"Live. Hunt. Kill. Die. Respawn. Repeat."

 The grass is lush and green. The wind is quiet. Even the birds know not to fly today. There is something in the air. Everyone can feel it. The man next to me and to my right. These aren't men who are divided but united by a single cause. To defeat the enemy. We wait for the commands from our fearless senior officer. We wait in terror and in courage. Suddenly, we hear the wind change. It starts to roar and we see a tornado coming towards us. We know what must be done and without hesitation we rise up and start running towards where our enemy is hiding. Bullets race across these once quiet lands. Comrades and brothers whom we loved fall to their deaths like flies. This place is worse than hell. But this place is called earth. Once a peaceful planet, now ravaged by greed and power by men and who think it is ok to burn it to ashes. We are the few soldiers and armies left who stand to protect the freedom of the innocent and the last known resources left to survive. We are the last few left who can fight for this world. We are the only few left who will die trying. Welcome to Battlefield!

If you thought this is a plotline for a major Hollywood blockbuster, you are wrong. This, in fact is a baseline story for the latest Battlefield game called Battlefield 2042 or BF2042. As you can see, video games are just like movies and in this blog, I wanted to share with you, the amazing world of video games and how these video games changed my life for the better. I always wanted a War to Fight and now, through video games, I live in those battles everyday. :-)

To understand something that is happening to us now, we must always go back to the beginning, for whatever and whoever we are, is always connected to our past. So let me take you on a trip down memory lane and make you relive what I lived for so many years. 

I remember, when I was like 8 years old and Media Mega Drive had come out and me, being the over excited kid that I was told my mom to take me to Sayonara, the biggest electronics and toy store near our house, so that I could get my hands on this amazing new gaming console which had just released. I still remember the excitement and look on my face when the owner brought the this mega machine and kept in front of me. I was nearly about to cry with excitement! That evening, my cousins came over and all were as excited as me to play Media Mega Drive. We opened it, installed all the remotes and wires and switched on the tv. Well, the rest was history. We all were playing for hours and hours and none of us wanted to give the chance to the other since there were only 2 remote controls to play with. Whether it was the All-Time Classic Super Mario Bros., or Super Contra or Jungle Ride, me and my cousins were hooked. From then on, every weekend, it was gaming time for hours. And the best part was we only had a few titles to play with but were so happy playing them over and over again. What did I know then that the sheer enjoyment and excitement of playing Media Mega Drive would one day become such an important part of my life.

I was a 90's kid and at that point in time, the video game business was thriving. Well, it wasn't the Multi-Billion Dollars industry it is today but a lot of kids were getting happier. Even India, as a country was importing many a consoles which meant, I would soon get my hands on all the latest consoles which were releasing. I am so lucky and blessed to say that I have played game titles on almost every gaming console which came out. Whether it was Tetris on the Nintendo Gameboy, Street Fighter on Nintendo 32-Bit, Mortal Combat on Sega Mega Drive or Tom Cat Alley on the Sega Media Drive, I have played them all and as you guessed it, loved every moment doing so. But video games was more like a pop culture for us kids and in a way, bragging rights to be the 'cool' kid in school. My point is, during the early to late 90's, video games were booming and also a lot stigmas attached to them. That video games aren't good for kids. That kids don't study well after playing them and that their eyes get spoilt and what not. But no matter what the world was thinking, there was one boy in Mumbai (Bombay at that time) who was very happy being lost in this beautiful world which was created by only inserting a few wires into the power cords. :-)

I guess by now, I don't have to tell you more about how much I have loved video games and how they have always been a part of me growing up. And you also must be wondering why I have kept Live-Hunt-Kill-Die-Respawn-Repeat as my blog title. Well, if I don't keep the best parts for later, how will I make you read my entire blog and also create an algorithm so this blog can be read by so many other? But jokes apart, I, myself didn't know that video games would become the gateway to my soothing happiness. A place where I go and I feel only happiness. Let me explain ...

I always believed I was a Soldier. Whether that was an Indian Special Forces Commando or a Seal Team Six Navy Seal or a United States Marine Corps Special Forces member, the Army and Soldiers have always fascinated me. I had this urge to be on the Battlefield and fight the good fight with my brothers. There was always this need and hunger to always keep fighting. So you can imagine how happy I felt when I got my hands on the Campaigns of Call Of Duty and Battlefield! I was like a kid on Christmas day except, it was Christmas for me every time I switched on the PlayStation and heard Capt. Price say, "Cheeky Bastard". And oh my did I play those campaigns over and over again! Whether it was with the Speakers on Full Blast or when I couldn't sleep at night, Battlefield and Call Of Duty were always there to give me my happy pill. But little did I know that most exhilarating rush was still yet to come.

