I moved
14 years ago
20 In 2009
Nope! I am not talking about my resolutions. With the great idea of spending my time more usefully, I have enrolled in the 20in2009 challenge that involves reading 20 books in the year 2009. This should bring in more discipline as far as my reading goes and hopefully writing as well because I fully intend to review the books that I read :) If you are interested you can link to the details of this challenge from the link above or the image below. Wish me luck!
Good Riddance!
In a few hours, another year bites the dust. I would be lying if I didn’t say that I am glad to see this one go – It has definitely been a year of unpleasantness for the world as the financial crisis reared its ugly head leaving many people in undesirable straits. India was threatened by terrorists and many innocent lives taken and blood spilt. It was also the year that history was made – the American continent voted for its first African American president and people all over the world rejoiced! It seemed that everyone believed that Mr.Barack Obama had a magic wand locked away somewhere and a wave of the same would flip the entire world to prosperity in the shortest time possible; can’t blame us considering that he did pack the notion of ‘Yes you can’ into our heads.
Personally it has been a year that pushed me to do many things and realize a lot about the person that I am – I found creativity again when I turned to my pencils and sketch books after many years of dormant activity in this area. I found that for every mean person there are probably 10 good ones around. I survived a lot this year purely because a lot of people helped me during crucial times: friends, my boss, my colleagues and sometimes even a stranger at the bus stop. I may never want to have a roommate again, but I think I have learnt to give those around me at least a little credit by placing some trust in them. In fact the year seems to have had a very theatrical conclusion with a fire in my kitchen 2 weeks ago. I freaked out and refused to cook even after everything was set right until my dad convinced me that the fire was a fates symbolic way of telling me that everything mean and ugly had been cleared away making way for a new future. Well I just hope that it is true.
This has also been a year when I found a few friends on the blogosphere. To be honest, I created this blog way back in 2006 and have torn it down at least twice thinking it was never good enough. I always seemed to be stuck in a continuous state of blocked creativity and imagination; in fact I am still stuck there! I made an effort (though not a very good one) to write even if it seemed silly. Thanks to my friends from the blogosphere who take the effort to read my posts, I have been motivated to do a better job with this blog and hopefully the New Year would see an improvement.
2008 I am happy to see you go! You may have shaken lives and cut down jobs, but that still doesn’t stop folks from shopping; the site of the crowded shopping malls is a delight; you may have reminded us that evil exists; you may have broken many a spirit, yet we face each day with hope for a brighter tomorrow.
Every morning a new day dawns,
Every day a new leader is born,
Each day the battle of good versus evil continues,
That good will triumph is definitely ensued.
A very Happy, Prosperous and Joyous New Year to one and all!!
Of cackling stumps and hopping pots....
If hopping pots and tree stumps had stories to tell this would be it. I just completed ‘The Tales of Beedle the Bard’ by J.K Rowling. Being an avid reader of the Harry Potter series, I had to read this one too. Meant to be a book of short stories or fairy tales for young wizards and witches, the book gained immense popularity in the final installment of the Harry Potter series ‘The Deathly Hallows’ as the clue to discovering the secret that would end the most terrible war that the magical world has seen in recent times. The book is most definitely meant for a young audience, but succeeds in tickling the curiosity of adult readers and book collectors. JKR has weaved her magic in narrating the tales of the bard as if they were translated from the ancient runes by Hermione Granger along with foot notes from Albus Dumbledore convincing the readers that this could probably be a real deal. The characters seem funny and clever as in the case of ‘Babbity Rabbity, a witch moonlighting as a washerwomen (she reminds me of Birbal, the wise and witty advisor to King Akbar) or the ‘hopping pot’ a cauldron with a mind of its own’.
Most of the stories and characters draw similarities to the tales from the ‘Amar Katha’ series or ‘Tinkle’ which was a staple literay diet during our wonder years. Every story conveys a moral or lesson for life. My favorite was of course ‘The Tale of the three brothers’ that drives the point that death is inevitable; it can be postponed but never escaped.
A book that can be appreciated by the Harry Potter audience; borrow and read.
To know more about this book visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tales_of_Beedle_the_Bard
Dear mind, please feel free to wander....
