The Laughter Therapist

New blog address!!!

2011-03-24T10:19:00.001+05:30

I have a new blog address! Please go to - www.someoldnews.info

Also add me to your Google readers :-)

www.ashatampa.com

2010-02-07T20:44:00.003+05:30

Hi folks! :o)

I've always dreamed of having my own domain at www.ashatampa.com, so when I spotted a domain recently at 50% off, I grabbed the chance, heh. For the next one year, I will be posting on that space, so please follow my scribblings there; you can add me to your Google Reader.

Cheers,
Asha

November Rain

2009-11-23T10:00:00.003+05:30

Somehow, rain always makes me feel like curling up in a chair by the window, with a cup of coffee in hand, and an old book; walking in the rain was something I never even considered doing. A couple of days ago, when it started raining, I decided to forgo my usual cuppa and head out for a walk. It was dusk - that time of the day when people like to snuggle on their couches with the TV remote.

I had barely walked a few steps when I saw these kids squatting by a small pool the rain had made, paper boats in hand. I was hit almost immediately by a wave of nostalgia; my own childhood, the days of getting drenched in the rain oblivious to the screams, rants and threats of my parents; running down the street with friends, following eagerly the paths of our paper boats meandering their way through the rivulets of rain.

I realized that as I grew up I slowly forgot to appreciate life's smaller joys; the joys that made my entire childhood so much more memorable. The joy of running home after school at full speed, with that lightness in the heart that another day of lessons was finally over. The joy of playing in the street with other brats, oblivious to passers-by, oblivious to the dirt, oblivious to time, oblivious to everything. The joy when my gran used to make my favorite dish without my asking, and the joy that came when I knew I could have as much as I wanted to :D The joy of finding a sparrow's nest right inside the house, and accepting those tiny birds as a part of the family; the joy of making stupid faces and shouting at the top of my voice (as loudly as my lungs would allow it) just for the heck of it, knowing full well that none in the family would even bat an eyelid ;-)

I wonder how many of these joys are possible now without raising eyebrows. I hope as we grow older we appreciate these tiny experiences, maybe take a few moments out of our day to remember them, and tell ourselves that life is not that serious after all. It's just as serious as we want it to be.

Steig Larsson

2009-11-14T10:16:00.003+05:30

I've started reading The Millenium Trilogy. Am still on the first book, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, but I'm hoping to complete it soon, maybe this weekend. Review later this week :-)

Deleted. Without second thoughts.

2009-11-11T19:04:00.004+05:30

It's funny how soon my preferences change, within a matter of weeks, no less...

Before you start wondering what on earth I am talking about, I read the Twilight series a couple of months back. Understandably, I was completely smitten; rolled up my sleeves and started writing a post extolling all the reasons why the series was a must-read. I never got to completing that post; maybe just a para or two, before I just saved the draft and moved on. Now, this happened maybe a month back. A few minutes ago, I was cleaning up my drafts, and I did not even think twice before selecting that particular post and clicking on the Delete button. Not even a tinge of regret that something which I liked so much, prodded so many people into reading, was pushed so far back into the recesses of my mind that I do not even feel anything for it anymore.

What does this mean, I wonder? This sudden change in likes and dislikes? Does this happen to any of you? This soon, I mean.

Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol - Completely lost

2009-10-26T14:02:00.004+05:30

Barring Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown has delivered fairly unimpressive work. Couldn't say no to The Lost Symbol after it was literally handed to me on a platter - my cousin had it lying around the house when I went visiting over the weekend. Though painfully lengthy, the book got off to a good start. Suspense built up after 50-odd pages, and I started reading it in earnest. After all, the book starred Robert Langdon, and gotta admit, I find such historical suspenses set in modern times interesting.

The story begins with Prof. Langdon being called to Washington D.C., apparently by his good friend and mentor, Peter Solomon. What starts as an innocent invitation to give a lecture soon turns into a nightmare, with Peter Solomon's severed hand greeting our friend Robert Langdon in the lecture room. Yeah, spooky. A series of horrifying events follow, with Peter's sis Katherine Solomon also in the fray, and a weird, bald, tattooed man (animal is the only word for him) trying his best to kill everybody in sight.

What made me want to hurl the book at a wall towards the end was its glaring plot; maybe, if it were your first book, you might not be able to guess it, but the answer stares at you right in the face. Dan Brown obviously thought of his readers as fools. It's also a damn weak plot; hard to believe so much stuff was done, so many people were killed, for such a stupid reason. There is no feel-good factor once you reach the end; just a slight headache coupled with painful eyes, like in my case.

What's in a name? Lots!

2009-08-02T01:19:00.005+05:30

What the hell is in a name, Shakespeare might have said.

