Lost in thought

Thendral: Short story in Tamil

2011-07-18T06:55:00.001-07:00

For clear reading go to http://www.tamilonline.com/thendral/MoreContentnew.aspx?id=128&cid=13&aid=7285

T.H.A.L.A.I.V.A.R

2011-07-11T09:18:00.000-07:00

"It would be blasphemous to call Rajnikanth, Rajnikanth. He is and will always be Tamil cinema’s Thalaivar. The response and the verve that single epithet evokes cannot be expressed in words. When Thalaivar was rushed to the hospital for alleged food poisoning, it was not just his family but millions of fans stopped what they were doing and prayed."

Read on....
http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-articles/movies-08/thalaivar-09-07-11.html

Nootrenbadhu - Maintain 180 degrees of separation

2011-06-27T09:30:00.000-07:00

If Shankar had directed this movie, it would have lasted all but 30 minutes. The movie boasts of stunning visuals but we can soak it in quickly, you don’t have to pause to ensure we really do enjoy. Think Siddharth taking two steps backward after opening a door, this lasts for roughly a minute. Yawn!!!

The movie opens up in the banks of Ganges and your thirst for an urbane, crisp movie stops right there. The dialogues, characterization and intrigue are best portrayed here and are completely lost in the remainder of the movie. It becomes predictable and clichéd.

Every director has to be a good writer. You need to get the screenplay taut before you let the camera do its work. Obviously, Jayendra doesn’t believe in that. Just because you play golf with Mani Ratnam does not mean you can direct another Idhayathai Thirudathey. That was a classic, this is a wannabe.

Nithya Menon starts off on a good note and keeps it there. There are many highs in her performance -Movie Theater, enquiring about Mano, lost in love, she has talent and scores well. Priya Anand is a different story. She has a meaty role and lets it slip through her whinny and over the top act. She has a great figure but that is simply not enough, especially when we have to watch her for roughly half the time.

Siddharth delivers. Confused yet angry when Vidhya falls for him, Confused and excited when in love with Renu, he uses this movie as a great comeback vehicle. We have already acknowledged and accepted him as a city boy who charms the girls so it would have been refreshing if he had attempted a different tangent.

Jayendra makes his debut as a director. When it’s your first movie, there is always a scene or a part of the movie that is a testimonial to your brilliance. Having waited a really long time to make this movie, you expect details and care, not in just the visuals but the finer aspects - plot and screenplay. He misses that bus completely. There are scenes that are quirky but we have already seen that. Like the puthu vellai mazhai, Gautham Menon did that in VTV. There is no innovation, no twists and the movie plods along in the path well-travelled without attempting anything novel.

The part before the intermission is good on many levels. Chennai looks beautiful, costumes blend into scenes and mostly it’s fun to see Mano live life. The part after, is like nails grating on blackboards - annoying and you can’t wait to get out. Instead of appreciating and agreeing to AJ's quest for anonymity we label him a self-absorbed jerk and that is where the movie plunges downward. But one of the merits of watching a movie in theaters is that the audience starts guffawing at the director’s ill attempts. That makes it easier to sit through.

Balasubramanien has extraordinary talent - everything is fresh, colors melt into the background, lighting is adequate and he takes the burden of the crew single handedly. Banu wields her magic touch and the leading ladies look even more beautiful. Shareth's music becomes repetitive and he could have worked the BGM better.

Nootrenbadhu (180) could have been that urbane love story - old wine in a new bottle but it just reeks of stale odor.

Columns

2011-06-20T12:20:00.000-07:00

I should be calling myself a writer... so i'm a writer with humble beginnings.
Links to my columns on behindwoods.com - your best source for tamil cinema - news, interviews, scoops and columns :D

Reality Shows - No Brains Please!!!

2011-05-17T10:42:00.000-07:00

Just when i was cheering Mavericks ousting Lakers from NBA and booing Lamar for his unsportsmanly conduct, i caught a glmipse of Khloe & Lamar - The reality show which aims to take a peek at the lives of Khloe Kardashian(ring a bell) and Lamar Odom. Frankly, i just wish they shut their windows tight...nobody wants a peak at anything. So as a confused follower of the first amendment to air anything, i turned off the idiot box.

Reality shows are where the big bucks are. I'm not even sure what constitutes to reality shows anymore. I thought MTV hosting candid camera was a reality show until you see the beelines of Kardashians, Jersilicious, Jersey shore, Real Housewives, Bachelor, Bachelorette, Apprentice etc... The only one i have watched an episode of is The Bachelor to satiate my curious mind.

From my (limited) knowledge, the first few episodes of the reality shows are astonishingly similar.

If the show is about a couple, their fairy tale wedding with cleavage sporting bridesmaids would be aired. Friends would ooh and aah about the proposal he made and how deep and meaningful their love is. Kekaravan kenaiya iruntha...
If the show is about a group of girls, it would talk about how they were best of friends and how their shared everything from lip gloss to life partners..Ahem..
The wife would have OCD and the husband would be ABCD...no...ADHD.. and we would be BOHH(banging our head heavily)
The wife's/girlfriend/housewife's ovulation cycle and how it is in their calendar to do it. You will even have an assitant consuting her black book to read this out to you... Its a matter of time before facebook status feeds have this information. Manangetta makkal, i say
They would fight about which frangrance their perfume line should be about, what color their million dollar nursery would be, which island they should vacation in...Thupuketta pasanga.
Finally it has to be about, how he doesnt spend any time with her, he is always at work, having fun with his men-friends etc.. sweetheart all our lives are like that!!

You would have to leave your brains behind if you want to watch atleast one episode of these shows, they dont even provide entertainment. Yet most of them are extremely popular...My take is if you want to torture somebody, then tie them to a chair and make them watch Khloe & Lamar. Mission accomplished.

India Chronicles - Part 3

2011-05-10T16:53:00.000-07:00

Chennai's Theater scene truly rocks - Margazhi Maha Utsavam, Washingtonil Thirumanam and Dirty Dancing... all in one city.
Sandwich shop outside Alsa Mall is chennai's equivalent to Italy's pizzerias. Divine.
Melt in your mouth bondas from Sangeethas - Priceless.
Shopping at Pondy Bazaar beats bargainning at Canal Street
Chennaites take the raving beauty of Elliots for granted. Time stands still when you are sitting in the beach lost in idle banter with a dear friend.
Perumal koil Puliyotharai ... need i say more?
Public transport rocks but the auto anna will charge half an arm. Yaruku bun?

Qatar

2011-03-11T13:13:00.000-08:00

Doha, Qatar. Vast expanses of desert, tip of the country bordering the ocean, home of the FIFA World Cup 2022, Qatar is a country bursting with possiblities. And it doesn't dissappoint. The fact that we had family to provide us with great food and excellent company was a bonus.

Desert safaris, sand bashing is a favourite past time and a tourist must-do here. We can rent a buggy(medium or large) or a Jeep for an hour(~$45). The buggy is easy to maneuver and since you are in the middle of nowhere(literally), speed is a thrill. Many locals drive the buggy over the sand dunes but that is strictly not for the faint hearted. Driving to the dunes, one can spot one too many of the desert's favourite companions - Camels.

Al Corniche offers an excellent beach and downtown view. The promenade around the doha bay is frequented by joggers and is a great spot for a leisure stroll. Doha's skylines is impressive and the construction boom would only add to it. You could also head to a beach resort(Sea Line) which offers private entrances to the beach. Visting beaches around the world has only made me appreciate, the wonder that is Marina.

The market place in Middle East is often reffered to as Souk. Souks have an old fashioned architecture and have everything to offer from spices, shoes, carpets, clothes to pets. Cafes outline them and smoking hookah is an evening indulgence for localites.

(Hookahs are originally from india but have gained popularity in the Middle East)

Citi Center and Villagio are places to hit if shopping is on your mind.

We missed spending a night in the desert(reminds of Jaisalmer days) and belly dancing. The latter made the Mr bang his head in agony. To each one's own...

India Chronicles - Part 2

2011-01-30T18:49:00.000-08:00

* Chennai highways kicks ass - NH 45 truly rocks. Would love to wield the wheel but would be stumped without taking orders from GPS. Bengalooru are you taking notes?

* Radio mirchi - This was an obsession of sorts, so am listening to FM everytime we drive and my dad aint happy about it. He hates the annoying RJs and their lame jokes and i actually miss them :D He thinks i'm cracked in the head... too late appa.

* New addiction - Yathey Yathey ennachoo... Dhanush sent Vijay into oblivion.

* World Cup is all you need to know. NFL or World Cup.. which do you think is more popular?
(Any suggestions on how to catch the Superbowl in india.. i know SIGH!!)

* SRK, Rajnikanth, Amitabh, Aamir Khan are all part of Indian of the year.. for what exactly? Guess the same reasons for why US is obsessed with Brangelina more than healthcare and yes Brad enough with the babies.

* Radio Tags on Indian students is causing a huge outcry. Why do i think that is not the issue we should be worried about?

* As promised... Internation Pheeling... Take it Rasa!!

(to be continued)

India Chronicles - Part 1

2011-01-27T00:38:00.000-08:00

CHENNAI - This city is in my blood... the sweat in my forehead, the noise ringing in my ears, the quickness in my step are all genetic from being born here. So when i landed, i anticipated thrills, shocks, laughter,amusement, smiles and chennai.

* You can feel your ears and they can listen. Not just the horns, the pressure cooker, television, phone... all from your neighbours house.
* It is not ok to be brown to be indian. So please apply fair & lovely or vivel if you want to be visible.
* Every "friendly" neighbour and your maid servant will be interested in the US economy and your green card status.
* I dont care if the seat belt sign is on, the minute the landing gear hits ground, i will get up, grab cabin baggage, jostle the queue, race immigration and wait forever for baggage to arrive(tirupathila balajiya kooda parkalam check in baggage .....)
* Pallavan -> Auto -> share auto -> Jeep -> Volvo Pallavan ( Life does come full circle). Obama should take a leaf out of chennai for public transport.
* Indian advertisements rock. Watched some really funny ones... video links soon :)

...to be continued.

Rewind

2011-01-07T12:29:00.000-08:00

Before any of you start thinking this post is about my memories or incidents that qualified as the best of 2010, i shall stop you here. This is the best of 2010 but with regards to music.

Everybody who knows me, know that am a sucker for Tamil Cinema. Please to note Tamil in the cinema, i haven't watched Inception or Break ke Baad, so am not great in other languages but Tamil Cinema, oh yes.
When we were in college and ghotting for exams, we had Illaiyaraja hits playing in the background. There were some songs that always used to go on a loop, rewind, play, rewind, play.. you get the idea. That would go on until the tape started to squeak. This was before the i's(iPhone, iPad, iPod) and the shuffle, MP3 zamana...(i know, i'm ancient). Such was the fate of Pani Vizhum Malar Vanam and Idhayil Kathai ezhuthum...

Music is integrated into my life and i would play cinema songs in the car, while cooking, taking a shower(??!!) and sometimes while praying(i cant help it, it just comes to my mind. Pillayar..please to forgive ). So why not round up on the Best of 2010 in Tamil Cinema and am only listing the songs where i liked the video too.

* Arima Arima(Endhiran) - It has to start with Thalaivar, otherwise it would be Blasphemy
* Aaromale(Vinnai Thandi Varuvaya) - Simbu ..SIGH!! But loved the guitar and ARR.. u rock Rahman.
* Karigalan(Vettaikaran) - This is foot tapping and Vijay songs just gets your adrenaline pumping. (K, i get reminded of Mudhuri cake too when i listen to this now, so send some my way soon).
* Idhu Varai(Goa) - Andrea is mesmerizing and this doesnt follow the standard structure which makes it more unique.
* Iragai Pole(Naan Mahan Alla) - Yuvan totally rocked in this song. The Mr. still doesnt get it but i like the hum and the voice.
* Thakuthey Kann(Bana Kathadi) - Did i say Yuvan rocks?
* Adada Mazhai Da(Paiyaa) - This song was great for both the dance and the music. Good work.
* Usurey Poguthey(Raavanan) - There is a funny story i recollect when i listen to this song(Thanks to K again). I wish it wasnt Aishwarya but i think Mani has learnt his lesson.
* Who's the hero(ManMadhan Ambu) - This song is again by Andrea and man can this women sing.

So here i go tagging K, Jawz, KP and Anu. List the Best of 2010 and make your own criteria.

ENDHIRAN - Get Ready folks!!!

2010-10-11T09:03:00.000-07:00

ENDHIRAN - About time i wrote something about this movie. There has so much hoopla over it that i spent all my time reading about it, watching and revelling...now its time for my two cents.

I'm definitely not reviewing ENDHIRAN ..what can i say that you have not already heard..
Right from the time pictures leaked from Manchu Pinchu, audio launch in Malaysia, Trailer release - we have followed the movie's release and when Endhiran hit theaters - it was Diwali a month sooner.

No, i don't want to hear about the ticket price, his age, budget etc.. redirect to my review of Shivaji and you will know why.

Rajnikanth has a charm, a personality that will always enthrall his fans and when directors like Shankar understand that and deliver on our expectations, it is a bonanza. We get to see Superstar in our favourite avatars - If shivaji had Billa & Baasha to please our palette, Endhiran has Avargal, Mullum Malarum and the new age scientist. Aishwarya Rai is so tolerable in this movie that i almost like her.

Although Endhiran is not for die hard fans like me, it definitely is a movie par excellence and am i grateful that Kamal and SRK refused. It has set new standards, silenced critics and has once again proved us worthy of being Thalaivar's fans :))

Next time Superstar movie releases make sure you get tickets FDFS, the crowd, mayhem and the screams will make you understand the adrenaline rush and the brand value of Rajnikanth.

Un Pear Sonnathum, Perumai Sonnathum Kadalum Kadalum Kai thatum... - Ithu eppadi iruku?

Raavanan - Plunges

2010-07-27T20:36:00.000-07:00

Enough has been said about Ravan and Raavanan... from Big B to behindwoods everybody has lauded, raved and critiqued. So my review is going to be crisp...