Ever wondered what is the best way to kill time? Over the last few months I have had plenty of that on my hands but I just didn't know what to do! The only use was obsessing over work and projects as I couldn’t channel my creative mind to make use of all these freely wandering energy matters. Here are a few crazy thoughts from my head - I felt like a part of the Clinic Plus anti dandruff shampoo commercial whose tag line was 'now that your head is flake free your mind is free to wander' and yes, this list seems pretty hilarious to me!
1. I should have been an archaeologist - I would have travelled the world, discovered treasures, be the hot archaeologist who documents her works as a fictional best sellers, make a lot of money, meet prince charming and live happily ever after! Well I am not sure how I could have realized this dream when I could hardly fathom history and geography!
2. I should have taken a course on cake and pastry making, I am sure I would have been pretty good at making some of these fancy cakes that I see on the food network challenge shows. I can open my own joint with a fancy name that would stock and serve jazzy coffees and cup cakes!
1. I should have been an archaeologist - I would have travelled the world, discovered treasures, be the hot archaeologist who documents her works as a fictional best sellers, make a lot of money, meet prince charming and live happily ever after! Well I am not sure how I could have realized this dream when I could hardly fathom history and geography!
2. I should have taken a course on cake and pastry making, I am sure I would have been pretty good at making some of these fancy cakes that I see on the food network challenge shows. I can open my own joint with a fancy name that would stock and serve jazzy coffees and cup cakes!
3. I should do a beautiful piece of art - something very surreal that would be complicated to make sense of! Well...seems my creative juices have been blocked and my keys to my imagination had been thrown away since I started working and trying hard to locate it....
4. Man! I should have been a chef - I would have opened my own restaurant and churned out colorful cookbooks. I wouldn’t have to worry about projects, interfaces and integration!
5. Maybe I should at least attempt at updating my blogs regularly, that way I could attempt to regain my past glory at churning out essays, articles and crazy poems!
6. I should sketch from my imagination! Stupid girl look for those keys to the imagination that have been lost!
7. Let me design my dream house with Google SketchUp. When it actually comes to constructing said home someday I would be ready with an initial draft! Stupid, Stupid....first find the key, then learn how to use google SketchUp!
8. Why not try writing a book about my experiences over the last few years of living alone, girl power etc.,! God I can’t think of a plot to save my book! I have a character for the vamp based on my last roomie else am just blank! God, I need that key!
9. Anthropology! What is that?? But it sure does look good on ‘Bones’! I blame my parents - I bet even they didn’t know what anthropology was and its entirely their fault that I am not an anthropologist! Come to think of it, now that I do know what this branch of science is I would have probably fainted on the sight of blood and flesh..... Also I don’t think I would have partnered with a good looking FBI agent! This is real life after all...
10. I should have been stubborn and pursued my dancing! That must have been more satisfying; salsa, swing and jazz; there is no way I could have found teachers for these styles in the 90's! God! I am old wah wah…
11. Play out situations in my head wherein I stick it to my detractors! Man! That feels so good...Modeled on superstars words my tag line would be 'Yen Vazhi thani vazhi, kuruke vande.. I will kick your butt!
12. Cheese and Coffee - I love both of these, and I need to take the time to know the different varieties of the same and use it to seem like a smart cookie at conversations... Do you know what differentiates goat cheese from feta?? I can imagine the flummoxed look on the faces in the group where this question was raised!
13. My favorite - Get a dog. A nice yellow Labrador, nope a chocolate lab, nope a German shepherd, nope a golden retriever....maybe a orange tabby cat, no way maybe a Dalmatian, nah a Daschund its smaller and can be in an apartment......what about a Doberman to scare away unwanted guests.....
14. Try and do a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle. Once it is complete, I could frame it and mount it on the wall of the dream house whose design I am yet to do using Google SketchUp! Darn!
15. Make a list of things to shop for when I win a million dollars at the lottery!
16. Finalize on what I could wish for if God appeared in front of me one day, sick and tired of my wandering mind.
17. I have become the Vice President at the organization that I work for! I have this cabin with an amazing view on the 16th floor with an assistant outside my cabin! I am busy as a bee and I drive a Mercedes. Wow!
18. Try and read Homer's Odyssey! I am a sucker for historical narrations - but I am too busy letting my mind wander and conjure up the above!
