Randomness

Road Rage

2012-02-13T13:16:00.004+05:30

Traffic in Bangalore is a nightmare. Everyone knows that. What annoys me is that most of the time, the reason it gets so crazy is something absolutely foolish. Here are my top 10 road rage causers...all during peak hour traffic time too.

Heavy vehicles (minimum 16 wheels) carrying ridiculously heavy loads and crawling between two lanes
BBMP workers sweeping near the median and loading all the sand and dirt onto a tractor that is parked in the middle of the road (tractor driver stares with a puzzled expression when passers-by honk and show make rude gestures towards him)
BBMP workers drawing white divider lines, which people drive over even before it gets a chance to dry (we don't have a lane system...are the white lines really necessary?)
Random dig-ups for either water or electricity cables
Pot holes the size of cars
L-board drivers who always lose the battle with the clutch, just in time for others to miss the traffic signal, too
Garbage collection trucks parked in the center of a service lane with the garbage collectors nowhere in sight
Autos and bikes who block the oncoming traffic in an effort to squeeze through before the traffic light changes
The jaywalker (pedestrian) who, while on the phone, puts his hand out to stop vehicles coming his way and just saunters across
And my all-time favorite, cows being ferried to their eateries and watering holes

And to think that everyone believes that traffic woes in Bangalore will be sorted once the innumerable flyovers are completed.

Hmppppppppphhhhhhhhhhh

Music and Lyrics

2012-02-11T11:05:00.004+05:30

Music has a way of moving us. It could be the tune, the lyrics, the voice of the singer, the mesmerizing beat....anything. But what is amazing about music is how it adapts to our mood. The same song heard many times over, can mean something completely different each time. The same lyrics can bring a smile or a tear. The same tune can make us hum along gently or scream it out loud. The same voice can trigger memories both good and bad.

What better song to bring out these thoughts in a usually more fun me than Pink Floyd's High Hopes.

I hope you don't skip this post thinking that it's about the movie by the same name. Don't judge a book by its cover and don't judge a post by its title!

Wedding wows

2012-02-09T10:40:00.004+05:30

South Indian (rather Tam Bram) weddings are mostly quite boring...the actual wedding ceremonies, anyway. The rest of it - the guests, the food, the outfits and jewelry, the gifts and the drama make up for the boredom in many ways.

Guests

Most often, the guest list i filled with people that the bride and groom don't know. So introductions during the ceremony are mandatory. What makes this horribly painful is that the couple is presented with boring facts about how the guest is known to whichever family member invited them. And to top it off, it usually ends with the guest telling either the bride or groom "I saw you when you were x years old...do you remember me?" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Food

This is the most interesting part of the wedding, especially for people like me who really don't care about all the dressing up and the socializing. Yelai saapadu filled with items including vadai, payasam, a host of other sweets and savouries make any wedding bearable. What is very interesting is that close family and friends, who are fortunate enough to get a personal face-to-face invitation routinely ask who the cook for the wedding is! Like it matters really! I mean, if it's someone who isn't that great, will they not attend the wedding? Seriously! And it's a given that people will ask...so better be ready with a good enough answer in case you're not the kind to want to disclose such information.

Outfits and Jewelry

The majority of people who attend weddings like this part the best! It's a great time to show off all the finery that they possess. What's funny is that some people end up looking grander than the bride herself! Talk about stealing someone's thunder! What I love the most is the after wedding conversation between friends/family. "Did you see what she was wearing? It must have cost a bomb!" or "How could she have worn that choker? It didn't go with the sari at all!" I have an answer for such types of questions..."I didn't notice at all"! :)

Gifts

One wouldn't think that something as nice as gifts could be a talked-about topic...but it is! Mostly because other than the cash and gift vouchers that the couple get, the rest of the stuff is rubbish! Clocks - 10, Flasks - 7, Wall hangings (not coordinated) - 4, Paintings - 20. Gift registries are the need of the hour...much more than cricket wins in test matches!

Drama

It's hard to classify what actually goes into this category. It's like a pot-pourri of things...or events...that lead up to the wedding, or happen at the wedding, or even just after. There's the usual family squabbles about absolutely unimportant stuff, out-of-town relatives reaching the wedding hall even before the bride and groom have entered, the groom forgetting his belt and realizing just before the reception, kids feeling sleepy at inopportune moments, the kitchen running out of sambar...the list is endless.

On reading all this, it seems like weddings aren't so bad after all...even Tam Bram ones...right?

Celebrating good times - the Social Horror's take

2012-02-05T08:03:00.010+05:30

Weddings and other family functions are a two-edged sword. Lots of fun but lots of socializing too. Social gatherings are fun but also get a little tiring after some time...the clothes, the food, the chit chat and the rest of the gossip. But if you take away all the 'in your face' aspects, these gatherings make for an interesting experience.

These are 'her' experiences...the social horror's I mean. And any coincidence to anyone you might know of is purely coincidental...really!

The Social Horror and Jewelry

She's never been a fan of jewelry and related accessories. Ironically though, she always found herself caught in the thick of conversations about it. Questions about what stone it is, whether it's set in gold, who made it, which store it came from, how much it cost were always thrown at her. Not one to get caught without having a retort, these situations were hard for her as she never had a good-enough answer...almost all the time. So she took the easy way out - ask amma!

The Social Horror and Beauty

You've become so fair! Your complexion is lovely! Your skin is glowing! As much as these sound like fantastic compliments, the social horror found that there was actually a hidden question in them which she was expected to answer voluntarily - what have you done to yourself? What cream have you been using? Which parlor have you gone to? Again, not one to spend much time in parlors, not having a suitable answer to these questions only made her look a bit suspect...like she didn't want to share her secret beauty tips! Use kadala maavu on your face - her planned retort for the next time!

The Social Horror and Clothes

I love your salwar! What material is it? Who designed it? Who stitched it? The answer raced through her mind even before the questions were asked...I have no idea! Whoever stitched it is the person who said they will give it to me the soonest, really that's it. Really! I'm not lying! No, it's not that I don't want to give you the name...hang on, let me find the bill!

The Social Horror and Music/Dance

She was good at music but not good at dance. Did that mean that she had to sing every time there was an occasion? Did it? Dodging requests with excuses like bad throat, out of practice and so on she mostly escaped but had to put in considerable effort to come up with 'good-enough' excuses. Dancing, on the other hand, was never a part of boring Tam-Bram wedding customs, so she was spared. The 'two left feet syndrome' yet unexplored...in a 'high-free' setting anyway!

The Social Horror and Mehendi :)

She did not like mehendi...the smell, the awful color when it started to fade...everything! But as an important part of the wedding she was about to take part it, she just HAD to get it. After some dodging and time-delaying tactics (gone wrong), she got a wee bit on one of her palms. Unacceptable was the verdict! She had to get more! She was one of the important ones at the ceremony...no, she wasn't the bride but still! So what did she do? Did she get out of it or did she cave in?

To be continued...once the mehendi dries out... :)

Random...really!

2012-01-29T20:14:00.004+05:30

After watching this match, the first thought that crossed my mind was not about the level of tennis or the fitness of the two players. It was "Will Federer text Nadal saying tough luck but great match"?

Random...but true. :)

Time

2012-01-29T08:54:00.005+05:30

An oft written-about/ sung-about subject - time. My three all time favorites songs:

Time - Pink Floyd

Time - The Alan Parsons Project

Time Stand Still - Rush

The theme is common. That time doesn't wait for anyone. That as we get older, we get less innocent. That everyone and everything changes. That we shouldn't look back. And the most important - that we should seize the moment.

It's a pity that the meanings of these tunes don't really hit home until we are older, wiser, less innocent and more experienced.

To the circus

2012-01-26T20:57:00.002+05:30

I went to the circus today after probably 20+ years. I felt the same excitement that I remember feeling all those years ago. It was awesome to see similar expressions on my kids' faces too!

The show was fantastic and featured all the usual acts except the animal shows. The trapeze, my favorite act, was simply superb. Such talented and hard-working artists. It's a pity that circuses are a dying trade. There isn't much money to be made after all the expenses are taken care of. Some of the acrobats are just so gifted that you wonder how they might fare under different (and obviously better) circumstances.

As a first-time adult watching the show, a few other things than the main show itself amazed me.

The size of the tent! How much effort it probably takes to get something so big up!
The number of support staff and the amazing coordination with which they execute their tasks.
The acrobats level of skill. If you notice closely, the same acrobat does different events wearing different costumes. While all involve a similar skill set, they aren't exactly the same kind of moves.
The obvious passion these artists have for their job. It's certainly not the money that keeps them going.

I wonder if circuses, as I know it today, will still be around when my children get older.

Hmmmmmmmmmm

The famous writer

2012-01-15T08:16:00.006+05:30

She installed an application called Stat counter/ Total Pageviews on her blog about a month ago. At that time, the total 'hits' number was at 2000 something. One morning, when she was reading her past entries (writers do that, you know...it's a feel-good thing), it was at 4006.

Her first thought was "Wow, a lot of people are reading my blog"! And then, for whatever reason, she opened her blog page in another window....and the counter went to 4007!

Ah...that explained it...her few seconds of fame!

Gym room 'ones'

2012-01-12T09:46:00.005+05:30

Have you seen:

The one who runs many miles like a maniac but uses his feet to turn off the treadmill power switch located at a horribly low height of 1 inch from the floor?
The one who stretches himself like elastic for a half hour but wraps up the rest of his tiring workout in 5 min?
The one who thinks it's cool to let his sweat drip all over the cross trainer and, for greater effect, shake his hair out lest some sweat be left over?
The one who sings along to his iPod tunes sounding like a siren but thoroughly enjoying himself?
The one who insists on playing the radio station of his choice (without asking the rest of the gym room gang) but spends his time on the phone talking louder than the music?
The one who has a conference call while walking at 3.5 km/hour? And still panting?
The one who insists on carrying on a conversation with the person on the neighboring machine...who is, sort of, gasping for breath?
The one who is watching and listening to all this and thinking "Now, that will make an interesting post"...all this while working out very hard, naturally!