Thumbs-Up

Vikram, Vikram and Vikram: He shines throughout the movie. The effort, portrayal and passion is flawless. The entire movie rides on his wide shoulders and when he plunges everything goes down with him. Makes me wonder if Abhishek would fit the bill...
Cinematography - Breathtaking visuals and never-seen-before angles. Applause to Santhosh sivan & Manikandan
Priyamani - She eludes strength and almost goes unnoticed, but deserves credit. Perfect, clean shot.
Rohini - Dubbing for Ash... its was not very easy for her but you win even when ash fails.

Thumbs-Down: (needless to say this is going to be long)

Story & Screenplay - Weak.. which is very surprising for Mani Ratnam as a director. He was the one who gave us everyday lives with finesse and conviction, made us beleive in the protoganists, perfect air-tight scripts. A big let-down.
Dialogues - For heaven's sake Suhasini, please let us be... go do your talkies or something else....
Prithvi - Mani Ratnam movie was a feather on his cap but his role gets nothing but a big yawn.
Aishwarya - No expectations to begin with, except for her eyes, i can think of a handful of heroines who would have essayed her character 10 times better. Mani look beyond the bachan clan... there is talent, beleive me.
Costumes - Even i could have dressed up aishwarya better. She is a dancer but what is with the giant skirt salwars and 50s hair style? Nalini Sriram would have been a better pick.
Stellar Scenes - S-O-R-R-Y(Roja), Kambili poochi uruthu(Mouna Ragam), Thundering(Agni Natchathiram), Nee azhaga irukenu nenaikala...,Neenga nallavara Kettavara, En Devava konutiyeda.. No such scenes. SIGH.. Double and Triple SIGH!!!!

I could not categorize the music in either cases, BGM was good but songs do not mesmerize you except for a couple of them - Usure Poguthey and Veera. Partly to blame, is the humongous burden of expectation which Mani did not stand up to while picturizing them.

Lets hope next time around Mani takes the time to read my blog before directing a movie. WINK!!!WINK!!!

What's in a name?

2010-07-07T07:28:00.000-07:00

Ok.. am opening Pandora's box now!!!
It all starts when you get married... for many its not an option, for some its an inconvinience and for some its a required hindarance... ofcourse am talking about the SURNAME fiasco!

Some of us change our surnames without worrying too much about it, others have nightmares about it and worry that our identity would undergo a massive destruction at the face of such a change.

So what's in a name? For years you are called using a certain surname and then to change it in the middle, would you start feeling like a different person.. should you feel like a different person? Is that the whole logic behind such an illogical fiasco? Why does society, legal entities demand such an ill-possessed change? Or am i the only person who ponders in vain for such small changes in letters?

That being said, there is sense in having a family name... something that unites the members like that of a league or a club name. Society was predominantly a male oriented community since they were the earning members(once upon a time) but with so much that has changed should we start making a change with surnames too? Or should we let it be, since this is least of the problems which we have amidst us?

Now if you are wondering what i did with mine... i will not appease your curiosity that easily :):)

SILENCE

2010-04-30T11:57:00.000-07:00

A month spent amidst family ~ BLISS!!! It is very rare to get such occasions even if siblings live in the same continent.. spending 30 days with your family. That said, i treasured and cherished every minute of it. Having a new born added more ecstasy to our jubiliant lives.

Now am back home.... PAUSE!!!
What is the first thing that hits you when you are at home after a vacation from India.. the silence!! That is what always hits me, then comes nostalgia, home sickeness et al. But the first blow is always the silence. The quiteness of our neighbours, the purr of the hybrid vehicles, occasional bow wow's from dogs, non-existent comcast... a stark contrast to the vivid, noisy, colorful, blarring that is almost always interwined into our lives.

To add to this silence, we have shrunk the family to the smallest possible unit. What once consisted of parents, grandparents, great grand parents, children now consists of the "nuclear"set of two/three people.
We have shrunk family to such a tiny scale, each person in his or her own private space, completely dislodged from others.

Some of us can recall our childhoods.. every second filled with friends, grannies, relatives, neighbours, siblings. There was never a moment of privacy and we dint care for it either. We were happy and content sharing our otherwise mundane lives with others.

I'm not saying i dont like this life, doing things we are passionate about, having the time to cook international cuisine, learn a sport or two.. but my question is when will the mind ever learn to unlearn the noises that filled our lives? When will it learn to stop yearning for the countless strangers who were an integral part of our lives? When will we learn to make our peace with the silence?

Trespassers should be prosecuted

2010-03-07T15:42:00.000-08:00

We live in a democracy which promises freedom and equality to all. It is the same democracy that also advocates privacy. It is appalling to see media exploit this privacy in the name of awareness. Nothing justifies peeping through a person’s bedroom through your camera lens. That is off-limits, crossing boundaries and trespassing. It is for this reason we have the censorship board, government and officers of the law.

The telecast by Sun TV of a Swamiji being intimate with a woman was akin to pornography which should have been censored. It is for this reason that certain uncouth words are beeped out and scenes completely removed from cinema. When one form of entertainment is subject to regulations how can we let the Television which brings news and advertisements right into our homes go scott-free. One can argue that we could always change the channel to avoid convoluting the minds of young and children but shouldn’t the laws hold all forms of media in the same scale?

There are numerous organizations that would resort to violence for certain opinions expressed by celluloid heroes, crimes committed by godmen. We are always ready with weapons to tear down homes, offices and ashrams. Is there not a better way to appease our mind and calm our senses? Isn’t the pen mightier than the sword?

Although it is frustrating to see the world at war in the 21st century, it is even more frustrating to see such blatant acts of evading privacy. Nobody is justifying the acts in question, but it does not give media the power to publish material without care and consideration. These acts are not synonymous with freedom but what is pulling this country back from going forward.

We cannot call ourselves a true democracy unless we hold such acts accountable and along with power comes responsibility. If you trespass, you should and will be prosecuted.

CHICAGO - Broadway's Sure Thing!!!

2010-01-24T14:51:00.000-08:00

If you know me well enough, then you know how much i love the City - NYC!! Just walking through the streets, exploring shops and tasting fine cuisine sold @ carts by the roadside - all bring great thrills to my otherwise rotting mind. So when it was a special celebration of our lives together for a year where else do we head??

This time we wanted to finally watch a Broadway Musical. We have been planning and cancelling for a year now and as if it was meant to be - we had tickets for CHICAGO!!!

Ofcourse this had to be preceded by a belly-full(literally) of Saravana Bhawan Full meals. The Mr. even took the time to lift his eyes of the thali plate to recommend entrees to the friendly americans seated next. I did not commit any such mistake - it was a hand to mouth fight.

When we finally walked in to the Ambassador Theater, i thought it was quite small for a broadway theater. After a few minutes, i realized that size did not matter and was completely mesmerized by the performances.
We have all heard and probably seen the Academy Award winning movie CHICAGO, but watching a Broadway musical is a completely different experience that i would recommend.

You can read all about the cast and the songs in their website, so i'm not going to repeat that. I'm also not going to write about the russian who was snoring away to glory two seats away from us, or the wild teenager who was texting her boyfriend in front of me or the man who was secretly clicking pictures from his Iphone even though it is forbidden - this is quite the normal theater going audience isn't it?

Velma played by Deidre was my favourite. Her attitude and elegance oozed from the stage. You want to laugh, cry and scheme with her and that is the true victory of an artiste. She has a certain confidence about her abilities and a casual elegance that makes you want to watch more of her on stage. She wins us over even when she is losing to Roxie Hart.

When the cast was being credited, all i could think of was how stimulating it would be if the stalwarts of Tamil Cinema sat and watched a musical. They could bring certain class and quality to the movies dished out today. Sigh, i know no matter what i watch it always circles back to one place!!!!

A must-see Chicago - universal tale of fame, fortune and all that jazz; one show-stopping-song after another; and the most astonishing dancing you've ever seen. We enjoyed it and am sure you would too....

The joy of getting it right

2009-11-16T15:07:00.000-08:00

These days i'm becoming experimental with cooking. Now you need to know how my cooking evolved to appreciate the experimentation.

2006, Bangalore
Breakfast - Bread sandwich.
Lunch - Dal, Subzi, Rice
Dinner - Kichdi or Rotis with left over dal
Breakfast - Yours Truly. Lunch & Dinner - Roommate's generosity.

2009, Danbury
Breakfast - Cereal/Muffins/Idli,Dosa/Pongal
Lunch - Veg Curry, Sambhar, Rasam, Curd, Rice & Pickle
Dinner - Rotis with Kurma or Subzi.
All - Yours Truly

If this is not evolution what is. Atleast for me these are giant steps where cooking is involved. C'mon i make kurma, not in the likes of navrathna kurma but Egg Kurma and Peas Paneer kurma.

Cooking started with amma's e-adichan copy recipes. Or reading and somewhat memorizing Mallika Badrinath cookbooks. Now i can google a dish, surf recipes, pick and choose ingredients that i find most alluring and combine them all. Best part - the end product is still delicious.

Making muffins, Chocolate cup cakes to Mexican flan has elevated me into a seasoned chef. I can make onion sambhar without referring to recipes. Improvised to ginger kuzhambhu which sets your throats on fire and even have facebook friends who want my recipes.

There have been two inspirations for this cooking quest. First when you are trying a new recipe, there is a thrill and when it comes out delicious, you are soaring high in the air. Second when the hujband takes one puddi and says "Man your food is to die for"... SIGH!!(I know, too much illa)

Glossary
e-adichan - copy cat kill the rat.(somebody can volunteer with the exact explanation)
puddi - one mouthfull.

A peek into the future

2009-11-11T10:41:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer: After hearing a lot of unflattering responses about my blog template, i finally set forth to change it. Hopefully this one is more readable. I admit there is a lot of work to do but atleast the wheels are in motion.

The new template had widgets which made things easy. I dint have to dig through the html code and replace bits and pieces, all i had to do was click on Add Gadget and everything was done.It took me all but 3 mins to figure out that(i know) and in that three minutes i was panic-striken!!!

It was like your entire life flashing in front of you in five minutes - Haven't you watched Armageddon or Gladiator? I can't bookmark my favourite blogs, can't link the labels in my post, can't tell the world that am a budding photographer.... This is a wee dramatic. But thats how things are told these days. If you dont scream, you wont be heard. Now is it the same everywhere or did living in the US rub it on me?

But back to Widgets. In that ignorant three minutes i was able to comprehend the helplessness and frustration my parents feel when i tell them they can watch Sun TV in a laptop.

When i taught my father how to start mailing,read news online,chat using the webcam, view photographs online, i thought it was an information overload and the minute i disappear he is going to abadon the laptop. But as always, he proved me wrong. He is doing his own research, marking his websites as favourites, helping my mother choose online magazine subscriptions when she comes to the US and am sure he is going
to tell me that he is bringing his laptop with him during his next visit. My parents have become tech-savvy alright. The bubble has embraced them or have they embraced it?!!!

For my mom, the laptop was the sign of technological leaps and bounds. She viewed it with aversion and blamed it for the distance between people in the same room.Ofcourse it was in stiff competition with the mobile. She completely disapproved of children below 10 using it and never understood why it kept us hooked on for hours. Its the same way i look at teenagers typing furiously in their cell phones racing against time.I think she has finally made her peace with this mini-idiot box while i continue to stare at the fingers that would fly on keyboards. (I'm not that old and i've been there, done that. Its impolite to stare but you cant help it esp when you have nothing else to do in a crowded train).

My efforts at keeping abreast with technology are going to fail at some point. My kids are going to call me backward and wonder how long it would take for me to catch up. I can hear them sighing and smirking at our rather slow pace of advancement. They would call us old-fashioned, look at Iphone, Ipods, Droids as antiques.

These days generation gap exists between siblings so the rift is going to be more pronounced. But like my parents, i would learn to make my peace with techonology. If you cant fight them, Join Them!!!

New York Babieee

2009-10-28T08:33:00.001-07:00

In true New York style, i state - The city never stops to amaze me.
It was pouring when we strolled through Union Square and Broadway but the weather was not going to stop the city from having a good time.

We started the day with BOOTS. Yes, leather and women are an intoxicating couple. The minute i stepped into DSW i knew what i wanted and although there was lot of distraction, i was focussed on my first love. After a bit of tamil cinema kind of climax we finally found the size i was looking for and headed out as a proud owner of Steve Madden boots.

Now we were in desperate need of coffee and headed towards Veniero's Pastry Shop. Needless to say, the cannoli melted in my mouth and the hazelnut coffee added spark to the day.

We stopped by Lush which sells handmade cosmetics and some of them smell divine. You need to remind yourself not to taste them. They are handmade and last only a few weeks but that dint stop me from picking up a face pack with Garlic. I know Garlic is a first but the face pack is doing wonders.(I hope so)

We picked up dim sum and falafel for our dinner and headed to the subway. The carts that are parked on the curbside tantalizes your taste buds and i hear some of them are gourmet rated.

Later on, i figured that there is a dessert truck which runs around NYC and they were featured on Throwdown with Bobby flay. Their bread pudding is superior to Bobby Flay's but its something i have reserved for later.

Rain or shine the Big Apple never disappoints and although we dint party there, even a casual evening is well spent.

When the grinding stops...

2009-07-29T16:24:00.000-07:00

If you grew up in India and ended up married in USA, you would have a fair idea of what am talking about.
Right till my 12th, i dint pause a moment to think about why should i go to school everyday. It just happened and all i wanted was to ace my exams, score well in the entrance and get into a college that i dreamed off.

As with the rest of the flock, stayed put in college for 4 years, dint try to ace the exams. Fitting in, making friends, learning something about life and computers, i graduated(little bit of color). There were campus interviews to worry about and i did get through them and got a nice job in Chennai. Happy about the fact that i was returning home, i boarded the train as a graduate. Something to be proud off.

Worked hard for 5 years, raced the rats, got some accolades, travelled a bit and met some interesting people. Finally life catches up with you and i got married.

Disclaimer: Now this has nothing to do with marriage, USA or being a NRI.

With the economy hitting rock bottom, many of us ended up as dependants, students and entreprueners. When the grinding and racing stopped, am stranded. We are a generation spoilt for choice but then there is such a thing as too many. It doesnt help when you need to factor in 5 years of future into your decision.
I'm thankful that am not part of the race anymore. I've had the time to reflect on what i truly want(which seems to be taking a long time) and i have learnt not to be too hard on myself. I can finally take a break but i am still trying to enjoy it.