This shift or 'explosion' came in my life post my marriage. I believe everything in life happens for a reason and I believe everything in life is connected and happens for only our good. I am now married to the most loving, caring and supportive wife any man can have and it was my wife, Madalsa who told me to give MULTIPLAYER Games a chance since the COD (Call Of Duty for short) which was released in 2018, titled Black Ops 4 didn't have a story driven campaign mode. At first, I was very hesitant as in the past, I was never inclined towards Multiplayer games. Back then, it was only the rush of the campaign which excited me. But since I didn't have the option of the campaign I was like, "Ya fine, I will give Multiplayer a shot and see what happens. Worst to worst I'll try it, not like it and wait for another whole year until the next Cod game arrives, hopefully with a campaign." 

But as fate would have it, the exact opposite happened! I was hooked to the world of multiplayer! Remember when I told you earlier that I always loved fighting? Well, in MP (short for multiplayer) I got to experience that rush a billion times more! It was like how that saying goes, "Once The Lion (Or Tiger) Tastes Blood, It Can't Ever Stop Eating."

It was October 2018 to this day today. My life completely changed. I was more in love with Video Games it was all thanks to my wife urging me to try MP and experience something new and challenging and trust me, it gets very challenging to play these games online. What I mean is, you come across so many players from all around the world who are so good in playing these games. There have been days, when I have died 72 times in one round and there have been times when I have called in a Nuke in a match. 

Today, just before writing this blog, I finished setting up my gaming room. This room which I have at home is like a Mini Temple for me. It is a room where I come to everyday and a place I somewhat worship. It is a room where I come and put on my headphones and switch off the world outside. It is place where I go online and go to war everyday with people whom I will never meet. It is a sanctuary where I improve my skills and Stream Live On Twitch. (Search Meem0h on twitch). It is a room which wouldn't had been possible without my wife's support and a very dear friend of mine, Tushar. This gaming room is my home within my home.

So how do I explain to you the joys I feel here? How do I write in words how good these battles and wars and gunplay make me feel? How do I tell how good it feels to find a camper and spray bullets on him, only to find him again, camping in another part of the map and yet doing the same thing again to him? How do I make you feel this peace I feel. This isn't just gaming for me, this is a world I have created for me. A safe space where I LIVE as a Soldier, HUNT like a Predator, KILL like a Monster, DIE like a Mortal, RESPAWN like a Ghost and REPEAT like a Robot. :-)

So before I go I just wanted to say that we all need our safe spaces. Our spaces of wonder. Our spaces of escape. I am lucky to have found mine and I hope one day you found yours as well.

This is Me, Mahaakshay Chakarborty.

See You At The Battlefield.:-)

 

The Little BIG Chapters Of My Life ...

“So finally, after all the trials and the errors of his human heart, the mortal we chose will realise his power. He will know what he is destined for. And it won’t be the normality that life will offer. It won’t be the Barbeque grill or the beers or the laughs. It will be the quest to find himself. The journey of the soul. The path of the lone wolf. And when he does embrace this journey of his, he will be changed forever. He will become unique. He will become One Of Us.”

-The Book Of Prophecies. 

The Last Of Us …

I feel so proud to be one of the billions who had the chance to play such an amazing game! I have always been a gamer but now, after playing The Last Of Us I can proudly say that I am The Gamer! The Last Of Us is by far one of the best games I have ever played! Every moment was engrossing and thrilling! I was so addicted to the game and even though I wanted to finish the game at the same time I never wanted the game to end! Whether it was the amazing upgrades you get for your weapons or the beautiful scenery the developers designed or whether it was the realistic fight sequences, the game was truly epic! I really wish they make a sequel of the game! Yes, I want the characters to return. I want more upgrades and I want to feel that excitement to play the game again! But if there ever comes a time when I do survive an apocalypse I know I would make the same choices and fight as hard to survive as the characters in the game did. There is something amazing about living in a world like that. A world where 24/7 your survival instincts are on. I guess for a War Junkie like me it would feel just like home. But for now, I am just as happy playing the amazing game with a remote in my hands. :-)

"Consciously or not, we are all on a quest for answers, trying to learn the lessons of life. We grapple with fear and guilt. We search for meaning, love, and power. We try to understand fear, loss, and time. We seek to discover who we are and how we can become truly happy."

-Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Lucifer …

Do you know there is a show called Lucifer premiering next year? I did see the Trailer and as soon as I did I was rushed with excitement! I mean how cool is that! Not only did Supernatural show how amazing Lucifer was but now they have a show solely dedicated to the Bad-Ass of all angels! I can’t wait for it to start! Trust me, when you watch the trailer you will agree with me. I mean he is Lucifer, the most mis-understood angel of all but now he is fed up from hell and has taken a break and come to earth and al though he carries all the 9 circles of sins with him, he is still here on earth helping humans in his own devilish way! Yes, I do see myself in him. I always thought I was mis-understood and maybe that is why I feel the connection with him and watching all those episodes and see Lucifer Kick-Ass would be a pure delight! Lucifer … please start soon! :-)

"If those committed to the quest fail, they will be forgiven. When lost, they will find another way. The moral imperative of humanism is the endeavor alone, whether successful or not, provided the effort is honorable and failure memorable."

-E. O. Wilson

The Office …

I was always in love with The Office which starred Ricky Gervais and I till today I wish that it had more than 2 seasons. But now, recently I have started watching the American Version of The Office starring Steve Carrell and I must say that I am hooked! I am right now in the 3rd season and I am happy to know that is has 9 seasons in total! Every night I laugh my ass off before I shut my eyes and venture off into dreamland. The actors are par excellence and their comic timing is to die for! This show is a must for all ‘cause I do know that we all deserve a laugh now and then. :-)

"Man is wise and constantly in quest of more wisdom; but the ultimate wisdom, which deals with beginnings, remains locked in a seed. There it lies, the simplest fact of the universe and at the same time the one which calls forth faith rather than reason."

-Hal Borland

Dubsmash …

Whoever created the Dubsmash app, I salute you! It was a genius move and today the app is a worldwide phenomena! Each and everyone has recorded and tried something or the other while using the app and when I caught the bug of the Dubsmash App I knew that I would for a very long time be addicted to it. And now, Me, My brothers and their friends are somewhat celebrities on the App! Whether it is the comments we get on our instagram page or whether it is people coming up to us and actually telling us that we make funny dubsmash videos is truly a very good feeling! I am completely in love with the app and if given a choice I would love to make a Dubsmash video everyday. Funny or serious. Dialogue or song, dubsmash is the app for all! :-)

"Clarity and consistency are not enough: the quest for truth requires humility and effort."

-Tariq Ramadan

Immortalized …

Disturbed has been my favourite Rock band for ages now! I think I have heard their song ’Stupify’ at least a million times and their other song ‘Indestructible’ a close second! Their music completes me. And there can’t be any better band for me than Disturbed. And now, they have come up with their Brand New Album titled Immortalized. It is available on iTunes right now and if you are a rock lover then this album is for you. You should hear ‘The Vengeful One’, ‘The Light’ and ‘The Sound Of Silence’. Oh yeah, they are my top three songs from the album. The Vengeful One tops my list ‘cause if you listen to the lyrics, you will agree with me also. The lyrics have power and meaning and a message only a band as beautiful as Disturbed can. And The Vengeful one relates a lot with The Punisher so my connection with the song is deeper than just guitars and drums. This album is a must-hear for all rockers! Download now! :-)

"The eternal quest of the individual human being is to shatter his loneliness."

-Norman Cousins

Country Music …

I know I know, this is a complete opposite of Rock Music but for as long as I can’t remember but I have always loved Country music. Maybe it is the two opposites sides of the spectrum thing that ticks me the right way. I mean on one side I have this amazing rock band expressing their feelings with an electronic guitar and on the other side I hear these talented musicians talking about their first crush and beer in a smooth melody. I still don’t know why I love Country music so much. Maybe it is the fascination that one day I will go to America and wear a Cowboy hat and take part in the small town festivals and eat Chicken Wings and have Beer. Or maybe the music just touches the right chords in me. To be honest, I don’t know yet but what I do know that if after Rock there is any other Music Genre which I really love, then it is Country Music. :-)

"The longest journey is the journey inwards. Of him who has chosen his destiny, Who has started upon his quest for the source of his being."