I disagree, having spent more than three hours searching a name for my new blog. It was like my blog was jinxed; every single darn name I tried was already taken. In my desperation I started trying out song names - no luck. Even www.noname.blogspot.com was taken, for Chrissakes! Cmon! And even more exasperating was the fact that many of these blogs seemed to have been started on a spurt of creativity, and then pushed back into the recesses of the blogger's minds. Lot many had just a single post on em, dating back to as far as 2001. In blogging terms, they might as well have been created during the B.C. period!

I had planned on starting a blog about interesting things happening in the digital world - could be anything, ranging from appealing, out-of-the-box websites, to start-ups, to any interesting news, whatever. I most especially did not want my name in the URL. Finally, after a lot of head banging, cursing, contemplative minutes later I hit on this - kreativeblitzkrieg.

Yeah, I know, it cant get worse than this one. So please, guys, if you've got any suggestions, do let me know. Mucho appreciated.

Smokey Smokersons

2009-06-18T02:00:00.000+05:30

No, this is not some new hookah or cigar joint. Am talking about the dreaded smoke emitting, fume spitting, soot enveloped vehicles rampant on the streets of Hyderabad. God forbid that you get stuck behind one such monster during rush hour; you might end up choking, suffocating, and cursing your bike, due to which you are being made to endure such torture. It's a damn wonder why no action is ever, ever taken against these poisons. The traffic police obligingly stop every other person on a bike and demand to see each and every document under the sun (including our insurance papers, dammit!) failing which they subtly ask for a couple of hundred bucks. Catch hold of these bozos, for a change!

My eyes are almost always red-rimmed by the time I reach office, triggering rumors that I might be a crybaby. Pssst, I bet she's the sort who's been crying since childhood about not going to school, college, and now, the office, heh. No, guys! Not me! Anyways, I have no idea whether such constant exposure to the smoke might affect my eyes; I know for sure it's affecting my nerves. I bite back all the dirty swears that rise to my lips when I get a gust of thick black smoke blown directly into my face. And go home fuming. No wonder I'm not able to get any fairer, heh. I wish to God there was some solution to this; sadly, apart from moving permanently to a village that knows only bullock carts, I dont see any light on the horizon.

Science of the signs

2009-06-15T15:37:00.003+05:30

I dont have any idea of how, or when it happened. Slowly, but surely, I began to rely on the signs. Numerological signs, sun signs, star signs, the whole damn lot of em. The other day I met this really great guy; the moment I told my Mom about it she hurried to peek into her Linda Goodman treasury. She comes out saying our signs do not match. Damn you, Linda! Why on earth do you have to write about the negative? Doesnt matter anyhow, something that has "forbidden" written all over it is invariably read as "temptation".

All these signs notwithstanding, how do you usually decide which way a relationship is going, even before you've started it? Based on both your birth dates? Or based on how well you converse with each other, and how comfortable you are in each other's company? I've got a healthy respect for the stars, and ofcourse the numbers; but ultimately, I dont want to miss out on something special just because the stars dont agree! So far in all my relationships, with friends, family, guys, the stars have been right. This time though, I'm sorely tempted to take a chance. And leave the rest to fate.

PS: Completed a draft, finally!!! :D

Creativity stagnant?

2009-06-12T11:10:00.002+05:30

The number of drafts in my blog are growing. Every time I get a new idea, write a few lines, lose interest, and log out. Is this something every blogger experiences, or is it because I'm stressed or something? Today morning I decided I would get the drafts completed, and ended up creating another one. Don't want to make this one a draft as well, so I might as well end it here itself and publish the damn post :D

What's in a tag?

2009-04-22T01:24:00.005+05:30

Well, I've been tagged by Aswin from our Bloggeratti community and, now, I have to write 25 things about myself! Sheesh, umm, I don't know whether I ought to do it... OK, who am I kidding! I loove talking about myself!

So here goes:

1. This is something everyone knows - I love reading books. Most specially, I love girly mills and boon. Dont find fault with me! I've loved em since a long time, and I'll continue lovin em for a long time to come.

2. I started my first dirty word when I was 2 years old. Apparently I said something that left the entire room speechless. What do you know, I haven't stopped ever since.

3. My parents had to force me and threaten severe consequences before I learned cycling. They thought I was dumb. Little did they know I was damn lazy.

4. Yes, I might be the laziest person you might ever meet. I am so lazy, a teacher at school actually compared my laziness to the laziness of the entire school, combined. Beat that!

5. I hate mornings. I usually stay up till 2 every nite; it's the mornings that are unbearable. I just cant, get up on time. My managers at both offices got tired of warning me to come early; when they couldn't bear it anymore, they just learned to live with it.

