Twilight - And now the movies series!

There's nothing like an unsolved mystery to keep you up at night

-Bella Swan

Isn't it supposed to be like this? The glory of first love, and all that. It's incredible, isn't it, the difference between reading about something, seeing it in the pictures, and experiencing it?

- Edward Cullen

OK! So you guys already know that I loved the Twilight book series. I was kind of hell bent on not watching the movie cause I remember Robert Pattinson only as Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter. I have nothing against him playing different roles but Edward "Perfect" Cullen is not him! I keep repeating and I would say the same even after watching and liking the movie - You should see the Edward Cullen in my head! Robert Who wouldn't stand a bloody chance!

Anyway, at the beginning of the movie I couldn't get why Robert is playing Edward but somewhere in the middle of the movie he started to grow on me and at the end of it, I had accepted him as Edward of the screens! There are some parts of the movie that I would love to see again in the theatre. The effect and cinematography in certain scenes are amazing! The part where he carries her and runs and the way they have ripped the concept of a romantic date into teeny tiny bits when they show the view from the top. I did not consider myself as a romantic person until I read the books and I am sure there much better romantic novels out there, published that I should be ashamed that I figured it out with THIS book! But I am not and I am gladly passing judgement saying I thank God it wasn't Mills & Boons. :)

Both the lead actors can't act if they are told to in a particular way but if it's a natural sequence then they are quite believable. For example, when Bella Swan is made to sit near Edward Cullen in Bio class and he is desperately trying to keep away from her and her smell. He looks constipated! As if he HAS TO GO right then and there but with some sheer force he is holding it in! But then he looks peaceful when he asks Bella to come over to his place and he puts his arm around her in the school. Bella on the other hand, who also cannot act very well, is all over the place. The book has the support of words to explain minute emotions but in a movie with no background narration, her desperation, her desire, her unmanageable craving for Edward is just not expressed. Dead Pan Expression! But on the whole, I really liked the movie. I guess die-hard fan of the book mushed me into not being able to unlike the movie! Sigh!

Nothing beats a good romantic movie AND a Vamp... I am so there baby! :)

My living Place

I haven’t lived in many cities in the quarter years of my life, but the one thing that I have figured out is that I want to live in a city where I do not feel any inhibition or the lack of motivation to walk around aimlessly. It is a personal feeling of choice that I am talking about here. I realised that I will not be able to walk around Chennai just for the heck of it, after barring the weather effect on me. Even on the shores of the beach, I wouldn’t want to walk by myself. There is something unappealing and appalling about that idea. Whereas, in Bangalore, it is definitely about the familiarity of the city that pumps me up.

London was the place I found this concept to be true in my case. I am not a wanderer. I am not an explorer. My hand would probably be the last one to shoot up if anyone suggested a walk around the place. But after the “tourist visit” of the city was over, I was so comfortable walking by myself, with no rhyme or reason. I would have nothing to do, nowhere to go, and no one to meet, be alone, and feel like the last person standing, or rolling on the grass, on earth but still be fine with my environment. I have need to live in a place where I can be, just be.

Tense

Lust and Committment are single tense

It’s just hard!

:(

One-O-One

I am changing... Very slowly. I can feel it now more than ever. The things I used to do, now give me no joy and the things I said are kept under a tight leash. For one, I used to shower upon my loved ones the phrase "I love you." Either with family or the person I am in love with (Note: in Love at the moment) or friends whom I dearly love and adore. But now those words stuggle to leave my mouth. Its like I dont feel it, I dont say it and the funniest part is that I havent felt like telling it to anyone in ages. Am I full of myself right now? May be? Do I want to be this way? May be not! I dont like this cat on the wall phase that I am in. Infuriating!!!

(P.s. I also think I am beginning to like mush! but that does not account for corny teenage one liners.. thats just unpardonable. I should have named this bloody introspection one O one)

Just a small one that I thought I should write:

What is love that hath no kisses,
caresses of the finger tips
what is love that hath no rhymes,
mimicry of a poet's times
what is love that hath no distance,
a blatant debalcle of desparation
what is love that hath no question,
its answer contained within.

Tattoos

Basically, I would love to get these two, or either one of the two tattoos on my back. I think they look cute. But I wonder if there is any other tattoo that I would really want on me?!?! For now, one of these!

Interospection 2

After 24 years of living, I have just realised that I don’t know myself completely. I have very recently figured out that if I get obsessed with something I can go on and on about it! Ok well, I knew that already but here is the deal and this one is new. I never thought I could be possessive about some person because I always knew I was important to them. But this time, even though I know that I could potentially be a person of importance in their life, I felt possessive about them. It just did not feel right, it did not feel me!

Sand

What am I doing here? I really have no idea… This whole career plan, life’s plan is sucking the living life out of me.

I want to scream and shout,

Cry and pout

Life seems like a goner,

Every time I turn a corner

Younger kids they already know

Not swinging to and fro

By far a mile I land

Scratches and bruises my head stuck in sand

Ok I can’t write more.

Shower

This is just plain ridiculous. A shower curtain with a picture of Robert Pattison’s face!