Not being biased to gender or anything. 'His' just came naturally while typing.

Use 'her' wherever you like.

Same difference.

Practicing how to write

2012-01-08T07:41:00.004+05:30

I woke up in the middle of the night and thought, 'Maybe I should write a book'! And the next thought, I mean immediately next thought, was not 'What should I write about'? but it was 'Who all will I acknowledge and thank and who will I dedicate the book to'?

Odd? Maybe. But just think about how many people have entered and exited your life with valuable and not so valuable contributions? Influences from home, school, extended family, friends, other social groups...?

So how does one weed through this seemingly endless list of people? The Pyramid of Importance - a book that tells you how to value people in your life. No, it's not yet available on Amazon or Flipkart...it's still being written. The author has a severe case of writer's block - on the Acknowledgments page.

Time Capsule

2012-01-06T14:49:00.004+05:30

Ever wondered what 10 things you would have buried in a time capsule 15 years ago?

Here's my list...

Audio cassettes and player
Walkman
Friendship bands with instructions on how to make them
Autograph/Slam books
First cell phone
Mickey and Donald comics
Floppy disk
Neon shoe laces
Tube of Pepsi Cola
Double Decker chocolate bar

I wonder what will go in my Time Capsule 15 years from now. And how I'll even record that entry.

Maybe I'll have to bury my blog, the way I know it, too.

Apartment Rules - Part Trois

2012-01-04T14:07:00.004+05:30

I've written a couple of posts about Apartments before... read them here... 1, 2

It's been almost 2 years since I moved out of Hyderabad to Bangalore. Overall, the apartment 'scene' is far better here. Or maybe I feel that way because I'm more used to the way people function in apartments in India. Or maybe it's because the number of apartments in most complexes around where I live are a lot. But more people would mean more crazies, right? Whatever. Here's what prompted this post.

This morning, after a tiring workout at the gym, I was walking (crawling) back home. All of a sudden, I spotted something strange at a balcony above. Turned out to be a bare-chested lungi-clad neighbor standing outside and brushing his teeth...at nearly 10 a.m! I didn't know whether to be shocked about the outfit (or lack of it) or the lateness of the teeth-brushing! Either way, since I was caught off-guard, I didn't have time to look away and he caught me staring at him with a horrified expression! Thankfully, since I was close to the foyer, I quickly went inside the building.

I wonder if his eyesight is as bad as his apartments manners. What are the chances that he will recognize me when we wait for the lift or something...we are, after all, in the same block.

Yeeeeesh, wait for that post now!

1

2012-01-01T08:18:00.004+05:30

First post of the year on the first day of the year - hence the title. And for those of us that partied together last night, tn1 rocks! :).

Here's to a great year ahead with lots of laughter, love and happiness to all!

Happy New Year 2012!

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-28T08:25:00.001+05:30

It’s 5.45 in the morning. I’m surrounded by so much noise, action and drama that it feels like it’s mid-day. People checking their seats, trying to get their bags up in the storage space, haggling with coolies, buying magazines in a rush, rushing for a quick coffee/tea…a typical morning at the railway station. Me? I just about made it into the right compartment, hauled my bag up and got my kids seated before the train puffed out of the station!

There are some sights and sounds that amaze me every single time – the Indian family living abroad explaining (at the top of their voices) to their kids why they should speak quietly, the family of 4 that has about 15 smallish bags struggling to squeeze them into the storage bins, the person with one humungous bag bargaining with the coolie at the last minute, small kids wailing, my kids wanting chocolate or any other kind of junk….oh, the list is endless.

What makes me repeat this journey time and time again? The destination, of course – Madras, nalla Madras. I love everything about it. But in addition to this, it’s the joy of the journey itself. The Shatabdi Express’ lovely coaches that make you forget that you’re actually traveling Indian Railways! The clean bathrooms, excellent service and the invariable friends I make on the train thanks to the kids antics…all this and more is what I love.

Happy Holidays everyone!

:S (emoticon for being confused)

2011-11-22T14:30:00.005+05:30

I wonder...

I wonder what you're thinking right now...

I wonder if you can understand why I'm saying what I'm saying...

I wonder if you can remember anything at all after the moment passes...

I wonder if you will wake up and smile at me...

I wonder what next...

I wonder if you will forgive me...

And most of all, I wonder if you will forget.

Halloween for dummies

2011-11-01T09:34:00.005+05:30

About 10-15 years ago, the term Halloween was probably unknown in India. Then, the tech-outsourcing revolution happened and it all changed. No, technology and Halloween are not connected in any way, thank God! Else we'll be seeing virtual reality zombie characters flying all over the place! No, tech-outsourcing exposed many Indians to America and vice-versa. Traditions, festivals, recipes and clothing were shared and thus, Halloween was born in India.

To be fair, there are many that still have no idea Halloween is. So here's the gist. In short, kids dress up in different costumes, go by houses and say trick or treat (signifying you either treat me or else I'll play a trick on you), get loads of candy and come back home on a sugar-high!

Bangalore has a vast ex-pat community and many US returns too. Since they like to keep the tradition going for their children, Halloween is now a part of many large communities. I took my kids out trick or treating for the first time ever.

A funny bunny and an evil devil - both fit their parts quite well! It was a lot of fun and I pinched some of their candy, too! Happy Halloween everyone!

Ra-One - the review

2011-10-31T12:39:00.001+05:30

I have to put in many disclaimers before I start writing this post.

I don't watch too many movies, especially Hindi ones.
I am a big fan of Superhero movies (apparently, in any language).
I don't like the usual song, dance and crying kind of movies.
I'm not a geek but I find certain aspects of technology really cool.
OK, that's it. Now read on if you're still interested.

Met my expectations

Story line, music, acting - There was just enough of emotion and drama. No one overdid the death scene, there was no bawling etc. Music rocked! Acting - Ra-One's and G-One's expressions were naturally robotic and machine-like :)

Exceeded my expectations

Effects - The picturization of nano particles coming together to form Ra-One was awesome! Also the whole virtual environment that was created for the game was very neat.

Below my expectations

Shakrukh's South Indian imitation was terrible. The accent, the 'curly hair' and the AYYO - really bad. I'm glad that he was killed early on in the film.

The Voila factor
Roping in the big B for his voice and the Superstar for his style was really cool - a great marketing tactic. Showing a little respect to these two definitely doesn't hurt!

An out and out entertainer with great music and effects, Ra-One is a total time-pass movie. Throw your logical mind out and don't try to reason with the going-ons. You'll have a great time!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

2011-10-30T20:57:00.003+05:30

Just hearing the word 'snow' brings back so many memories...good, bad and ugly :).

When I was a kid, I longed to see it and play in it. When I had the chance to experience it, I loved it, grew tired of it and eventually hated it (thanks to all the shoveling). And now, that I'm so far removed from it, I wish I could experience it just one more time.

Funny how the grass is greener, the lights are brighter and the snow is flakier...

The girl who didn't like to dance

2011-10-18T06:20:00.008+05:30

Once upon a time, there was a girl. She loved to do many things - read, sing, play, chat and so on....but there was one thing that she didn't like to do...and that was to dance. Try as she might, she just didn't get the hang of it, didn't like to watch when others danced and just never wanted to try it at all.

When she was in college, she got involved in it a bit. No, she didn't perform but helped organize things around the main performance. That, she was good at. But she began to like watching. Still later, when she got a little older, she began to dance. Not all the time. In fact, usually only 'under the influence' and after much persuasion from her friends. She even began to create her own signature steps, as funny as they might be...steps that others began to copy, although only briefly!

And then, it all stopped...due to many reasons. Explaining those would take away from the randomness of this story. But recently, it seems like the madness might have started up again. All thanks, again, to friends. The girl who didn't like to dance has put on her dancing shoes again...be warned, everyone!

For a story as random as this one, could there be a moral? Yes! Make sure your friends are crazy and goofy! They will make you do silly things. Things that you wouldn't try on your own, things that make you go WTH, things that you can think back of and laugh about.

In keeping with the spirit of the festive season, here's a big loud cheer to good friends and good times! Long may they last!

Deepavali 2011

2011-10-17T20:29:00.003+05:30

I wrote this last Deepavali. This year, I'm not going cracker shopping...husby and friends will do the honors.

I'm curious to see what kind of discounts they will come back with. I'm looking at it as a socio-psychology experiment to understand why some people get more discounts than others. Some of the reasons I can think of are a person's

gender
ability to bargain well
fluency with the local language
ability to smooth talk
attitude (bordering on being brash)
knowledge of the product

Get ready....this is a guys versus girls test. Who is really the better bargainer? I can't wait to see who wins although I think I know the answer already :).

A happy and safe Deepavali everyone!

Of gopurams and towers

2011-10-07T14:42:00.003+05:30

I'm sitting in the balcony at our hotel in Pasumalai (Madurai). The view is breathtaking; dotted with houses in different colors and sizes, the five outer gopurams of the Meenakshi Amman temple....and innumerable cell phone towers! I don't think I've seen this many towers in such a small radius! Obviously, the reception here is far better than any that I've had in Madras or Bangalore.

I wonder what the Kings who built this temple (Pandya dynasty?) think of that. :)

Magician, artist...but a faltering God?