6. Oh, and yes, I also used to go to school late. I used to be dubbed as Late Kate by some teachers(hate em!) but I always managed to scrape through by putting on a pitiful expression and blaming it on a punctured bike. I wonder how they believed me every time. No punishment for me, baby!

7. Once I got a severe look from my granpa for throwing stones at unsuspecting passers-by, from the relative safety of our balcony. Just a look, mind you! Even that had me in tears and sulking.

8. I also tied up my friend once and sat on him till he started crying. What, he dared me to!

9. I grew up with my grandparents. I used to visit my mom and dad just during summer holidays, and my brother and me used to fight like dogs.

10. My kid brother is my best friend, and so is my mom. I share everything with em. Crushes, boyfriends, everything. Maybe this is why I dont make friends that easily. I've got a very small friends circle.

11. When people first meet me, they get the impression that I'm proud, and show attitude. No, please, that's not true. It's just that I feel unsure, and diffident when I meet someone for the first time.

12. I made a complete mess of my college life. Did mistakes that made me grow up, and taught me a lesson, literally. I'm thankful to my family for not giving up on me, especially Dad.

13. I have a great fear of the number 13. I try to avoid it as much as I can. So much so, I never put down a book when I'm on the 13th page. Or any page number that adds upto 13. So there!

14. I never let go of memories. I cherish special moments for years to come, and remember them as if they happened yesterday. (Alrite, everyone does this. But I'm not able to come up with 25 points!)

15. OK! I love shopping. If I wander into a store, and I see something I love, then I absolutely, absolutely have to buy it. Silly thing is, if I dont have the money my friends buy it for me. Aww, I love em!

16. People always keep asking me about my surname. It really pisses me off. Cmon, what's so strange about Tampa?

17. I hate fights of any kind. I never fight with anyone, nor do I get angry. I get angry only at most extreme provocation, and if that happens, then God help you.

18. I'm a romantic .....[This part has been truncated due to an unexpected controversy that has arisen. Sorry about the censor, folks!]....... Well, I'm not that person.

19. I'm crazy about shoes. I've got like, what, 15 pairs. Yet I always feel I dont have any.

20. I'm verrry fashion conscious. No, I dont wear the latest trend. I'd rather prefer wearing stuff that I'm comfortable in.

21. I love spending time by myself. I usually blabber a lot during weekdays, so I prefer spending weekends in solitude, where I dont get to open my mouth for 2 whole days.

22. I talk a lot when I'm in a comfortable atmosphere, and when there are no strangers around. Making wisecracks and making people laugh is my forte.

23. I love spoiling my brother and my cousins. I'm the eldest of the lot, so I've got a huge number of kids I gotta buy chocolates for. Among other things. I love it.

24. Mumble mumble. Blah blah. I'm shleeepy. Contrary to what you think, I'm not spoilt. I've been living alone in the city since 3 years now. I'm also quite independent, and I make all my important decisions by myself.

25. Yes! I did it! It took me a hell lot of time to write this down. Am glad I'm done.

Hey, thanks for reading. If you gave up in the middle, I dont blame you. It was frigging lengthy.

I would like to tag Ravi, Abhineet, Adisha, Cristopher, Sravan, and SearchIndia.

Heh, dont curse me guys, you got to do it. Not my fault.

Yoohoo, my first vote!

2009-04-16T21:12:00.005+05:30

Yay! I voted today for the very first time! 25 years old, and I voted for the first time today? Uhhuh! Oh well, let me not think of that.

It doesn't matter that I had to stand in the blazing sun for almost an hour, it doesn't matter that I've got this big ugly blue stain on my finger; all that matters is I voted, and I sorta like the feeling! I hope all you guys out there voted, too. If you didn't, or couldn't, doesn't matter, you can always vote on April 23rd. Don't forget.

In the meanwhile, let me concentrate on getting this stain to disappear. It looked pretty cool at first, but now it just looks like a big stubborn blot of ink, and I've got a wedding to attend this Saturday. Maybe I'll have some comfort in knowing that none of my friends can boast of having had this stain, save for one or two. Hehe.

Update: Attended the wedding. A couple of behenjis asked me whether I accidentally poured acid on my finger. Jeeeez!

I'm voting this time; are you?

2009-04-12T13:42:00.007+05:30

Government offices work in strange ways. I ran around the passport office for days on end, without meals(which incidentally I can never stay without, heh), waited in the blazing sun for hours, and met with officials a million times; they are still to process my passport. Imagine my consternation, when, without even my knowledge, I got my voter ID card! Yeah! I did nothing. No going to the xyz office to click my photo, no ID proof, nothing. Am not complaining., though. My first reaction when my aunt gave me my card could only be described as euphoria. I remember doing a lil jig dance as well, oblivious to the giggles of my cousins.