It is the first time I wish that I could really draw well. I would have tried to paint the guy, who is Edward Cullen, in my head and THEN people will know the difference.

Oh well, if they don’t I have Edward Cullen in my shower! J

The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Carlos Ruiz Zafon, the author of The Shadow of the Wind, has churned out another one which is quite similar to his previous one. Shrouded in Zafon’s signature mystery, the story weaves around the life of a writer, his unrequited love life, la femme de la vie, his protective mentor (and for good reason), Barcelona, magic and books. Let me tell you the Devil IS in the detail. Given all this, I still don’t think I have blurted out all the nuances contained within the book.

Maybe I expected more from the book, or maybe it was on similar lines of the prequel, I again found Zafon’s ending to completely fall flat against the great beginnings that he writes. My reviews on books are totally personal and I suggest the reader not take my word to judge it because I have had the best sellers, Pulitzer Prize winners cradled in my hands but unable not to finish them. However, I bought this book for the simple fact that I wanted reassurance that there are some authors’ books that I will never be able to keep down before finishing it, prolong sleepless nights to get to the last word in the last page and he did not betray my hope. I loved the book, I loved the angst a writer goes through. I loved the fact that I went out bought this book and obsessed about it.

Bear Hug

This is the cutest thing I have seen in ages!!! Lion gives bear hug

Straight shot

I don’t remember this happening ever in my life. The odds were really stacked up against me. Me being in Bangalore, that is, until today! I was riding on my scooter to Alliance Francaise in VasanthNagar when this joy bringing event occurred. As the event began to unfurl I wanted it to go on… Continue… and break a record. More like, make one! May be I have clocked these sort of timings in Chennai or may be that was also wishful thinking.

First was the “green shoot” near the Tamil Church, the immediate next one near Vellara junction. The red as I was nearing it shifted to green and let me pass through. The signal right before the turn into Residency road, I am positive I jumped the signal there because I did not want to break the flow :) – of traffic that is :).

Four signals straight and I did not have to stop for neither the signal nor the traffic and this was at 1 PM in the afternoon when everyone suddenly pops out of their respective offices for lunch.

This is a first and due credit shall be given! :)

New Moon

No no no!!! Jacob looks like a Hispanic not a boy in the Reservation!!!

and DONT get me started on Pattinson! Do you know HOW good Edward Cullen looks in my head???

uugghh!!! I did not feel this way about any Harry Potter characters or any other book!! But this one is like Torturous love...

Vamped

The small town of Forks in Washington State, in which Stephanie Meyers ignited the eternal passion between the Vampire Edward Cullen and petit belle Bella Swan, is now the new Roswell, New Mexico when the alleged UFOs crashed in 1947. Garnished with the Cullen House and topped off with a bunch of dishes named with characters from the book, this town has been vamped!

(LOVE the series, love the book cover [– Forbidden Fruit indeed] )

Transformers

Oh Boy!!!

its been long since I saw a good film. Well, its been weeks at least! I loved this part of Transformers. I did see the first one, really late. I mean I saw it on tv. So the sequel came faster than I had to wait. I am happy that I dint have to wait for a longer period of time. And like one of my friend's friend said, I wish I was in an old theatre where I can hoot and shout during a movie.

The whole movie experience has become so personal. I loved it when we invaded personal space. Without obviously the gropping men or the ones who try really hard to play footsie sitting in a seat behind you. Anyway, other than the fact that I would have liked the theatre to have more noise or volume when the Autobots fought, the movie was a mixture of Bollywood masala, action and a few laughs (really well placed ones). Then it had the age old hope of the Egyptians having secrets that would finally be revealed to human kind -- the present. The more I look at Egypt, the Pyramids, Edfu temple, etc the more I want to go back there and learn more about their history. This is one of the few things in life I realised that I cannot get enough of!!! :)

Let me end this post this way... I LOVE BUMBLE BEE!!! :)

Interospection

Introspection

I am insecure.

I am possessive.

I am hopeless.

I am done.

Someone save me from me!

ONO

I obsess. A lot! But I don’t like obsessing. For me, it means trying to, or trying for something that I know that I might not get. This means I am in denial. And how can anyone be in denial if they know that what they think is reality is not it?

I am highly annoyed with what life has got staring at my face right now. I have always made my life decisions on my own terms. I did, once, deviate. But that did not last long and I hope this one doesn’t too. My younger cousin sister, my first cousin, is getting engaged next month. I am very happy for her and I am sure that I am not ready for marriage right now so I am glad that I am not in her shoes. I am, which I cannot completely deny, jealous of her. She and many of my friends hail from families who are orthodox, who wanted them to conform to a particular set rules, to follow their parents lead and most of all – not to fall in love with some one be it from the same cast, sect or otherwise. And, in the end, these are the same girls who found love and married a guy without their parents’ complete blessings.

