Quote Challenge 2: Tennyson

“We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.”
― Ulysses (Lord Tennyson)

Alfred, Lord Tennyson – that name itself had a lot to do with my life. I was often asked about by name by my English teachers, and they have always loved my name while I was in school. I never really realized that it would mean that I could be doing a degree and also the post-graduation in English Language and Literature, but yes, even though late, I did realize what I was supposed to do. Even then the name helped; having the same name as the greatest poet of an era and the longest reigning Poet Laureate has its advantages.

To add to it, I do love his works, and my favourite among them is Ulysses which I studied more than once, and read so many times – then there is this quote “Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all”. Well, it is a nice quote, but among those which I want to talk about and wish to relate with life includes most of the lines in Ulysses rather than anything else. Among them, the one I have mentioned here has a lot more significance, at least for this period of my life.

The quote is about something that we all face, about not being good as we used to be. I have always thought about the same. I am sure that as of now, I am able to write better and with more variety than I used to, just an year ago. I am able to write about things that I never thought I would write about. Two years ago, when I began my other blog with the pen name, The Vampire Bat, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. Why The Vampire Bat? I had no idea. But then things got better. I never knew I could bring anything new to my writing style.

But there are things with which I am not getting any better. They include most of the things which are not related to writing. I know that I won’t have the stamina to play more than one singles game in Badminton if I give it a try after such a long time. I know that I might not be able to bowl two consecutive deliveries without sending one for a wide. I also know that I might not have the energy to withstand one single football game any more. I am not that good, and I am not of that strength as I was when I was doing by degree.

I know that I don’t understand things that well as I used to, and I feel that I won’t be able to memorize things that well. I keep having that feeling that I have done with reading, studying and all; and even when writing about a movie, I feel that I might not be able to do justice. When I understand that almost everyone that I know from my college got a job and a good number of them are married, I do feel that I am trailing, and when I get to do one of these things, I won’t be as good as they are now, because I will be tired and older.

I am always reminded of the same, by one person or the other, being the oldest person without a job, and about the rating in the marriage-alliance market going down as I get older. The strength of that old days – we all miss them, and I miss my friends from those wonderful days too. I also feel made weak by time and fate, but I hope to do well, and overcome the weaknesses that have come upon me. I am surrounded by two things, immortality of one world which I love and the mortality of the other which I have to embrace.

I cannot take a step backward, not at this period of time. May be we can dig through the dead end. There are people who want me to, and events which are fair enough to make that call for me. Inspired by my favourite single line of all-time, “To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield”, I still leave myself with some hope for miracles, and at the same time keep doing what I hope that I can do well till the end end of time. In the name of the great poet with whom I shares my name, it might really be depressing for his soul if I gave up. Ulysses had a sea, and I have an ocean. But I am still younger. The last times were used to inspire athletes for London Olympics 2012, so why can’t it continue to do so for me?

***The images used in this blog post are from the game Age of Empires III which I used to play.

I have been nominated by Kiran, at https://drkiranacharya.wordpress.com/2015/06/19/day-three-quote-challenge, for the three day quote challenge. Thanks for the tag 🙂

Rules for the challenge:

• Post one of your favourite quotes (different quote on each day) on three days. The quote can be from your favourite book, author, or your own.
• Nominate three bloggers to challenge them.
• Thank the blogger, who nominated you.

For my day two, I nominate my blogger friends:

Ranjini (http://rangelz.wordpress.com)

Tara (http://crimsonapril.com)

Archana (http://drishti.co)

TeNy

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My City for the Undead

It was something that they wanted to do for a long time, to build a city for the basic undead thanking their services to the New Vampire World. Without the help of the zombie minions, the New Vampire World could have never been constructed, and Dracula realized how important it would be to keep the support of the zombies as the influence of the Werewolves, Eldars and the Lich Queen were rising in the area taking advantage of the common heritage of the tomb which was shared by them all.

The Shattered Dreams refer to the four islands which lie between the New Vampire World and the Isles of Blood and comes directly under the influence of the Vampire Throne. It was on the second largest of those islands that the new city was planned to be built. There was a smaller island between that isle and the mainland which was to be connected to both lands by two bridges which were proposed to be built under the direct supervision of Dracula himself.

Dracula wanted to change from the usual architectural model of the Gothic and shift to the Aztec style after his recent visit to a certain unknown area in the human world. There is to be a city centre built like a ziggurat headed by two vampires and three zombies. Even though the vampires believed that the human model usually had only zombies as leaders, they preferred a change there. Attached to the city centre, there are to be two shopping centres on both sides, and two training centres on the other sides, one for civilians and the other for the keepers of the law.

There were to be more roads than buildings making sure that there were no traffic problems. The trees were to be planted on both sides of the roads as well as on the median which would also have stone paved footpaths and benches just like the sides. The Great Undead Centres are planned exactly five kilometres from the city centre on four sides of the island to make sure that the balance of control is maintained, and they were close to the sea to make sure that the immigration was also well handled.

The graves which were home to the undead were built hidden between the trees on the side of the road. Small parks are to be all around. They were to lead underground into a crypt which was to be divided into five sections, with stone coffins in each. All the buildings arre to follow the same pattern, except for the house of the leaders made as a mausoleum to serve as the home for them all. The parking facilities are provided more underground, with a further layered structure designed with special walls to ensure better protection from sounds.

A facility for rainwater collection wil be also maintained on the trees. As the undead are naturally farmers despite the never-ending desire for brain biriyani, they will like the best use of rainwater without them directly affecting the crops. The farmlands are to be created in open areas between The Great Undead Centres and the city centre exactly a kilometre from the latter. The former will have the study centres one kilometre from it. The chicken farms will be attached to the regular farmlands too.

Windmills, solar panels and wells are to provide energy and water for the city so that the undead population won’t have depend on external sources. The activities would depend on the solar power, and as the zombies have evolved enough to stand the sunlight, this will only work in their favour. The main tourist destination will be the Death Ride featuring the main undead heroes who are part of the legends, like the Headless Knight, the Brain Devourer and the Resident Zombie. There is also the provision for free wi-fi with instructions as I proclaim my dream city for the undead.

***The images used in this blog post are from the game, Age of Empires III which I used to play.

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.

TeNy