I relayed this news to my friends and asked them excitedly who they were going to vote for this year. I was quite surprised to note that many of them are not gonna vote. Yeah, they have voter ID cards, too! I tell you guys, its a real shame. We complain about the roads, we complain about the transport, we complain about almost everything. Isn't it our responsibility then, that we should at least try to elect a leader who might set it right? Long shot, I know. But then, its worth trying. All politicians are evil, I know; we can choose the lesser of those 4 or 5 evils, right?

There are a lot of potholes in the election system; I mean, today, almost 100% of all youngsters are out scattered across the country, the globe, even. But then there is this rule which states you can vote from only that constituency from where the voter ID card was issued. It's hard to journey all those miles for voting, but at least those of us who are actually present in the same constituency, what can possibly stop us from voting?

Dunno about you guys, but I'm damn proud that I'm voting for the first time ever. It's just one tiny vote, but it'll sure give me some peace of mind, knowing that I did my bit.

You can check out the polling schedule for various states by following this link in Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_general_election,_2009

8*10 Tasveer Review

2009-04-08T01:30:00.006+05:30

This was one movie which I really looked forward to, partly due to the fact that it was a suspense thriller, and partly because it was directed by Nagesh Kukunoor. I was not named Late Kate for nothing. I reached the theater late, and we missed the first 10 minutes of the movie. I could hear my friends cussing under their breath. Aww hell, God, let em please understand the movie! I prayed under my breath.

All my prayers were needless though, cos Akshay seemed to know what we missed, and he obligingly went back to the past and showed us every scene. Yeah! He can concentrate really hard on a pic (yup, 8*10 dimensional pic!) and go back to that exact scene, and replay the events in his head. Ahh well. He spends the entire 2 hours trying to solve his Dad's murder mystery. OK, so we figure the suspense out like in about 10 minutes, but it seems like the characters are hell bent upon making Akshay use his damn gift. Sort of like, when we were kids, and used to do our homework; everyone knew 2 plus 2 equals four, but forced us to use our brains nevertheless.

For starters, guys, Akshay's Dad instead of blurting the killer's name, blubbers about Tasveer and all kindsa shit. Same goes with Momma; when she's conveniently stabbed, she could've just spelled out the name and saved us from the misery. Instead, she leads him on a whole lot of puzzles, asks him to go to the attic, and what not. Yup! This and more is in store for you if you are that gullible and watch this movie.

Man Oh man! Listening to Javed Jaffrey's broken Hyderabadi Hindi was a torture to Hyderabadi ears. His fake accent, fake acting, fake hair style, yup, I guess Ayesha Takia was as fed up with him as we were, and when she couldn't take it anymore she just used the axe on him out of sheer desperation. We're not complaining, Ayesha!

OK, this is not a spoiler, but lemme tell you guys this - If only Akshay had spared just one minute to peek into Ayesha-goody-goody-smile-Takia's past, we would've been spared all this unnecessary torture. The movie would've wrapped up within 10 minutes.

The Pink Panther 2 Review

2009-03-05T16:09:00.004+05:30

Guest Review written by my good friend Mayank :-)

I mean the movie is funny but the jokes which I cracked between the scenes were even better and that’s what my friend told me including the people in the rows below and above me, heh. Getting serious, I thought the movie was good just in parts.

Nothing too spectacular but ya if you are one of those who go to a movie just to have fun leaving your brain behind (the same clichéd stuff), you are not too keen on the logic and if you really like our desi movie Golmaal , this is the movie to watch out for. Honestly, I really don’t know , do I ridicule it that its full of those old school jokes and totally illogical, or appreciate the feel good factor and the good acting + enactment???

But whatever it is, I would say you will be the best one to decide that you like it or not as I did………. Or did I ??? So check it out yourself and let me know. About the story its that same one like the first one. The same silly case and the dream team trying to crack it as it does the best .

CLOUSEAU – the smartass tries to make the most serious situation funny. But you know what he gets the PINK PANTHER – the diamond (Wanted to ask why "pink panther" ….. I also don’t know…. I am sure there is no logic behind it … can bet on it.) Music is just ok … May be I feel this as I was watching it at cinemax…. (The audio sucks there ya)

PS - For all the jokers who are about to waste money for the married Aishwarya…. Its really not worth it. Only reason you should do it is to get the film industry to rise up from recession.

Dev D Review

2009-02-19T10:57:00.006+05:30

This post is for you, Ravi (Of www.thelargerpicture.blogspot.com fame)... Wudnt have written it without your prodding :D

A botched up attempt to remake the classic, Anurag Kashyap went overboard with this one. In wanting to project Devdas with a contemporary twist, all he's succeeded in projecting are cartons of booze, instructions as to how to do drugs, where exactly to pick up whores, et al. I went to the movie with great expectations; Pop! went the bubble, and even before it was intermission, I was raring to go back home.

