#took a longer post than i thought to cover the whole span of her career from zhaitan to now

[smokinsid]

Meet Gravewatcher Siobhan. Shiv, to her friends.

Shiv is a paranormal investigator and archaeologist, fascinated with the ancient origins of life on Tyria and the intricacies and interplay of the material world and the Mists. A fast friend to the Deldrimor and a committed Priory scholar, she got her "Dark Souls"-esque name from her habits- rather literally, she watches graves.

During the Risen incursions following Zhaitan's rise to power, she served the Pact in her own grim but highly necessary way- walking between fresh graves with lamp and censer, driving off corruption in the soil, diverting Zhaitan's influence away from fallen soldiers in times where the magic was too rampant to purify.

She remained with the Pact for some time following the showdown in Orr- when news of Zhaitan's fall reached Fort Trinity, she was already on a ship heading toward Siren's Landing for continued investigations.

It wasn't until long after the events that shook Maguuma- she thought it best to sit Mordremoth out, given her already-malleable state of mind- that she left her little patch of Orr to serve the world's best interests again.

The Thunderhead Peaks were calling.

Between Ogden Stonehealer's observations recorded at the Priory, the various ruins she'd explored, and the numerous conspiracy theories she'd entertained herself with while digging up Orr's beaches, she was ready to involve herself in history and get some answers.

Some distinguish themselves with acts of great valor or daring. Shiv rose through the ranks as if steadily walking, one at a time, at a pace she set- an explorer until it served better to be a magister, a magister until her studies called for the access afforded to Priory archons.

It was from this position of magical affluence that she investigated the Great Dwarf- and began to seek linkages between the Eternal Alchemy and rituals of collective consciousness. Her theory held that all things were conscious- and that by mapping that consciousness with techniques similar to those used by Omadd's machine, an individual could- in essence- get a message out to all creation.

More practical means won out- before long the soldiers were beating Kralkatorrik's crystallized blood into spears and swords, and that was a good deal more straightforward than trying to map his brain and then solve it like a Rubik's cube.

But somehow she knew she wasn't done playing with the Eternal Alchemy. Some might've taken Scarlet Briar's dangerous foibles as an object lesson in not playing with cosmology, but when Cantha opened up to the world, she was quick to hop a ship and race to Echovald Forest.

She had heard a thing or two about Wardens, and needed very much to prove a point.

Their unity with Urgoz was a little too similar to the Rite of the Great Dwarf. Were they another inroad to map the way minds could connect?

If there was any hope of finding out, it was swallowed by the crisis in the Jade Sea. She, like everyone else, had to rush east and put her magic to good use to keep the continent- and so much beyond it- from being consumed by dragonvoid.

But now?

Now there's wizards. Wizards explicitly keeping secrets in their flying castle high above Tyria, watching the world churn below.

Shiv wants in. It's time to connect all the red twine on her corkboard and crack the case on whether consciousness in Tyria is all linked, and whether the will of one is the same as the will of the world.

If she can prove this, it has the potential to change everything. Change how Tyrians at large understand each other.

If it takes looking a little crazy to get to that point, she can live with that!

[maaaaaatryoshka0325]

As Above, So Below - Kim Seungmin Paranormal Investigator AU Part 1

(Next Part ->)

I’m finally posting it ya’ll! :D

The reader's abilities are based off of those of Lorraine Warren's. She and her husband, Ed, were paranormal investigators. If you need an insight on her abilities, watch 'the conjuring'. It's great movie, hands down one of my faves.

“These pictures were taken during the exorcism last year." Seungmin's voice rang throughout the large classroom.

Kim Seungmin, the well renown paranormal investigator, stood before you in a classroom in your town. You watched his videos all the time, followed his social media. He was a big inspiration for you, someone you knew would understand you.

You have a gift, you see. One not many people would understand. You had gotten into a car accident when you were younger, leaving you not only with PTSD, but with an unnatural gift. You could see and hear things no one else could, you could be brought into almost another dimension, the other side showing you things from the past. You were known as a clairvoyant.

You watched Seungmin’s presentation in awe, excitement filling you every time he showed something new, something you didn’t see on his blog. Your eyes kept meeting his, but every time they met, the girls behind you would squeal, especially the one in the middle. 