I don’t think I had that problem, given the fact that my parents had a marriage of their own accord. They have always given me the freedom and believed that I would make the right choice as I have done with many other paths in my life. But, here I am stuck with the cruel truth that it has come down to letting my parents choose the guy I am going to spend the rest of my life with. I cannot, just cannot accept that I have to let my parents take the decision for me. Or even give me the options. I feel I have always created my options. Did I want to do Engineering? Or Journalism? Those two were my options for my life. Did I want to continue with biology or take Computer science, was a decision I gave myself to take. So I am just not able to digest this and hence I don’t feel like getting hitched to someone who my parents bring home.

Grrrr….. freaking pissed!

ONO

Q n A

I think for once in my life I am really lost.

I usually have options. May be most of the times the choices are:

a. Not lucrative

b. Lucrative combined with the ones that are not and most often than not I would be in the situation where I am forced down with the choice that I don't want to make.

But this time I am in the middle of nowhere with nowhere to go. I don't want to be in the place I am neither do I, will I be able to move from where I am!

I am for once making sense, in my opinion but that, in this case, is not helping me one damn bit! I think its me. I cannot manage to sit in one place for too long.

Interesting find n question: If I cannot stay in one place for long, then what work should I be doing?

Who put India on the map in Egypt?

Who put us on the map?

 

-         - Amitabh Bachchan did.

 

I am astounded at the number of people who knew Amitabh Bachchan and more shocked that people in Egypt saw Bollywood movies. Although, I really shouldn’t be surprised as the “jhatkas” and “matkas” have made waves through out the world. These were normal people in the market place, trying to sell you their goods and their strategy was to call out Amitabh Bachchan’s name. My tour guide warned us about this. He told us that they are out to sell things to you and say his name out loud to catch your attention. But I was initially plagued by the misconception that I might find one or two guys who would do this. No! Every single person!

It would, although, be wrong on my part if I said his name was the solely reigned as their inviting tactics. Ofcourse king Khan was there and so was Rani Mukherjee. My mom had one guy come up to her, did a Namaste and said “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.” All we could do was smile back. And then there was one odd guy (one really odd guy more like it) who called out Sonia Gandhi’s name.By Go, if someone had said Deepika Padukone’s name, I would have gagged!

Any who, I did in the end fall for it. Shopping therapy obviously! 

Acceptance and the Cut

What if the same friends who pledged to listen to you turn deaf to your words?

The most important friends, or the friends whom I consider my best friends have no clue about the trip I just had. What happened, where I went, how the weather there was, did I have a good time? Nothing.

It infuriates me that they don't care enough to want to know. But then may be these things bore them. They don't want to know what I did. What would they get out of it? And that too when they don't consider it interesting or what I did there.

I also think that I have shut down. A lot!!! I like myself this way... Upsetting to know that I love "aloneness"!!! :) my word.... I don't care to elaborate to people who don't want to listen. I spoke about myself to a total stranger on the trip because she wanted to listen. To me, to what I did, what I like, how I prepare for a vacation... Study about the civilization, to know before going and visiting the place.

Now, I am stuck. Between loving my loneliness and getting irritated with the callousness. I am unable to tell them that I need to put an end to this. Which does mean amicably part as friends who were... And there I am put in a pickle -- my inner voice of fear -- I am scared of pity. I cannot explain that feeling. Pity.

I know why some men and women move away from their friends when they find love. You want to spend every waking moment with the one you love. I found love, my passion. It is isolating, cause its within me. Words! Mine, to myself, to the world, to love, to life and to the soul.

And then I think maybe I don't want to accept that I am not that important in my friends' lives. Its not because they shut me out but it is just because life takes you in different paths. You can never know everything about each other any more. I know where I belong but the strings are of various lengths... I should'nt be complaining either. I am more detached than I thought and my promises of being for the other .. I have not been able to keep up!

I think I need a change. Serious change. There is a certain negative aura... Reasons are just that.. reasons! Not solutions...

People born on May 22

Alexander Pope: English Poet 1688

Arthur Conan Doyle: British Physician and Writer (Sherlock Holmes not Jurassick Park... dunno what I was thinking!!!) 1859

Harvey Milk: American Politician and civil rights activist 1930

Hergé: Belgian comic book creator (Tin-Tin) 1907

Naomi Campbell: English model and actress 1970

Ram Mohan Roy: Hindu Reformer 1772

I wonder why I have never tried to find this information before… With my uncertain path for the future, I am just glad that I found it today. These are people who I look up to. Not Naomi Campbell or Harvey Milk, but definitely Conan Doyle and Pope. I have been to Belgium and seen the comic book museum from the outside (we were late!!!) and I loved it. Now even more :)

Bday

I have been, for 23 years, excited about my birthday. Every year. Without fail. I have never thought about getting old as a bad thing. At each stage in your life, you get to do something you have always wanted to do. Obviously you cannot wish for something which has already passed you by. And if any point you have then you havent lived your life completely. Sad but accept it and give the coming years a real good chance.

This year, I am working on my birthday! I have never done that in my life!!! What a waste! I know it but I cannot think of having gifts, meeting friends who are there and not there. At this juncture, I really wish that I had a huge family. Well, I cannot get over being the only child in my home, aint giving that up easily, but I would have wanted a larger than life lunch or dinner with my huge loud, gregarious family this year.