Due kudos to the actors though; Mahi Gill deserves applause, I just loved her in the film. With unconventional looks, and an immensely expressive face, she just about steals the show from Abhay Deol and Kalki Koechlin. They are not far behind; Kalki was amazing as the girl-woman Chanda, and as for Abhay Deol, he was so convincing as the egotistic spoilt brat that I actually wanted to slap him hard, heh.

Anurag Kashyap was projecting new age Devdas; here, he forgot one vital point; today's youth is highly outspoken; sulking and pining away in private just dont happen anymore, atleast not for a guy who's just come in from London! Added to the fact that he and Paro were in constant touch through messenger and whatnot, it's highly impossible that he would be content to booze his heart out in the sanctity of his room while his childhood sweetheart tied the knot with someone just below his balcony. Tell me, what are the odds of that happening?

A couple of scenes had me in knots, though; like the scene where Dev rejects Paro, and she, devastated, stares mutely into her mirror to see if what he said was true. That was a truly poignant moment, and Mahi Gill does it so well, you can actually see the hurt and grief etched in her face. Sigh! Ah well, a couple of scenes do not redeem the entire movie, though; every movie would be a hit if it were the case.

Not at all a movie you can watch with your family, but if you are that adamant, go alone. No point in wasting someone else's time along with yours, is there?

My Book Blog

2009-02-09T14:48:00.000+05:30

Wow, I'd completely forgotten that I had this page! Now that I'm blogging regularly on my other blogger ID http://www.ashatampa.blogspot.com/, I shall use this page strictly for books. Anything, and everything I can write on books will be published on this page. Will come back soon, folks! In the mean time, happy reading! :-)

Her Royal Highness, Princess Tampa

2009-01-28T15:05:00.007+05:30

Now, everyone knows how drowsy warm afternoons can get to be. I was just on the verge of falling asleep today when I heard the soft ping of a Gtalk IM on the computer screen. I made an effort, postponed my nap, and replied. This was followed by quite an interesting conversation, which, since I am not selfish, have copy pasted for you guys.

I wish to apologize to all my friends for keeping my identity a secret till now; I hope you understand, fellas... I just dont like the publicity!

OK, here goes:

shiv.madurai: hi
how are you?
Asha: hi, who is this
shiv.madurai: i'm shiv
i hope u dont know me
Asha: where did u get my id
shiv.madurai: i read your blogs and got it thr
is that a problem?
Asha: oh, alrite
not really
shiv.madurai: i think u r frm hyd rite?
Asha: yeah
Sent at 2:49 PM on Wednesday
shiv.madurai: what does your name mean?
Asha: im sorry? what did you say?
shiv.madurai: what does tampa mean is it just a id or means something
Asha: dude, tampa = queen of the universe, i belong to The Tampa Dynasty
my great grandfather was a maharajah
and he was bestowed this title by the british empire
shiv.madurai: OMG
maharaja really?
Asha: yeah, really. i'm a princess, please dont tell anyone...
shiv.madurai: is there any link that says so
Asha: no, i dont think so
i dont need publicity and all that jazz
shiv.madurai: but tampa here takes me to some city in US
Asha: yeah
it is also the capital city of Florida
shiv.madurai: cool your name means many things... wow...
i see your status busy are you between somethiing
???
Asha: yes, i have to supervise the palace
shiv.madurai: ohh ok
let me know when u r free
caryy on
Asha: oh thanks
ofcourse, i'll let you know definitely, definitely, when i'm free
shiv.madurai: cool
ta-ta

And that, my dear friends, was my brief stint as a princess. :o)

Chandni Chowk to China Review

2009-01-20T15:13:00.003+05:30

I'm surprised that the makers of Kungfu Panda havent sued these blokes yet; the only difference between both movies is that one has real people in it(Bletch!) and the other has toons(Much, much, better!) who acted more convincingly than these buffoons. A few of the scenes were so ugly, that groans could be heard in the theatre every few minutes. The film dragged on for like an eternity, and when the director put in his punchline with those pygmies, everyone in the theatre laughed their guts out at the sheer bravado of Nikhil Advani.

Akshay Kumar looks nauseating in that silly costume, with a ridiculous moustache and a pigtail. The torture is endless, right from the start. Ranvir Shorey looks like a constipated 80 yr old spinster(Yeah, you heard me right) with a fake moustache and beard, and laaang side burns, so long he could actually plait em into two pigtails. Deepika Padukone is invisible for the most part, thank God they gave atleast her evil Chinese twin a few scenes.

The movie should be airing on Pogo anytime soon, since the only viewers who can enjoy this movie are 5 year olds.

