Tag: people

The Big Bang Theory. Before and After Star Trek

Narmadhaa’s log. Stardate: I don’t know when.

sheldon

It’s funny how after you watch and re-watch a television series you still can’t figure why you don’t understand it completely. Happened with The Big Bang Theory.

I had watched (over and over) the series up to season 8 long before I decided to watch the Star Trek movies.

And now, after watching the movies and starting on the Star Trek original series, I’m looking at The Big Bang Theory in a whole new light. Or to be more specific, I’m seeing my favourite character, Sheldon in a new light.

There’s nothing unlovable about Sheldon. His oddities, his ignorance and his persistent denial of ignorance — everything that makes him the most attractive character on the show. Sometimes I agree so much with the way Amy speaks of him that even I don’t understand why the other characters tend to make fun of him.

But after Star Trek, I’m not sure whether I’m attracted to Sheldon. Or Spock. There I said it.

When I first watched The Big Bang Theory, I was amazed at Sheldon’s behaviour. Him not being able to understand sarcasm, his obsession for cleanliness, his un-understandable lust for logic and his complete ignorance of emotions. Try to hug him and he’ll look at you as if you’re crazy. Because you can only try. Say something (anything) and he’ll look at you as if you’re a babbling monkey. So annoying, so intimidating, so inhuman. Yet so humane.

I loved everything about Sheldon Cooper, the awkward genius.

And then I realized that Sheldon was a caricature of the one person he adored: Mr. Spock.

So now I’m torn. Do I love the original, or the caricature, which I saw first?

Or still, is it Jim Parsons who’s given new life to two great fictional characters?

This needs some logical reasoning, and I’m incapable of it.

Long live and prosper.

Rediscovering Wheels

Remember the time when the Internet was loaded with teasers like, ‘when are you going to start living?’ and ‘when was the last time you did something for the first time?’ ?(love that, by the way)

Well, today I did something for the first time — in about 10 years. It’s not as noteworthy as ‘I broke my brother’s toy car and ran before he could catch me,’ or anything fancy like ‘I paraglided without hugging on to the back of an instructor,’ — but mine is pretty special too.

I rode a bike.

Or as I’d rather say, I rediscovered wheels! Oh, and the joy of it! It was an unforgetable thrill to ride on as the wind pushed me opposite the direction in which I pedaled. Still, it felt so good to experience the rush of adrenaline through my veins and the sweat tracing my forehead.

I hadn’t got on a bike for ages. And I was a little worried about making a fool of myself. That’s why I chose the early morning to try it out — when there would be fewer people to see me picking up the bike from the ground.

Anyway, after a couple of falls and plenty of curvy and insecure twists, I managed to look straight and align my arms with the bike’s handle bars.

And then there was no looking back. I went round and round. I realized my love for riding. And I didn’t want to stop. My mouth opened in laughter — in spite of myself. The people around spoke to themselves, some smiled and some even waved. And I managed to wave back without falling!

Now this is a day worth remembering. Or capturing!

rediscovering wheels

The Man

For the past few weeks, I’ve been reading Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The original play in full. And it’s given me moments of solitary pleasure and bliss like none other.

A long time ago, I read a simplified version of the play, and I thought it was just too cinematical. It felt like watching an old movie with a plot that’s been beaten to boredom.

But when I read the play now, I realize how wrong I had been. The story isn’t new, yes, except that everything about it feels new. Shakespeare’s use of words, his insults, his puns and vivid descriptions make Hamlet such an interesting read.

And no one makes imaginary characters utter advice and words of wisdom like Shakespeare does. I’ve found a new respect towards the man. He’s The Man.

And here’s a little titbit.

“Conceit in weakest bodies strongest works”

Pure genius, huh? I know!

Reworking

reworking

We think much and scrutinize on details. We’re always poring over our work with such intense repetition, until we often get lost in it.

It’s satisfying – to turn over and look at your own work, with pride swelling within your chest. It’s gratifying — to know that your work is worthy of recognition.

But to get there, we need to peer at our work. Sometimes we ask others to look into it, all the while pondering on that word choice or the particular shade of blue. Something stronger? Bold, perhaps?

It’s natural. We’re engineered that way — to rework and to reconsider. To recycle, rewrite, to recommission. And recommend.

But that thirst for precision, that repetitive craving to improve could also become our downfall. Because the longer we work on something, the more accustomed to it we get. Repetition breeds expertise. At the expense of a mundane life.

Remember the thrill of learning crocheting? The details! The scrutiny, the absolution at every twist of the fingers — everything about it filled you with excitement and anticipation. It was the perfect summer course.

But then, imagine having to do that everyday for the rest of your life.

We’d still be looking for that precision, but now it’ll be pronounced. We’d be so used to redoing that we’d be redoing just for the sake of redoing and not for the thrill that it once was.

And therein lies the risk of repetition.