Anyway... I really wish for a quiet, forgettable birthday (May be, after one like this I will be sure that I never waste away another birthday in vain!!! :D)

Binge

I haven't been so depressed for a long time. I am constantly changing my "word". The word that I fear the most. The word which if happens would end life as I know it. Its worse than fear. I think fear can be conquered.

--> Love

--> Hopelessness

--> Despair

--> Insignificance

This is actually in the order which I was and continue to be depressed about. I thought "love" was the be all and end all of things. Then I bumped into hopelessness and despair. But I never in my next moment did I think Insignificance was on its way. Now I do...

Bark and Leash

I have always left first.

I left my mom, father, school and college friends first. I stepped out of my home, and found my comfort zone in the world. Was I detached? I asked myself this question a hundred million times. Yes was my answer a few times. I made the place I went to, home. Cozy, surrounded with friends and an abundant supply of love along with many moments to cherish. I wasn't detached cause I knew that I am like a goat tied to a tree with a really long leash. I could go anywhere I wish and still be attached.

But still, I left first. With no regret in my heart, with no fear of the unknown and no sadness of missing anyone. I had everyone.

I left London, which till date feels like my second home. I can close my eyes and picture myself going through Baker street train station from one of my campuses. Walking along the muddy Thames. I grumbled about how the Parliament was so close but Thames still dirty. I grumbled about minimum wage, I debated whether the Guardian was better or the Independent. I wished to join the RSPCA or the British Heart Foundation. Neither happened. It was so me not to make my mind up.

I did not want orange juice with bits in it, pulp was too pulpy. gooey!

Now all I want is OJ with bits in them. I love them right now. This is my home now.

I still left first. From London. I don't remember anyone who returned to India before me. My friend went back to Germany and my coffee went cold. But I dint feel alone. I particularly was not ecstatic too turn and find a bunch of sullen face bidding me farewell. Although, I couldnt imagine myself being one among the sullen faces. I left the place first.

But now... I am the one left behind. By not one, not two but five favorite people in my life. My two best friends have left the country. My mom and another best friend have moved to a different city and today my roommate left for a month to NY. I know its a month. It is movement.

I haven't left the building, I came back.

I am dragging that tree at this time and the leash is strangling me...

Taj

This is what I am dreaming of for my next vacation! Taj Mahal in the night, in the moon lit sky.

I think I have to re-consider my theory about myself. I might be a romantic at heart. 

I explain no more...

[pic by: Per-Andre Hoffmann]

You know, death is easier to write about than the Devil!

Abhiyum Naanum

My dad was very excited when he came to Bangalore this time. He had just seen this tamil movie called “Abhiyum naanum”. He had the CD with him and he wanted me to watch it. Although he would have wanted both of us to watch it together, which obviously did not happen, he spoke with fervour about the movie that I had to watch it. In his words, with or without him, I had to see it immediately. Also because it was not his CD and he had to return it to his neighbour, who for some reason seems quite touchy about this disc! Whatever!

Anyway, as my nights’ sleep is effectively spoilt because of my work timings, I thought what the hell… let’s watch this movie dad’s been raving about. Bed’s spread- check, pillows all around- check, hot coffee- check, headphones- check, so I started the movie.

It was like someone was telling me a story. I was instantly dragged into the movie and the emotions. I tried pulling out of it for insane reasons but the narration was so powerful that you wanted to know. I remember being this attentive only a couple of times. Once and the strongest memory is when my grandmother told stories of the Gods and Goddess. And the other is when my history teacher taught us WW-1.

I was completely captured by the movie. Their exaggerated but fitting expressions were apt. Their animated voices, which I usually consider very irritating, were comical. Out of the movie ratings that I have - - Yeah why not, Must watch and Must by hook or crook watch it - - I would give it a “Must watch by hook or crook for the daughter-father combo” n yeah why not for the others.

And Oh! if you are the emotional, I love my dad very much type, please keep a couple of tissues ready!

ONO

birth- gosh!

My colleague at work rightly pointed out since I got into my team I have been attending one marriage after another. It is not that I don’t attend weddings but since I finished college, I am noticing many of my friends who are of the same age getting hitched.

I guess summer’s the season!

The real reason for me to write this post is not that I am attending more marriages; it is that among the many, there are quite a number of “arranged marriages”. And the astonishing fact, which I am freaked out about, flabbergasted about, is that the girls are already pregnant!

I am not particularly fond of kids for various reasons, one being I do not have the patience to listen to their garb or answer the questions they keep asking on a regular basis. I am not against getting pregnant if the couple want to start a family. But what I cannot understand is in this time and age when contraceptives are so prevalent, condoms being available for not more than 10 bucks, why young couples who are in the age range of 20-24 get pregnant.

Specifically, when it is an arranged marriage, you have no idea what kind of person you have married in the first place. I have known my friends for more than 5 to 7 years and I still discover new things about them everyday or every time I meet them! Why don’t these girls take at least a year to get to know each other, spend time, have fun and then commit to a long-term investment. Sex is a good thing in a marriage, but reproducing so quickly, for me, is not. Not even when it is a guy you were in love with and married. Take some time for yourselves. Enjoy each other’s company.