Dont read fiction? You're missing out!

2008-12-23T00:05:00.004+05:30

For me, the world is divided into two types of people - the half that reads, and the half that doesnt. Its that simple. The first ever novel I read in my life was Sidney Sheldon's Nothing Lasts Forever, and I fell instantly, and irrevocably, in love. Books have a magical quality, which transports you to another land, where you can actually see the scenes taking place, instead of just reading them. Once I tasted the apple, there was no turning back; I swooped on books like a predator, reading them and gobbling them up in the span of a few hours, sometimes reading throughout the night, so great was my hunger. Sheldon'll always remain my favorite, because, thanks to him, I began my foray into the world of English literature; when I was finished with all his works, I began to want more. Honestly, I cannot imagine life without all those books. I mean, how dull is life without Calvin in it? Or Wodehouse? Life would've been miserable if I hadnt known Shakespeare, or Jane Austen; all those teenage years would've gone waste if I hadnt read good old Mills and Boon! Ah, the world of Jughead Jones! Veronica!

To all those guys out there, who havent really explored the world of books yet - grab a book today! Just get started! In fact, start out with a Sheldon, and you'll never look back again! The kingdom of books is magical, fellas; and it is out there, all yours, just waiting for you to enter it! Go on, happy reading!

Dreaming all the way

2008-12-21T21:52:00.006+05:30

I've decided to jot down all my dreams into a scrapbook. Yeah, you heard me right. I've been getting really weird dreams lately, and today, accidentally, I came across the perfect book for it! Its a quaint little book, with beautiful paintings on either side, titled, Day Dreams on one side, and Night Dreams on the other. I just grabbed the book from the shelf, paid the cashier in a hurry and scuttled back home to begin my stories. You see, my dreams mean a lot to me; I store all of them in a cache in the back of my mind, and whenever I'm low, I go to my dreams library, pick out a happy one, pore over it lovingly, replay it, and bam! I feel better!

Thats fine, but what is the Day Dreams section for, you might ask; c'mon, what do you think I do at the workplace?! Yeahh, you guessed right!

Come over to the office, and ask the receptionist for the most dreamy eyed kid around. You are gonna make it right over to my desk, no kidding, heh. I somehow feel happiest when I'm skiing around in fantasy world. Yeah, reality crashes all too soon, but then, ahh, those few moments of bliss! The happiness of having life exactly like you want it! Yeah, thats what day dreams are all about!

So, well, when I saw this book, I felt, why not, let me fill it up with thoughts, some crazy ones, some sombre, and a few which will elicit laughs from whoever is going to read em; thoughts which I want to cherish, just for the simple reason that they were important to me, at some point in my life. Dreams which are going to bring a smile to my face some time in the future, when I dont have the time to dream anymore...

The Mumbai Siege - Will India wake up at last?

2008-11-28T11:23:00.005+05:30

The moment I heard the awful news, my first thoughts were, "What sort of animals would resort to such mindless killing of innocents, men, women, and children alike?" Dont they have any conscience? Are they so blind so as to think some good is going to come out of all this carnage? I felt a rage I had never felt before, and a sense of helplessness, knowing that the same episode is going to rear its ugly head after a few months, maybe in some other form, somewhere else. Happen, yes, it will. We as a nation are hopelessly unprepared against such an assault; we have the spirit to stand after falling down, yes; but to what purpose? Only to fall again?

Adding to the shame are our politicians; all they can do is blame each other, hoping to garner more votes. I hope someone blasts a few of these jokers we call MPs, maybe some immediate action will be taken then. Every time an attack happens, the first thing the government does is promise 5 lacs to the dead, and maybe 50K to the injured; so if u look at it, it comes upto 6,25,00,000 INR for 125 ppl and 1,25,00,000 INR for the injured. The total amount here comes upto more than 7,50,00,000 INR. Jus imagine, if all this wouldnt have happened, wouldnt this money have gone for some other use?

If all this tragedy had been prevented, if the IB had the sense or caution to keep a strict lookout, who knows, all those lives might have been saved, and this would have been just another normal day for Mumbai people. It has surfaced that the terrorist bast**ds had set foot in India through a boat. What the heck happened to the navy? Last year, the defence minister had mentioned in a meeting that there is a possibility of terrorists sneaking in through the sea; why werent proper steps taken then?

We cant be called a democracy anymore; like one of my friends said, it's now become "For the politicians, by the politicians, and of the politicians". How true. Oh yeah, I know, its very easy for us to criticize them, sitting in the relative safety of our homes, but then, it is the common man who is going to have to question the system, the common man who is going to have to find answers. It is his survival we are talking about.