So its true.. the grass is greener on the other side huh?

Land of Tequilla - Cancun, Mexico

2009-07-22T13:00:00.000-07:00

My passport is my treasured travel companion. Besides it being a legal document, the colorful stamps is the pride of my trips around the world. Singapore, Hong Kong, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Italy, France, North America and the most recent addition - Mexico. Now thats a list to be proud off :)

Cancun, Mexico was our official honeymoon and a relaxed vacation(well deserved). Peeking through the airplane window i did not catch a glimpse of the aqua marine sea or the popular hotel stripe. But when you have travelled a while you accept that patience is a virtue. The airport is a good 30 minute ride away from the ocean and is located in the middle of nowhere(believe me).

Before i waited in line for immigration i was handed a blue form which stated that a new virus outbreak was detected and we had to notify any symptoms to the authorities. This did not alarm me, partly confident about my indian roots(we do boast of a superior immune system) and partly suspicious that this was a bogus threat. No fruits or nuts are allowed past security as per US regulations(whatever happened to mexican regulations) so i dumped the oranges mournfully.

There would be a good number of people trying to get you into a taxi or a shuttle for triple the fare so get past them and get out. Again my indian origins helped in skillfully wading through this while smirking at the crowd who fall prey. We got into the taxi and finally got view of the hotel stripe. In a minute you are suddenly transported to this new Cancun which has no connections to the city you landed. Here things are more grand and the hotels of every known brand tower the sky.

We stayed at nH Krystal which has a spectacular ocean front room, easy stroll to the beach, adequate swimming pools and excellent food. The hotel was a block away from all the night life that comes alive during the wee hours and ceases to end till dawn.

Friday was spent lazing at the swimming pool, sipping on tequilla(more about this later), riding the waves of the carribbean and taking a quick stroll to the malls, pubs, flea market and taco factory. Rise and shine to the sound of waves crashing in, which is the best way to wake up and we were ready to explore Isla Mujeres. Snorkelling and beaches are the selling points of this island so we followed suit.

The reef is spectacular and fishes are colorful. Snorkelling is a must do activity when in Cancun and it would help to know a good deal of swimming. If not, do not venture out into the waters and cling on to the boat for dear life, colorful fishes or otherwise. I can hear the smiles but i shall dutifully ignore.

Spread the beach towel and take a quick nap in the beach(Playa) or munch mangoes, coconuts and sorbet which the street vendors sell. They are a delight. You can rent golf carts, bikes, cycles and wander around the island which is just about 5 miles in all. There are quite a few sights recommended here.

Nightlife never ends in Cancun. We started our tirade around 11 and crawled into one of the bars. One of the traditions here is women with tequilla bottles and whistles, who hoard you to take gulps of tequilla and honour you when you are done. It is worth it :) Did i mention that tequilla is to mexico what coke is to USA.
It tastes great so dont be alarmed if you end up with a couple of bottles while unpacking.

Street dancers, local restaurants, mayan artifacts, pubs, malls, cafes are all part of the night walk and you can have a great time if you are careful where you enter. Some of the places are pricey and disappointing so do your research on this. Coco Bongo has the longest lines for entry but is very pricey so we tried Corono Bar instead which has great dancing and no cover charge. A late night snack at the Taco Factory is worth every bit and take note of the cashier who is working with ten hands(fast and efficient).

Sunday was the day to relax. The beach was our first stop and we spent a good part of the day riding the waves before they crash into you. We lay near the shore in the sand where the water caresses you and pulls you into the ocean. The hotel had a paya or a hut which you can rent for a good afternoon nap. Armed with bolsters and a book about mexico, i was fast asleep in a moment's notice.

Mexico is the land of tequilla, pina coloda, nachos, salsa, beaches and fun. Mexicans will speak spanish even if you dont follow them but a word or two would get you a free taxi ride, a ocean front table, tobasco sauce or even extra salsa. It has been a land of struggle with no political stablity or great leaders but the tourism industry flourishes inspite all this.They are hospitable and eager to please but you can get nothing for free. When shopping remember to bargain and you can get some pretty bags, artifacts and handcrafted items.

Cancun is not just a spring break destination but a great vacation spot. Enjoy the sea and dive into the aquamarine ocean and it is worth every peso. But remember to say Muchas Gracias!!!

Sisters

2009-06-15T10:19:00.000-07:00

I dont really know if its the books i read or spending a couple of weeks with my sister, i have new respect for this realtionship. When we were young, we were either fighting or scheming but now we added so many new perspectives to each other.

Looking up to her is a way of life for me and without a blink i would accept any opinion she throws. We have both learnt not to be judgemental of our choices and how to help each other with problems that really matter.

When i was a kid, i wanted to have a bigger brother. I assumed having one would be fun and he would shield me from all problems and take care of me. Now i would never trade having a sister. Not only is it easier to communicate but an elder one has often been there so she can give you a better ear to your problems.

We have grown from being best friends to confidants but we never let the silly kids in us go. Even now when i go shopping i get something for her and she never forgets to buy my favourite things. I can turn up in her doorstep anytime of the year and she is never going to ask a question and we have learnt to silently communicate with each other. A smile, a wink, a glance we know how to translate all that. I have learnt to appreciate the ways she looks out for me and her reprimands.

Its so much fun to have a sister and i feel so blessed to have one who is so special and i think its a special kick if you are the younger one.

Colors of life

2009-05-07T07:14:00.000-07:00

We went shopping for curtains yesterday. I was adamant on buying something with color. I was bored of shades of brown, white lace or those dull half white ones. I wanted shocking colors - Brick red, sunsent orange, lemon yellow, leaf green, sky blue and wine red.

The idea of buying curtains in such loud colors would not please my husband, which is why i was harboring the colors in the safety of my mind. When i find what am looking for, i would ensure we buy it. Now dont call me cunning, this is how my gender works - atleast most of it. We dont proclaim what we want loudly and undeniably but find ways of getting it done - which is what matters.

The only pleasing color we found was a golden leaf curtain in walmart and i refused to pick anything else that was not in line with the colors i wanted. We have a brown sofa, black flat screen, brown coffee table, the house was screaming for color. P.S: We dont have a rug yet :-)

I have always heard from tourists to India how they are shocked by the colors they see there. Personally i have never thought of it as one of the prominent features of India. There were other things that made India special(to me). But after weeks of searching for color, i realize what we dont have.

Its spring time here, the leaves are a green that is so fresh and some trees have white, pink, purple, magenta flowers, even before the have leaves. It is uncouth to miss the colors you see while you drive by but what stops the designers to translate these colors to fabrics.

I'm not sure whether its the spring or the failure of my shopping expedition but i'm going to drink in the colors on my trip to India this time, to savour and relish later.

I miss you

2009-04-08T07:18:00.000-07:00

We had Mira Nair as a guest lecture in our city last week and i have to say, the lady can speak well.
The crowd was mostly caucasians sprinkled with desis and most of them have watched monsoon wedding, salaam bombay & missisippi masala. The effect Slumdog Millionaire has on people. Let me clarify, i'm not going to patronize that slumdog is an Indian film or that India has finally arrived. How many times can India arrive at the global stage?

Mira Nair's talk on Namesake rang a bell closer to home. When we were heading out of the hall, i was thinking to myself, what is it with us that we want to fit in? For me India is always home. I can live here till i die but i would never feel nor call it home. The heat of Chennai, the madness of Rajni, the blaring of Sun TV, the buzz of vegetable vendors, friendly neighbours, not so friendly neighbours, gossiping aunties, swarming relatives, exotic weddings, colorful dresses and a piece of me. I would miss all that eternally. But this post is not about that.

When we are here or in any other part of the world, the first thing we do is google fellow indians in the neighbourhood. We try to find a community, make a close knit group of Indians. I dont suppose there is anything wrong with that but i have always frowned upon the clannish behaviour. Yet i would happily be a part of it here. The joy of finding a Indian grocery store, googling theaters that screen indian movies, finding meetup groups, visiting temples i have done it all.

There is also a group of Indians here who have a chip on their shoulder. They would not smile at you at restaurants acknowledge your presence at the grocery store(not necessarily Indian). This breed of Indians think they are "smarter" and more "modern" . They would not want to socialize because we are prob a class lower. It makes me grin, sometimes at their perceptions and sometimes at their ignorance. Wearing shades, straightening your hair, wearing tighter clothes(sometimes much too tight and much too short) does not make you cooler. Infact it makes you insecure. (Pardon me, but i'm not generalizing). It makes me wonder if i trace back the roots, then we would prob be even related.

I'm not condemning indians who wont socialize with fellow indians not am i appreciating the people who do. We have our own battles to fight, our own principles and our own lives to live. So strictly no name calling or judging the people who are not like me. It just makes me wonder if we have finally reached a stage where being in a foreign place does not make you special. I have always remembered my cousin who use to fly back from US every two years and the entire house would go crazy on his arrival. I would wonder why is it so special when people return?

I can strongly say this craze has finally ended. Being in India is a choice many people take voluntarily. Going to a foreign land is what many people choose not for better living but for a better experience. Somehow i can see the changes happen right before me. The next generation would prob choose to be home and that would be a better option. That is why my friends, India has finally arrived.

Being at home still makes you special and content. We dont have to change our outlook, make excuses for the accent, wonder if the neighbours can smell our curry powder or even change our wardrobe. Everybody knows what it takes to come from a country of myriad colors and diverse traditions. The better part is we feel proud about it. You dont realize how much you miss something until it is really missing!!!

Reliving moments

2009-03-16T09:59:00.000-07:00

Monday mornings were mostly blue... A year ago, the ecstacy of sleeping in for over 15 mins would cause a whirlwind shift to my schedule. The rush to the bus-stop, wondering if its going to be the volvo or the SAP Shuttle, whether i would be lucky to get a place to sit, praying that there are no jams on the way, wondering if my manager is keeping tabs on the no of times i come in late, day dreaming about mondays where i dont have to get set and go, half awake and aware of the crowd, sifting through the work-to-do and the deadlines to meet.... the fast paced life of a working professional!!!

Many evenings have gone by, blissfully unaware off, there have been days when i have never seen the light shine outside, except during coffee-breaks and after lunch walks. Dinners were always fast-to-cook nice-to-eat consumed hurriedly during the wee hours...

Spring could slide to summer and to autumn and slow down at winter without raising a reaction except a sigh here and a shrug there. Weekend trips to Chennai to veg out in my fav couch was always my idea of recharging and the ride back to bangalore was always with a heavy heart.

Now although i miss chennai, weekends are fun-filled and there are no deadlines. I can stand and stare at the sunshine as long as i want.. Bikin, hikin, cyclin.. have time for all that. Dinners are always delicious and we even have desserts that are sinful indulgence. Yet is it possible that i miss that life?

What is it about us? Why do we always crave for the things that we dont have? Why is it that the grass is always greener on the other side? I dont want that hectic life back but i think somewhere along the way when you dont get to work, a part of you is lost.. the lack of identity. Dont get me wrong, i love my life as it is.. but i would also love to do something that would be food for thought!! I need to figure it out, which is why am thankful for the time i have now... until then... am enjoying the lazy days and the hot home cooked meals!!!

The art of Skiing

2009-02-23T11:34:00.000-08:00

It all happens when the winter sets in and there is snow everywhere. You want to get out and get somewhere but all you can do in this dreary weather is skiing/tubing or watchin' movies/musicals.
Since i wanted to be outdoors and i wanted to check whether i have improvised the art of skiing, i was inviting trouble.

Its not that i hate skiing or i suck at it. Its just that i never get better at it, or maybe i do but its definetly happening in a very slow pace. Atleast this time i dint fall as much and i even learnt to get up without taking my skiis off. This was perfect solution for attempting to ski for much longer.

I have learnt that its definetly easier if you are lighter and also helps if u have shorter skiis(would have to push forward harder). You can never trust the ski instructor and you hate him as much as your fourth grade math teacher. It works if you act in reverse to your instincts but how the hell do you do that? It hurts when kids who have just learn to walk jet ski and land next to you when you have almost managed to ski four inches forward without falling. Holding on to a rope with your skis and without your poles to move forward is a sure recipe for muscle ache the day after.

We went skiing in Nashoba Valley, Boston this weekend and although i dint ski really well, i enjoyed it better than last time. The next time i can do it without the instructor, so am definetly moving forward. Mohawk has to wait until next year!!

S.O.U.L.M.A.T.E.S

2008-12-28T21:26:00.000-08:00

Ever since Monica and Chandler declared that they were not soul mates, I wondered if there was really something destined, pre-planned about marriage and would it guarantee that you live happily every after.

I’m not sure whether soul mates exist, but this is more about believing in such an intended, fatalistic knot between two strangers who decide to spend the rest of their lives together. The more I think about, the more I’m convinced that it is a hard-to-believe concept.

Relationships require lot of investment – Investment of time, care, love, money. It requires lot of patience and endurance, giving up the insignificant clichés and fighting for things that matter most. Definitely such a thing is complicated and nobody would make it easier by suggesting that throw a net and find your soul mate and I give you a 100% (time-back) guarantee of happiness, not even the almighty. Having said that why is it that some couples are happy and some are hanging by the thread, staying together for society and not truly finding the satisfaction of having a better half.

With no experience in marital life, even I can say that there are days when you would most likely want to kill the other person or not even bother to strike a conversation. The silence suits you both but it doesn’t mean you have reached the end of the road.

If you know this is the man I want to walk with through bumpy roads, share your moments of high, crack silly jokes, trust with your deep secrets, not wonder how you look in the morning, then you have found yourself a partner – for life. You don’t opt out the minute you have a difference of opinion but what makes things easier, is laying out the ground rules for any fight.

Being in your late twenties in the ever transforming Indian melodrama is not something I want to talk about in this post, but if you have stuck so far without tying the knot, then when you actually take the step forward, trust me, we know what we are getting into. We have weighed the merits and demerits and even picturized most of the fights but still want to go ahead.