The girl in the middle used to be your best friend, until a few years ago. Kim Eunmi , now one of the most popular girls in your college/university. She always walked around with two other girls, Lim Hyuna and Song Inhye. They were your “bullies” if you’d call it that. They wouldn’t say much to you, usually a sly remark here and there, but they would always openly giggle behind your back or whisper almost loud enough for you to hear; and it all came from an incident a few years back, the incident where Eunmi abandoned you as a friend then spread rumors about you, making your high school career a living Hell. You were labeled a “freak” and spent your high school years by yourself.

“Here is another slide from the case of Go Jinjoo, the man who was possessed and kill thirteen women in a span of three months.” Seungmin’s voice broke you out of your thoughts, your eyes landing on the pictures of the man on the screen.

He had blood covering his shirt, his teeth grit and blood splattered across his face. His iris’ were completely black, his veins popping out of his face and neck. He looked possessed, to say the least. Your eyes searched the picture, your eyes sensing the dark aura around him. Your eyes scanned every detail you can, and you felt someone’s eyes on you.

You peeled your eyes from the screen and made direct eye contact with Seungmin, his eyes staying on you longer than you could never believe. You heard a squeal behind you, and your heart dropped, thinking he could’ve just been admiring Eunmi. Eunmi was very attractive, with her silky dark hair, large eyes, and beautiful face. She was much more to look at, or that’s what you thought at least. You remembered all the boys would gawk and stare at her when you two would hangout, and it got worse in high school. You tried not to pay attention to it, but it was hard when every time you went to your locker, which was straight across from hers, a guy was either trying to confess or give her something. You were shocked and disappointed when Seungmin ended the presentation, cursing yourself for not paying enough attention. Oh well, there’s always a next time. Seungmin looked at you, and your heart fluttered, then quickly dropped as you felt someone bump your shoulder, and realized Eunmi was walking down the stairs. Her eyes were mocking towards you, and you knew she was going to purposely try to flirt with Seungmin right in front of you. Eunmi knew she was naturally pretty, and she flaunted it a lot. You never understood why she wore the amount of makeup that she did, she was effortlessly and naturally stunning. She bat her false eyelashes at Seungmin, pressing her arms closer to her chest to make her boobs pop out more. You rolled your eyes and packed your notebook in your bag, having had taken notes while listening.

“Hi Seungmin-ahhh!” Eunmi greeted him in a sweet voice.

“Oh, hello.” He greeted with a pretty smile.

“I’m Eunmi, and I’m a huge fan. That presentation was something else!” She giggled.

“Ah, thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it.” He said with a polite bow.

“Now Seungmin-ahhh.” She giggled, leaning close to him.

You wanted to snap your pencil in half. Eunmi knee how much you had loved his documentaries, you had started watching his videos when you were in middle school together, and she always told you it was lame. Seungmin has the gift since he was younger, and you had admired him ever since your accident.

“Saw you looking at me this whole lecture.” She purred, fixing the buttons on his white button up. “Is there something you wanted to say?”

You quickly made your way out of the room, and Eunmi watched you walk out with a smirk, but another set of eyes were on you as well.

“Actually… Uh… That girl that was sitting in front of you, what’s her name?” He asked.

“Who? Y/N?” She scoffed. “Just some weirdo. She thinks she can see and sense ghosts. She just does it for attention.”

“I see. Well, it was nice meeting the three of you.” Seungmin said with a smile before grabbing his bag and walking away.

“Wait, Seungmin!” Eunmi called, grabbing his shirt sleeve.

“Weren’t you looking at me?” She asked, her eyes big.

“You’re very pretty, but it wasn’t you I was looking at. And I don’t look at petty women.” He said casually, pulling his sleeve out of her grasp. “Have a nice day, ladies.”

You walked into the courtyard, the pink trees of the garden glowing in the soft spring sunlight. You sat on the stone bench and opened your notebook, going through the notes you took and sighing.

“I should’ve paid better attention.” You groaned, dropping your head into your notebook. “Stupid stupid stupid.”

“I think you’re pretty smart, actually.”

Your head shot up at the voice, your nose almost brushing Seungmin’s. Shock was in your eyes as he smiled down at you.

“Mind if I sit?” He asked, pointing to the empty spot on the stone bench.