2011-09-11T08:38:00.002+05:30

It feels like eons ago that I wrote this. It's only 2 years almost to the date, really. Federer's semi-final loss to Djokovic has left me and others in a sort of daze...did it really happen that way? It feels similar to when the Red Sox came back to beat the Yankees after being down 0 - 3...not that I like the Sox...or baseball, even. But you get the drift.

Yeah, weird things happen. It could be the law of averages...things have to even out at some point. It could be Murphy's law...a double fault at a crucial time?! It could be plain nerves for one and a 'go for broke' attitude for the other. Whatever it is, you can't really figure it out. It's one of those inexplicable things where all you can do is wonder 'what if'.

What if...I hate that thought.

Awareness...?

2011-08-23T13:30:00.004+05:30

Shades of pink, orange, green, blue...suddenly a dark grey....followed closely by DNA-like strands floating around loosely. Left and right, up and down and then in no particular order. Images of people, places, instances. Thoughts of food, clothes, shoes, the gym...a far-away tweet of some bird, the radio playing somewhere. The sound of breathing...the only constant...

And then, back to reality...Shavaasana is finished...and I've brought my awareness back to myself.

The uncontrollable mind has to wait for a few more days before it can go off on yet another psychedelic journey...

The eyes of a child

2011-08-03T09:57:00.003+05:30

I see the clock ticking away and you see the snail crawling slowly

I see a traffic jam and you see a big crane blocking the road

I see a mess in the room and you see the new toys underneath it

I see sand on the bathroom floor and you see the water that can wash it away

I see an old phone and you see a new toy

I see grey skies and you see beautiful rain clouds

I see a hot day and you see the bright sun

I see dirty shoes and you see the next muddy puddle

I see chores and you see an adventure

I see you in all your innocence...and I wonder what you see of me...

Waitlisted

2011-07-21T19:15:00.004+05:30

I don't know if this is common practice only in India...or if other countries do it too. Whoever heard of filling out an application form for school admission even before the baby had arrived into this world? What would one even fill?

Name - not sure...we're still fighting over it

Date of birth - not sure...approximately November 10?

Sex - not sure...it's illegal to find out in India, don't you know?

Parents name - yes, that we can fill in (yay, finally something to write)

Hmmmm.

Where do all these applications go? To the 'to be born in 1 month, 2 months, 3 months' drawer? What purpose does it serve? What priority will these children be given? Why can't these schools that follow this process simply issue forms like other schools do? When the child is actually born and about 3 years old and ready to go to school? Is this some sort of ego-inflating process for the school? Or a publicity stunt?

Does anyone else think this is weird?

Adiosio!

2011-07-16T17:23:00.007+05:30

Harry Potter came into my life as 4 free books when I joined Doubleday Book Club in 2001. 10 years later, all 7 have a safe place in my library, the last of which is the British edition (I will buy the American edition too, the set needs to be complete...whole...). I remember buying tickets well in advance for the first film and q'ing up with friends at the movies. I also remember going alone to the next 2 as I didn't have company :). Watched the next 4 at home. Became an owner of Half Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows Part 1 just 2 weeks ago.

One part of me couldn't wait to watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. The other, no...it didn't want to go to the theater at all because that would mean that it would all be finished. With a friend for company and sporting 3D glasses for the first time, I watched the movie. And as I thought, I just didn't want it to end. It was so bloody good! Not much deviation from the book either. Simply superb effects and excellent soundtrack.

True magic...will miss it.

Highway to hell

2011-07-05T08:50:00.003+05:30

The Madras-Bangalore highway has excellent roads, decent loos, ok places to eat and simply amazing and super corny warning signs! Read at your own risk :)

Don't learn safety by accident.
If you want to stay married, divorce speed.
Fast drive, last drive.
Safety never takes a holiday.
Don't mix drinking and driving.
Lane discipline gives you long life.
Safe driving is like breathing. Don't stop it.
Cautious drive ensures longevity.
Drive like hell, you will be there.

I warned you...!

10 things I don't like about Nadal

2011-06-27T22:36:00.003+05:30

I've been watching tennis for ages now. Seen all the rivalries over time. My favourites have changed...Lendl to Sampras and now Federer. While Lendl and Sampras lost regularly to many players, I've never ever detested (hated, abhored etc...) any of the players that they lost to. Maybe that's because they never lost to anyone as consistently as Federer has lost to Nadal. Even then, I just can't understand why I have such a strong feeling of dislike towards him. I need to clear this out of my system...so here goes....10 things that I hate about Nadal...

His constant constipated expression
His "habit"
His time wasting tactics
His game (and I'm sure this will be a point of contention with many)
His constant looking at his box, especially when he wants to challenge a call
Getting coached in the middle of matches

I can't think of any more. Can you?

PS: (The only thing I like about him is his mental toughness)

Fini

A song called Felicidad

2011-06-27T21:46:00.003+05:30

Even after a year in Bangalore, my ties to Telugu-land still continue...imagine my surprise when I was asked by someone at the Heritage store (owned by former CM Chandrababu Naidu) whether I watched Telugu films when all I was doing was humming Felicidad. Hmmmm......weird? No, it's quite normal. The music maestros of Tollywood have copied yet another classic.

Mama, O Mama O Mama come tell me that you wanna, you wanna O Mama ... is now

Mama O Mama Sathyabama Sathyabama something something...(can't find youtube link)

Get ready Mamma Mia, I think you're up next.

Brush, brush, brush your teeth...with what?

2011-06-21T21:17:00.007+05:30

Toothpaste advertisements are hilarious. They either show someone in a ridiculous amount of pain, which vanishes upon using the said paste. Or they show someone with ridiculously bad breath, which makes the better half turn away in disgust only to come running back when they see sparkly, coloured 'things' freshen up the air around the planet!

Do you want to prevent toothache and be pain-free or do you want your mouth to be germ-free for 24 hours straight and have your girlfriend/boyfriend cozy up to you? That's the question that Colgate is asking these days.

Take your pick - Colgate Active Salt or Colgate Total. If you think you can use a bit of both on your brush and beat the system, think again.

That's the next ad campaign. Colgate Totally Salty. The paste of the future.

Say cheese!

Mini goodbye

2011-06-06T10:22:00.006+05:30

She was nervous. Very nervous. She knew this day would come but hadn't expected it to happen so soon. And she was surprised about her reaction. She had always thought of herself as being chilled out. Au contraire, she even went through a mildly sleepless night and a very early morning wake-up.

So many emotions went through her while she waited...and waited. Finally, there it was. And without much drama, she went. Her little one. Proud, confident and full of smiles! First day at the big school, first time in the bus.

Bye bye little one...you aren't little any longer.

Growing (up) pains

2011-04-14T20:01:00.005+05:30

Growing up and being a grown-up are two different things altogether. One means you're older, maybe a tad wiser. The other means that you're in a position where you must do a few things to merit that title. Like teaching your kids, setting an example (a good one, obviously), passing on tradition and customs and so on.

Today, we celebrated Tamil New Years day like we always do. We ate. Period. But like I always do on festival days, I dressed up my children in Indian clothes. My tomboy daughter didn't want to wear a 'paavadai' but I insisted and said "I'm going to wear a salwar". And she said, "That's not fair, amma. You anyway wear salwars. If you want me to wear a paavadai, then you wear a sari"!

Touche!

And so we celebrated, wearing paavadai, kurta-pyjama, dhoti and sari!

My first lesson in this new year is the realization and acceptance that I have a lot of growing up to do to in order to call myself a grown-up.

And all thanks to my 'little grown-up'.

Junkie and loving it!

2011-04-12T20:20:00.006+05:30

I've always been a sports junkie...for most of my adult life. Following different sports, different leagues, different players and so on. If you think that's easy, think again. So much tension, so much heartbreak, so many anxious moments and sooooooo much drama! There is constant action throughout the year with hardly any time to recover from victory or loss. Aussie Open, Superbowl, IPL, NBA playoffs, French Open, Wimbledon, US Open, year-end tennis masters and the numerous cricket tours that happen these days.

Don't think for a second that following all of this and dealing with the heartbreak, especially, is easy. Sleepless nights follow many a victory and defeat alike. Hard to explain why I feel the way I feel. But I'm glad that my spirit hasn't changed and I'm still addicted...passionately, even.

For the moment, it's all laughter, smiles and trash talking. I've bled blue and have now moved on to yellow! Yellow IS the new blue...bring it on everyone!

Blue

2011-04-02T23:09:00.002+05:30

2 teams, both blue.

2 teams, both tough.

2 teams, both champions.

What a great, clean, awesome match!

Bleeeeeeeeeed Blueeeeeeeeeee!

Loyalty and love...for sport

2011-03-30T06:38:00.001+05:30

In today’s ever-changing ‘flat’ world, people from different parts of the globe live in other parts of it. They call it ‘home’ either for the moment or forever. But are they truly displaced in their feelings as well? Where is their heart? Who will they side with if their present and past ‘homes’ are on a collision course?

‘The Cup’ will make the sub-continent its home by the end of the week. An outsider to this event will think that this is achievement in itself. Alas, the truth is far from it. The magnitude of this, is known only to the billion plus whose hearts beat to the sound of every ball played.

A billion hearts will be praying, singing, screaming and urging you on today.

Bleed Blue India, Bleed Blue.

Radio Ga Ga!

2011-03-09T14:12:00.005+05:30

Radio in India has come a long, long way since the time I was a kid. From old Hindi songs and classical music, it moved on to 'English' songs for one hour every evening. And they even played requests and took dedications! I haven't tuned in to the radio in a really long time (ever since I moved back to India, I think) so I was pleasantly surprised to find that Bangalore has its own 24 hour 'hit' music station Radio Indigo. They have a couple of 'foreign' DJs and the music they play is a combination of rock, pop, hip hop and everything else that is considered 'hit'...at least for the moment.