It probably makes us more prepared but doesn’t make it easier. So am taking the step forward and opening my doors to the insanity, companionship and the romance. Here’s to me.

I dont beleive in soul mates but i do beleive in the man i'm marrying and may we live happily ever after!!

Fall

2008-11-18T10:33:00.000-08:00

When i landed in JFK, i was greeted with shades of red. The leaves were all in different hues and shades and it was a breath taking sight. The rustic red was nestled between subtle yellows and deep orange and if you have always thought of the color of leaves as green, this was a treat to your eyes.

I thoroughly relished the sight of Fall and was drunk in crimson. Little did i know that such joy lasts for not more than a week. The morning after, the leaves started falling. When i looked out of my window i could almost hear the thud when each one fell flat on the ground, lifeless and in mourning. I felt sorry for the bare trees.

Today when i look out, all i see are the leaf-less trees waiting for the snow to settle. But what cheers me is that pretty soon, there will be new leaves and the trees will come alive again. With everything that ends, a new beginning awaits you, so there is no sorrow that is too hard to cope with.

I seem to love the seasons and the changes they bring along, since for almost a quarter of a century i have basked in nothing but sunlight. So everyday when the sun peeks through my window i cherish it and my whole day becomes cheery. Seasons are good and change is always for the better.

To a new beginning and a new place.

Bundle of Joy

2008-09-24T00:34:00.000-07:00

The past few days my primary job is to entertain a 8 month old little angel so she eats her cerelac and drinks her milk with a smile. Ever since i styled my crowning glory, i assume she thinks am her puppy.

Babies are the form of God. Their smile steals your heart and when they grasp you with their delicate fingers, your heart skips a beat. Never mind, that to bring them into this transient world, the mother has to endure a year of pain & struggle but one look at her blessing and the pain vanishes.

I wonder what goes inside the mind of this little bundle of joy. Do they think we are funny since we entertain them with our acrobatics and mimic all animals to make her smile? Do they understand when we speak to them? This angel, Aradhana, has learnt to make noises drumming her fingers on her mouth and gargling water. All i want to do is scoop her up and flood her with kisses when she does this with a mischeivous smile. I'm almost sure she already knows that we love it when she does this.

When we our born we have no impression of this world, so i'm certain that what we are today is how we are raised. The experiences, the people and the family are the people who shape us. We are born with a clean slate and every kid is special and the embodiment of God. Isn't it then uncouth to separate and categorize them like vegetables in a supermarket with price tags? Will our generation shed this surreal hypocrisy and move ahead? Will we be the carriers of change, the suffering for the greater good?

I'm not sure of the answers but i know every moment i spend with her is a moment of immense joy and i cherish it with all my heart. She is a very special kid with loving parents and am sure she will grow up to be a lovely girl. I just wish the world takes good care of her.

Someday she will know this post was about her, till then sleep on my lovely angel, dont grow up too fast!!!

Addicted to

2008-09-18T22:55:00.000-07:00

Arey Re Arey Re - Happy Days
Kangal Irandal - Subramaniapuram

SAROJA - HEROES all the way!!!

2008-09-14T09:37:00.000-07:00

SAROJA directed by Venkat Prabhu is a thriller alright. The comedy is so good that even the normal kidnapping story has been made edge-of -the-seat, laugh your heart out thriller. A big Hi-Five to Venkat. The movie has some real good highlights - Chennai 600028's main cast in a scene, Siva's TV serial dialogues - a real rib tickler, Premji's never tiring romantic interludes, SPB Charan's rolly polly figure and ofcourse the new-comer Vaibhar(he is going places).

The women in the movie are non-existent and Yuvan has some good numbers to his cap. I loved Jai's tation dialogue and Shiva's entry. Jairam and Prakash Raj give a seasoned performance and Sampath has done a commendable job.

Seeing Saroja restored my belief in Tamil Cinema. Off late i have seen some real dampners like Kuruvi and Kuselan and was wondering why heroes take the style, statement, dialogue, item number and stunt route all the time. They should be willing to experiment new stories and don better characters. Although the story is a tad old, Venkat has handled the screenplay and casting with finesse.

Vekat doesnt disappoint his cult fan following. SAROJA - Heroes all the way!!!

Hillary and Chiru

2008-08-27T06:35:00.000-07:00

Chiranjeevi launched his party Prajarajyam yesterday in Tirupathi amidst much fanfare and a huge fan following.

Hillary Cliton urged democratic party supporters to vote for Barack Obama to end eight years of poor failed Repulblican rule.

Chiru is from a middle class family who spent the better part of his 30 years in tinsel town, paving his way to become the leader of AP. It is not new in India that stars turn politicians overnight and hands down, they win elections. Although Chiru vouches to get rid of corruption, support agriculture, aid IT development and tackle Naxalites, only the future will tell us which of these will see the light of the day.

Hillary, the first ever woman who was so close to being the President, gave a emphatic speech to garner support for Barack Obama. Anybody who reads her transcript have to say that she said the right words and there is a ring of presidency in those words. Healthcare, Mortgage crisis, war, outsourcing and oil are the key issues threatening to topple the economy of US and she hit the nail on the head by shedding light on the failed Republican rule. She spent years as a New York Senator and has tangible plans for making the economy stronger and hope for a better tommorrow.

Looking at both these events, i wonder if India is heading in the right direction. Is it healthy for a nation that is developing at such a rapid pace to support yesteryear superstars to head the country? Are we encouraging people to choose shortcuts to get to the top? How much does Chiru really know about foreign affairs and infrastructure development? Are we asking the right questions? Will Indian politics ever get cleaner and greener?

God Bless India. Godspeed.

Indian Sport: Chasing the dark

2008-08-14T03:42:00.000-07:00

Lets be fair here; By a show of hands how many of us knew either Abhinav Bindra or Saina Nehwal before Olympics? Or even better before Abhinav won the gold.

To be fair, Abhinav winning the gold medal is a moment of great pride and joy for the nation, but by no means is this nation worthy of any credit, for supporting this man's dreams. It belongs to him and his family alone. India is a cricket crazy nation and not only does this sport occupy most of the sports pages but it does not entertain the common man. People who make it to the indian team do it against all odds and even when they play they play against all odds.

Other than cricket, no other sport is watched and encouraged. Paes, Bhupathi and Sania Mirza stirred some interest in Tennis but that dint last for long. Indians spend more time measuring Sania's skirt length than appreciate her forehand. Even CHAK DE does not motivate people to watch Hockey.

People like Abhinav Bindra and Saina Nehwal chased their dreams without any support from the government. They were not encouraged by the people of this country. They fought their battles alone to go about playing or shooting, to be precise, the sport they were passionate about. To say that their win brings hope for more olympic victories is like chasing the dark.

Bindra and Nehwal did not succeed because of the system; they succeeded despite it.

A band full of convicts

2008-08-13T02:40:00.000-07:00

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demands resignation from Shibu Soren

On 28 November 2006, Shibu Soren was found guilty of murder in the twelve year old case of the kidnapping and murder of his former personal secretary Shashinath Jha. Apparently Jha was abducted from the Dhaula Kuan area in Delhi on May 22, 1994 and taken to Piska Nagari village near Ranchi where he was killed. The CBI chargesheet stated that Jha's knowledge of the reported deal between the Congress and the JMM to save the then Narasimha Rao government during the July 1993 no-confidence motion and an act of sodomy was the motive behind the murder. The charge-sheet asserted that: "Jha was aware of the illegal transactions and also expected and demanded a substantial share out of this amount from Soren."

Shibu Soren walks a free man
The Delhi High Court on 23 Aug 2007 overruled the District Court and acquitted Soren, [4]. stating that "the prosecution has miserably failed in bringing home the charge against the accused persons. The trial court's analysis is far from convincing and not sustainable."

Manmohan Singh wins no-confidence motion.

Shibu Soren as Jharkhand CM?
JMM chief Shibu Soren on Tuesday staked claim for Chief Ministership of Jharkhand, demanding that the incumbent Madhu Koda should quit soon, failing which support to the state government will be withdrawn.

A well drafted screenplay which was enacted with finnesse. The audience is the common man who can clearly see the band full of convicts and the music of the guilty. How helpless are we really to stop this?

Cheennnaiii

2008-08-05T02:06:00.000-07:00

I have crossed half the globe and now am in Singapore. After an insignificant tour of the city, am all set to land in my favourite place in this entire world - Chennai.

Lets hope the rest of my flight is just as eventful( i slept thro most of it).

Kuselan: Out of Focus

2008-08-02T01:22:00.000-07:00

Dolphins in Malayoor, you must be kidding. Superstar is shooting for Annamalai Part II or Chandramukhi Part II, not both. Z Category black cats is headed by overweight Senthil Nathan, now thats really crosses the line.
What was Vasu thinking?

When i watched Kuselan, i was constantly thinking what was running in the director's mind. Surely he couldn't beleive this was a great movie. Either he assumed we were naive and just having Rajni would satisfy our appetite or he thought we were dumb to notice the subtle potholes and visible disconnects in the movie.
He got so caught up with his success of Chandramukhi, which i have to admit was a good venture, that he had to stuff Kuselan with it and expected it to fly. Only the movie dint take off at all.

I walked into a packed theater in San Jose and was ready with confetti to greet the Superstar in Silicon Valley. Clearly i dint know there were so many Indians and Tamilians living here and was shocked with the efforts they had taken to promote the movie. Towards the last fifteen minute run, there were groans ,catcalls and witty comments by us. We couldnt wait for the movie to end, it was a treat to watch the Superstar but that was not good enough. Where the hell was the story we were promised?

I dont want to dig into the movie since am sure you can read the synopsis from the official website, but this was a good story. A poor village barber and a larger than life hero, bonded as school buddies. Rajni was doing the cameo and this was close to his real life persona but why was he called Ashok Kumar? Why dint they even have a fifteen minute flashback of their early days? How could Meena look so perfect with mascara when she was a barber's wife with no bank balance? Surely, she is a better actress. Why do we have Nayan dancing in the rain suddenly? Vadivelu was loud and where did he lose his sense of humour?Mayil Sami, Manobala, Thyagu, Krishnan, Vijayakumar, Nizhagal Ravi and Prabhu never saw the light of the day.

Vasu wanted to give us the movie which had Rajni as-is. His focus was the Superstar and Chandramukhi. Pasupathy, the only relief in the movie who did some real acting, dint stand a chance. He was teary eyed and trembling inside out most of the time. The movie is a dampner and the director should learn from this mistake. This could have been one of the movies where we would fondly remember Rajni and see it several times to grin at his charm. Unfortunately, nobody in their right mind would do that. This is one of those off-the-shelf movies which we would forget in a week.

Kuselan - Out of focus.

Rainy Days

2008-07-23T12:01:00.000-07:00

When it rains the only thing i want to do is to curl up with a book and a steaming cup of coffee. But today i did something different. I sat on my favourite recliner from where i can peer at the world outside. I gazed at the rain , the sky and the greenery that comes alive once the rain stops.
I played Suttum Vizhi Sudar Than in my laptop and it was perfect.

I have always had a strong fascination for Bharathiyaar songs and this one tops the list. There is something incredibly romantic and mystic about the way the song ends - Maruva Kathal Kondaen, it makes me wonder what was running on his mind when he penned these words.

As i watched the rain, i wondered if there was a way one could wash away the pain and the unwanted memories we had in our lives. Was it as simple as taking a bath and absolving all those sins or does it always require deep introspection. When the greenery comes alive and gushes emerald at me, i wonder do we also feel deeply rejunevated when the past fades away and there is only hope for the future and the joy of the present.

Rain drops and Bharathi are a heady combination, even better than books and coffee.

My adventures with the DSLR

2008-07-22T18:37:00.001-07:00

More images on my photo blog

Coming Soon - KUSELAN

2008-07-16T13:27:00.000-07:00

I can still recollect standing in line eagerly waiting to catch a glimpse of Shivaji and watching it as early as possible. Now in a few days Superstar hits the screen again with a cameo in Kuselan.

Although it is a remake of a Malayalam movie Katha Parayumbol, the music and the shots i have seen so far are promising.

As long as it has the adrenaline pumping drama of the superstar, i have no complaints. The countdown begins.

The world in my Hands!!!

2008-07-15T12:25:00.000-07:00

I logged into facebook after a really long time and found this tool and really liked it. I always wanted to keep track of the places i've visited and the ones am eager to visit. I recently wanted to do a wholescale research on Alaska and then i dint want to plan too much too early so i stopped.

Here is a snapshot of the places i've visited and some which i want to visit. Also specially marked are the places that are my favourites. This is a tool provided by tripadvisor and although the original tool provides the names of the cities i decided to leave it aside for you guys to guess!! So go ahead and have some fun.

Sex and the City

2008-07-09T16:12:00.000-07:00

When you are bored to your wits end and then utterly jobless, i thank god for sitcoms like Friends and Sex and the City.

I have watched FRIENDS so many times that i can even remember the witty remarks of Chandler and every episode crystal clear so this time around i chose SATC to kill my boredom.
My good friend K had told me about this sitcom when i had kicked the idiot box out of my life and finally i found my way to it.

Although i was skeptical about the series and wondered which would feature more Sex or the City, having watched it i could say two scoops of each and shake it with a Cosmo and have four women talk about men and add a pinch of platonic love and there you go.

Aside the trashiness and the nudeness portrayed in the series, i actually got around liking this one and maybe i would watch the movie someday. Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha are good friends and its easy to say who you like the best. I thouroughly loved Miranda.

The series ends with a rendevouz in Paris but if your bored to your bones there are many sites which screen them online or better yet you can read the book first. I would say just plunge into it and go with the flow.

Nadal crowned King

2008-07-07T10:39:00.000-07:00

The Wimbledon Gentlemen Singles Finals on July 6th was undoubtedly the best in the history of tennis. Rafael Nadal and Roger Federrer bring out the ultimate best in each other. The charm of this game was that it did not matter who clinched the title after a gruelling 4.5 hours but the indisputale winner was TENNIS itself.

Nadal had never come this close to the championship and Federrer had never tried so hard to win one. It was in everyone's mind and i guess even the Swiss 5-time champion acknowledged that Nadal's game was better and he was the deserving champion.