Dostana Review

2008-11-22T23:20:00.002+05:30

A very poor imitation of "I now pronounce you Chuck and Larry", Dostana did not deliver the goods the trailer promised. Added to the fact that I saw the English version a few days ago, Dostana came across as a damp squib. Yeah, John Abraham is an amazing piece of work, but girls, got to face the truth; he can't act. His face is expressionless, and his dialogue delivery was pathetic. The only scenes where he looked bearable was when he was not present. Abhishek was average, and the scenes where he acts like a transvestite brought an unpleasant feeling in my gut, rather than laughter. Priyanka, a pretty lass, she should have stuck to modeling. Kirron Kher, all I can say about you is, puhleease!!! Spare us the agony of seeing you act on screen! I felt like screaming, "Can someone take this bozo off the set, please! I feel like I'm in the middle of a nightmare with a harridan!" Ohh yes, Boman Irani was nice, looked convincing in the role of the gay boss. Who knows, maybe he was just being himself, heh.

Coming to the story, it starts off with John showing oodles of skin, and for a moment I was afraid he would bare it all. The storyline was not convincing in the least, for, cmon, think practically, who would agree to be gay, just for the sake of a nice apartment?! Even more sillier was the fact that Priyanka never doubted them for a moment, even though she was practically living with them. What was she, blind??? The director had no idea how to prolong the story to fit the Indian cinema mould, so he resorted to some useless gaana bajaana, with the two duds (read John and Abhi) trying to woo our too-dusky-for-her-own-good beauty (read Priyanka). Amidst all this confusion, and torture, the director had to introduce my all time favorite horror hero - Bobby Deol. God knows what the heck he did in the movie, apart from following all that the two duds told him to, like a mental retard. Cmon, didn't he have his identity? Which sane woman likes to see her man dressed as a clown, for chrissakes?! Yuck!

Boring music, boring acting, boring faces. To top it all, this film isn't even an original. They had something to measure up to, couldn't they come up with something better than this pathetic tub of lard? I feel sad, the way Bollywood lets us down every time.

1920 - A Review

2008-10-20T21:39:00.006+05:30

A 100 times better than Phoonk, 1920 evokes fear in you, and much more than that, keeps its element of suspense throughout. As the name suggests, the film is set in the year 1920, and starts off to a mysterious death in a spooky castle, which makes you sit on edge from the start. It then takes a detour, and we get to see the love angle in the story for quite some time. Ofcourse, the hero and heroine get married, and end up at the same castle as above, to finish what no one has been able to so far - raze the castle to the ground and build a grand hotel in its place.

Strange things begin to happen, and the girl, Lisa, starts experiencing out of the ordinary incidents, which she confides to a priest of the church. Seizing an opportune moment, the ghost in the castle possesses Lisa, and issues an ultimatum that she's going to die within four days, and he wants her soul to be his for eternity. Arjun, her husband, goes exploring all he can about what happened to the castle, and how it got to be a haunted one. He learns all he can, the ghost is a traitor soldier, who betrays his country and fellow men, and takes refuge in the castle under false pretences. The then owner of the castle, Rani Gayatri, does what she can while she secretly sends for troops, and the soldier is killed by her troops. A ghost seeking revenge. Arjun decides the only way to save his girl is to trust God; he holds Lisa tight and recites the Hanuman Chalisa; the mantra is all powerful, and the ghost is destroyed forever, and all is well. Turns out that Lisa is Rani Gayatri re-born(yea, we expected something like this, after all, its a Bollywood movie) and the film comes to an end.

The filming, screenplay, and dialogues are nice; though the castle doesnt look like Indian in the least. It has a distinct Victorian style about it, and the locales, the hills, the meadows, show that it is not India. The protagonists acted well, much, much better than the lead actors in Phoonk. Adah Sharma as Lisa did a good job, her acting looked convincing. Did you know that the castle where the shooting for the film took place is one of the 10 most haunted castles in England? It seems the actors were as afraid when shooting the film as we were while watching the film. Must have been a first for any horror movie. hehe.

A typical weekend in Hyderabad

2008-10-20T16:54:00.000+05:30

Weekends in Hyderabad begin long before they actually do. Confused? Let me put it in a better way. We sit fantasizing and drooling over thoughts of the impending weekend from mid week itself. Work rarely gets done, everyone is in a frenzy checking out the hot spots, booking tickets, making appointments with friends, or, for the ones who stay away from family, planning a trip home. Loud cursing and the use of the F word is not uncommon when a new movie is in town; all tickets get miraculously sold out just before you say, "Two tickets, please!" Yeah, this is life at Hyderabad.

