Hello,

I am writing after a long time today. I have been in LA for more than a year and half. There is a Starbucks Cafe across the street (or down the hill as i like to call it). One and half years, and i never sat there just for myself.

Back in India, the canteen on the terrace of the bioinformatics center building used to be my spot. I have sat there countless times and that places has spawned more blogs than any other. I have always thought well with a cup of tea (or in the US, a cup of coffee). May be it is the tea/coffee or just that i am sitting in a place by myself and introspecting. But to remind myself of that, I am sitting here today at Starbucks Cafe with a pen and a notepad and i am writing what ever is coming to my mind.

One would think that it is the peace that is invoking thoughts in my brain. Ironically, i couldn't have chosen any place worse than this. This Starbucks is right next to the Fox theater in Westwood. The Fox theater is famous for movie premiers. Yes, with red carpet and celebrities. Today they are premiering 'The Karate Kid' and allegedly, Will Smith, Jackie Chan and a few other celebrities are here. So, getting back to the point, at this time the place has loud, talkative fans eager to catch a glimpse of their favorite celebrity. There are black-clothed security persons with stern looks on their faces, but at the same time having a good chat with coworkers. There are swarms of students walking by, it is the finals week. And to add on to that, i am blasting Iron Maiden through my newly acquired earphones. (The only thing missing here is the loud anti-bible screams of my favorite homeless guy).

You would ask me why i chose such a place for seeking peace of mind. And i say, i don't know, it doesn't probably matter. Peace of mind is something that can be attained irrespective of acoustic peace.

Dr. Asim Dasgupta (a prof here at UCLA) once told us that if one wants peace of mind, one should focus on the gap between two thoughts. When a though passes and a new one comes to mind, there is a brief gap in which there is no thought at all. If one focuses on that gap, one can attain peace. For me, that state would be harder to attain if there are external distractions around me.

I think the reason i get peace here, amidst all that is occurring around me is precisely that a lot is occurring around me. It is the state of having too much to potentially think about. Almost like a rainbow-colored wheel of fortune. When still, it shows all the colors. But when i spins, it appears white. My mind seems to attain peace by focusing on nothing particular what so ever.

So, i attempt to break my writer's block by writing this short "blurt", sitting at my favorite Starbucks, drinking cafe latte, listening to Iron Maiden and occasionally looking at the Fox theater to see if i can get a glimpse of Jada Pinkett-Smith.

Hence goes the writer's block

So long.



p.s. I did not get to see Jada Pinkett-Smith, although i did see Will Smith and their kid Jaden.