Nadal had already slipped through 2 championship points and was defeated in both the tie breaks and it was a releif that the 5th set did not require a tie break. Neverthless one should never underestimate the heart of a champion and thus Nadal ran left and right and picked up the serves of Federrer with power and audacity. He slandered the ball and sent it flying to the never-before-hit corners of the court and Federrer never once gave up.

Watching these two men play make us understand how important it is to be mentally tough and never to give up if you are passionate about what you want. There is no such thing as trying too hard and if you want it, you better run for it.

Rafael Nadal emerged as the winner of the Wimbledon championship but this was never about who was crowned since we had seen and witnessed the greatest game in tennis and the race was not about winning. Emotional and child-like Nadal ran into the arms of his father and we could see how important this win was for him.

Rafael Nadal stopped Federrer from making history and the brakes were well applied. I just hope we see a similar game in the Flushing Meadows.

Diets dont work

2008-06-30T13:03:00.001-07:00

I keep seeing the weight watchers ad on TV and although i find it interesting until i actually went on a diet, i never realized how difficult and restraining diets were.

About a year ago, i did a week of GM diet not for losing weight but for health reasons. I read about it and found it a very intriguing way to get rid of the toxins sitting comfortably in me.
Now am in a desperate need to get rid of the extra fat sitting in me, so i decided to do it again.

I cant remember if the first time it was this difficult but am having trouble sticking to the diet. Maybe in the past few days, i have been eating cheesecake and ice cream(hence the diet) so its self-restraining and over the edge to eat watermelons and steamed vegetables.

As per the GM diet, the first day is only fruits and if you stick to watermelons there is a chance to lose more lbs. There are six more days to go and i keep wondering if all this is going to show to a difference in the weighing scale.

The first time around i stuck only to the diet, but since am more desperate am gymming everyday as well. More updates as the diet progresses.

I'm in love!!

2008-04-27T18:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday i had the first bite of a cheesecake and i fell in love with it. Ever since i saw the episode in FRIENDS where Rachel and Chandler eat cheescake from the corridor, i wanted to know how it tasted. So when i bumped into a cheesecake factory in Palo Alto, it was natural for me to throw caution to the wind and order a piece of Choclate cheesecake.

For those of you who have never tasted one, well what can i say? If you cant fall in love then have a cheesecake, its by far the better and tastes delicious, or should i say sinfully delicious.
The cake melts in the mouth and you dont have a clue of the fats adding to your circles, enlarging them.

Chocolates leave me on a perpetually high ever, and i love Tiramusu and chocolate mousse. But nothing quite compared to the cheesecake i had. I wish i could have cheesecake everyday but too much of anything spoils the taste.(I have learned this from having gum all the time) so right now am drowing in the taste of cheesecake in my mouth and shall savour it. I hope the next time comes sooner.

Going Green?

2008-04-22T12:20:00.000-07:00

This article would probably give you a jumpstart at how turning green, even if its too little too late can help going a big way into environmental healthiness.

Does being Wealthy mean being Happy?

2008-04-17T13:02:00.000-07:00

A recent New York Times article talks about whether having enough money at your disposal gurantee that you are actually happy. Now this is an interesting aspect. Would you be happier if you could go shopping and buy everything you wanted to buy or would it make you feel good if you had shorter commute distances to office and had lot of time to spend with family and friends.

There is a flip-side. If you had all the money you wanted, then you can choose to work less and still do the things you always wanted to. But does money alone guarantee happiness?

How much of money will make us satisfied? If we have above average income, or if we are earning more than our neighbours or friends? How do we measure that this much money is enough to make me happy?

Above all, should happiness be measured with reference to money?

The time-tested theories and the questions that are never answered. This article also lists some perspectives that are really interesting to know.

Siddharth, Ayutha Ezhuthu and BITS Pilani

2008-04-10T13:09:00.000-07:00

Siddharth stars in Bommarillu, Ayutha Azuthu and Nuvostante(did i spell it right?). Ofcourse i shall duly ignore Boys where he really launched his career.

He has a charming image and i really liked some of the songs in all three of his movies and coming to think of it, he had done a commendable performance in all of them.

This bit from ayutha ezuthu was what i was listening to today and hats off to mani ratnam and vaira muthu for thinking of the lyrics and picturising it the way it was done. Most 20 something girls and boys would relate to this lingo and rapport shared on screen by Trisha and Siddharth.

"Nee mazhai naan illai
Etharkumel uravillai,

Vidai kodu pogeren
Eeramai vazhgiren....

Nee yaro.. Naan yaro...
Kann thondri Kann Kanna Kanneero"

Gone are the days when we lived by the limits that were set by parents, grand parents and elders of the family. We define our own limits and we sometimes dare to go beyond them.

When i think of my days in college, something that stays out is the free spirit we enjoyed there. I know if we go back, nothing would change except for the fun we had and it will get a level higher. Now we all have cool, calculated fun which is restricted by the clock and by the dangers peril on the streets. Back then, we dint care for anything but the 11 o clock curfew. Making it in never meant the fun was over, infact it was beginning to get a new dimension.

So many dreams, wild and secretive.. some came true others went with the wind. But we all learnt a little bit, if not about computers atleast about ourselves.

Paradigm Shift

2008-04-09T20:30:00.000-07:00

Stephen Covey's Seven habits of highly effective people is a real self-help book. Atleast it is one of the book(of the few i have read), that doesn't really list some exercises which would make you look better in your's and other's eyes.

The best part of this book is about the paradigm shift. It was interesting to read about it and for a while i was begining to understand what the author was trying to say.It is difficult for me to beleive that in most of life's situations we have to act rather than react. Most of you would wonder why that's so difficult. It is difficult:- Imagine spending a weekend getting your clothes pressed instead of vegging out in front of television because it would make the rest of the week easier. Imagine missing a game(Suns Vs Spurs) for a trip to grocery store since you want to avoid visiting the weekend crowd. Ofcourse, life is all about choices, the ones we make and the ones we ignore. Going to the grocery store is a choice but being proactive is a choice as well. So you can imagine how complicated this book really is.

There is another concept of circles - Circle of influence Vs circle of concern. The time when fatalism and trying hard enough is separated by a thin line. You must know which of life's events and people fall on which side. Knowing what you can control and what you cant and the wisdom to know the difference.

In all, this book opened a lot of doors in my mind and got me introspecting more and more. The monk who sold his ferrari was the first book i read and thought this genre of books is not for me and stephen covey got me thinking. Reading such books can actually enrich your life. So i give a thumbs up for this book.

P.S: This post was actually written watching the game :), so ignore obvious erros. NBA overrules and my choice was clear :)

My Alter Ego

2008-04-09T16:04:00.001-07:00

I opened a new blog - The other side of me(listed on the right), where you can check out my hobbies - pictures, books and the side of me thats invested in doing things i love :)

The French Truth

2008-03-25T13:10:00.000-07:00

“Every man has two countries, his own and France"

Read this NewYork Times article on the Guide to the French, simply amusing and gives you a better insight to the land of fashion and glamour.

3 Years and still going

2008-03-11T09:52:00.001-07:00

Its been 3 years and a little more since i started blogging. Looks like the going has been good!!!

Through thick and thin... YAWN!!

2008-03-11T09:35:00.000-07:00

I picked up this book, thinking it would be an easy read. But i was wrong. The book did not have a great story line other than two sisters trying to lose weight, but it took a lot of effort to even complete the book.

When i finished it today, i gave myself a hi-five. Man whats with me, why cant i just put aside a book thats so boring as this one? Or do all readers have this undying nerve to finish the book and then claim it to be so boring. That goes even with movies :)

Anyway, the style of writing was confusing, sometimes its the first person and then the third. I would rather prefer the author stuck to one.

The best part of the book was the entry of DB Sweeney, since am doubly sure people wont read this book - Its the dog :) Kind of makes you want to have one.

The only thing worth in this book is the fact that it is difficult to lose weight. You need to try it in so many ways - WeightWatchers, Diet, Pointers, Scale, Clothes, Mirrors - the world is so determined to make you feel that you have to lose weight.

Anyways, if you have trouble sleeping, then go ahead and pick this one otherwise stay away!!

Exams over!!

2008-02-27T13:16:00.000-08:00

After a long time, i was preparing for an exam. My mom was constantly reminding me to read and take some sample tests and i felt i was reliving my 12th.

But its not as bad as you think. I was preparing for the license test and my mom wanted me to get it right the first time even if the DMV was considerate enough to give me two more attempts. She said "Why three, you have to clear it the first time itself" like it was some kind of benchmark which will be used in judging how good or bad i drive. Besides i'm mighty sure that this news will travel to all streets and blocks in my neighbourhood in chennai :))

So i prepared and took a couple of sample tests listed in the website and i thought this was fairly simple. Use logic, throw in some common sense, learn a couple of rules and you are set. There were a couple of questions i dreaded about parking uphill, downhill but i had the answers memorized for them as well.

I took the paper and went aside to mark the answers. It was quite simple, what does flashing yellow mean, should you stop or pass, should you wait or cross and then the uphill question. As with all exams, the one question you fear the most will somehow appear in the exam with its twisted ugly face smirking at you and murmuring "Gotcha!!"

I marked all of them and gave it for correction and then when he was passing through the answers marking the wrong ones i was thinking of mommy dear :)
When he was done, i looked at him with a smile and Voila, I Cleared.

For a long time i dont have to face exams anymore. PHEW!!!

Interstate Highway System - Part1 (About America)

2008-02-25T12:41:00.000-08:00

Now that the writers strike is over and done with, some of my favourite sitcoms are back in action. But this is not about that.

There are two things that have fascinated me from the time i have landed in US. 1) Freeways and 2) Sports. Sports will have to wait since am still hiding from the Suns loss from yesterday.

When i was in Germany for the first time, all i could think about was the AUTOBAHN. My colleague had given me some information about this system of highways/freeways/expressways, but nothing would have prepared me for what i saw. Plus the topping was there was no speed limit as long as you were within the German Borders. Can you beat that?

So i did not find it surprising that the US Freeways take a leaf from that book. Apparently, the Interstate Highway system was lobbied by President Eisenhower who was influenced by his experiences as a young soldier fighting the World War II and was in Germany crossing the Autobahn. Initially, what was commissioned as a means to aid military transport has become an integral part of the country's day to day transport mechanism.

Some facts about the freeways.

a)Most of them need you to maintain a 65mph speeding or you will have a cop chasing your wheels.
b) Primary Interstates are assigned a number less than 100
c) East-West highways - Even numbers
d) North South highways - Odd numbers

There are still some disputes about which was the first interstate highway to be commissioned and which was the last act of completion. Nevertheless this system proves that the leaders of this country had a vision and they started a plan that went well beyond their term of power, something that speaks for the country as well.

When i get back to Bengalooru, i will again wonder how much longer should we wait?

A thousand times over

2008-02-12T21:44:00.000-08:00

Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini does not require any introductions.

How much of what you were and were not as a child haunts you when you grow up and sting you time and again is well potrayed by the author.

The author's in depth potrayal of Afghan, post and pre Taliban and the change catches the reader's imagination. The unexpected twists and the characterization of Hassan and Amir live with you long after you have laid down the book.

I was in awe of the language and the choice of words and how he avoided cliches like the plague.(smiles). I started reading the book to kill time during my train journey but i was so hooked on to the book that i finished it the same day i came back.

I might probably go and see the movie as well.

Kite Runner, by far the best novels i have read. Thumbs Up!!!

Giants Vs Patriots

2008-02-04T13:14:00.000-08:00

What do you think?

The first thing i get fascinated by in the US is not the niagara, liberty or the grand canyon.
Its the SUPERBOWL XLII - Giants Vs Patriots.

The second most watched program ever in American history, this game made people swear through all of it. Tom Brady was the man most people pitched for but Eli Manning emerged as the undisputed victor.

The Giants played good defense for the first half of the game and Eli stole the show with the winning touchdown and led his team to victory.

My brother-in law's vocal chords went for a toss when Eli scored the touchdown and i was still grappling with the details of the game but i knew the team we were backing(giants) where reaching where we wanted them to go.

My sister and i went shopping for groceries on Saturday and i realized that the stores were more crowded than ever. She explained whenever the SuperBowl happens, people throw a party and invite friends to watch the game over beer and food. Nice tradition. We had a couple of people coming, no beer but still it was fun.

I learnt a new game, gawked at Eli, booed Tom and understood America a little bit more.

Dollar Dreams

2008-02-01T11:29:00.000-08:00

Nobody is dreaming of dollars anymore with the value plummenting but being in the US has been a strange dream for many. Sometimes it comes with half the family migrated or with the neighbours envy or to get out of the great indian hypocrism. Neverthless the intentions dont matter.

Somehow i never assumed US would be breathtaking. I dint imagine coming out of the airport and not batting my eyelid and jaws dropping. It was quite like any other country i have visited and to think of it less picturesque. I dint think i would hear myself saying that India is better but thats true. Uptill now i think india is def better and more like home.

Ofcourse considering the fact that i have stepped out of the house only for a trip to Walmart and other whole stores, i havent explored California that much to claim that it is boring but somehow when you enter a new land, you get a feeling about it and that pretty much governs your stay there.

Although i started off in a dull note i hope this trip is more exciting than it sounds.
Cheers to me for landing in yet another country :)

Little bundles of Joy

2007-12-28T01:01:00.000-08:00

“Every child is special” and that’s what Taare Zameen Par is all about.

Ishaan is boy struggling to cope with the overload of home works and class works, bullies in the neighborhood and an overachieving brother. Ishaan’s world is filled with asterix, aliens and other such fictional characters.

Aamir does a splendid job in showcasing a child’s dreams and thoughts. Ishaan’s interest in the under water world, his thought process of multiplication and how he sees characters, people and things are brought to the silver screen with sensitivity and creativeness. Kudos to Aamir – excellent directorial debut.

Taare Zameen Par strikes a deep chord within us. We don’t have to force our children to run the rat race and turn into rats. We don’t have to choke them with our ambitions and aspirations. They don’t have to win everything and it is ok to loose. We don’t spend quality time with kids, trying to understand their dreams and passions and it need not be the ones which are largely acceptable by society. It brings to us, a shocking reality of how we manipulate children to really do what we want them to do and kill their spirit.

