Good visuals excite me.
The beauty of nature mesmerizes me.
Memories of Pakistan nostalgia-te me.
Position of women worries me.
Chauvinists exasperate me.
Preachers of false dogmas enrage me.
Terrorism sickens me.
Extremists frustrate me.
Moral policing infuriates me.
The lost community baffles me.
Racism saddens me.
Political bastards need to get a life!

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Friday, July 31, 2009

This Month's Terrorist Activities

July has amazingly gone by without any sorrow of the sort. So it deserves big brownie points.



















Hehe. Couldn't find a nice brownie with a peace sign. But hey, anything with chocolate is great no?

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Japanese Gardens

Yup. This is my second love (although I am not really going in any ascending or descending order, that'd be too difficult). This just had to be, and would be on anyone's list. These gardens are so immaculate and well designed, it's outrageous! The finesse, the detailing, and creation of an ambiance that is so Zen. I can't find the perfect words to describe this style.

This style of gardens were mostly found in Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines and old castles. Most of these are dry or rock gardens, Karensansui. Garden-making is considered a high-art amongst the Japanese, akin to calligraphy and ink painting.

The giant goldfish, bonseki and bonsai are a strong symbol of Japanese gardens.

The four types of Japanese gardens are:

1. Karensansui - dry landscape gardens, rock gardens. There is no water used. The rock and moss are used to represent ponds, islands, boats, seas, rivers and mountains in a abstract way.

2. Tsukiyama - This style strives to make small gardens look more spacious. It utilizes shrubs to block view of surrounding buildings to open view to the surrounding landscape of mountains in the distance (Japanese lifestyle). Ponds, streams, hills, stones, trees, flowers, bridges and paths are frequently used in this style.

3. Chaniwa - this is usually a tea house where the ceremonies take place. Usually there are stepping stones leading to the tea house, stone lanterns and stone baskins (tsukubai) where guests purify themselves before the ceremony.

4. Kanshoh - these are viewed from a residence.

5. Pond - for viewing from the boat.

6. Strolling - for viewing a sequence of effects from a path which circumnavigates the garden.

Karensansui












Japanese Garden, Portland, Oregon














Japanese Garden, Portland, Oregon












Japanese Garden, Hillwood, Washington D.C














A Chaniwa with the ceremony tea room

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