And there is more, more and more. But my fingers are too tired to type! Have a laugh at my expense and so let me know the crazy thoughts from your wandering mind :-)
Happy Halloween
The eve of ‘All Hallows’ Even or Halloween is celebrated throughout the western world in a spooky fun way with amazing costume parades, carved pumpkins, trick or treat events and parties. Food and costumes dominate the festival where yummy snacks with wacko names likes ‘Witches Fingers’ (for biscotti’s) and ‘eye of newts’ (for sugar candy) find their way into pretty pumpkin baskets carried by ghosts, monsters, fairies and even the friendly neighborhood spider man. This celebration is not yet a rage in India, where most folks wonder what differentiates a witch from a vampire and didn’t really pay attention to the fact that ‘trick or treating’ found its way into the lyrics of a song called ‘Hum dum Suniyore’ from the movie ‘Saathiya’!
While discussing costume selections with a friend yesterday, it occurred to me that life is like one big Halloween party. The custom of wearing masks and costumes and assuming a new identity for a few hours of fun is something that everyone does unconsciously throughout their lives only minus the masks and costumes and also the fact that we don’t really do it for fun, but actually try to get through the day! Think about it – we usually start the day in a stressed out frame of mind (unless you are superman or woman and even they have had bad days) thanks to the zillion things that we need to do, zip past some bad traffic or take the public transportation, find a parking spots after a lot of hunting but the moment we enter the work place, we greet an annoying colleague with a Colgate smile! We strive to present a better angle of our personality to the world. Most parents are always surprised with their kids who are extremely polite to the folks next door while choosing to be a sour puss with them. Newlyweds and couples in the earlier phases of their courtship are always trying to please each other incessantly, a direct contrast from what is going to follow a few years down the line. A girl at the billing counter bids you good bye wishing for you to have a nice day when hers has been plain rotten and a disgruntled employee makes sure that he makes his boss feel like God while grimacing at the very thought of it! Ultimately what ensues is that we are more hospitable to strangers who have no real place in our lives, while taking for granted our near and dear ones.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could use the masks of pleasantness and gratitude with the people that matter to us? Every day we are courteous to strangers, so why not to those close to us? Maybe we can start this Halloween by putting those masks we use every day to good use – try and start the day with a smile, call your mom and thank her for the delicious lunch she packed, enjoy a game of cards with your dad, treat your family to a surprise dinner, smile at your maid or present some candies to her son, anything that you can think of that would make a difference in a dear ones day; just give your support network a break! Happy Halloween folks!
While discussing costume selections with a friend yesterday, it occurred to me that life is like one big Halloween party. The custom of wearing masks and costumes and assuming a new identity for a few hours of fun is something that everyone does unconsciously throughout their lives only minus the masks and costumes and also the fact that we don’t really do it for fun, but actually try to get through the day! Think about it – we usually start the day in a stressed out frame of mind (unless you are superman or woman and even they have had bad days) thanks to the zillion things that we need to do, zip past some bad traffic or take the public transportation, find a parking spots after a lot of hunting but the moment we enter the work place, we greet an annoying colleague with a Colgate smile! We strive to present a better angle of our personality to the world. Most parents are always surprised with their kids who are extremely polite to the folks next door while choosing to be a sour puss with them. Newlyweds and couples in the earlier phases of their courtship are always trying to please each other incessantly, a direct contrast from what is going to follow a few years down the line. A girl at the billing counter bids you good bye wishing for you to have a nice day when hers has been plain rotten and a disgruntled employee makes sure that he makes his boss feel like God while grimacing at the very thought of it! Ultimately what ensues is that we are more hospitable to strangers who have no real place in our lives, while taking for granted our near and dear ones.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could use the masks of pleasantness and gratitude with the people that matter to us? Every day we are courteous to strangers, so why not to those close to us? Maybe we can start this Halloween by putting those masks we use every day to good use – try and start the day with a smile, call your mom and thank her for the delicious lunch she packed, enjoy a game of cards with your dad, treat your family to a surprise dinner, smile at your maid or present some candies to her son, anything that you can think of that would make a difference in a dear ones day; just give your support network a break! Happy Halloween folks!
Rock On!!! Simply Rocks!
After my allergic reactions to Kuselan, I decided to give the task of watching movies another chance and it seems that this time I selected wisely. It looks like Indian cinema is coming of age with refreshing attempts like ‘Rock On’ that tread the road not taken. With the emergence of off-beat films such as these we bid adieu to romantic heroes and swooning heroines, over dramatic parents, wedding songs and drama, insane action and violence and are introduced to characters that could easily be one of us fighting personal and professional turmoil the way we do.