“Oh, sure!” You said in a voice a little too high pitches for your liking, making you almost cringe.

He sat down beside you, his eyes going to your notebook.

“You took notes on the session?” He asked, his eyes full of admiration.

“U-Um yeah… I love what you do.” You said shyly.

“I see… You seemed very interested in the whole thing. Almost like you knew how it felt to have these abilities.” He said, looking directly at you.

Although he had such a sweet looking face, his eyes held a ferocity that you have never seen before. It was breathtaking to look into massive orbs you’ve only ever saw on a screen.

“I… I guess you can say I have a gift.” You said lowly, your eyes not leaving his.

“What kind of gift is that?” He asked, his eyes still searching yours.

You slid him the notebook that you had written your notes down in. He looked at the notebook and slowly went to the first page, reading what you wrote and drew sketches of, all of your experiences on the finely outlined pages. His long finger tips followed where he was reading, his eyes quickly scanning the pages as he continued to flip through it. He stopped at one, an amused smile on his face.

“So you know, huh?” He asked.

“What?” You asked.

“Most of the episodes of Ghost Hunters is staged and acted out.” He said with a light chuckle.

“Even if I didn’t have this ability, it’s painfully obvious.” You pointed out, scrunching your nose in distaste. 

“How else do you know? And how can you tell when it isn’t staged?” Seungmin asked.

“Well, for starters, their reactions. When it’s fake, you can tell when they over dramatize it, like it’s too much. I also don’t see anything when it’s fake.” You said.

“See anything?” He asked.

“I can see shadows… Morphs… Whole spirits.” You said hesitantly. 

His eyes searched yours, seeing the sincerity in them.

“You can just see shapes and figures?” He asked.

“No…” You said lowly. “I can see them… Usually when they just want to be seen.”

“What if they don’t want to be seen?” He asked.

“I can see their shapes and figures, and I can feel them.” You responded.

Silence fell over the two of you, Seungmin’s eyes going back down to your notebook and flicking through the pages, stopping at a certain one.

“What’s this?” He asked.

It was from the last night you and Eunmi had spent the night together as friends. The night she got scared away, the night she held a grudge against you for. You slid it out of his hands and closed it, a sigh leaving your lips.

“An experience I wish I could forget.” You sighed.

He went on to say something, when you gave him a sad smile.

“They show me things.” You said.

“They show you things?” He asked.

You nodded and played with your fingers.

“They show me what happened to them… Or what could happen to other people.” You whispered.

His eyes were soft as he laid a gentle hand on your shoulder, giving it a soft rub.

“You’re a clairvoyant Y/N.” He said.

You nodded and sighed when he lightly grabbed your chin and turned your head towards him.

“There’s nothing wrong with that, nothing at all. I know what it’s like to have a gift no one understands, I know it’s lonely, but I’m here for you now, okay?” He said with a bright smile.

“You’re only in town for a couple of days.” You giggled with a small blush.

He fell silent for a moment, biting his lip and thinking.

“Why don’t you come for an investigation? We’re also here to investigate a house about an hour away from here.” He suggested with a smile.

“Will that really be okay?” You asked.

“Of course!” He laughed. “It’s just me and three other people.”

“O-Okay.” You nodded with a shy smile.

“Perfect! We have to leave in an hour, do you need to get changed or anything?” He asked.

“No, I think I’m okay.” You laughed. “Why? Is my outfit bad?”

“Not at all, just don’t want you to catch a cold.” He laughed.

You put your notebook back in your bag as he stood up and stretched his hand out to you, a smile on his face. You smiled back and lightly took his hand as he helped you up, and you felt something in that little touch. It was like a spark, a small fire emitting itself in through your hand and all throughout your body, warming your heart as you walked step for step beside him. His light brown hair caught the sun in a beautiful way, his hair shining brightly. He glanced at you, giving you the whitest smile you’ve ever seen, and you swore it could blind anyone with how white his teeth were.

He lead you to a small, hippie fashioned Volkswagen (if ya’ll know, ya’ll know.) Two men and a woman were standing outside of it, and the one turned and gave you a friendly smile.

“Hi there.” He greeted you.

“Hi.” You greeted him and the others with a polite bow.

“Seungmin, who is this?” The woman asked.

“This is Y/N, she’ll be joining us today.” He said, introducing you.

