 12:39 PM
subject Re: Customer Complaint

Dear Ms.Kaur,
We will certainly look into the issue and develop certain models for trekking and outdoors for women.Pls let us know your foot size and we will try to arrange something for you sooner.Thanks for your valuable comments.

Regards,
Harkirat Singh.

from Harmanpreet Kaur <harmankaur.82@gmail.com>
to Harkirat Singh <harkiratsingh@woodlandworldwide.com>
ccpksharma@woodlandworldwide.net,chamanlal64@hotmail.com
date Mon, Jul 13, 2009 at 1:58 PM
subject Re: Customer Complaint

Thanks for your response! My foot size is 5.
Rgds

Now, I still don’t believe I wrote this, but I did – my emotional agitation was deep, and I was feeling sarcastically comical.
Ha! And I’ve just realized that my friend Anjali in Aberdeen shares similar grievances!! She read my email complaint and tells me that she too has been unable to locate good trekking shoes under various brands online! In her words, "I found funny baby blues and shiny pinks and NOTHING AT ALL SUITABLE."

The situation of women’s trekking shoes is abysmal in this world! I demand the same shoes that women wear on Nat Geo/Globe Trekker.
But, I do feel like an empowered consumer. And as my friend suggests, I hope I’m in for a free pair of boots here.

The Importance of being Idle - Part 2

Idleness can be rewarding. Idleness can drive me crazy. It can clear my mind. It can jumble it more than ever.
I hurt my foot (a deep cut at the base) which had to kept bandaged and upright for almost more than a week. And I spent my time slobbing away to nothingness.

I read, cooked, watched a whole lot of television, films and wimbledon matches. I sat out watching the rain and staying blank. I sat staring up into the sky thinking a thousand things from apocalyptic conditions and futility of human life to the immense beauty of this universe, power of all the art created by us, why we indulge in art at all, and whether we are a lonely species.

I also pondered over different ways to cook potatoes. I tried making them with butter and garlic. It turned out to be a rather heavy affair.

I just saw a documentary on BBC World on Madeline Murray today. She'd founded and headed the American Atheist Association. Whether one agrees with her views or not, I realise this - that there are, were and will continue to be deviants in society. I heart this dynamism. Also another documentary on HBO, U.S vs John Lennon, was revelatory when it came to the same observation. Also the media was fascinated by them, not because they understood what they were saying, and what it held for society, but because they both spoke brilliantly and attracted eyeballs. Both Murray and Lennon were murdered by people with a past criminal or psychiatric record.

I wonder that if one remains idle for a sufficiently long time, if it will drive him/her to insanity? But then people go insane working in harsh environments. Sometimes people go insane with boredom of working in a safe montonous environment. Sometimes insanity seems sane.

So, I conclude that I'd like to be idle in Paris, or Roma, or Seychelles, or Spiti!!