But the advertisements they feature are as bad as any other station...here are a couple that I hear everyday...

"A recent survey showed that 40% of people that are heart patients are in the age of 25 - 35. Did that wake you up?" - When I first heard that, I thought it was an ad for a health club of some sort promoting the value of staying fit. Um, no...it's for health insurance! It's ok if you're not fit and have a bad lifestyle, make sure you don't get screwed on hospital bills!

A lady with a very strong American accent talks about the benefits of studying at one particular design school in the city...and ends it all by saying she's from SCOTLAND! Come on, get your 'accent' together!

Lastly, an ad featuring Bangalore's hippest French/Italian restaurant Medici! French/Italian...like Indian/Chinese? That's adaptation if you ask me.

Perspective

2011-02-27T22:08:00.004+05:30

A traffic jam at the end of my street on a weekday morning. Irritation, annoyance and everything else showed on my face. And then, I saw two people run by my car...huffing and puffing with their bags in tow. The traffic jam had brought everything to a standstill, including the bus that they wanted to get on to. And so they ran and climbed into the bus...a big smile on their face.

They weren't the only ones smiling at the end of it.

Right Choice Baby, aha!

2011-01-30T20:13:00.005+05:30

50 paise for the small one and 1 rupee for the big one. That's how much I used to pay for Pepsi Cola. And this was many years, maybe even a decade, before Lehar re-introduced it in India. So where did I get it from and that too for such a piddly sum? My school canteen!

It did not come in a glass bottle but in a plastic tube. It was not brownish-black but multi-coloured. It didn't need an opener, just one's teeth. 'It' was not a drink but a Godsend-divine- crushed-ice thingy that made everyone long for recess! And the dirt and grime in the ice box that it was stored in added to the flavour, of course! What a hit it was especially during sports time and awfully hot summer days, which were aplenty in Madras! But by the time I was done with school, it was gone. Replaced by cooler drinks and fancy ice creams that became a part of every child's life, therefore every school's canteen.

And now, it's back...'Chillicks' is its new avtaar. It's packaged differently, stored in a cleaner way and costs a whopping 10 rupees. But I can't get myself to try it. It feels weird.

Pepsi Cola in a clean tube for 10 bucks? Nah. I'll just hang onto my memories of the old one...the original.

Stocking up

2011-01-08T08:47:00.004+05:30

She was a collector, there was no doubt about that. Not art or expensive things or even stamps. Just sentiments. No, not mentally but in the form of cards, letters, little notes...you get the gist. Over the years, her 'collection' grew, moved with her across continents and cities and finally found its resting place in a huge red plastic tub. A tub so big that it couldn't hide anywhere. Sometimes, things need to be jarring, loud...almost an eye-sore to be taken note of. Either by oneself or else, a significant other.

After much debating, she decided that it was time. To sort through, clean up and maybe just let go. And so she began reading through years of laughter, joy, sadness, fun....memories. One last time before she said goodbye. But she just couldn't get herself to say bye to all of them! Important dates, important moments and important people, especially those that were no longer with her...how could she? So the pile became smaller...much smaller. But it was still there, tucked away in a little bag.

The rest? Tucked away in her heart.

The Fight

2010-12-09T19:10:00.002+05:30

It happened on the terrace this time, not the balcony like many times before. Loud and noisy...early in the morning. Another endless arguement. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth...until it became physical. Pushing, shoving, even head-butting. It seemed like it would never end. And there I was, the silent and lone observer, peeking from my balcony, cup of coffee in hand. Suddenly, there was a lot of movement, a sort of dance. Every step that one took, the other followed. Were they going to make up or was the fight intensifying? And then, one took a step onto the ledge! The other stayed still for a second and then followed suit! One last look he gave her...and then took the plunge!

Oh to be a bird and just fly away when it all becomes too much to take!

Deepavali 2010 - the beginning

2010-11-04T13:09:00.001+05:30

I've celebrated Deepavali in India, specifically in Madras, for most of my life. Waking up at the crack of dawn, oil bath, new clothes, sweets and the all the rest of it are still fresh in my mind. Funnily though, the one thing that I've never done is to go shopping for the crackers. Maybe because I've never been very keen on the different bombs or other noisy things. The task of buying even sparklers and flower pots was always outsourced to dad, uncle, brother, driver etc..

What a shock I got when I saw at a 'Discount Firecrackers Store' here in Bangalore that the cost of 1 box of 10 flower pots was Rupees 700! I realized that I may walk out with just that and a box of sparklers. Thinking that I need to return with more cash, I was on my way out but was stopped by the owner.

Yenna madam, what do you want?
Illai, I don't have enough money, I'll come back. (He prob thought that this was a precursor to a long drawn out haggling session)!
No, we give a 70% discount on the printed prices and I'll give you more discount if you buy a lot.

Ok, so now this kind of made sense...or did it?! That meant that for the printed price on 1 box, I would actually get 5! And this applied across the board, on whatever kind of firecracker one wanted to buy. 5 boxes of flower pots and chakras each, 10 boxes of sparklers and 5 boxes of 'shaatai' later, I was at the billing counter feeling mighty thrilled about my first ever 'pattaas' purchase! My joy was short-lived because the bill presented to me was for Rupees 1850. I was figuring out what I should return to the shelf when he said, 'it's ok madam, you please take this for 1500'.

Was his generosity because this is the season for giving and sharing, because I was probably the first 'boni' for the day or because he still made a killing on the sale because I suck at bargaining????

You decide!

Happy Deepavali!

Kolu - memories

2010-10-26T20:03:00.005+05:30

Pattu pavadai, house-hopping with mum, singing songs everywhere, eagerly waiting for the juice/rose milk, and finally the 'vethalai paaku' bag, usually with something special in it for the kids. Doesn't seem like too long ago when I was doing this. But now, it's the daughter's turn...circle of life and all that. A repeat experience except that there was a lot of explaining regarding the dolls. And the son...gunning for the wax fruits, never mind that he won't eat the real ones! And me...and mum. Fun times. Hope they last a long long time to come.

'Try'al Rooms

2010-09-23T06:47:00.009+05:30

I hate shopping per se, especially for clothes, especially in India. Of all the annoying things about it, the most trying bit is the trial room experience.

Opening the door:
It takes a bit to figure out how to...push or pull? What if there's no handle? It's hilarious to see people try it one way, feel terribly embarrassed and do the opposite. Sometimes even that won't work...why? Because there's someone inside and the sign on the knob that says 'occupied' or 'vacant' (just like in the aeroplane loos) is jammed.

Hanging the clothes:
Why is it that most stores have just three hooks or less to put the hangers in? Yes, the rules say 'only three garments at a time' but come on, this is India. No one follows rules so they might as well remove the sign! Even if you do take only the prescribed three garments, where are you supposed to put the clothes that you are in? On the floor?? OK, they may be old but definitely not that bad! These are times when it pays to own a large handbag...it makes a good floor mat substitute. (All you designer handbag owners, disregard this...I'm sure you will first run out naked than put your precious bags on the floor)

Space:
I know stores are trying to maximize display space but that doesn't mean that the trial rooms should be built so tiny. But all credit to them for fitting all four sides (including the back of the door) with mirrors to give the false impression of space...and to positively horrify the 'trier' if the outfit should look ghastly! If you think you look bad, look again and be certain of it!

The fan:
It's hot in India...very hot. But is there a need for a very small but extremely high speed fan to be placed on the ceiling that's not that high at all? It's almost scary to raise your hands up to put on the outfit lest it get stuck...and cut off! And let's not forget hair flying into your eyes, mouth and everything else...especially for those with wavy hair that becomes unmanageable with humidity (ahem)

The companion:
The most irritating part of the trial room experience is the jobless friend who's job it is to bring different sizes of the same outfit to the 'trier' should the size not fit. And invariably, it won't. Back and forth they go bringing different colours, sizes, patterns and so on. It doesn't stop with just that either. Comments and critiques galore...yes, no, maybe, definitely not, awesome, blah, blah...until someone (usually me) glares at them first..and then, if the hint is still ignored, yells at them. There is a supervisor for the trial rooms but these are usually helpless people who just roll their eyes and sigh at all this drama. All they do is fold the discarded clothes really.

The queue:
Mums with kids in-tow (ahem), dads with cell phones ringing (ahem ahem), college kids with bored expressions, elderly couples trying to manage rowdy kids...everyone's in line but not everybody is actually waiting to try on stuff. No, they are holding spots for friends and family! The great Indian reservation system in full force!

Sigh...one of the few things that I miss about the States...

Circle of Life

2010-09-14T14:20:00.004+05:30

"You were so little when I saw you last! Look how much you've grown now! How time flies!" - heard this before? If you live in India and are surrounded by a roomful of family or 'family friends', you most certainly would have. I've always found it quite hard to react to such statements. Or, I should say I don't think my reaction would have been tolerated! Yes, its been long, yes I've grown (duh) and yes, time does fly! Stating the obvious and expecting an equally enthusiastic response...difficult, especially when its a frequent occurrence.

The other day, I heard that a little boy I knew from a long time ago just had a baby. And my first thought was, "What? He had a baby? My god, I remember him as a brat! HE had a baby??" And that's when it hit me! I had become them...the ones that I used to make fun of not too long ago!

This either means that I have aged, considerably, or that I have not made an effort to stay in touch with people and keep up with their life updates. In today's world where technology makes it oh-so-difficult to not be in touch by some means or the other, all signs point to the former of my two conclusions.

I vaguely recall some song...'age ain't nothing but a number' but I don't remember too much...is it my age?