“I’m Hyunjin.” The one who smiled at you said.

“I’m Felix.” The other said with a big smile. “And that little ball of sunshine over there is Haru.”

You looked over at the woman, who scowled at you and Felix.

“Why is she coming?” Haru asked.

Wow, rude.

“She has talents that we need.” Seungmin said, putting his stuff in the back.

Haru scoffed and eyed you up.

“And what talent is that? Taking up space?” She asked.

“Haru, stop being so rude.” Hyunjin gasped. “Seungmin doesn’t invite just anybody.”

Haru went to open her mouth, when Seungmin shot her and look, making her purse her lips.

“She’s a clairvoyant. I’m curious about her, and she’s welcome to come with us. Don’t make this hard on her, she doesn’t deserve that.” Seungmin said, his voice serious.

Haru rolled her eyes and turned away, stalking towards the back of the SUV. Felix gave you a friendly smile and took you to the front seat.

“You’ll ride up front with Seungmin so you won’t have to deal with our little ball of sunshine in the back.” He said with a smile.

You nodded and slid into the front seat, catching the glare from Haru. Eunmi was already a lot to deal with, but now this girl? You only have known her five minutes! Seungmin sat next to you, flashing you a smile as he pulled out his GPS.

“So, what exactly is going on at this home?” You asked.

Haru scoffed in the back seat, and Felix elbowed her.

“A couple has been hearing strange noises around their home, and we’re just going over to see what exactly is happening.” Seungmin said.

“Most likely nothing too exciting.” Hyunjin said, getting the camera he had in his hands ready.

“Do you record before you even find out if it’s haunted or not?” You asked.

“Of course, I wanted to start a vlog where we post the most stupidest encounters and how goofy the residents look when they realize their house isn’t haunted.” Hyunjin giggled.

“Why didn’t you?” You asked with a laugh.

He pouted and looked at Seungmin. “Seungmin said it’s unprofessional.”

“And it is.” Seungmin said as he pulled out of the parking lot.

“I don’t know, I’d love to watch them.” You laughed. “It might attract more viewers.”

“We’re not doing this for viewers.” Haru snapped.

“Lose the attitude Haru.” Hyunjin said, looking at her. “The more viewers we get, the more recommendations we’ll receive.

“People like horror and humor, if you give them both, they’ll be all over you guys.” You said.

“Or attract people who just want the attention.” Haru said.

You fell silent, not wanting to say anything else. Seungmin flicked a look at Haru through the rearview mirror and she huffed, shoving her headphones in. 

“I’m sorry about her, she doesn’t take to people easily.” Seungmin sighed.

“It’s okay, it’s no big deal.” You said with a small reassuring smile.

When you pulled up to the house, you noticed the roof looked a little caved in, probably from the recent storm. You followed Seungmin out of the SUV and up to the house as the other three grabbed their cameras and setup. The couple who owned the property came out, and you noticed the two of them were fairly young.

“Mr. Im, Mrs. Im.” Seungmin greeted both of them with a bow, and you followed suit.

“We’re so glad you’re here, we haven't been able to sleep for days.” Mrs. Im sighed.

“What seems to be keeping you up?” Seungmin asked.

“There’s this terrible creaking sound that usually happens at night, and it sounds like there’s footsteps coming from the attic.” Mr. Im said, his eyes wide.

“We’ll take a look.” Seungmin reassured them.

He beckoned you to follow him, Hyunjin coming in directly behind you both with the camera on the both of you. Seungmin stopped at the top step, turning towards the camera and smiling. He bumped you with his elbow, and you turned and smiled as the camera started rolling.

“This is Seungmin back with another video, and today we’re investing a couples house. Mr. Im says there’s been strange creaking and what sounds like footsteps coming from the attic. Today we have with us a new friend of mine, Y/N.” He said, giving you a smile.

You bowed to the camera and smiled brightly as you followed Seungmin up the stairs. Your eyes scanned the hallway and rooms you passed by, hoping to catch something on this case.

“I’ll show you guys the attic.” Mr. Im said.

“Stay here for a moment.” Seungmin whispered to you as he walked up behind Mr. Im, Haru walking by you and giving you a petty smirk as she did.

You rolled your eyes and turned to see Mrs. Im, a small smile on her face.

