22 across: 12 letter word for a rare type of violin...

Stradivarius violins.

hmm, i certainly am quite ignorant in regards to this matter, but nevertheless it is the right answer to the final piece of the crossword that i was trying to get done for the past 2 days. well, i might be as ignorant in this subject as you are in playing 'gilli-danda', but Mr. Holmes certainly is quite an authority in this as per Dr. Watson. and that's exactly how i came across my answer to the seemingly impossible crossword (searching the internet for it would be a grave sin that is never to be forgiven if you are a true crossword aficionado). reading does have its benefits after all. thank you Sir Conan Doyle. :)

anyways, it really has been a despairingly uninspirational few weeks that i have had in terms of my blogging potential (and a lot of other stuff as well). things have begun to look up finally though. my dissertation is progressing. i still haven't started typing stuff down, but i have managed to get things straightened out and planned in my mind. i do have a bit of a backlog in terms of some lectures but i can manage that. and i guess that most importantly, i am finally settling down to the fact that my time on this island is also nearing its end...

lately i can't but help notice how we all are managing our respective lives. Gordon, my bru you have put it down quite nicely. walking tall and proud. that's exactly how it has to be.

as for me...they say that i am a tough nut to crack. but let's wait and see how far 'this' apple falls from the tree. as of now, i am doing pretty amicably (there you go mom. don’t worry about me, you do what you have to and i'll do what i have to. after all we all make our own choices and have to face their consequences at the end of the day). the future's always a question mark (?) albeit a good one.

bon nuit et au revoir, mon ami...