Happy Teachers Day!

2010-09-05T17:29:00.003+05:30

Patience, persistence, perseverance, passion, knowledge, commitment - it takes all of this and more to make a good teacher. We’ve all had many teachers in our lives. Some have touched our hearts more than others but they all meant well. To all my teachers, too many to name but not too many to remember, Happy Teachers Day!

You taught me all you know to the best of your ability.
You encouraged me and believed in me when I doubted myself.
You cheered for me when I did something I wasn't the best at.
You were patient and understanding when I stared blankly back at you.
You made me believe that anything was possible.

I didn’t realize the importance of all of it then. But I do now. You’ve shaped a huge part of me. What I am is because of you. Thank you for everything, especially the wonderful memories.

For love of country, sport or self?

2010-07-13T13:57:00.007+05:30

Sportspersons/athletes have many goals. Some (most) want to be number 1 in the world...the best at what they do best. Others want to represent their country at the Olympics, even feeling that this is the biggest honour possible. Still others want to become famous while making a lot of money from endorsements and the like.

So what happens when someone has all of these goals? They may want one thing, their country may want something else from them, their bodies, after all the beating, may be willing to give something totally different than the requirements and so on. What can an athlete do when the demand and availability are in total contradiction? Who gets priority? The person who is striving for individual glory to be the best in the world? Or the person that the country most needs at that point in time? Let's not forget about the body that doesn't want to give at all! Is the athlete not entitled to some time off from all these demands? Can such time off be planned so as to not upset any of the people making the demands?

I'm not at all a fan of Rafael Nadal but I did feel sorry for the guy when all and sundry gave him hell for going to the World Cup Finals rather than playing a crucial Davis Cup tie against France. After a gruelling clay and grass court season, all he wanted was some time-off. The time-off coinciding with the Davis Cup as well as the World Cup was just his luck. What if Nadal had chilled out at home instead of being in South Africa? Would that have been better in the minds of those that criticized him? Seems like a bit of sour grapes syndrome...'I can't go to the finals so why should you just because you're famous? Do your job like how I'm doing mine and watch the finals on TV'!

It's not like Nadal planned it...no one other than Paul, the octopus, knew that Spain was going to win anyway.

Help is help is help...HELP!!!!!!!

2010-06-23T09:52:00.003+05:30

In the 5 years that I've had to manage domestic help in India, I've realised a few things:

They are stubborn
They pretend to know everything
They have selective hearing
They won't change their ways (and I mean using-actual-floor-cleaners-instead-of-RIN-on-the- floors kind of change)
They love the dishwash bar even though it takes nothing out of the dirty dishes
They talk too much even if I'm not interested in hearing them
They won't move a single piece of furniture to clean under it

But they want a raise ever so often. And new clothes. And money for cell phone recharge. And all the other nonsense that goes with being help in this day and age.

Help!

The Streak

2010-06-02T17:13:00.006+05:30

As the car drove away, He sat back to think...about the last few years. So much achieved in so little time. Almost certainly never to be repeated. And the memories came in a flood just like the tears.

Unbreakable!

Tragedy, TV, thoughts

2010-05-22T21:04:00.004+05:30

It seems impossible to stop watching the news channels when a tragedy occurs. Constant stream of updates, photos, interviews, live action on 'ground zero' to name a few things that are shown; it is played out like a soap opera except that everything in it is real. No one walks away after the director says 'cut'. The stories are told and retold with modifications, some true and many made-up. 'Unanswered questions', 'suspicious events' and other such catchy headlines are splayed all over to make people take even more notice.

This is the age of TV sensationalism. And yet, we can't stop watching. What is it about tragedy that draws us to the TV screens? As much as the anchors host with saddened expressions and softer voices, do they actually care about how the victims' loved ones feel? Yes, they are doing their job but shouldn't there be a limit to how much is said and shown?

Feelings before TV ratings. Something to learn...for us and them.

Namaskara Bangalore!

2010-05-07T16:52:00.007+05:30

My writer's block is certainly not due to lack of thoughts, rather the opposite. Many questions and doubts about the settling in process have been answered. Finding good help, summer classes, grocery stores, local snack shops etc are all done. And in a much shorter timeframe than I imagined. Mainly because there are no language issues this time around. Most people speak a fair bit of English and an even fairer bit of Tamil. Although I'm a proud owner of this, I do feel that I'm not going to need it much.

Maybe Namaskara will suffice...

Hyderabad Blues

2010-03-30T09:46:00.005+05:30

Change is the only constant in our lives these days. Everyone lives everywhere and makes it their home for that point of time. Adaptating to the city, streets, cultures, languages and everything else. You hate it and love it equally. But as you age, the good-byes get harder, maybe even a bit teary. Everything becomes a memory that you want to retain forever in your mind or at least in print. The list of 'this might be the last time we do this or see this' becomes longer.

Is this simply because we understand better with age? Maybe. We know that things don't stay the same. Some things are difficult to replicate no matter how hard you try. Something exciting and fun from a long time ago may not be anymore. Tolerance reduces. Friendships last but not without a great deal more effort. People, places, things change. We all change.

Four years have passed and quite quickly too. From an out-of-towner to a near-local. But no longer. My time here is finished. Languages and lessons learned. Friendships and memories made. Adaptation accomplished. But only to start over.

Home is where the heart is but what if you left a little of your heart in every place that you've called home?

Mental replay

2010-03-22T09:03:00.004+05:30

Retrospect is awesome. Should have, could have, ifs and buts. You can always fix something but only in your mind. If only Ashwin had taken just 1 run and given strike to Albie. 2 runs from 2 balls. Ah! A completely different result.

At least in my mind.

Retrospect is a killer.

Leagues and Sports - Part Deux

2010-03-19T20:42:00.004+05:30

I wrote this during the IPL's inaugural season. Two years into the madness, I still stand by a lot of what I said except maybe the last couple of lines...a little too dramatic even for me! Other than providing 100% entertainment, the IPL has brought cities and states together at least during the 3 hours of every game. Wearing team colours, singing team songs, cheering, booing, clapping and whistling! You see it all during these games. And for people removed from their home state or city, there's nothing more satisfying than loudmouthing their home team victories against their adopted home teams to everyone that will care to listen!

Heckling and trash talking - the two things reserved for sports fanatics, the two things I missed the most since moving back to India! It's back baby, I'm back!!

WHISTLE PODU for the Chennai Super Kings!

The Entrepreneur

2010-03-11T21:18:00.005+05:30

Not everyone has the ability to make a dream come true. It takes a lot of hard work, dedication and guts. Congratulations and good luck to Petawrap!

Paper Weight

2010-01-25T19:27:00.008+05:30

There isn't a whole lot of recycling going on in India. But the one thing I knew was that old newspapers were not thrown in the bin. They were given to the "pazhaiya paper kaaran". No idea beyond that. My newspaper cabinet was threatening to burst so I found one such paper kaaran and decided to pay him a visit with a boot full of old papers.

Upon enquiry I was told that the rate per kg for newspapers and magazines/books was Rupees 6 and Rupees 4 respectively. And he had these old rusty metal scales with 2 5kg weights and 1 1kg weight around him. Very excitedly, I watched as he heaved the magazines onto the scales first...two 5 kg weights on one side and a 1kg above the mags....9 kgs times 4...Rupees 36. Then he put the papers on one side and the 2 5 kg weights on the other side but they didn't balance out. Instead of pulling some papers out and re-weighing them he just looked around, picked up a fairly large stone and put it next to the 10 kgs. Clearly he could see that I was puzzled. Nonchalantly he said "Yeh to Paanch kilo hai"!

Bye bye digitization, we're back in the stone age! Yeah, pun intended.

The case of the missing Crocs

2010-01-21T13:09:00.012+05:30

Once upon a time, about two years ago actually, a pair of Crocs made its way into a home. The wearer wore it all the time even though Fuschia didn't match many outfits. But, fashionably unconscious as she was, she didn't care. She loved it that much. The crocs went everywhere with her...on the train, in a plane, by car and by foot. Through rain storms, muck, sand and cement. Always left in the same spot by the doorstep, the Crocs went missing one day. The house was turned upside down in an effort to find it. The usual suspects, both around and under 3 feet in height were thoroughly questioned but to no avail. She had most unpleasant thoughts about what might have happened to them especially about who might have taken them.

After a restless night, she decided to put the word out in the building about the missing Crocs. The first person to be told itself knew of its whereabouts! It was located by the main gate, the entrance to the building! Did she mistake the main gate to be her doorstep? How else did it end up there? Ah! The paper boy!! He came to collect the bill but left with the Crocs instead. And the next day walked up barefoot leaving the Crocs by the gate. Amateur.

Now the very clean Fuschia (it has been scrubbed silly) is back where it belongs. Inside the house and not by the doorstep. It takes too long to get a shoe to age gracefully. She will sleep in peace tonight.

****All characters and objects in this story are fictional. Resemblance to any individual or object dead or alive is purely coincidental.****

Change!

2010-01-19T21:43:00.005+05:30

It's the same in all languages. "Change irukaa?" in Tamil, "Change undha or change hai?" in Telugu and Hindi or just "Change?" universally. What is it with stores and not wanting to part with change ever?? Is there a shortage of smaller denomination bills or coins? If my bill were Rs. 174 and I handed out a Rs. 1000 note I can understand the question...maybe. But not for a Rs. 500 note. Come on! And sometimes, even if you hand out a Rs. 200 note, you'll be asked next if you have Rs. 4... so that they can give you an even tenner instead of Rs. 6 in coins!

Coin obsession at its best. Irritating.