“Are you new?” She asked.

“Um- sorta? I mean, I was at one of his sessions and he invited me to come here.” You said with a smile.

You turned your head and saw a picture on the wall, Mr. Im holidng Mrs. Im up in the air, the both of them smiling brightly.

A scene of the two of them running through the autumn leaves filled your vision. Mr. Im tackled Mrs. Im in a hug and they toppled over into a big pile of leaves. They both laughed like crazy as Mr. Im covered Mrs. Im in kisses, her bright white smile glistening in the sunlight. Another flash and he was on one knee, a beautiful ring in a carefully crafted box in his hand.

“What a beautiful fall day to propose.” You said as you held the picture in your hands.

“What? How could you tell?” Mrs. Im asked in shock.

“It’s called an insight, you get to see little pieces of someones life.” You said with a smile.

You heard something and turned to see Seungmin standing there, a smile on his face.

“Was she right?” He asked.

“She was.” Mrs. Im breathed, her eyes full of curiosity. 

His smile grew wider as he walked over to you.

“Why don’t you come upstairs and help us get this figured out.” He said.

You nodded and followed him up the stairs and into the attic, scanning the room. You couldn't’ feel or detect anything, it felt normal.

“And we just keep hearing THUD THUD THUD THUD!” Mr. Im explained to Felix and Haru.

“Seems like you’ve got an annoying one on your hands.” Haru said, then turning to you and arching brow. “And what do you think, little miss clairvoyant?”

“Not sure yet.” You said flatly, looking around.

The place wasn’t haunted, obviously. But you needed to show them that it was something else. You pressed your foot on a board that looked worn out.

THUD.

Bingo.

“I found your ghost.” You said.

“Who is it? Is it an old man? A woman? GASP! Is it a little girl?!” Mrs. Im squealed.

“No, no, and no.” You replied, pushing on the board as it thud.

“Was that the sound you were hearing?” You asked.

“Oh my god, it was! But doesn’t that mean something had to be stepping on it?” Mr. Im asked.

“By the looks of it, you keep that old rocking chair on it.” You said, tilting your head to the rocking chair in the corner.

“The wind or draft push the rocking chair, which creaks.” You said, moving the chair over top of the board.

You rocked it, and it thumped and creaked. Sighs of relief left the couple, then embarrassment washed over both of them.

“We are so sorry for wasting your time!” Mr. Im gasped.

“It’s okay!” Seungmin laughed. “Usually these places aren’t haunted, there’s always a logical explanation, and it looks like Y/N found it.”

“I’ll get that old board fixed right away.” He reassured everyone and his wife.

The couple walked you both out, and Mrs. Im held your hand.

“Thank you so much, you really impressed me with that insight. I hope they keep you.” She said.

“No, thank you for that experience! I’ve always loved Seungmin’s adventures, and being on one was a dream come true.” You said with a smile.

“I hope you get to stay. You really are talented.” She said, waving goodbye to you.

Seungmin drove to a small diner as you all sat down to eat.

“I’ll cover yours.” Seungmin said.

“No its fine-”

“Listen, that investigation went so quick because of you. And that insight? You’re very talent Y/N.” He said.

As you ate, you kept feeling Haru’s glare, and it was starting to make you uncomfortable.

“Haru, look at your food.” Felix said, glancing at her.

She slammed her fork into her food and continued eating, chewing angrily.

“I need to use the restroom.” She said, abruptly getting up and walking away.

“She’s just made because she believed it was haunted, and you knew it wasn’t and proved her wrong.” Hyunjin reassured you.

You nodded awkwardly and Seungmin rubbed your shoulder.

“You were amazing back there Y/N.” He said.

“Thank you, it was nothing really.” You bowed with a blush.

When Haru got back, you all ate quietly then left. Before you made it to the SUV, Seungmin turned to you, Felix and Hyunjin smiling brightly. Haru narrowed her eyes, anger on her face.

“No.” She growled.

“This isn’t your decision.” Seungmin said.

She stormed off to the SUV, slamming the door. You looked at them in confusion, and Seungmin gently held your hand.

“Y/N, I have a huge question.” He said.

Your heart hammered through your chest as he smiled at you.

“Will you be apart of our crew?”

