As promised, look forward to the first critical article that I intend to post on this blog this weekend! The discussion will focus on addressing, and scrutinizing the psychology, and dynamics involved in the construction of an individual’s identity, as well as the various parameters that play an influence in the process.
I am now officially 25 years old. I’d celebrated the annual turn of my biological clock (yesterday) which culminated in the usual exclamation (courtesy of a close “friend” of mine):
I have a habit, on the eve of my birthday, to recollect, and contemplate upon the memories of the year prior. This year’s celebration came with a twist, as I found myself looking ahead instead to the goals I’ve committed to, and hope to realize by my 26th.
The shortlist would include:
(1) The completion of a new book (as well as the start of a bunch of writing projects spanning various genres such as manga, science fiction, and politics).
(2) The completion of my Masters degree (and the subsequent pursuit for a PhD, in Robotics).
(3) A family reunion in the near future, along with various opportunities for short trips around the world to exotic locations (time-permitting).
It’s an ambitious endeavor, but I’m more than ready to see it through to the end. Having saved up some money to gift myself on this occasion with a portable keyboard (a Yamaha PSRE-W400, to be specific), I’m hoping to play out the melodies of my life of the next year as a beautiful composition,
that I could one day look back to, and just go,
Jokes aside, I’m very happy. I can’t thank my family, and my girlfriend Leina, enough. You have both supported me at every turn. You are the best! So how did I celebrate?
To be frank, it was quite simple. I had a great time with Leina, during our Shakespearean date, to a live staging of Romeo, and Juliet by the FreeWillPlayers at William Hawrelak Park (a show I highly recommend to anyone who is in Edmonton.)
The play was a wonderful reminder of the literature study I had done on the same, almost seven years ago in high school. The project’s requirement was a critical analysis of the play’s major themes, in a report of maybe a few pages. I took things to the extreme, submitting instead, a 50 page act-by-act analysis, along with a personal statement, to my distraught professor.
Having thoroughly enjoyed the show, it wasn’t long until I took a leaf out of Romeo’s quips,
The comfortable silence is apt for inspiration. In my case, it lasted a year. A lot has changed since, so I find it necessary to once again begin by asking the question, “Who am I?”
My name is Ajay Peter Manuel (my pen name is Locke.) I’m a deeply inquisitive individual, with momentous dreams, aspirations, and a great appreciation for life! I currently live at Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and am on the verge of completing my MSc. degree in Physics (September 2016, to be precise), at the University of Alberta (U of A)
Having left my hometown at Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India, I completed my Elementary, and Middle School education at Cairo, Egypt. A four year stay at Khartoum, Sudan would see to the completion of my High School studies, followed by my journey to the U of A. The culmination of my journey from Sudan to the successful completion of my BSc. degree in Honors Astrophysics was the publication of my autobiography, Our Last Summer: A Personal Memoir, and the commencement of my first blog @ourlastsummer2013.wordpress.com
This was inevitably followed by broken, disconnected posts, and eventually after the eve of my 24th birthday, a year-long silence, during which I consciously acknowledged my identity crisis. I struggled to come to terms with myself, my friends, and my family. It was an experience that taught me the price of freedom, and individuality.
I now find myself embarking upon a new adventure in my life, where I could fulfill my deep-seated, far-fetched, and momentous aspirations, and dreams. Broadly speaking, I’m looking at an individual who has integrated his various passions in education, innovation, writing, art, music, science, critical thinking, accompanied with an endless appetite for life. It’s a lot to handle for sure, but I’m excited for the adventures that may lie ahead, and the challenges to be met.
Of course, there is much more to what has already been said, and this is where The Pensive Reverie takes the stage. The title pays homage to my most beloved of all hobbies: sitting down, staring off into space, and thinking about a plethora of things (and at times, absolutely nothing.)
This blog will be an infusion of my personal life, hobbies, and interests. I’m an avid reader, and thinker. As such, the content of the blog may vary between discussions on book reviews, philosophy, science, and just about everything that is fun, and interesting in life. On a weekly basis, I will be posting an extensive review or discussion about a topic that serves to pique my interest. On a daily basis, the blog will be a haven for snap discussions, inspirational quotes, daily news, and the advertisement of my literary works, and activities.
I intend to keep the blog, and my posts open to all for discussion. I invite rational criticism from my fellow bloggers, and readers. This blog will also be linked to my social media platforms on Facebook, and Twitter etc. Currently, much of this is under construction, but the transformation will be soon complete.
I look forward to interacting with you all, and in the coming days, complete the transformation to The Pensive Reverie.
The Pensive Reverie 