Ishaan is the real hero in this movie but credits to Aamir for bringing such a movie into an otherwise comedy, glamour sick silver screen.

Children are free spirited and corrupt less bundles of joy. So let them be.

Period of Excellence

2007-12-19T22:31:00.000-08:00

I complete Three years in SAP today.

When i look back, i have lots to feel proud off.

Good friends, good work and some rewards - this has been a significant milestone in my career.

Hope the good luck continues....

Now, am off to celebrate.... !!!!

Through a lens

2007-12-19T10:12:00.000-08:00

These are pics from my trip to Hampi - the world heritage site.

One has to notice the carvings on the pillars. Breathtaking.

A lone mandap - once the rani's mahal.

Pillars that speak a million stories..

More pictures to follow.....

P.S: Man, i do qualify for the DSLR :)

Chennai Special

2007-12-19T02:09:00.000-08:00

What makes movies like Oram Po, Chennai 600028 & Pollathavan click?

No points will be awarded for the right answer.

These movies cater to a niche audience and can be appreciated only by folks from Chennai. When i say from Chennai, i mean, people who have lived in Chennai and can feel the city. The city which offers the beaches, road-side tea stalls, loads of litter, pleasant evening breezes, annoying hawkers, myriad colors of the sky. Ofcourse only some can appreciate the smell of Chennai - Not koovam but there is a smell associated with each city. Chennai reminds me spicy potato curry, suda suda sundal, newly cut mangoes, filter kaapi, masala dosa, jasmine, camphor....

These movies do not capture any of this. But their main focus is ofcourse the city. The city which throws its doors wide open and welcomes you. Chennai 28 is about gully cricket, Pollathavan is about a boy against don fight, Oram po is about the autorickshaws. But they are all about Chennai.

A must-see for every Chennaite.

Sutum Vizhi Sudar Than

2007-12-04T01:42:00.000-08:00

One of the best love songs and my favourite Bharathiyar song.

Sutum Vizhi Sudar than - Kannama
Suriye chandiraro!

Vattakkariye vizhiyil - Kannamma
Vanakkarumai kollo!

Pattu karuneela - Pudavai
Padhitthanal Vairam!

Natta nadunisiyil - Therium
Natchathirangalladi!

Solai malar oliyo - Unathu
Sundarapunnagai than!

Neela kadalalaiye - Unathu
Nenjin alaigaladi!

Kolak kuyil oosai - Unathu
Kuralin inimaiyadi!

Valai kumariyadi - Kannamma
Maruvak kadhal kondein!!!

Sathiram pesugirai - Kannamma
Sathiram yedhukkadi?

Athiram kondavarke - Kannamma
Sathiram undodi?

Moothavar sammadhiyil - Vadhuvai
Muraigal pinbhu saivom

Kathiruppenodi! - Ithupar
Kannatthu muttham ondru!

Billa

2007-12-03T00:01:00.001-08:00

'Billa' starring Ajith and Nayanthara is easily the most awaited movie of this year after Sivaji.
The songs are already topping the charts. (Available here)

The trailer screams of suave screenplay and direction. The cast assembled is top notch sparring Namitha. Neverthless, Ajith holds lot of promise and i beleive it would be a never-before-seen performance from the Ultimate star. The shoes he is filling is larger than life but no comparisons please.

My Name is Billa and Vethalaiya potendi bring nostalgic memories of Rajni but the new Billa will be a must see in a multiplex movie of this year.

The curtains rise and Billa hits Chennai in December.

The Perfect Manager

2007-09-27T21:49:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: There are always some exceptions, but between few and far.

Now my title is an oxymoron. There is no such thing as a perfect manager in the world of IT. Now don't get me wrong when i say this, because this is not a figment of my imagination but the truth and nothing but the truth.

There are different kinds here(strictly from my observation) and i take fancy in naming them the following way.

Spine of Jelly - This category is one who doesn't have a stiff back. His spine is so flexible that to get up the ladder, he will do anything it takes. Not knowing which is the right way, he always take the short ones.

Mac & Cheese - The name says it all. The only skill these ones possess is an undeniable ability to butter up(mind you, the layer is as thick as tar) his higher ups, subordinates and if need arises his own team members, lest he be exposed.

Highway Man - These are the ones who arguably profess 'Its my or the highway'. So they would have their ears shut and would only hear what they want to hear. Not so pleasurable to work with, this breed of men are almost always wrong.

Nocturnal owls - To say the least, they start working only after the sun has set. The worst of all, they are ignorant of your commute back home and are conviniently deaf of your mute arguments. They are the ones burning the midnight oil and getting their passion out after the clock has ticked away. Sadly enough, their rule is the law for you to abide or get sucked in.

Clueless Cupid - My personal favourite. The only primary task they do is warm their seats and keep a tab on people slipping in and out of the cafetria. Mind you, they do a lot of other significant work which requires you to be awake and devoid of brains.

Superman - This breed is slightly tolerable. Other than insisting on taking all decisions and stepping into your shoes almost all the time, they do and get some work done.

The last of this breed is the ones that pisses me the most. Wielding their powers and almost not giving you a chance to realize you have a voice, this Megalomaniacs, are the kings and we are their slaves to order around.

Having described the people we work for, you must be wondering how i continue to work. You have to grow a few more layers of ephidermis and have a deaf ear and begin to find a voice. If you are passionate about what you are doing, you are almost always ignorant of these pscychopaths surrounding you.

Good day and have a nice time typing through :))!!!

CHAK DE

2007-09-02T05:13:00.000-07:00

In my last post i criticized SRK's choice of roles and i must say he has done an awesome performance in CHAK DE! INDIA.

Team spirit and an overdose of hockey does good for a cricket crazy nation. The girls have done their bit quite well and some of them look quite pretty and fit their roles without much ado.

Vidya sharma the captain, reminds you of someone seen somewhere before but otherwise the movie has a fresh breath that is almost nostalgic.
This is one movie of SRK which i really have to give him, from choosing to wear a rather old pair of ray ban goggles to choosing the right attire which is mostly sweats he has done the role of a coach to perfection.

It is in movies like this that one gets reminded of the excellent actor that SRK is and not the lover boy and teary eyed husband cameo(which he def needs to shed).

CHAK DE! INDIA is a must-see for everybody and gives you the satisfaction of three hours well spent.

SAP and me

2007-08-30T11:25:00.000-07:00

I work at SAP Labs in Bangalore. By far in the three years i have spent here, today has been the most memorable day for me.

I made a presentation to the Executive Board of SAP and was well appreciated. I have always wondered if i was being at the right place and doing the right thing. Today strengthened my beleif system and am in cloud nine.

Doing a 15minute presentation to the Board requires almost 4months of tireless work and burning the midnight oil. So many dry runs and so many more critical remarks and yet everything paid off in the end.

SAP is indeed the great place to work.

Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna

2007-08-26T09:46:00.000-07:00

Somehow i never had the inclination to watch this Karan Johar flick which had the who's-who of Bollywood. If there is something that i dint want Indians to embrace, it is extra-marital affairs.
Infidelity is something serious and its not about one-night stands. Its about the fall of commitment, the wreckage of trust and i strongly think there can never be a sensible reason to justify this.

Yet, the movie is made of such lofty ideals and it makes a mockery of the teary-eyed women and self-hating males of the KANK cast. Well, thats all they are anyway. Of all the lot, one man emerges with much dignity and suave - AB jr. His character is the most well potrayed and only realistic one.

Here SRK and Rani rush into each others arms knowing full well they are in nuptial bonds with another person. They buzz each other's mobiles when they are supposed to be thinking about their spouses. There are few things i feel strongly about Indian culture. One of this, is sticking to your marriage. Am not saying that all wives have to go through this and stay in a stifling relationship just because they are in matrimonial commitment. But definetly marriage does not fit the fight or flight syndrome. You should try to make it work - dedicate your entire mind, body and soul into making this one relationship work.

I felt enraged that people weren't at their critical best after watching KANK. If you strike for screening Parzania which is a true story(for godsake), i say don't screen movies like KANK which kills the moral and cultural values of our society. But for Bollywood, there is no such thing as bad publicity. I cant give any credit to Karan for creating this shallow script. Next time, Karan, stick to your brains and not what wins you front pages.

The King of Grand Slam

2007-07-08T22:46:00.000-07:00

Roger Federer ( Wimbledon Champion:2003 - 2007) proved once again that he is the King of the court.

Nadal was no easy opponent to beat. He left Federer stunned with some of his forehands and he took full five sets and sent Federer over the threshold. But it is at these moments of intense competition that a star can play his best and what we saw in the final moments was Federer at his best.

Spaniard Nadal was definetly the stronger and more ferocious of the two but it was the crucial leap from 2-2 to 4-2 in the final set that sealed the Championship for Federer. It is not easy to be a defending champion, playing against Nadal, to whom he lost the French Open finals and race towards victory taking each game, one at a time, confidently. Those final 10 minutes one can see the star like Federer orchestrate his best. His tennis is strong, composed and intuitive. His mental agility is unmatched. Although i don't prefer Federer nearing Sampras records, i still give it to him for the star he is. He matched the legendary Bjorn Borg's record of five consecutive titles in Grand Slam and is two short of Sampras' record.

Although he could reach there, he would have to look out for Nadal, the man is learning to play excellent tennis in Grass. Nadal is the undisputable leader of clay so there is something to look out for next year.

Roger Federer is making and breaking history and although Nadal played magnificently, may the best man win and he did win!! Roger Federer - King of Wimbledon.

Pera Keta Chumma Athiruthulla!!!

2007-06-30T06:54:00.000-07:00

I have been craving to write this post from the time i saw Shivaji.

So before i go any further into how the movie was..

If you are not the kind of person who doesn't mind standing for more than an hour to get tickets for a Rajni movie, or would give double the ticket price to watch it on the First day, who hasn't seen Baasha atleast five times, who doesn't know the rush of the song 'Superstaru yaarunu ketaaa..', if you think all this hue and cry for Shivaji is melodrama, dont bother reading any further!!!

Shivaji is all about Rajni. PERIOD.

People say 200bucks for a movie is a crime. I say seeing Rajni's casual stroll in the second half, the way he tosses the one rupee coin, the tea-kadai scene, Vaaji Vaaji and his make-up, what 200? I would gladly pay double of that.

Do not crib about logic or how old Rajni is. Please. Rajni has charisma oozing into every scene he appears, his ishtyle which no living person can match, his raw-magnetism which makes you want to scream 'Thailaivaa..'!! Shivaji gave us all these moments and the sets and comedy was the bonus. I was more than satisfied seeing the make-up which made Thalai look like Bhilla and Baasha. 'Mottai' was like having the second round of payasam after a hearty meal.

I thank Shankar for giving us Shivaji because just seeing a movie can bring an element of excitement in our otherwise mundane life. Waiting to get tickets for Shivaji brings a restlessness into a monotonous life. The excitement, the heated talk, the discussions on how great the movie was, makes our otherwise grumpy coffee breaks more cheerfull. For this and more energy which our Thailavar's movie can bring into our lives, he will always be our 'Superstar'!!

I have never seen Innovative this crowded ever before, PVR has two floors lined with people hoping to catch a glimpse of thalaivar, no matter how old he gets he will still be the crowd puller spanning all age groups. To hell with long distance calls from US, my sister and i talk about how great the movie was over the weekend, not fretting of the ticking dollar. Grannies, kids, teenagers, families all line up to watch our Superstar take center stage. His movies get released once every two years, he understands his audience and we got more than we could savour. If there are people who can't understand what this is all about, the movie wasn't meant for you.

Vayasanalum, unga azhagum, stylum ungalai vittu pogave pogathu!!!
Staro Staro... Nee than SUPERSTAR!!!

The BOSS is here!!

2007-06-14T19:32:00.000-07:00

Its 6.00PM Thursday evening(June 14th) and am on my way back from office home.I cross Innovative multiplex where in the morning there was a huge queue for Sivaji tickets.I can hear blasting music and people cheering and bursting crackers.... Now you cant celebrate Diwali in June.

Yes, Thalaivar's movie is releasing tomm and do we have a more appropriate reason to celebrate? There are a few of my collegues who cant understand the euphoria that we feel about a movie!! I say, its not a movie, its thalai's movie.

Its difficult to explain the blood boiling energy, euphoric fans, tingling enthusiasm we feel when Rajni's movie hits the theaters every two years. He is easily 'The Personality' of Tamil Nadu. I dont care if he is not from Tamil Nadu, i still am his most die-hard fan. Why? I cant explain and i dont want to!!

People can criticize his gimmicks, stunts but here are my two cents.
Every actor has played larger than life stunts, acted 10 years younger, paired with heroines who become their moms etc..
When you can watch a Rajni's movie in the first week with like-minded people, all this goes out of the window.All we care about are his style, his style and his style!!!

Even while i write this post, there is an excitement creeping into me.. Sivaji hits theaters today!!

We welcome you and you are The BOSS!!

Memories from yesteryears

2007-05-07T09:01:00.000-07:00

My friend from college called..... That explains the Euphoria i'm in at the moment.

What is it about friends from college or school that makes conversations so special?

The fact that we can bridge the years we havent spoken with just a call... The ease and comfortable silences which you dont care to fill with cluttering talk... The way you can share everything you want to and not ask for anything back...

My days in BITS have been days of my wonder life. We have had some serious moments but mostly it has been just fun. I have some great friends who i dont talk to on a daily basis and i wont say that we are always there for each other but we can call each other in the dead of the night and on crazy mornings and feel the spirit rising. We have a couple of laughs and some wild chatter and suddenly i feel right at pace with life.

Thats the magic of having friends. To share, to care and to have fun with. You dont need too many of them but a couple of them would make a world of a difference and it does to me!!!

For me, my friends are just a call away :-)

MOZHI

2007-04-29T22:48:00.000-07:00

Mozhi brings out a gentle dignified love story while tacking the insecurities of differently abled people with enough sensitivity that you dont sympathize but challenge their courage.

The hero is a newcomer to Tamil but his portrayal evokes a genuine appreciation of a job well done. Prakashraj and Prithviraj bring out some quick and light moments with straight jokes.