The attack of the super fast palms

2010-01-14T12:47:00.003+05:30

8/8. Swish. Nothing but net. 8 in a row. That was my count last night. A personal best. Never have I hit that many consecutively. No, not on the basketball court but in my bathroom! My hands were the basketball and the mosquitoes were the net. No electric racquet needed, mind you. It certainly helped that the mosquitoes were the size of bees thanks to a fat-rich bloody diet (mine, undoubtedly)! I would have made 10/10 but the last 2 escaped from within my fingers...in and out. Lucky pests. But I should note that it was not an easy accomplishment. Mosquitoes are a lot smarter than they look and their smarts increase if their diet consists of smart blood too (ahem)!

So the next time you make fun of someone for doing nothing but swatting flies, just remember that its as difficult a job as anything else!

Wishful thinking - Part Two

2009-12-16T20:39:00.006+05:30

I wrote this for my daughter.

And now, this.

I wish I could be fearless. I wish I could be innocent.

I wish I could be amused by climbing up and down stairs a hundred times a day.
I wish I could be amazed by tractors and diggers everytime they pass me by.
I wish I could be so tickled when a goat bleats.
I wish I could call my teachers 'aunty', smile and get away with everything.
I wish I could cry to get someone's attention and be picked up.
I wish I could laugh uncontrollably right after.
I wish I could show my love by licking someone's nose.
I wish I could just snuggle cutely into a blanket at any time of the day.
I wish I could forget as easily when I've been yelled at.
I wish I could smile so wide everytime I see someone I love.
I wish I could love without limits.

I wish I could make my little one understand how thankful I am to him for letting me experience all this.

I wish that it would last forever.

Roll over Quick Gun Murugan, I'm here!

2009-11-25T10:21:00.004+05:30

As I approach a narrow road which is really meant for only one car but always has at least ten zig zagging everywhere I'm amazed that there a few dozen cars parked outside the walls of massive houses that apparently don't have 'visitor' parking inside. Anyway, its the moment I'm waiting for. Adrenaline builds up. The car on the other side and I are speeding towards each other, who's going to make it through the gap? Speed doesn't decide but 'the flash' does! It may seem simple but the timing of the flash is key. You can't do it from the end of the road, only a wuss would! It's got to be close enough but not that close either! Zip.

Meet Quick Flash RR. Ek tumbler whiskey, ek masala dosa.

muhahahahahaha

Ex'queue'se me please

2009-11-13T14:32:00.009+05:30

I always feel like I pick the wrong line to wait in. Grocery store, ATM and anything else that involves queues. Always.

At the store I not only have to deal with people fumbling for change and others counting out their Sodexho coupons at the last possible minute but also the hand that sneaks in from the other side of the counter with 'just one item' and NO 'please' or 'excuse me' or even a 'thank you' if I allow them! You would think that the person at the checkout would ignore this 'hand' and make it get into line but no, they side with it as well saying 'okka nimisham madam, okkate item undhi'! There's a separate line for that you freaks! Go there!

The person in front of me at the ATM most often has no clue about ATM courtesy. Banks always have signs posted saying: No talking on cell phones inside ATM. No wearing caps or helmets. No entering in groups. How about this instead:
DON'T use the ATM as a substitute for a teller.
DON'T use the ATM for more than 2 minutes at a time.
DON'T hold up people indefinitely, especially at the beginning of the month.
DON'T recount the money that the ATM has just dispensed to you.
And most importantly DON'T pretend to know how to use the ATM when you really don't! It's ok to ask for help.

Jeez!

Truffes

2009-10-08T21:42:00.004+05:30

A square box, innocent looking, beautifully wrapped, waiting to be opened. Should I open it? I think know what's in there but a part of me wants to just leave it be. Because perfection like this doesn't come about too often, at least not here in India. But here's the catch. It's good for only 3 weeks from date of manufacture. Ummmmm.....

gobble, gobble, gobble, gobble, ...

Sinful! Very, very sinful but absolutely divine!

It takes one chocolate connoisseur to recognize another. Thank you my friend.

Plumbing 101

2009-09-20T21:02:00.003+05:30

There was a strange smell in the kids loo this morning. After thorough investigation I ruled out the possibility of stale food, dead reptile or a forgotten diaper. Drain issue, I thought. So I asked the plumber to check when he popped in for his weekly visit. After a very thorough 2 second examination he told me with much confidence that if I left the bathroom door open all the time there would be more ventilation and the odour would go away!

He's paid a monthly retainer, btw.

A Dick is a dick is a dick

2009-09-18T10:32:00.003+05:30

At the presentation ceremony of the US Open, the champion Juan Martin del Potro wanted to talk. To thank his team, the fans, just everybody that he could think of in that exhilirated state of mind that he was in. The only problem was that he wasn't fluent in English so after saying a few muddled sentences he asked Dick Enberg if he could say a few words in Spanish. Instead of just passing the mike onto del Potro so he could have his moment, Dick said "We're running out of time"! (One exclamation point is not enough really). A few seconds later when del Potro asked again, he was given the mike but quite reluctantly. Not even two sentences were out of Potro's mouth before the tears started to flow. And again, instead of letting him take it all in, maybe get some applause from the crowd Dick took the mike back and started going on about the prize money he's won, yaada, yaada, yaada!

I've never felt that someone had been named more aptly. Good job, DICK!

A fa(u)ltering God

2009-09-15T09:16:00.003+05:30

Almost two years to the date that I wrote this I found myself doing the same thing: waking up at an ungodly hour to watch the US Open Finals. The difference was that this time I didn't go back to bed as the match didn't end as quickly. Neither did Federer win.

Strangely enough though, I don't feel upset in any way. Maybe because Federer has accomplished what he was destined for earlier this year; completing his career Grand Slam and breaking Sampras' record for most majors. Maybe because Federer himself didn't seem upset about having lost. Maybe because tennis as a sport needs some new faces. Maybe...

A - Z

2009-08-11T09:38:00.019+05:30

People, things, places, memories, favourites...

A - Amma and Appa
B - Beach (Marina)
C - Chocolates, Cheese
D - Dosa
E - Eclipse (the Mitsubishi kind)
F - Friends, Family
G - Grandparents
H - Holidays
I - Ice cream
J -
K - Kids
L - Lakers
M - Madras
N - New Orleans (with the girls)
O -
P - Panneer Tikka
Q -
R - Reuters
S - Sathya
T - Tennis
U - University (Ethiraj, Hartford)
V - Violet House (at school)
W - Woodlands Drive-in
X - Xmas in NYC
Y -
Z - Zen (the Maruti kind)

Still pondering the missing alphabets...

Magician, artist, dare i say god?- Part 4

2009-07-06T10:01:00.004+05:30

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

For almost the entire 4+ hours, he didn't seem like any of those. The opponent did. Breaking His serves, hitting incredible passes and playing spectacular. But in the end, the tennis Gods favoured Him and history was made at the first opportunity. No tears this time, just plain relief. And humility. Understanding that the match could have gone the other way, that's what makes a true champion. Not taking things for granted and fighting till the end.

As a Sampras fan, I watched the match with mixed feelings. Records are made to be broken, so said Sampras himself. The child in me wished to see Sampras' name stay up there along with Federer's but the tennis fan in me was ecstatic. Mixed feelings. But no longer. Federer will win many more majors I'm sure and I want to say that His record will stand the test of time.

But I'll refrain for that's what I and many more said about Sampras'.

Adieu MJ

2009-06-28T10:07:00.003+05:30

It seems almost wrong not to acknowledge the passing of a legend. I've always been a fan but not a die-hard one. This is my short tribute.

Moonwalking, high up in the sky. Moonwalking, to the envy of all the Gods. Singing and dancing as he pleases. No autographs, no pictures, no debtors just His music, dance and privacy. He may no longer be in this world but he's probably giving the performance of 'his life' up there.

RIP MJ.

Introspection

2009-06-12T10:54:00.003+05:30

Older
Wiser
Happier
Fitter
Less sleepy
Funner
More with it!

A great start to a better year!

Multi-lingual message

2009-06-10T21:26:00.005+05:30

'Please close the door, daivacheydi gateue vayyandi' goes a voice everytime I get into the elevator in my building. Stating the obvious, at least to me. But what is interesting is how many times I hear this message through the day because someone has not shut the door properly.

Really, how many more languages must this message be played in? I guess we must do Hindi being the National Language and all. But in the India that we live in now, every city is a potpourri of languages with everyone speaking all and nothing at the same time. So the next best thing is pictures, because a picture says a thousand words, right? Step by step illustrations of what must be done to close the door properly.

And if even that doesn't work, hire a lift operator to open and close the door. All day long. There are enough people that would want to do that.

Going up in life might never be as easy.

You can call me xxxx

2009-06-10T13:49:00.003+05:30

When help around the house changes, the way I'm addressed also changes. Amma, madam, akka, mam. And now...UNDI! Pronounced exactly how its spelt! I have heard it used many a time before but just not at me. Undi is sort of like giving respect while addressing the person except that all it does is crack me up! Here's an example, one a true incident and the other, just silliness.

Babu nidram poyinda? (Has the baby slept?)
Ownu undi. (Yes, undi!)

Babu undies ekadaa? (Where are the baby's undies?)
Undies aa undi? (Baby's undies, undi?)

Just typing that up made me smile :).

Magician, artist, dare I say God? - Part 3

2009-06-07T21:22:00.004+05:30

Part 1
Part 2
Some stories will never end. There will always be a new chapter every so often. This one, its almost the perfect story. A dream run that ended in triumph. A well-deserved victory too. So said the conquered. All of them.

True champions fight all odds and come out on top especially when they are most doubted. Setting new standards, raising the bar to even greater heights is what is left now. I hope it happens in the next few weeks. The place where it all began.