Gosh! 

Feeling love

For some reason this song is playing continuously in my head. 

My tea's gone cold, I'm wondering why 

I got out of bed at all 

The morning rain clouds up my window 

and I can't see at all 

And even if I could it'd all be grey, 

but your picture on my wall 

It reminds me that it's not so bad, 

it's not so bad 

I drank too much last night, got bills to pay, 

my head just feels in pain 

I missed the bus and there'll be hell today, 

I'm late for work again 

And even if I'm there, they'll all imply 

that I might not last the day 

And then you call me and it's not so bad, 

it's not so bad and 

I want to thank you 

for giving me the best day of my life 

Oh just to be with you 

is having the best day of my life 

Push the door, I'm home at last 

and I'm soaking through and through 

Then you hand me a towel 

and all I see is you 

And even if my house falls down, 

I wouldn't have a clue 

Because you're near me and 

I want to thank you 

for giving me the best day of my life 

Oh just to be with you 

is having the best day of my life 

It is a good thing, this feeling of love. Being in love, thinking that you are in love and the satisfaction you get knowing that you are loved. 

I am reminded of a few days – which I consider a few of the best days of my life – and the best part is that I know that there is so much more that lies ahead. 

:)

£%@&*%

Since the day one of my friends made me face the truth -- about plagiarism online -- I have stopped posting my poems on my blog.  This basically has led to me becoming very lazy to take a pen and paper to compose a poem. Others are scraps -- whatever I have written are on bits of papers, or hidden in folders on my personal comp or office desktop -- which basically would take nearly a life time to collate! 

So bottom line is I havent written jackshit and I don like it!!!

poetry... starts with rhymes :)

Things that I dream about in office part 2

I love being a journalist. Although I am yet to break news and shout out from the top floor of the building opposite to the Leela Palace a piece of information that is bound to move markets, I am sure to get there one day! Until that time, I am going to enjoy covering the U.S. financial markets out of Bangalore, India. Let me be a bit clearer, we are a News Wire Agency. So we have what is called the Wire!

In that Wire, today I pressed a link from a press release by mistake and it opened up to that particular company's website. HIT ONE!

The movie: The Butterfly Effect
What: Rippley's believe it or not... Ripple Effect In that few moments of instant clicks, I have already written my sequel for the above mentioned movie. Our heroine is an ambitious, young public relations agent who's job is being threatened, as part of the cost cutting initiatives started by the company during the recession. If she does not help to instigate more people to click on their online website that sells the most amazing product on the earth, she will be sacked!

The small tap from my seat pushed the company's website up on google search, helping the company acheive its sales target for the year and finally the PR lady gets saved. ALL BECAUSE OF ME YOU KNOW!!!

I save the day! Rippley's believe it or not
Now, let me go and save my ass! People might start to wonder whether they pay me to dream!

To Dream a new dream!

Things that I dream about in office

    Certain times, in office, some incident happens that reminds me of movie scenarios. This is one of my "this could happen to me" moments that I conjure up, which is purely based on silly instance or occurring at my work place.
    For example, not a few minutes back the lights above my desk and a couple of others flickered. Anyone would have thought, not thought. Period. So those people who are a bit jobless, like I seem to be now, might have had some sort of idea. Say… "Oh! May be the building is having an electricity fluctuation problem." But not me. A whole movie with alien invasion flashed in front of my eyes.
    The movie: Independence day
    When: Just as the alien mother f**ker, I mean mother ship is nearing Earth.
    Where: In an office which has lots of similarities to the one I am in now. Pretty lights, a big ass television screen (which in my office, the company has compensated by keeping 2-3 sets around the newsroom)
    I immediately have got the complete picture sorted out in my head. The flicker of the lights have something to do with alien invasion. They want to take over the world and have realised from previous attempts that knowledge is power. So they have decided to infiltrate the sources of information. "Info Lockdown" And OBVIOUSLY I am the person who saves the day by "pulling the plug." For more of this story, you need to fund to make the movie.
    Well, there you go... Your Blockbuster, for me ... My Stress Buster :)

BoreDOOM

I really am out of words and this is not a good thing for a journalist. I am annoyed to use the same words to describe the same feelings. And mind you I am not even trying to find the “answer” to anything. I should probably at least let myself write a small book review. Reminds me I want to watch Confessions of a Shopaholic :-)

Until next time


Mood: Bored!

I am dying to write something creative. Just one thought, supporting multiple ideas and a mind pleasing article.

I am in business journalism and I have this innate fear of getting creative and writing with flair, a flair that oozes self-confidence. It is not that I don’t understand the concepts (and not that I understand all of them). It is that in a financial market where all the biggies look stupid for making dumb choices that has brought us all here I don’t want to look like I am in the club!

I need to WRITE a story. Instead of trying to piece together a badly serrated jig-saw puzzle, I have to craft lines that tell you a story.

Mood: Introspective (Motivating debate to myself)

I just had to write something. and this is what I came up with! sigh!

I am feeling like shit. I really dont like it.

I am going to do what I want and when I want... And I need to stop whining!