The movie is full of moments which make u smile when you think back. Prakashraj caught off-guard, his proposal to Swarnamallya(who is quite bearable for a change) and celebration of Beethovan's birthday.

I sat back to think during the last few scenes when the hero lashes at the heroine asking her to give life a chance and how at certain points we just have to trust and have faith and not question the future.

Mozhi is a must see for all tamil movie goers. Its three hours of fun, love and joy and not mindless entertainment.

Take the first bus and quit waiting?

2007-04-10T03:49:00.000-07:00

Today morning, when i boarded the office shuttle(early in the morning) a very amusing incident happenend. I'm sure many of you might wonder why i even chose to blog about this but well its my blog so to hell with your thinking :-)

My friend was listening to her iPod and the minute i landed next to her she burst out laughing. Now it makes me wonder if i forgot to wear a very essential piece of my clothing but i felt reassured when she apologised for her inappropriate laughter. Apparently she was listening to 'The Namesake' book in her iPod.

This is the era of the electronics. God took one look at us and decided its time to pamper these parched souls with madness personified.
Disclaimer: I have nothing against technological advancements.

This made me think. Is listening to a book in the iPod as good as comfortably settling in a couch and reading through a book(where u can feel it). Am i a fool to think that its not just reading a book but the myriad feelings attached to it. The smell of paper, the focused attention of the five senses, the balancing act of tea in one hand and trying to turn the page in the other... Doesn't all this count?

But then again, who really has the time to experience these feelings when weekends are spent trying to catch the left-over hours of sleep and hip hopping trains. Trust me, am not a person who uses "No time at all" as an excuse. But then There is no time at all.

This brings me to an important conclusion.
There are some people who adapt themselves to the changing needs like my friend who probably agrees that reading a book(not virutally) is always the best but she settles for something she can do more often than just dream about.

And then..
There are some people like me waiting for the right time and the right oppurtunity that we miss what we can have right here right now completely.

The big-thought bug: Is it always important to take a step back and arbitrate whether there are avenues in getting what you want, even if you cant travel the entire trip?

Postcards from Hampi

2007-02-06T19:13:00.000-08:00

Lakshmi got me all scared when i went to feed her a banana. But she blessed me with her trunk and i was gleefully smiling like a child.

Grannies indulged in their work, idle banter and jokes exchanged. The pace of their life is slow and yet i wanted to be there where i dint have to worry about everything under the sun, where i dint have to plan every minute of my day and wait for sunshine days to come by.

Hampi

2007-02-06T00:08:00.000-08:00

Last weekend i went on a trip to Hampi - Temple town of Karnataka and a world heritage center.

Kannadasan said
Kallile kalai vannam kanden
verum kan paavai maraindhaalum
kaanum padi thandhaan

Further details on the upcoming post.

Blood Diamond

2007-01-28T05:31:00.000-08:00

'I wonder.. Would God ever forgive us for what we are doing to each other?
I realise.. God left this place a long time ago!!' - Danny Archer, Blood Diamond.

Di Caprio is nominated for Best Actor in Leading Role for the Academy Awards and this drew my attention to watch the movie.

A Blood Diamond (also called a conflict diamond or a war diamond) is a diamond mined in a war zone and sold, usually clandestinely, in order to finance an insurgent or invading army's war efforts.

The movie mainly captures an african man estranged from his family due to the civil war. How his son turns into a rebel and is forced to be a part of R.U.F is a story that shocks the very soul. Di Caprio plays a smuggler alongside Jennifer Connelly(from Beautiful Mind), a journalist.

This is Caprio's best performance ever and he has played the role to perfection. Its horrifying to realise how different the world is in Africa. The horror, the violence, the beauty, children and deprivation is quite unthinkable. Blood Diamond is a must-watch especially for women who dream of story book weddings and a 24 carot diamond for their engagement.

* The World Diamond Council set out to draft a new process, whereby all diamond roughly could be certified as coming from a non-conflict source.
* Conflict-free diamonds are diamonds of certified origin which are guaranteed not to be tainted by violence, human rights abuses, child labor, or environmental destruction.
* The Antwerp resolution called for an international certification system on the export and import of diamonds, legislation in all countries to accept only officially sealed packages of diamonds, for countries to impose criminal charges on anyone trafficking in conflict diamonds, and instituted a ban on any individual found trading in conflict diamonds

A Diamond is Forever - there is a shocking story behind this gliterring stone.

Mega Serials and Mindless Entertainment

2007-01-25T00:14:00.000-08:00

For all those, who have seen or heard about the mega serials that run in Sun TV and the likes, this might not come as a shock. For the rest, the good news is that you dont miss much even if you miss an entire week's episodes, the bad news is that it never ends.

I remember in Selvi or Annamalai, the entire episode was about Radhika climbing down a set of stairs and there are memories from the past which come as flashes.

For me, this is mindless entertainment and a cluttering nonsense in the idiot box. The quality is down to cheap entertainment and by and large the silver screen actors are paving way to the small screen.

If mega serial amounted to water supply, India would never run short of water ever.

I wonder

2007-01-08T09:25:00.000-08:00

I wonder
A Gentle breeze titilates you,
And i wonder,
Do you bend down feeling shy or out of shame?

Was it because you sway to life's pressures
Or was it because you were too ecstasic in its touch!!

A few words that entered my mind while walking thro the fields in Walldorf, Germany.

While in Germany, i used to walk from my hotel to office, to watch these fields, hear the church bell ring and see people cycling by. Old men & women sit on park benches unmindful of the clock ticking and a myriad of thoughts and emotions cross my mind. A perfect world it is!!

2006 - A year that was and not!!

2007-01-03T00:22:00.000-08:00

Today is probably the time i look back at the year that whizzed past. The funny thing is i cant remember most of 2006. It just went past in a jiffy. Probably 2006 was in more hurry than i was.

Nevertheless, this year has been good. I travelled to a part in the globe which i never though i would be in. I learned to eat with Chopsticks, speak mandarin and realized that the globe was bigger and more diverse.

Germany - WorldCup FIFA 2006.
To be there in the land where the world's greatest football event was hosted was definetly an eye-opener. I learnt more about the legends Zidane, Pele and Maradonna.
Following every match, every minute of the game was exciting and FIFA 2006 was worth the effort. A memory to relish and remember for years to come :-)

Hoganekkal - Giant falls and a coracle ride. Friends to have fun with and talk and giggle. This trip was memorable and i spent a good deal of my time wading in the water.

The trips that were made and some i dint make. To Mangalore, Calcutta and Amsterdam.
I read good books and watched some excellent movies.

I wanted to make new beginnings, end old ones that wasnt meant to be. Some dreams came true while others are lignering around. I came a full circle with myself and 2006 was a milestone in my life.

I leanrt that life sometimes can be very mean on you. When your going through tough times, you simply have to keep going. This is a new beginning and am sure 2007 has lot of surprises to be unveiled and am making a positive start. Bye bye 06, Come on in 07.

I Do..

2006-12-26T01:14:00.000-08:00

We live in the 21st century and yet Weddings are the culmination of a woman's life.A conversation with a close friend in my terrace sipping tea led to the unravelling of this mystery.

Why does the life of every woman encircle the concept of a wedding? Why are we dreaming about the perfect man to spend the rest of our lives with, from the day skirts turn into salwars?Why is the wedding day the most special and treasured day of our lives?

Yes it is true, you can oppose it or you can ignore it but Marriage is the line every woman has to cross to be on the other side of the bridge.
It is still a bridge over troubled waters and there is little calm beyond the line, neverthless you need to cross it.

I have often noticed friends of mine, metamorphise into brides-to-be and then settled comfortably into the shoes of home-maker, mother and a partner.
There are always things to worry about and the lines on the forehead hardly ever crease out but maybe its the idea of a couple that makes us run faster to the line.
The pact of love and hate, to lean on and to fight. To love and to be loved is probably worth the entire cosmos.

Woman today are crossing all boundaries and manning space shuttles. Some are governing countries but there are still those sides to them longing to get home into the strong arms of their partners.

Two of my friends are getting married by the ring of the new year and am really excited for both of them. Ah!!! The metamorphosis again. Does marriage kill the adventurous spirit in you? Well when you chain one the other gets unleashed :)

A toast to a life of fun, laughter, tears and love. To be together till death do you apart!!May the insanity and pleasures never end!

Tantalizing Twenties

2006-12-15T21:09:00.000-08:00

Some call it Quarter-life crisis. A phase where everything and nothing meets your approval, where you always seem to be in search for that quintessential something which is called the call of your life. A point in time when nothing you do at work gives you sense of accomplishment and you keep going. Life characterised by giant see-saws swinging back and forth between intimacy and isolation.
A very interesting definition for this is given by Wikipedia. This article examines the emotional, financial aspects of this crisis situation.

This is the point in you life where you want to travel from the Himlayas, to the Amazon, from the Artic to the Oriental. I still have 78 places to visit before i die.PHEW! There are always more things to do in life and i find myself in constant dilema of whether i should or shouldn't. The million dollar question of To be or not to be. Fortunately, am flanked with people who give me their unconditional support in letting me grow so quarter-life crisis seems more like growing up for me :-)
While am still figuring out the way to untangle myself from this web,life goes on!

Postcard from FIJI

2006-11-28T08:53:00.000-08:00

I felt like adding some color to my blog. So here goes.

Google - The creation and the creators

2006-11-24T00:18:00.000-08:00

I cant remember the last time i picked up a book which talked about the history of a corporate. The Google Story which talks about the creation of the Google empire is one fascinating read. The determination and the passion two Stanford graduates had to create a multi-million dollar worth empire truly amazes me.
Grab your copy today.

Food Fetish

2006-10-08T06:57:00.000-07:00

Uptill now i always thought i was hardly adventurous when it came to trying out different cuisines. The easy excuse was being a vegetarian.
But in Hong Kong, although the choices are limited for a vegetarian, i have learnt to try my hand at different cuisines. So here goes the experience.

Itadakimasu - Japan
SUSHI is a packing of fish with rice.As the fish ferments, the rice produced a lactic acid which in turn caused the pickling of the pressed fish. Ofcourse there are vegetarian alternatives to this ancient culinary art. What we had in a Jap restaurant, is an egg sushi and a cucumber sushi.Apparently these days Sushi is customised and vinegar is added to the sushi rice to produce a pleasant flavour of tartness. Along with Sushi one gets a WASABI Sauce. I say simply beware of this. Extremely pungent, this is the Japanese horseraddish. Unmindful of its flavour i simply ate a chopstick full and in a second my nose was hanging free of my face. It took me a full minute to recover.

Bon appetit THAI.
We walked into a Thai restaurant the other day and was simply taken aback by the ambience. It was pleasant, most restaurants in Hong Kong are noisy and cluttery.
We first explained to the proprietor that we were vegetarians. He was eager to please.The first dish that arrived was scrambled eggs with bitter gourd. One mustn't think of this as a weird combination. Its sinfully delicious.
The main course had the THAI GREEN CURRY and steamed rice. Although many of you would have had this in India, what we had was exquisite. The blend of the coconut milk with the vegetables was just perfect. We almost licked the bowl of the curry.
I was simply bowled over by Thai cuisine.

Sihk Faahn - CHINA
This is the what i eat most of the time. There are some specialites in Chinese cuisine too.
I will start with MOON CAKE. This is a special chinese dessert made during the mid-autumn festival.They are round or rectangular shaped pastries.The egg yolk in the center signifies the moon.(Its a full moon day during which the autumn festival is celebrated.)Traditional mooncakes have an imprint on top consisting of the Chinese characters for "longevity" or "harmony" as well as the name of the bakery and filling in the moon cake. Imprints of a moon, a woman on the moon, flowers, vines, or a rabbit may surround the characters for additional decoration.
As part of the chinese cuisine we get many rice paste dishes similar to idiappam in india. Except that they have a samosa kind of shape and are filled with sauteed vegetables and spring onion. Delicious.

East meets West - Welcome to Hong Kong

2006-10-05T07:13:00.000-07:00

When i stepped foot in Hong Kong, i dint quite expect to see what i saw.
Yes Hong Kong reminds me so much of Bangalore - Concrete Jungles, mind-blowing traffic, N+1 Shopping malls and an almost oblivious crowd.

When we were on the way to the hotel from the airport in the express we saw a few apartments that would have put Indian Puravankaras and Brigade Groups to shame.

For the first few days everything around me was moving in a fast forward pace. People here walk, eat, work and talk at an amazingly rapid pace. Am not speaking relatively mind it.

We even got lost one day while trying to get out of their metros and a kind lady helped us with a map 45 minutes later since we couldn't stop anyone to ask for directions.

The people here dress similar to the Europeans but the streets are crowded and noisy and makes you feel right at home.

Dal fry and rice in Hong Kong. Yeah you can have it anywhere in the world these days so why not in the dragon country? We found a Kashmir Curry place although i tasted Thai, Japanese and Chinese Cuisine first.

Tommorrow is the Autumn Festival a kind of a family reunion day - Thanksgiving. They have a dragon show and a lantern festival from morning to midnight. This is the Discover Hong Kong 2006 special.

Am all set to party so let the show begin.

A Great Way To Fly

2006-10-05T06:58:00.000-07:00

People who have travelled through Singapore Airlines would definetly agree with me that it is a great way to fly.

The staff are amiable and dont frown on you when you ask for an extra glass of water.
I had some bitter experiences flying Lufthansa and i wasnt cashing on all the free beer mind it!! Just one cup of water.

Anyways, singapore airlines had me enthralled from start to finsh.

They have more leg space in their aircrafts. They even give you a vanity pouch with socks and a tooth kit.

You have menu cards for supper and lunch and the food is good. Its not like dining in Sahibs sindh sultans but what more do you want when your amidst clouds.
They screen some really good movies on air. I managed to watch Break-up and The devil wears Prada on air.

All in all am totally looking forward to flying Singapore Airlines on my way back.

Thumbs up to them!!

Raindrops on Roses..

2006-09-18T03:16:00.000-07:00

What is it about rain that cheers me up?
Being in Bangalore, Rain, is an everyday phenomena. But that doesnt diminish the enthusiasm that raindrops bring.