Good luck.

CSK and DC, which one is really home to me?

2009-05-26T20:52:00.008+05:30

After CSK lost in the IPL semis, I naturally supported DC because after all, they are my 'second home' team. Having lived in Hyderabad for 3 years now, I kind of qualify as a Hyderabadi (when it suits me only). But when the last ball was bowled, I did not feel the same euphoria that I would have had it been CSK walking away with the trophy. Try as I might, even spite (which was aplenty as DC beat RC which had beaten CSK) could not replicate those emotions that are usually reserved for favourites only.

And then a thought zipped through my mind. As long as I live in Hyderabad, my kids will always put the Chargers above the Kings. Naturally. DC will be their home team.

That should make for very interesting future IPL parties!

Brain Freeze - Part 2

2009-05-20T21:30:00.002+05:30

Nothing unfreezes my 'writers' block than sports!

peRFect
That's what he has been for the last few years until Nadal came along. With a victory at the Madrid Masters he's kickstarted his claycourt season but what that will mean at the French Open is anyone's guess. Good luck RF, this could be your last chance!

Lakers
My favourite team! In the Western Conference Finals again and 1 game up too! They should go all the way this time. I will die if they don't.

CSK
A new addition to my sporting teams list. Chennai Super Kings. In the semis of the 2nd IPL season. Go Kings go!

What would I do without sports...

The Nano - Part 2

2009-03-23T20:28:00.003+05:30

It's finally here. And I actually feel sad. A Walmart-style car, low cost, probably average to poor quality (based solely on the Indica) and supposedly the travel answer to the masses. I've already written about this here so I won't go on.

Take away from the equation that it is an Indian company that has come up with this. Would we still be proud of this accomplishment? As much as I want to, I'm unable to compare this to Ford's Model T that made car ownership possible for the masses in America. Everybody wants their own set of wheels but at what cost?

1 lakh times 'X' is too much of a price to pay in the long run.

Languageu lessonsu

2009-03-21T10:01:00.009+05:30

I've learnt a fair amount of Telugu in the last three years, no credit to the book that I bought soon after I moved to Hyderabad in 2006. Not only was the vocabulary useless (the first word in the list was 'causeless') but also the presentation was just terrible. Anyway, it turned out that the better source for Telugu lessons were my house help teaching me more slang and dialects that would turn out to be more useful on a day-to-day basis.

But my 'unending quest' to continue to learn made me go back to the vocab page in this book. Among the many other useless words written up, I came across two that made me 'rofl'. The words for telephone and principal. In TelugU and just like the title of this post!

Any guesses?

Profile pic

2009-03-17T22:11:00.003+05:30

It's been about a year and a half since I created an account on Facebook. I've probably changed my profile picture at least ten times. To keep up with the changes in my life, no doubt. Similarly all my friends' pics have changed too. I don't think even one has the same picture that they started out with (except for those with the old question mark).

Is it possible to find one picture that can be a constant? Not necessarily of the person itself but of 'something' even. Something that when a known person looks at makes them go "Oh, that has to be X". Is it humanly possible to identify with a few things or even just one thing for all of ones' life?

Or is life too random to prevent that?

Second wind

2009-03-09T20:06:00.004+05:30

Boring, tiring, same old beat going on in my head, huffing and puffing and not enjoying any of it. That's me on a treadmill. Hate it...always hated it. Then this on my shuffle! Catchy beat and imagining thalaivaa dancing (his version of dancing anyway) made me smile and get going with great gusto! Too bad that it lasted only until the song did but an extra 5 minutes is not too shabby...a much-needed 5 minutes too.

Soup split

2009-03-04T10:53:00.003+05:30

1 by 2, 2 by 3, 4 by 5 and anything else by anything else. It's all possible. When you order soup in India, that is. A very common practice that experts say results in more soup per serving per person than if one were to ask for an extra bowl and split it themselves! In fact, I even know people that do this for takeout!

Can you imagine the restaurant doing this though? Will they actually fill out two bowlfulls, then take a 3rd one and evenly split from the other 2? Or are they so used to this strange request that the guy is a pro at it and knows exactly how many ladles go into each? Whatever it is, the request has never fazed anyone in any place that I've been to. The only requirement is that the person doling out the soup has to be a math whiz...how else would they understand 23/30 should such a request come by??

On a related note, I wonder if this tactic would work with alcohol. Margheritas please...3 by 4 but all for 1!

Going bananas!!

2009-02-24T09:57:00.003+05:30

I've always paid Rs.10 for 6 bananas. Since I've moved back to India that is. Irrespective of weather, inflation etc in the last 3 1/2 years, this is what it has cost me. Apparently not anymore. Reason? Still not weather or inflation but just me (not driver) in car buying the fruit! How ridiculous! I must have IDIOT plastered across my forehead because all the vendors were quoting me a higher-than-usual rate! Thinking that the supermarket can't cheat me (because prices are fixed and not because I look smart or anything) I walked into the store and was thrilled to see a 'buy 1kg, get 1kg free' offer for bananas. There is a God I thought momentarily but before I could thank Him I noticed that my total was Rs.25 because that was the cost of 6 bananas (1kg) at the store!

Rahman, Rehman whatever

2009-02-23T09:40:00.003+05:30

I finished commenting on Atma Gyan's post and went in front of the TV when ARR won the Oscar for best song. I noticed that the presenter pronounced his name as RAHMAN which validates my theory that it is indeed his belief in numerology that made him change the spelling from the time of the nomination to the presentation.

Interesting that even the best of us believe that we need something more than just our talents to win!

Another one bites the dust

2009-02-18T20:35:00.003+05:30

10. That's the magic number. Finished. No more. The entry in my cell phone for 'Driver' is now gone. May it rest in peace.

I surely will.

Adaptation - Part 1

2009-02-13T09:50:00.005+05:30

So many aunties and uncles have been a part of my childhood. There was the aunty next door, the uncle down the street and the innumerable uncles and aunties all through school and college...my friends parents. Every new friend brought a new aunty/uncle into my life. I never thought of calling them anything else...which is why I used to wonder why Archie, Jughead and the rest of them called each other's parents Mrs. or Mr. xyz. I couldn't even think of saying Mrs. Vasudevan or Mr. Nichani. It sounded simply strange.

As strange as it might be to picture Archie calling Mrs. Jones 'aunty', right? Imagine my surprise when I went to a birthday party of a kid that studies in an international school and I heard one of the parents saying to their kid "Say goodbye to R aunty (said with an American accent...like 'ant'y) and K uncle"! And the kid didn't bat an eyelid either. She even came up to me and said "aunty, make sure to take a take-home gift for your kids"!!

See who's calling!

2009-02-10T21:23:00.002+05:30

Hi maam, can I help you?
No, not really I'm just looking at the cordless phones available.
Let me show you the latest models.
No, its fine. I want a basic model, nothing fancy. This one seems ok.
Oh, but that doesn't have caller id. In today's world caller id is a must. We have to see who's calling before we answer!

!!!!!!!!!!!!

Right Choice?

2009-01-22T09:13:00.003+05:30

January 20, 2009
2230 hours

Getting to bed early or watching history unfold.
Getting to bed early or watching history unfold.
Getting to bed early or watching history unfold.
Getting to bed early or watching history unfold.

It's never easy to choose...especially when its between two men!

I am ...

2009-01-20T09:43:00.004+05:30

Doordarshan (DD) has been repeatedly playing 'Mile Sur Mera Tumhaara' now that its close to Republic Day. Having lived outside India, I've always explained to my 'foreign' friends that India is like Europe in that there are so many different languages and cultures but all within one country. What I didn't go on to add was that heart of hearts though, most Indians do not think of themselves as Indian, rather South Indian, North Indian or whatever else. Yes, we should be proud of our heritage and culture but not to the point of thinking that one is terribly superior to the other. It irritates me that even among my generation (given the education and exposure that we have), there are still people who have pre-conceived notions about how you will be based on where you're from even before they've gotten to know you.

How unfortunate that what most people remember about this DD classic once its off-air is only its tune.

Read Atma Gyan's latest for her thoughts on this.

Festivals, fun and food! - Pongal

2009-01-13T12:49:00.005+05:30

This year I've decided to blog about the million-odd (exaggeration...) festivals that are celebrated in India starting with Pongal. Not like an informative blog about the significance or anything (Wikipedia will have that) but about the different food that is cooked and eaten on those special days. And a little about my experiences cooking them.

Pongal is just about coming to an end. I don't think any other festival has this much food, especially the different dishes made with rice. I feel like I'm about to burst and we still have one more day to go. I've successfully (even if I say so myself) made vadai, semiya payasam, venn pongal, chakra pongal, avial and gotsu. Tomorrow's menu is thenga saadam and thakali sadam.
Reads like a whole host of dishes, but all very simple and easy.

Here are the lessons learnt from my experiment:

Pressure cooking jaggery with rice, milk and water is not good. It alters the taste of jaggery as well as lengthens the cooking time (Read tart chakra pongal and complete waste of gas).
Always put in a small 'blob' of whatever you're trying to fry in the hot oil and NOT a whole batch so that a quick taste and texture check can be done. (Luckily the first few pieces were used for the pooja so not eaten by us. Sorry God!)
Anything that needs to be stirred should NOT be in the back-burner especially when there is something in the front burner also. (Burn marks...duh)!
The pressure cooker must be closed tight. (It isn't really pressure cooking otherwise).
All ingredients should be kept ready so nothing is left out in dish. (Raisins went missing in chakra pongal)

This post is a day too early you might wonder...we still have the last day of Pongal left and two more dishes to be made. The expert cook that I am, I'm supremely confident that nothing will go wrong with those. Maybe I'll post some pics to prove it.