The storyline is very similar to the much loved ‘Dil Chahta Hai’. The story of 4 friends bound by music and a rock band called ‘Magik’ who have a fall out, pursue their own professional lives whilst the dreams of music takes a back seat and reunite 10 years down the lane to chase their musical dreams and their final performance draws plenty of similarities between the 3 friends of DCH who pretty much do the same thing, with the exception of the rock band and music performances.
All performances are laudable, with Farhan Akthar leading the pack with his singing, acting, producing; the man is a storehouse of talent that has been unleashed upon the unsuspecting audiences. An excellent acting debut and possibly an award winning one! Arjun Rampal convincingly plays the role of the talented lead guitarist, a man of fewer words struggling between chasing his dreams and supporting his family. It seems that no director has extracted the best that this actor could offer until now, with the exception of a Farah Khan in ‘OSO’. Purab Kohli playing the ever cheerful ‘Killer Drummer’ makes drumming look like child’s play and Luke Kenny who plays the man on the keyboard completes the rest of this rock band. The men are aptly supported by the women Prachi Desai and Sahana Goswami, who play their strong and supporting wives, pulling off the most believable casting coup!
The music by Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy is rocking (for the lack of any better words that I could think of) and is definitely not like anything you might have heard from them in the past. ‘Indi Rock’ may make waves in a big way thanks to this musically gifted trio. Each of their songs powered by wonderful lyrics and performed by the untrained voice of Farhan Akthar, a change from the usual perfect and sweet voices we hear from Bollywood will make the audience sway and tap their feet. It also gives the movie an essence of being genuine. ‘Sinbad the Sailor’ a song after my own heart takes the cake. Abhishek Kapoor’s directorial attempt is a must watch for all music lovers and audiences who love good cinema. It is all about following your dreams!! Rock On!!
The storyline is very similar to the much loved ‘Dil Chahta Hai’. The story of 4 friends bound by music and a rock band called ‘Magik’ who have a fall out, pursue their own professional lives whilst the dreams of music takes a back seat and reunite 10 years down the lane to chase their musical dreams and their final performance draws plenty of similarities between the 3 friends of DCH who pretty much do the same thing, with the exception of the rock band and music performances.
All performances are laudable, with Farhan Akthar leading the pack with his singing, acting, producing; the man is a storehouse of talent that has been unleashed upon the unsuspecting audiences. An excellent acting debut and possibly an award winning one! Arjun Rampal convincingly plays the role of the talented lead guitarist, a man of fewer words struggling between chasing his dreams and supporting his family. It seems that no director has extracted the best that this actor could offer until now, with the exception of a Farah Khan in ‘OSO’. Purab Kohli playing the ever cheerful ‘Killer Drummer’ makes drumming look like child’s play and Luke Kenny who plays the man on the keyboard completes the rest of this rock band. The men are aptly supported by the women Prachi Desai and Sahana Goswami, who play their strong and supporting wives, pulling off the most believable casting coup!
The music by Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy is rocking (for the lack of any better words that I could think of) and is definitely not like anything you might have heard from them in the past. ‘Indi Rock’ may make waves in a big way thanks to this musically gifted trio. Each of their songs powered by wonderful lyrics and performed by the untrained voice of Farhan Akthar, a change from the usual perfect and sweet voices we hear from Bollywood will make the audience sway and tap their feet. It also gives the movie an essence of being genuine. ‘Sinbad the Sailor’ a song after my own heart takes the cake. Abhishek Kapoor’s directorial attempt is a must watch for all music lovers and audiences who love good cinema. It is all about following your dreams!! Rock On!!
I've been tagged...
I have been tagged by Renu who hangs out on Anooboothi and its nice to know that there are folks out there who would like to know me better :-) I have made an honest attempt to unlock mysteries of my mind.... The rules for tagging are as follows:
RULE #1 People who have been tagged must write their answers on their blogs and replace any question that they dislike with a new question formulated by themselves.
RULE #2 Tag 6 people to do this quiz and those who are tagged cannot refuse. These people must state who they were tagged by and cannot tag the person whom they were tagged by continue this game by sending it to other people.