[xraytwo]

How I Learned to Miss Donna Summer

This whole story begins a couple weeks ago. That’s when the Target commercial starts playing the song, "I Feel Love", which is apparently a remake by Sam Smith (a little more on that later).  Time to go mining Youtube and find the original song. Found it and thought it would make a good post to my Facebook page, which I did last Monday.

But then, an enlightening journey starts to unfold. Youtube always side posts 'similar' videos as a "Hey, check these out".  Lots of stuff by Donna Summer. There were a lot of songs I hadn't heard in eons, and some I wasn't sure having ever heard at all. So, the trip down memory lane begins. There was an early song "Love to Love You Baby" which I had not heard and had caused a bit of controversy back in the day. I kept clicking on studio and live music videos. And soon started to realize something. That VOICE! She was amazing. Power, emotion, range, consistent perfection. And she made it all look oh so effortless. How the hell did I miss this for forty plus years!!! Her voice was not just a studio creation. The woman had serious pipes. Her live performances are just flawless. They sound exactly like the recordings. Find a live performance of "McArthur Park" (there are quite a few on Youtube) and listen to it. If your not touched, you have no heart .. or soul .. or both. I have heard her do covers of Beatles songs, Moody Blues songs, some Country songs and Gospel. She really could do it all and sound powerful, emotional, flawless and perfect with all the range. She wasn’t just the ‘Queen of Disco’, a label she really wasn’t too fond of, as she felt it limited her. She had to be one of the most gifted singers. She was a consummate performer with great stage presence.

Now, time to go deeper down the rabbit hole. Videos of interviews she had done over the years also pop up. Some early ones from American Bandstand (remember that). A lot from Europe. For those that may not know, before she broke big, she went to Germany to perform in ‘Hair’, which is where she met some of the people she worked with on the early records. She actually had a great sense of humor,  which was used to great effect. Even to disarm. Apparently, in early days, she was always chosen as the comic relief. Always very charming in her interviews. The video of her shopping for a home in Nashville is pretty funny.

And something else from her interviews. She comes across as a very genuine person. A couple of times she is asked what advice she has for new performers. “Get a good lawyer and save your money”. Great advice for performers and the rest of us. Another interview asks what she wants to be remembered for. “That she made people happy”. If that's a metric for success, she was one of the richest people. You can always tell when someone is ‘playing’ at being genuine. She wasn’t. There are a couple times where her inner ‘celebrity’ comes out, but those are the exceptions rather than the rule. Reading the comments on these video’s, she was adored by countless many.

So, how does the title tie into this story? First, I grew up a child of the very late 70’s and early 80’s that was mostly into rock music (I dare not say hair metal), after her big heyday. Disco was not really my thing. My brother did take me to go see ‘Thank God it’s Friday” which is probably the first time I heard “Last Dance”. My main memory of that film was that she seemed to be the big name attached but didn’t show up until near the end (fuzzy memory, it’s been like forty years). The first song I remember hearing on the radio (no pun) was “Hot Stuff”, while eating lunch on a school trip. There were other songs over the years “Bad Girls”, “The Wanderer”, “She Works Hard for the Money”, “This Time I Know It’s for Real”. But I was a rocker, I would hear these songs but didn’t listen to them. Knew she was highly regarded, but her music wasn’t really in my wheel house.

Then, May 0f 2012. The news of her passing. There had been nothing about her illness and no one was expecting. Her passing hits a lot of people very hard. But for me, yes, it’s always sad when someone dies, but it was just a news story. And like most news stories, they go by and soon fade away.

And now we come back to a Target commercial with a song from the past that took me down a road I was not expecting to walk. I learned she was a world class vocalist, one of the greatest. I learned she was a kind, charming, humorous and grounded person. I learned she had legions of adoring fans and she adored them back. I learned she touched lives all around her, those that she knew and millions more she did not.  

I learned to miss Donna Summer.

I understand why many people were sad at her passing. I understand why many people miss her talent. I understand how she touched so many. I understand that many people lost a part of their lives on a day in May of 2012.

I now understand what she meant to them.