Look who's texting / The Text Nazi

2009-01-10T20:43:00.005+05:30

I've received a whole bunch of random texts in the past couple of years including notifications of already-approved loans, jobs promising great pay working from home, random advertisements etc. Today was a first though. Early in the morning, my phone buzzed to indicate a new text; Sender name: CHANDRABABU. In my sleepy state I figured it came to me by mistake and I was about to delete it but opened it by mistake. It was some mumbo jambo about Sankranthi and New year wishes to all proud Telugu people from Nara Chandrababu Naidu. After a second, I realised that it was a message from the ex-chief minister of Andhra Pradesh probably hoping to accumulate some goodwill and get some votes in the upcoming election.

Too bad it came at the crack of dawn and woke me and a bunch of other people up. No vote for you...NEXT!

TGFI

2009-01-06T21:37:00.006+05:30

Tees with lace and frills and pants so tight that the seam is bordering on bursting through. Shoes costing 6000 rupees and only designer socks. The latest and greatest Bollywood tracks blaring...and then there's me with my fish out of water look...old tracks, comfy (old) tee, oooooooold comfy shoes and socks wishing for some quiet else some bearable music.

The joys of working out at a supposedly hip gym where the city's who's who work out. Thank God (or at least Apple and of course, you Shobs) for my Ipod.

Adios 2008, Hola 2009

2008-12-31T09:24:00.004+05:30

(Title for this blog dedicated to my dear little Spanish-speaking Dora and Diego-loving daughter)

Another year gone by and so quickly too. Tonnes of dirty diapers getting dirtier, sleepless nights getting sleepier and still more tantrum-filled days getting...better, its been an interesting one. I wouldn't ask for anything else though. Honestly. As I get ready to welcome in the new year, I wonder what it is about this day every year that makes everyone list out their so called 'resolutions'. Things that they want to do or want to give up doing. Making a clean start on the 1st of the year and hoping that it will result in a better life or at least a better year. So here's my list. Promises, lies and all things in between.

I will exercise everyday.
I won't yell at the kids.
I will eat healthy.
I won't waste time surfing randomly.
I will read a book a week.
I won't get mad at my help everyday.
I will improve on my Hindi and Telugu.
I won't buy stuff for the heck of it.
I will blog more regularly.
I won't be too random in my thoughts. And I won't ramble on.

Happy New Year 2009!

Black Thursday

2008-11-27T11:56:00.005+05:30

It's shameful what's been happening in Bombay since last night. When will they see that this is not the answer? Innocents injured, people dying on the job. God bless all those that have given their lives fighting this madness and God be with those that are still out there trying to save the rest.

Yes, it is shameful the way things are panning out but I find it even more shameful that the breaking news on almost all the channels is that England have cancelled the remainder of their tour. We all love sports, especially our cricket. But please, let's put things in perspective.

The Namesake

2008-11-18T10:26:00.005+05:30

We loved it. It was short, cute and yet powerful. It wasn't a new name, just that we had never heard it used alone...by itself. It was a part-of-something-else name. But we still loved it. The reactions were mixed. The older generation found it hard to conceal their bewilderment. The younger generation (ours) thought it was cool. Whenever we mention it now, there's always a follow-up question...about the meaning and if there is more to it.

It makes me wonder if we've pulled a Gogol...

Resemblance bias...or is it?

2008-11-13T10:26:00.010+05:30

The baby looks like...who? Mom? Dad? Mom's brother? Dad's sister? Paternal Grandad? Maternal great grandmom? None of them??? A completely random-looking baby? Isn't is amazing how different people can see whoever they want to see in a little baby? And it doesn't even stop with just overall resemblance, does it? Nose looks like dad's, fingers are shaped like mom's and so on. And you don't hear all this nonsense from just friends and family either. Step outside the house and you will have complete strangers swing by and swear that the kid looks like one or the other parent leaving the parent awarded the resemblance feeling (secretly, of course) very thrilled and the other (visibly, of course) very irritated.

This must mean that all mom's and dad's resemble each other in some weird way. How else could you explain such a peculiar phenomenon?

Train travel trial(s)

2008-11-11T11:15:00.000+05:30

Every summer all through school, I took train journeys with my grandparents. Rocky motion, non-stop snacking, reading under the dim lift-up lights, sleeping in the upper berth...many fond memories but always one peeve. The loos. As a kid, I don't think anything was scarier than the thought of having to use those loos. Many years have passed, many new trains and routes introduced, many techie things added(like plug points in the compartments, cell phone towers for coverage etc) but the loos have stayed the same. And overall cleanliness seems to have worsened.

I discovered this at the cost of taking my kids on a long train ride from Hyderabad to Madras. Sky rocketing fuel prices increasing the cost of flight tickets and saying Bye bye to Begumpet prompted this experimental train ride to Madras. First a/c is the business class of train rides or so we thought. (First class would be attaching your own coach to the train). The compartment was far from clean, the berths needing quite a bit of dusting and washing. An orange coloured cheese ball turned black after being dropped in the gap between the window glass and metal fix (Our intrigued kid was keen to taste that as well). A half hour into the ride and a trip to the loo revealed a broken potty and dirty, messy floors leaving it absolutely unusable. The bedding that was provided was musty-smelling and sneeze-inducing. And to top off all that, the train staff were not friendly or helpful. It's ironic that there was a bell to call them if we needed anything, but even a face-to-face didn't accomplish much. The one thing that they promptly did was to wake everyone up at all unearthly hours indicating the arrival of an important station making sure to mention that it was their job to do so.

Overall, the experiment was a bit of a flop. We will most certainly fly on our next trip. What trials that may bring is anyone's guess.

Deepavali Diary 2008

2008-11-07T21:00:00.003+05:30

Firecrackers, new clothes, sweets and treats, parties, friends and family – that just about sums up a typical Deepavali for me. Throw two little kids into this mix, one too small to comprehend too much, while the other just about the right age to start enjoying everything and at the same time to start fearing the sound of the hydrogen bombs and Lakshmi vaedis. All it took was some fragments of a story, a few sparklers, flower pots and ground chakras...and some jaangris. How simple a child’s mind is and how easily distracted when in the company of a loving grandparent. Deepavali came and went leaving as always fond memories, plenty of pictures (thank God for digital cameras) and a few extra pounds around the waist. But this time, it also left me with another thought. Instead of everyone sending everyone else sweets who then have to figure out how to dispose off them before they spoil, wouldn’t it be nice if we could express our wishes a little differently? Can we not donate however much we wish to spend on these treats to a worthy cause and just send a card to everyone wishing them and informing them of our donation? Would that be considered cheap or would a supposedly progressive society accept and appreciate it?

I remember an episode from Seinfeld where George fakes donations to a ‘Human Fund’ during Christmas time just to escape gift-giving at work. Of course the lie catches up to him and yada, yada, yada.

But I'm not George...

Road to Hell

2008-09-26T16:39:00.003+05:30

For a second it seemed like I was back on I 95. In the driver's seat, Dire Straits playing, zooming by just knowing where the road would curve left or right. Then, a sudden halt...buffaloes! Holding up traffic in, possibly, the busiest road in Hyderabad! OK, so we wait awhile, get around them and within a few seconds hit the next roadblock - new and improved potholes thanks to the measly rain we had a few weeks ago. A slalom run through them ends in speed bumps at the end of the road! Speed bumps when the top speed one can go is 20 kmph!

Yes, seat belts are a must in Hyderabad or else, a momentary lapse of reason may make you jump out of your running car.

Black or White

2008-09-24T10:06:00.003+05:30

While watching a cookery show that had shrimps on the menu, my helper asked me what it was. I tried explaining the Tamil word for it...'Yera' i think. She remarked that it was usually black and then, without missing a beat went on to add that the shrimps on the show were white because they were in Europe!

The name is Rajinikanth????

2008-09-16T15:46:00.006+05:30

I've read a lot of books. Some good, some average, many boring but none that I thought of as terrible. But there's always a first isn't there? What's sad is that this book is non-fiction; a biography... about the most famous South Indian actor (debatable, some would say) alive!
How can one go wrong with a biography? The star's rags-to-riches story, professional facts, photos, comments from peers should pretty much cover it all. Hah! I wish.

Chapters alternate about the star Rajini and Shivaji the struggling boy. Its almost like a movie...present and flashback except that it happens for every scene. The author's English is terrible. She constantly moves from one tense to the other seamlessly, leaving the reader confused. She has mis-spelled names of movies, actors and many other important facts. She has literally translated most of the words (i.e say it in Tamil and write it in English). Many of her assumptions are completely biased as she is a hardcore 'thalaivar' fan. Like the teacher that everyone has had at some point that said 'open the door, let the climate come in', someone somewhere has said 'he has two daughters, both are girls'. Never before have I seen this in print(and not in the bloopers section, mind you). Apparently spelling and grammar checks were used neither by the author nor the editors. To publish this book and charge a whopping Rs. 495 is a crime. I feel cheated (although I didn't pay full price for it).

If we shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, should we by it's title then?

Magician, artist, dare I say God? - Part 2

2008-09-09T21:48:00.006+05:30

I wrote Part 1 September 2007. Unfortunately part 2 is a whole year later. A bad year for Federer by his standards; exit in 1 Grand Slam semi-final, runner up in the next 2 (although badly thrashed in one) and finally a winner at the last. Based on the last couple of years, number 15 will hopefully come about at Wimbledon. That's where Sampras beat the record as well. Federer respects tradition. He will do the same. I hope he's saving the best for it.

Le Roi est mort; Vive Le Roi

2008-08-19T10:54:00.002+05:30

Fedsta will be back...watch this space.