Well, after this post I will stop :)

I now know why I shouldn't get into that mess again. Check
I know I shouldn't be getting into any mess. Check

Thats it.

oh my mouth hurts after the trip to the dentist and I dont like those species of doctors!!

Buggers!

News for Harry Potter fans, And something abt an xtraordinary day

News: From the Guardian
Oh and by the way please do check out MS Corley’s blog - - his interpretation of the Harry Potter series. Classic

Separately...

I am finding it hard to live with everyday life after experiencing an extraordinary one.

Extraordinary day = on a daily basis = heart attack (too much adrenalin)

Daily ordinary day = exists only to make the extraordinary one = alive

I crib about both to write a stupid post like this

Love talks

It is the week that leads to the V-day. Naturally, all the papers have something or the other related to love and Valentine’s Day. Some how or the other, people tend to forget the story about how the day came into being. Hence, there are loads of reminders that do the rounds.

Here are the links to a few articles that caught my eye. I will keep updating the list from time to time. If I do stop, then I am bored with the topic :)

Let me start with something close to my heart. In my own backyard, so to speak. I wanted to write about this the day it started but then I felt so strongly about it that nothing but profanity emerged on paper. Somethings are better left unsaid but definitely gifted! Because chaddis are forever.
-- Facebook women say 'knickers' to pub ban bullies

This is one of the articles that I read - - my top pick. How to bank on the romantic cash strapped citizens of the world. Well, it is not that grave but it is highly romantic and private.
- - Heart-shaped island highlighted by Google Earth becomes hit with lovers

The following article is to throw caution into the wind. If you are proposing, the time and place is quite important and it would save you a hell of a lot of trouble if you know the person is going to say yes. A proposal really tests the person’s judgement of how romantic he/she can go with the partner. Well, that is if it does work out.
- - Please, no love on the menu

Beat her to V-Day? The news about Rihanna being beaten up by boyfriend Chris Brown has hit all the newspapers. Really a pathetic reminder for all not to stay in demeaning relationships, however hard it is to see other couples in love. Better single than dead.
- - Rihanna cancels Indonesia concert

Until next time :)

Golden Globe, BAFTA and now the Oscars?

After waiting for a really long time, I finally caught Slumdog Millionaire on the big screen. I can describe my reaction in three small words. I loved it.

I cannot possibly comment on whether this movie is a worthy contender for the Academy awards simply because my tastes in movies are completely different. I might like one and not like another and both would be nominated for the award. But I can definitely say this, contrary to what many believe, Slumdog Millionaire has been made in good taste.

Amitabh Bachchan, most often remembered as the angry young man of Bollywood cinema, posted comments on his blog which accused the film of projecting India as a Third World country with a "dirty underbelly". I want to ask him this: Did you actually watch the movie Mr.Bachchan? And the question to your question, have we ever tried? And made a movie this good? If you haven’t, other directors haven’t, then obviously we wouldn’t ever know whether that movie would be nominated for the Oscars would we?

What I took away from the movie was a new or renewed Indian dream. It does not have to be making money by attending a reality television program, it is about keeping your dreams alive, and however difficult the path may seem to be. Even a person living in one of Asia’s largest slums learns something from life. It is also about ever lasting love and commitment in a place which has so many more factors that could tear apart a couple. It shows India for how it is. Aren’t all the actors in the film industry surviving because of the crazy fans waiting for a glance, a word of appreciation for thinking of him between the few meals they beg? Would you sign an autograph which has poo on it?

Is this the face of jealousness?

Why are doctors generally not allowed to treat their family? It is because they are emotionally attached and might not be able to focus on the disease at hand. Similarly, may be India needed a second pair of eyes to see and say the way it exactly is.

Sadly in this case, many Indians who feel strongly about India, “patriots” if you may like, have concentrated on how badly India has been portrayed - - kids running amidst dirt and garbage – while all the movies with the husbands beating the wives, rape, Sati, child marriages and physical abuse by fathers, brothers are let to float around in the movie halls without a decibel of noise created. Only because it was directed by fellow citizens? And I am pointing fingers at the movies that, in a way, celebrate these inhuman actions.

Again, I loved the movie. The casting is beautiful. I felt a little weird about Anil Kapoor’s fake accent but he turned out to be a better choice than SRK. One man’s loss is another man’s gain innit? :-) I loved the character of Jamal, at all ages. The brother Salim’s actions and reactions are tainted with the love for Jamal who is in his way to attain a quick buck.

So my rating is: “Must by hook or crook watch it” and an added Kudos :)

Will this movie win an Oscar? The wait is not too far…

Dev D

Dev D - - the bewada.

The movie is a “Must Watch”. The first half of the movie is the best part. There are some dialogues that are rib tickling funny. The humour is subtle. Yet the subtleness of it all is obvious.

What can I say about Abhay Deol??? I have become a fan of his! He looks great on screen and I am feeling the same way I felt after watching Socha Na Tha – happy!

Towards the end, the movie kind of dragged on and you wonder where it is headed but the sentiments, reactions, consequences of your actions etc that are shown in the movie are so natural and real. God will agree that I have done some of those things depicted in the movie.