Ironically, one of the last videos I watched was part of the last performance she gave. It was only a few months before she passed, and undoubtedly, suffering from cancer at that point. But she belted out “On the Radio” with all the power, emotion, range and perfection as she had decades earlier. She still had it. That impressed me and, in retrospect, made me sad, knowing she would soon no longer be with us. Her voice never wavered for all of her career. Even near the end. Her voice remained powerful, emotional, perfect with all that range. That is amazing in and of itself. How the hell did I miss this for forty plus years???

I’ve only discovered but a wee bit about the woman. But from listening to (and not just hearing) her music, reading fan comments and comments from people who actually knew her, she seemed like someone that would make a really good friend. Not that I ever was or would have been, lol. She was kind, warm, funny and grounded. If there is an afterlife, and I make it there, she would be someone I would like to meet. But it’s a good thing the afterlife lasts an eternity, because I imagine the line to meet her is universally long. Better get a ticket as soon as I arrive.

I must confess, the further I walked down this road and the more I read, watched and learned, I would become sad, knowing what was to transpire. I felt like I had gained and lost a friend within the span of a week. In one interview, she was talking about how she wanted to keep singing into her 90's. And that was heartbreaking. But she left a lot for us to listen to. A legacy that'll last far into the future.

Oh yeah, there is that Sam Smith cover of “I Feel Love”. Also one of the last videos I watched. The vocals mimicked the original pretty well and the technical aspects of the song are very well done. In and of itself, the cover is fine. I started scrolling down the comments afterward and noticed one that stated they were some parts of the song they liked, but that it lacked .. something. To which I replied, “It lacks Donna Summer.”

That’s how I learned to miss Donna Summer.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donna_Summer

LaDonna Adrian Gaines (1948-2012)

Dec 10, 2019

A followup "Why I Still Miss Donna Summer" : https://xraytwo.tumblr.com/post/616556114955403264/another-longer-read-indulge-me-why-i-still

[jaypakrhe]

The friendship developed over LInkedin platform when I invited this wonderful Gentleman Soldier for networking..  He responded positively and we continued our interactions online Whatsapp and via phone calls.

Col. Jiten Vadhera is an humble, unassuming person with no airs about his past wonderful performance and honours earned in the Indian Army service.  He has adjusted very well to Civilian life and with his wonderful performance in the MBA from a Singapore University – he has displayed his prowess as a Growth Hacker/ Business Scaler and Developer not just in India but beyond our borders for the company he works.

This is how Col Vadhera describes himself as:

“Having trained for 3 years at the National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla and one year at IMA Dehradun, I was commissioned in Jun 88 in one of the most prestigious regiments of the Indian Army, The Rajputana Rifles, at Srinagar. Starting from J&K, I served countering insurgencies in Punjab, Manipur and Kokrajhar, and finally commanded a Rashtriya Rifles battalion in one of the most sensitive areas of J&K. With the experience of previous insurgencies coming in handy, the battalion performed extremely well under my command, bringing peace in the area, earning unit citation plus gallantry awards and enabling successful conduct of Republic Day Parade after a gap of 20 years.

On completion of 25 successful years in the Army, I hung my boots and underwent one year MBA from the highly ranked Nanyang Business School, Singapore, to prepare myself for the shift to the Corporate. As part of the curriculum, we were privileged to study at MIT, Wharton and UC Berkeley.

In Oct 2014, I joined as Head Project Management at Lucknow, in a Solar Power Company, headquartered at Gurgaon. In a short span of 2 years, my team took the startup company to 100 plus solar plants and 150 km plus minigrids, supplying to the un-electrified or poorly electrified areas in the 8 districts around Lucknow. In May 2017, I moved to Gurgaon to assist in business development in Africa and South East Asia. I am currently actively pursuing business development in Myanmar, Tanzania and Malawi, for my Company.”

It was not difficult to interview him.  He is experienced.  He was late in response as he travels a lot these days.

Read his interesting interview with Jay Parkhe below:

What motivated you to become what you ARE today?

What motivated me was to leave a mark behind and to utilize each of my living moment to put in my best possible in whatever I do, be it career, personal relationships and gaining and enjoying varied experiences.

What is the greatest joy you get from what you do?

I have seen the lives of people in rural areas transform, once they start getting 24×7 reliable electric supply. This transformation is in terms to better standards of living, economic development of the area served, better education and health facilities, longer hours for children to study, start of vocational training centres and running of small scale businesses, all through green energy.

What do your fans mean to you?