People always picture a rainy evening with Bajjis or pakodas and a steamy cup of coffee. Imagine a rocking chair and a book to read. That makes the picture complete doesnt it. The smell of the earth, the trees and plants all smiling and clean, people oblivious to the rain and walking around, children jumping into puddles.
It brings joy, a sense of overwhelming joy in my heart.

But not everyday i have the time to stand and stare at these simple yet pleasurable scenaries. Sometimes i rush home in the rain because dinner needs to be done or i dash to my stop otherwise i would miss the shuttle.

Yesterday it rained in Chennai(my hometown). My mom and i had all the time in the world to simply stand and stare. It was then i realised all the money, the hardwork would mean nothing if life isn't filled with simple moments of joy like this. Even if i worked my whole life i wouldn't get the satisfaction if i dont appreciate the beauty in front of my eyes. Maybe life is not so complicated after all, maybe we have complicated it somewhere along the way.

"Raindrops on roses, whiskers on kittens,
.. these are a few of my favourite things."

Star Wedding

2006-09-14T03:41:00.000-07:00

Tinsel Town Weddings always carry a lot of glamour and a star showdown.
Surya and Jyotika tied the knot on September 11, 2006.

This wedding was happy to most fans of Surya and Jyotika. Their love story was known for many years now.
Happy couples, happy fans and one big happy wedding.

Who Am I?

2006-09-03T21:20:00.000-07:00

I took this personality test to pass time on a monday morning.
The first one with 9 questions had me as JFK

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

and the second..

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

It also tries to find your personality match with a movie.

What Classic Movie Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

Clutters in my mind!!!

2006-08-22T03:41:00.000-07:00

I am thinking about...
why the world isn't flat..

I said...
Leave me alone!!

I want to...
be able to disappear when i want too and also get into people's mind to know what they are thinking.

I wish...
we could rewind or fast forward life..

I hear…
noise from inside my mind all the time, constantly..which doesnt make sense.

I wonder...
how and why?

I regret...
that i have something to regret!!

I am...
what i am.

I dance...
to the rain and the songs which can make me to tap a leg!!

I sing...
pretty well ;-))

I cry...
Consider anything, only dont cry.

I am not always...
this beautiful

I make with my hands...
BEEP!!BEEP!!

I write...
to empty the dust collecting in my mind and to throw the anger out. Mostly because i like to write.

I confuse...
hmm...am slightly confused now.

I need...
what you cant give me.PEACE as of now.

Muted Dreams or Soaring Faith?

2006-07-24T04:26:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when am all by myself with no sense of time and space(these moments i truly cherish), i wonder who am i? There is always this sense of identity we want to associate ourselves with. It has nothing to do with being successfull or not, it has something to be able to define yourself with.

Its very abstract, all of us want to be happy(in our own terms).We want to be able to make that connection with ourselves where we can sit in a comfortable silence and not feel lonely. We want ourselves to be able to feel the pride and a happiness that comes from within.

Some childhood memories, some mistakes ride past me when i sit and gaze at those solitude moments. I never knew there would come a day when i would look forward to reading Bharathiyar kavithaigal and be able to say it.

There is a sense of difference in the Generation i see today. We are not scared of what we are. We take full responsiblity of the actions and the repurcussions.We have a certain sense of self-worth. We are not confused but struggling to prove a point.

In one of the coffee conversations with my bestest friends, i reasoned that the cause of constant turmoil for the generation of today is the fact that we do not see eye to eye with our family. Yes, we dont.We have laid our own principles for our lives and it is (alarmingly)different from those of our elders.
We are able to decide between the good and the bad and the right and the wrong.
We are more tolerable and more reasonable. Infact, i have been living with my room mate for two years(harmoniously) which has made me more adapatable and accomodative.
It is very difficult for my parents to understand my goals and sacrifices and it is very strange for me to make them see it.

This is the sense of conflict and somewhere in this whole battle one of us lose.Not always but sometimes. Somehow for me it is difficult to live a life without passion. I have made many mistakes and sacrifices not because life became that much easier but because that was the right thing to do(for me).

I dont see my buddies everyday, infact we are all geographically very far apart, but i know that somewhere within me a piece of them lie and vice versa. We are willing to learn, from our mistakes and from others. I'm beginning to think that we would bring a new dimension to this world. A world where people can live by their own rules. Most of my idealogies about religion and caste shock my parents, but that doesnt change mine.

It always comes as a choice between making your dreams come true by holding faith in what you beleive or savrificing your dreams for a sense of temporary relief.

Venice

2006-07-20T23:26:00.000-07:00

When i told people that i visited Venice, the first question was 'Did u take the gondola ride'? The answer was a NO and an added wait for the prince charming to accompany me. With Venice on the list for the city of love, no point taking a gondola ride alone.

I landed in Venice without a good night's sleep and catching a good hour of it even if it meant stratching myself on the railway platform din't seem very disgusting.
I have to remind you that when ur in abroad, things are almost always spotlessly clean and i took that as an excuse.

The first sight of Venice took me by shock. I stepped outside the train station and bingo there is water. No roads but canals. Now this is truly a water city.
Being built on water, Venice is a romantic place.

But something told me Kerala was better.

I want to write more, but this post has been lying here for long so before it rust and melts i publish :)

WORLD CUP 2006

2006-07-10T04:15:00.000-07:00

ITALY - The proud winners of the FIFA World Cup 2006.
Zinnedin Zidane's fabulous career comes to an almost choking end.

For the good of the game, ITALY has a reason to celebrate.

ITALY - Rome

2006-07-07T06:08:00.000-07:00

Roman Colosseum

The Colosseum was designed to hold 50,000 spectators, and it had approximately eighty entrances so crowds could arrive and leave easily and quickly. It was inaugurated in 80 AD.

The Flavian Roman emperors built the Colosseum of Rome for entertaining their subjects with bloody games where Gladiators fought wild beasts.(Quite similar to Russell Crowe in Gladiator).

There is a cross inside the Colosseum which the Pope visits every friday owing to a popular misconception that hundreds of Christians were killed by lions. The visit of the Pope in itself could be a fabrication.

Rome is filled with places of historical importance and it is important one does the homework before visiting this place or you would'nt be able to appreciate the splendour and wonder of this place.

It is also said that Italians have a spritual breakdown when they leave Rome.
We all know, Rome wasn't built in a day.

A Time To Remember

2006-07-05T01:37:00.000-07:00

When you're in a country hosting the biggest sport of the year, its difficult to ignore the euphoria. Its quite contagious and before u know it, your part of it too.

Germany Vs Argentina was a match that would go down in history as a nerve cracking match. Germany struck thunder and got past to the semi with Argentina wondering what had hit them.

When i reached the Market Plaza where there was a big screen and a maddening crowd chanting deustschland, cries erupted. By the time, i could get a peek at the screen i had realised it was Germany 0: Argentina 1.
After that there was no looking back for Germany.

Ballack and Klose teamed up to make the score equal and they kept it that way all through the extra time.

The match ended in penalty shoot-outs. Not my kind of way of winning game but anyways. When Argentina missed one which was Germany's card to the semi-finals, a whole nation celebrated. Ballack, Klose and Lehman were heroes and there was a thunderous applause in Berlin, we could hear it all the way through Walldorf - an otherwise quiet town.

A moment of victory, a sense of euphoria and a glorious record. Germany beat Argentina. As happy as i was for Germany, they deserved to win, i couldn't beleive Argentina had lost. Many of them were sure that it would be a Brasil Argentina final.
Germans celebrated for the team and Klinsmann was the mastermind.

A few days later, they lost to Italy. But the team had much to be proud of. I would never forget my stay in Germany this time. They made me do a follow-up on soccer and i even knew a few rules of the game. Now its the run up to the finals and all i can say is may the best man win.

World cup, Germany and me were not such a bad combination after all.

Ice Caves in Austria

2006-06-28T00:19:00.000-07:00

Eisriesenwelt Werfen - The world's largest ice cave.
In 1879,Anton Posselt, a natural scientist from Salzburg, pushed 200 metres into the darkness of the caves and officially "discoverd" the Eisriesenwelt. The cross inside the cave almost at the beginning is the mark he made exactly where he discovered the cave.

From 1924, for about 25 years, the only way to reach the caves was on foot. It is a steep uphill climb.Our guide, Sandra, showed us the path which people used to climb on. Thank god for the developments, i definetly wouldn't have made it to the caves. From 1953 it was possible to drive up the Eisriesenweltstraße in a single lane.In 1955 the cable-car provided an alternative to the steepest part of the climb, reducing the time taken from one and a half hours to a matter of minutes.

From the parking area, everbody has to walk for about 20minutes to reach the cable car. After descending the cable car, another 20 minutes of walk brings you to the foot of the cave.

As soon as you step into the cave, a blast of cold air hits you. For a second i thought i would freeze right there. But its only for a second. We are handed with small lamps to light the way through the cave and while climbing the steps.
It is zero to minus one inside the cave and the warm clothes saved us from being frozen inside the cave.

The caves are formed naturally. The snow from the alps melts throuh the creeks and starts collecting inside the caves and the wind blowing shapes them. I also witnessed what i read in school - Stalactites and Stagmatites.
Walking through the caves, climbing the steps was a nerving experience.

Mother Nature is indeed spectacular. The ice caves are a must-see in everyone's list.Walking down the caves, it was difficult to quieten the rush of excitement.
The sights, the caves and the ice are still slide showing in my mind. :)

2006-06-28T00:18:00.000-07:00

Destiantion Belgium PART II

2006-06-26T09:22:00.000-07:00

Next in line was the GRAND PLACE.
It is necessary to view the grand place at night. It is breathtaking. The four sides are so massive and towering down on you, all you do is look up in awe and admire the work of the hundreds of sculptors. It is the most beautiful medival squares of Europe.

We visited the Grand place twice. Once around the evening and once close to midnight.
You need to sit down and admire the guildhalls and drink the spectacular sight. It is truly relishing.

DAY TWO
We had breakfast and strolled around to figure out where to buy passes for teh day's tour. While on our way we hit the St.Michaels Cathedral. It around 300 years to bild this incredible Gothic cathedral.
We had to hit our head in our stupidity for not brining our cameras along. Never ever do that.

We further strolled along to visit the Belgium Center for Comic Strip Art. This is dedicated to Herge the creator of Tintin. You will se miniatures of tintin, tom and jerry sold as souveneirs. The museum itself is decorated very innovatively and has information about how cartoons are made from start to finish. Teh sketches, motion pictures and the script. Very interesting place to visit.

We then went Lock, stock and barrel to visit the other sights in Brussels.
Atomium is a wonder to visit.

It was built in 1958 for the International Exhibition. It is a model of nine atoms of an iron molecule magnified 160 billion times. You can climb four of these items with high speed escalators and ofcourse the stairs. The highest atom offers a panoramic view of the city.

Right next to the Atomium is the Mini-Europe.
Here all the important monuments and structures throughout the europe are scaled down and if you cant visit the entire Europe this would a quick finish. While the Eiffel Tower model is a poor representation, the Big ben is scaled down to the minute detail. Definetly worth a stroll.

There ends our trip to Belgium. It was a good time spent with Good company amidst breathtaking sights.

Destination Belgium

2006-06-21T02:32:00.000-07:00

Last weekend i was in Belgium - land of chocolates and beers.
Belgium is situated between Germany, Netherlands, Luxembourg and France.

I went directly to the capital city - Brussels - administrative capital of the EU.
Many had told us that there was nothing picturesque to visit in brussels but this trip proved them wrong.
Usually, when we go travelling we always have a list of places to visit and then the time-lines and we hop on and off the buses.
This trip was different. We dint have a plan. We knew the important places to visit but we dint know where they were located. In all, we stranded in the streets of Brussels. And to add more excitement, very few people in Belgium can talk English. Merci and Bon Jour the only french i knew wouldn't help either.

We were five in all. Alex a chinese, who was lost in his thoughts but never failed to notice his bretheren. Sumeet the when-in-doubt-ask guy, who always loses his way, we found the secret story though. Billu the man, who needs a top view to find his way or he needs a formula to compute the distance between tha place we are and where the car was parked. Bina with volatile memory and an ever evaporating sense of direction and me - i was the one with all the information which can be credited as useless :)

So we set sail.

From German to Brussels, it takes approximately 4 hr and 30mintes. Traffic is relatively slower on the Belgium bahn. But its a picturesque drive, if u dont doze off. We were drinking in the country side and adoring the cars that zipped past us. With indian music in Germany we were in love with EUROPE.
(If you dont have navigation in your car, map24 would be useful)

The first of the places we saw was the BELLEVUE Museum. There is an entrace fee of about 3 euros and when we went inside, we were wondering why we ever came here. When you dont read your history books properly this museum was a wrong place to be in. I found it totally boring until i saw the old style telephone and a radiophone.
Outside the museum, one can see the entire palace of the king. I wont say anything about the flags. (see previous post). It is a nice cobblestone pathway and the palace looks huge and mammothical. Make up your mind before you step in :)

We decided that we wanted to see the Mannekan Pis. This is a really small statue of a boy pissing. I was shocked to see so many tourists looking at this boy. We even joked that the next time people would come around seeing a dog peeing in the lamppost. Anyways, there is some story behind it all. Apparently the belgians beleive this boy has saved their country from being plundered or ravaged by fire. Its a good luck sign to them. The road signs are really tiny and by the time we got there we all were mighty tired.

If there is one thing that leaves me on a perpetual high, its CHOCOLATES. When i saw the chocolate fountain in one of the shops in Belgium, i even forgot to close my mouth.We tasted some of their handmade chocolates and ummmm.. they were yummy. So i grabbed a few for moi.
(To be Continued...)

Belgium Vs Germany

2006-06-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

While in Belgium do not get worried about why the German flag is flying so high.
It is easy to get confused.
GERMANY
BELGIUM
While we were wandering in Brussels, we stopped at the king's palace and were wondering why the German flag was placed there.
We stopped a lady and asked her if it was a german king. She must have thought that we had sub-zero levels of history knowledge, 'cos she laughed and said - 'Thats the Belgium flag'.
Whoever said, when in doubt ask :(