It isn’t make believe story, not pretentious or preachy. The film is shot in the now and how.

I am not sure if I loved it but I did enjoy it!

Lucky Charm?

This is the first time I have written my opinion on a movie that released not too long ago. It released in Jan and I caught it in Jan (waaooww!). And it is making me quite happy. Firstly, it is because of the above stated reason and secondly, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie.

LuckByChance - - The movie got off to a great start. Konkana Sen positively looked old but beautiful as ever. And honestly, Hrithik is a dream come true. If I was God, my best work would probably look like him. (But then I am sure I would have tried and gotten better ... LuckByRepetition!) I gaped and gawked at him and guffawed at the dress he wore in one of the songs (which at first I thought was atrocious but I begin to see how great the outfit looked on Hrithik) and ogled at his abs. I keep repeating to myself and in my other posts that I am not a great fan of abs but seems to me they have been catching my eye. On my way to Ga-Ga stages I would think!

I did not really like Farhan Akhtar in Rock On. I still think he looked like a wannabe stud boy in that movie. Yes, you have a nice sounding voice (Pls note: not a good voice, just nice sounding) but you do not look like a rock star material. And I absolutely did not fancy the costumes they wore (more like the wardrobe from his closet).

Coming back to Farhan Akhtar in this movie… During the movie, in one of the scenes, if I am not wrong, Dimple Kapadia says that every girl and guy who watches a movie should wish that the hero was her boyfriend or girlfriend. Well, I definitely think he can just about manage to pull that stunt off. He has an endearing appearance; a grateful look which spells out -- I have been hardened by life’s difficulties but love the spice life has to offer kind of look going on for him, which I must say is a rarity and pleasant to watch.

Dimple Kapadia, Rishi Kapoor and the other actors in the movie were just brilliant. The exaggerated dialogues, which were never over done, fit perfectly into the mood of the movie. I have never got the opportunity to meet any director but if I had to conjure up one, the person would be just like Rishi Kapoor. Loud, takes credit for ideas that are not his, obnoxious when and to whomever he wants to and hilarious to watch. The other heroine, or of the movie, was nice. She played her part. She played it so well that I want to see her in another movie to actually grasp whether or not she can act.

Other than the fact that the movie’s focus suddenly and abruptly changed, I think the ending was marvellous. There are some people who I know, got everything easy. I thought they were lucky and then it changed. So I know it’s important to have luck and be lucky but no one can have it forever. In the end, you live the way you want despite changing luck. You are walking -- If it rains take out your umbrella, if it is sunny were your goggles but – keep walking!

Out of my ratings of - - Don’t even try, May be if you are bored, Yeah why not, Must watch and Must by hook or crook watch it - - I would give this movie a “Must watch”. Enjoy :-)

White Sheet

I SO wish I was in London for the White Rain!!!

Some pics from the Guardian

sigh!!

The Phelps Drama

Michael Phelps was caught on a candid photo which showed him inhaling from a marijuana pipe. People all over the world lapped up this information about their swimming champ. The number of critics that raised their voice is astounding. The sports clubs, fan presidents, etc etc were out to disown him due to the act committed by the once highly decorated sports person. And this felicitation was not too far long back.

I know and understand that smoking any kind of drugs is not good due to its addictive nature, ya da ya da ya da!! We all know the drill but what comes out of this incident is that I think it’s about time that people stopped idolizing certain celebrities and realise that they are also human. They want and they have the right to make a mistake. They need not have to apologise to the whole freaking world to save their sponsorship. It’s a different deal if it was a repetitive behaviour which gets people concerned about his health and the sponsors about their money. We tend to exert pressure on these “sports idols” to be the perfect role model for us.

Make him apologise for regrettable behaviour and bad judgement. Force him into acting because you dream of him in a particular way. It is a price to pay for fame. But still!

No one recognises the amount of unwavering devotion he must have given to his swimming practices. I understand he is an inspiration for many young aspiring athletes but why should we be afraid of all these youngsters only taking the photo into consideration? Would you wish to live your life under constant scrutiny, criticisms? How many of you want to do pot, get caught on camera for the kicks and not see that picture on the front page of sports news?

Not me!

Mighty fall

Donald Trump must be having a field day while the corporate world has taken a liking to his famous catch phrase and using, misusing and abusing it right, left and centre.

“YOU ARE FIRED”

This post does come as a reminder to the dreadful feeling many of us feel, anticipating that you might be the next in the line of fire, or felt before and after the final call came through. May be you got a phone call from your friend and you had no clue how to console him or her on the glitch in their ladder.

But for us, at work in Reuters, it is news. Big news, which we need to get our hands dirty with. Numbers talk while people walk. Today we saw at least 50,000 job cuts in the United States. Either I have been living in a self built, impenetrable cocoon of sorts where these details do not affect me, or make me worry about my job or I am highly insensitive.