My fans mean a lot to me in terms of keeping me motivated to keep performing to the best of my ability so as to become a role model for them to emulate.

What are you working on next?

I am working on preparation for the Project Management Professional exam, to get me the requisite formal certification for higher roles.

Who are your favourite authors?

My favourite authors are Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, Barak Obama and Khushwant Singh.

What inspires you to get out of bed each day?

The desire to be a physically fit, mentally strong and contribute to the society.

When you’re not working, how do you spend your time?

When not working, I spend most of my time browsing through newspapers, listening to news and reading books/ interesting articles on my mobile.

Do you have some work and rest related non-negotiable rules?

Yes, I believe that one should give the body adequate rest as a preparation for putting in your best during work and one should work hard, play hard and enjoy hard.

How do you discover the authors you read?

Generally my favourite authors are famous personalities, who did achieve something in their life. Once any book by these personalities is released, information regarding the same is available through media/ social media.

Do you remember the first assignment you ever did?

I was made responsible for training my Battalion’s professional and sports teams for the various competitions, and I was able to achieve good positions in all the competitions.

What is your working process?

I believe in thinking big and planning long term, rather than short term, and concentrate on streamlining the procedures and processes.

What is your unique Work Style?

I believe in motivating my team members to such a level wherein they feel from their heart that they want to do something extraordinary and meet my expectations.

Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?

The first story was read out from ‘Shrimad Bhagwat Gita’ by my grandmother to me and it taught me that one should carry on doing his work to the best of his ability without bothering much about the fruits.

What is your approach and how do you Plan the Finishing touches to the work?

My approach to work is to spend considerable time in planning, and then pushing oneself out of the comfort zone during the execution phase to ensure quality and timely execution and bring it to suitable closure without leaving any loose or unfinished ends.

What are your five favourite books, and why?

‘The Audacity of Hope’ by Barak Obama- the book contains thoughts by the author on reclaiming the American Dream, and the title is derived from a painting ‘Hope’ by GF Watts, in which the subject of painting has only one string left in her harp but she has the audacity to make the music and praise God. The message in the book is that one should never loose hope even during the bleakest of circumstances and put in your best efforts to achieve success in life.

‘Wings of Fire’ by Dr APJ Abdul Kalam- the book is an autobiography of the author covering his early life and his work in Indian space research and missile programs- the story of a boy from a humble background who went on to become a key player in Indian Space Research Organization and later became the President of India. It shows that if you have a dream and the tenacity to work towards that dream, you can turn it into a reality.

‘Fountainhead’ by Ayn Rand – the book’s protagonist, Howard Roark, is an individualist young architect who designs modern buildings and refuses to compromise with an architectural establishment unwilling to accept innovation. It teaches that if your work is genuine, at some point or the other it will get noticed and recognized.

‘Moving Mountains’ by Lt Gen William G Pugnis- the book contains lessons in Leadership and Logistics from the Gulf war and beautifully demonstrates how the same can be applied to the corporate world.

‘Alchemist’ by Paulo Coelho- the book’s main theme is about finding ones destiny. “When you really want something to happen and work towards it, the whole universe conspires to make your wish come true” is the core of the book’s philosophy that plays throughout it.

What do you read for pleasure?

For pleasure I read the blog posts and various articles which appear on the social media.

What is your e-reading device of choice?

My e-reading device of choice is my laptop.

Please describe your desk.

My desk is totally clutter free, with hardly any paper (since all my mails and work related data is in my laptop) or anything else. It also has a huge glass panel which allows the natural light to come in.

Where did you grow up, and did this influence your business, If Yes – How?

I grew up in Delhi due to which I could go to a good school and was afforded all the opportunities which may not have been available elsewhere. Most of my classmates and acquaintances also belong to Delhi and hence I also took up the job in a Company which was headquartered in Gurgaon.

When did you first start what you do?

I first started my present assignment as Head Project Management in a Solar Power Company in Oct 2014, on completion of my MBA from NTU, Singapore. Before that I served the Indian Army for 25 years.

  A decorated Soldier and a great Friend Lt. Col Jiten Vadhera (Retd.) The friendship developed over LInkedin platform when I invited this wonderful Gentleman Soldier for networking..  He responded positively and we continued our interactions online Whatsapp and via phone calls.