1. If your lover betrayed you, what will your reaction be?
I would ask him to take a hike, then I'd cry, have a tub of ice cream and thrash him on my blog!
2. If you can have a dream come true, what would it be
Ummmm......too many to list at this point of time!
3. Whose butt would you like to kick?
The annoying room mate, the annoying ministers and annoying relatives! That was easy....
4. What would do with a billion dollars?
Resign, buy a home at park avenue and invest some money in savings and plan the rest of my life!
5. Will you fall in love with your best friend?
I could.......though not sure if it would work the other way around!
6. Which is more blessed: loving someone or being loved by someone?
I guess the later is more important for a good life so being loved by someone.
7. How long do you intend to wait for someone you love?
Until the idiot turns up! Then I'd give him a piece of my mind!
8. If the person you secretly like is attached, what will you do?
Sulk and be annoyed with him!
9. If you could root for one social cause, what would it be?
Clean and less polluted environment and SPCA
10. What takes you down the fastest?
Hypocrites and liars.
11. Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?
I don't know where I see myself tomorrow so no way do I know what I'd be 10 years down the lane!
12. What’s your fear?
Spiders, lizards, cockroaches, manipulators and liars.
13. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
I think Renu is an extremely balanced person and very analytical about things that happen around her. Definitely a sweet soul, I guess.
14. Which places would you like to visit before you die?
Italy, Greece and Egypt!!! I would love to extensively tour these places!
15. What did you originally want to do in life?
I wanted to be an architect, but ended up in the great IT industry. However, no regrets...
16. What category of people do you hate the most?
Gossip mongers everywhere and those who try to force their opinions on me.
17. Would you forgive and forget someone no matter how horrible a thing he has done?
I don't think I can do either - If the pain is too much the other party is going down!
18. Do you prefer being single or in a relationship?
A balance of both - being in a good relationship with some personal space
List of 6 people to tag: Sorry I still don't know too many people here and the ones I do know have either tagged me or have been tagged. So I am going to have to pass
RULE #1 People who have been tagged must write their answers on their blogs and replace any question that they dislike with a new question formulated by themselves.
RULE #2 Tag 6 people to do this quiz and those who are tagged cannot refuse. These people must state who they were tagged by and cannot tag the person whom they were tagged by continue this game by sending it to other people.
1. If your lover betrayed you, what will your reaction be?
I would ask him to take a hike, then I'd cry, have a tub of ice cream and thrash him on my blog!
2. If you can have a dream come true, what would it be
Ummmm......too many to list at this point of time!
3. Whose butt would you like to kick?
The annoying room mate, the annoying ministers and annoying relatives! That was easy....
4. What would do with a billion dollars?
Resign, buy a home at park avenue and invest some money in savings and plan the rest of my life!
5. Will you fall in love with your best friend?
I could.......though not sure if it would work the other way around!
6. Which is more blessed: loving someone or being loved by someone?
I guess the later is more important for a good life so being loved by someone.
7. How long do you intend to wait for someone you love?
Until the idiot turns up! Then I'd give him a piece of my mind!
8. If the person you secretly like is attached, what will you do?
Sulk and be annoyed with him!
9. If you could root for one social cause, what would it be?
Clean and less polluted environment and SPCA
10. What takes you down the fastest?
Hypocrites and liars.
11. Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?
I don't know where I see myself tomorrow so no way do I know what I'd be 10 years down the lane!
12. What’s your fear?
Spiders, lizards, cockroaches, manipulators and liars.
13. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
I think Renu is an extremely balanced person and very analytical about things that happen around her. Definitely a sweet soul, I guess.
14. Which places would you like to visit before you die?
Italy, Greece and Egypt!!! I would love to extensively tour these places!
15. What did you originally want to do in life?
I wanted to be an architect, but ended up in the great IT industry. However, no regrets...
16. What category of people do you hate the most?
Gossip mongers everywhere and those who try to force their opinions on me.
17. Would you forgive and forget someone no matter how horrible a thing he has done?
I don't think I can do either - If the pain is too much the other party is going down!
18. Do you prefer being single or in a relationship?
A balance of both - being in a good relationship with some personal space
List of 6 people to tag: Sorry I still don't know too many people here and the ones I do know have either tagged me or have been tagged. So I am going to have to pass