It hit me today that I could have been one of them and now could easily become one. But then I looked around and saw how my company, in the interest of its shareholders, its employees, have taken many a measure to ensure we still remain standing for a very long time to come. Cost cutting in small ways which put a smile on my face because I realised they are not alone, nor am

• Two become One – I walked into the coffee room and stood in front of the coffee machine. The only problem was, there was no coffee machine any more. They first stopped filling it with coffee powder, reduced the number of packets of milk bought, shared it with the other machine and finally was put to rest. Amen
  
• Can it stand on 3 pillars? – Well, I am not talking about the actually pillars but due to the extreme measure taken by Bangalore’s Commissioner of Police, regular smokers shuttle between work at their desk for a quick smoke near the gate. This hiked up the usage of the elevator and sometimes now I find only three of them working.
  
• Double or Single – We have lost our double pay system of getting double pay if you work on national holidays.
  
• Most of the stationery cupboards are locked for good.
  
• If there is ink in the printer, there is no A4 sheets and vice versa. (At least the Amazon forests are being saved)

I am trying to finish this off in a high note. So this is to hoping all of us keep our jobs, grow upwards and never be too far away from a hot cuppa coffee.

PMO - Oh My Pride

So … I had my first performance management objectives reviewed at work. For the whole year and all... How did I do? Fare well? Or farewell?

General Consensus: Be more aggressive!

Well, THIS SUCKS!

:-)

Ghajini - Will remain in memory for more than 15 min

Finally a 6-pack abs that I like on a man!

Hrithik Roshan looks like a Greek God, an anomaly in Bollywood and a phenomenon called “how the hell did it happen in India?” John Abraham did not do it for me, lack of charisma to go with that bod and sometimes it matters. Shah Rukh Khan, I honestly, did not get because I liked him the way he was. The other abs, did not even interest me so much as to remember them at this point. But Aamir Khan, in Ghajini, can be summed up using one word – Wow.

Man boobs aside, (personal opinion that they don’t look nice) he looks completely natural in his new form. When I saw him on the screen, I felt that he has always been like this and looked this good. And, I have to ask. What’s with the cute butt? All in all, he looks younger than his age (which at this point I have completely banished from my memory), handsome and oh so desirable! Adding to this, Bangalore Times – for a 20 year old, female actor, a new comer, working with a 40 year old veteran, who looks like Aamir Khan, I don’t think she will be asking the question “Where is Women’s Equality?”

Power dressing – it works like a charm. The folding of sleeves (which I love on any shirt and t-shirt) hits the home run for me. The blues and the blacks got me drooling; the purples look gorgeous on Aamir. Not to leave out Asin from the praises galore, I don’t have an aversion to seeing her on screen, television and hence like her.

I must say that I was surprised to see that the humour used in the tamil movie Ghajini, also used in the hindi one, did not fail to inspire some giggles in the audience. I enjoyed the movie more because I had watched the tamil one long time back (about 2 years ago to be precise) and did not remember most of it. I call it Long Term Memory Loss, in other words – Ageing.

Anyway, in a nut shell, I loved the movie and I had a great time watching it.

Travel

I look back at last year and I realised that planning a travel program in India, with my friends, is harder than it was in London. Dates for leaves, suggestions for places, money and mode of transport -- all tend to rear their ugly head into our lovely dreams of meeting up in exotic places. From a week in Singapore to two days in the sultry Chennai heat, lots of plans have been blotched. Nevertheless, I have managed to travel a lot last year. With my friends and family.
(Mumbai-Mahabeleshwar, Chennai -- by default, Goa, Bellikeri [I am sure its called something else, ask Frank], Mysore, Mekedatu)

The thought that occured to me was obviously not a novel thought and hence I am refraining myself from giving it a dramatic entre. I suddenly wondered why I did not have a or start a travel blog. It will not aim to flaunt the places I have been to (or will in the future) but for the selfish pleasure of trying to manage another blog (or mabbe continue in one which is redundant at the moment) and to do something new in the new year! (Honeymoon period for a new year is only till Jan end).

P.S: The minute I write something in the "travel" blog of mine, I will end up not travelling... sigh :) Rules and 'happenings' need to be broken :)

Master

Mine is a silent obsession. It doesn’t consume, doesn’t demand and I do not fear it. It does not take over my life’s decisions. But then it does. In subtle ways, when I do not expect it.

I have, over the years, heard many songs, instrumental music. I have figured certain things out and these findings have been quite consistent.
-- The sound of piano can evoke a feeling of romance or put me to sleep
-- The sound of drums never found a place in my heart. No emotions - of anger, sadness, excitement
-- The flute, I always associate with superficiality, snobbery and detachment.
-- Saxaphone, with a jazz twist, a complete picture to jive with. Happiness.

As always, not adhering to the inverted pyramid style of writing that is drilled into all journalists, I have kept the best for the last.

-- The strings of a guitar.

Today, I learned that the sound of a guitar can make me an infidel. Or, let me put it in other words, I heard a certain sound from a guitar, which is exactly how I would describe infidelity. I believe (at least for now) the emotions you pass through being infidel is the height of emotions (before and after the act. I wouldn’t consider acts as thoughts come into play and then decisions. Whole new post!!!)

I love the sound of the guitar. I have tried mastering it. I use the word master because I never managed to do that. The obsession doesn’t dictate people to help me out. It sticks and seduces and it is everything that I want.