-Dag Hammarskjold

The Bodyholics Combine Training Studio …

I have been training with Abbas Ali since February. And now, after 6 months of training with him, I can say it was one of the best decisions I have ever made! He is truly one of the best trainers out there and now we share a bond of family and brotherhood than of a coach and a client. I look up to him and always listen to his advice. In fact, the entire Bodyholics team is like Family for me. Whether it is the-always-ripped Mayank or the Serious-Yet-Funny guy Nadir or the Woman who keeps the Bodyholics foundation strong-Vedu, the bodyholics team is a part of my daily life. So you can imagine how happy and excited I am that Coach is now coming up with his own Combine Training Studio! Oh ya, you heard me, the very first Combine Training Studio! People have already started enrolling into it and everyone is also talking about it. Any gym and every gym has heard the news that by September 3rd week or so the Studio will be open for it’s members and the talks are that it is truly state-of-the-art! Well, I have already seen the place. Coach has given the complete layout and trust me, I am not over-exaggerating but truly and with all seriousness the Bodyholics Combine Training Studio is next-level and whoever wants to be the part of the elite should join right away! I know I already have. :-)

"The quest for certainty blocks the search for meaning. Uncertainty is the very condition to impel man to unfold his powers."

-Erich Fromm

Tiger Muay Thai and Mma …

Dream. Come. True!!! I am speechless! I am so excited and I am so happy! I am actually going to the Fight Camp! I am over-joyed and whenever I think about how amazing it will be there my face just lights up! I will be there for a month and I will get a chance to take my training to the next level! I really should thank my parents for giving me this opportunity and letting me live my dream! You must have known by now that I have always loved Fighting and Testing my limits both mentally and physically! And now, I have that opportunity! I will be Training, Eating and Staying inside the Camp and will be training for nearly 5-6 hours a day! I can just keep on talking about this amazing adventure of the human spirit I am about to start in just a few days but what I am thinking is that I will try to update the world with my blogs everyday when I am there. I do agree that the blogs maybe one or two paragraphs long but I believe that, that way you will see the experience I am having there on a daily basis. Whether it is Muay Thai or Mma or even Brazilian Jui-Jitsu, they have everything at camp! They train early in the mornings even in the late evenings. They have beach workouts and also Cross-Fit and even the Toughest Boot Camp Training in Asia! Can you imagine GSP {George St. Pierre} has also trained at Tiger Mma! You can sense my excitement right now, can’t you? So imagine how I will be when I will be in the camp! :-) As I said earlier, I really thank my parents for giving me this opportunity and believing in me and also thanks to my siblings for supporting me in this venture. And I should also deeply thank the universe for this! This has been one of greatest dreams I ever had and in a span of just a few days it will be true! Yes, I am going there to push my limits. Yes, I am going there to transform. But more importantly I am going there to find myself. Yes, in the midst of Training and Blood, Sweat and Tears and all the Muscle Soreness I know I will find the thing that I am looking for. That answer to my question. That path which is laid infant of me. That Greatness which only a Lone Wolf can have. 

"Join me in my quest for a greater understanding of our existence. Join me in my desire for a greater self. Join me as I seek the humility to love and understand my fellow man."

-Bryant H. McGill

So there you have it. The Little BIG Chapters of my life. I guess it is small things which lead up to the big things. Every chapter written here has impacted me in a spiritual level and every thing that I have written here is a part of me. A very dear part of me. I thank you all once again for reading my blogs and spreading the word. As mentioned earlier, I will try my best to be in touch when I go to camp. Maybe I will write a Blog everyday or maybe I won’t write at all. Maybe I will post videos and tweet about the entire amazing adventure or maybe i will just change and become The Warrior who stays in the shadows. Life is amazing. We just need to see the miracles that happen to us everyday. We need to have the courage to step out and beyond our comfort zone and go looking for that what defines us. I know I am doing it right now. I wish you do it also. We all are blessed in some way or the other. And we all should should be Grateful about it, one way or another. :-)

"I feel the older I get, the more I'm learning to handle life. Being on this quest for a long time, it's all about finding yourself."

-Ringo Starr

This is Me, Mahaakshay Chakraborty and these are the Little BIG Chapters of My Life … :-)

With All My Might,

Your No.1 Fan,

Mahaakshay Chakraborty.

PS. Somethings in this life are truly worth fighting for! :-)

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