To the less fortunate, like us, who act on spur of the moment impulses, weekends are a series of disappointments. Like the time we went to PVR Cinemas and stood in the queue for one and a half hours, only to be greeted by the red blaring sign which we absolutely hate - Sold Out. Or the time when we got to know that there was an Aviation Exhibition going on at the Begumpet Airport, and a friend got hold of three passes; we ran without thinking twice. As a result, we were caught up in a traffic jam so huge, it might easily be mistaken for Caesar's army. Needless to say, we spent hours traversing the roads, sweating profusely, and a ride which normally takes five minutes took us more than two hours. Pathetic. Tragic. And any other adjective you can think of, along the same lines.

Oh yes, and how can I forget to mention beauty sleep here? In our personal dictionary, Weekends = Sleep. No questions asked. All my friends make it a habit not to wake up before 12 noon on weekends. No, its not because we party till dawn; it is because, my dear friends, like they say, we are the Gods and Goddesses of laziness. We just can't be bothered to get up and go visiting a mall just for the heck of it. We might be tempted, ofcourse, with the right inducement. Pre-booked tickets to a movie, for one; and a more than 50% sale at Hyderabad Central runs a close second. Some days, book lovers like me love taking a stroll inside the second hand book stalls that are scattered in the city. You might find quite a few masterpieces here, at unbelievable prices.

I usually go off alone, all by myself, and do whatever fancy takes me; go for a long drive on my Scooty Pep, or visit Hyderabad Central and loiter around; I also love going over to the Cafe Coffee Day in Somajiguda and spend a few minutes of bliss with one of the loves of my life - Coffee. This is not just about Hyderabad, it is the same, anywhere; the place doesn't matter, as long as you spend quality time you can cherish later; weekends are the time when you rejuvenate yourself, let go of all the steam accumulated from five continuous days of slogging. Do what you want, no holds barred. Stay within the limits, though. We want to be up and running for the next weekend, which is just five days away now, right!

The Recession - Has it finally arrived?

2008-10-19T18:01:00.002+05:30

People have been talking about it for months; the US has seen the collapse of a few financial giants, with the threat of more activity along the same lines. Mails have been coming on and off, about the best way to save our skins from the looming disaster. From what I've seen, read, and experienced, I can say a few things about it myself.

A few tips from Asha the Expert:
1. Think before you leap. Companies have been laying off employees not in tens and twenties, but in thousands. So, grab the job you already have real hard, and stop thinking about changing. You'll lose your only source of income, and might have to go back to the miserable old life of having to ask for money from Dad.

2. Stop splurging, start saving. You never know, you might be the next person in line to get the dreaded pink slip, and be out on the road with just a month's paycheck in your hands. If that happens, my friend, you'll need more than a month's salary to keep you afloat. Stop visiting those malls for a few days; believe me, you've already got enough clothes and accessories to last you a lifetime.

3. Invest wisely. Check out the scene before plunging into any investments. The market is in a really tricky state right now; just one push might turn the tables either way, and you know which way. Hold on to your cash, transfer it to a nationalized bank, if possible; stop those new investments, and, well, for those which you are already committed, double check once.

4. Quit worrying. All of us have bad times, once in a while. If you happen to be caught in the middle of all this melee, dont panic. Remember, this is not going to last forever. Times change, markets change, and stock exchanges change. It is all about how well you handle yourself in times of a crisis that will determine your future. Also, we never thought twice before asking Dad a few bucks; he'll not think twice before doing the same, now. After all, what are Dads for?

All the very best to us then, and here's hoping that we emerge unscathed from the entire episode. God forbid, if something wrong does happen, don't forget to turn to your loved ones for support. That is something you'll never lose, come what may.

Horn Art

2008-10-19T17:51:00.000+05:30

This post is for all the art lovers of this world. I've grown up surrounded by these priceless pieces of art, and it was not till I came out of my shell, that I understood their value. Beautifully carved, and made out of Buffalo horns(yes, you heard me right!), these works have a sheen, a smooth texture, which is untouched by time.

I once had a piece, of a damsel, which was meant to be a gift; I carried it around for more than 2 years, before I could ultimately part with it, and even then, it was as good as new. All these works here have been the handiwork of craftsmen from Parlakhemundi, of Orissa. The cost of these treasures is unbelievable, with traders buying them directly from the masters at a price of about 200 bucks apiece, and later reselling them for 10 times their cost.

It requires great patience and skill to carve a single sculptre, and the craftsmen spend days and nights on it, honing a shapeless, dull, stinking piece of horn to the beauty that you can see here. The first piece is of a mother crane feeding her baby; not so difficult to guess, huh? You have birds sitting on a tree, and a pair of elephants trying to fell a tree in the second image.

The pieces are smooth to the touch, and add an elegance, and style to any living room they find their presence in. Curiosity about them has considerably grown, since the children of Parlakhemundi have gone to bigger cities to earn their livelyhood, invariably taking these with them, since, for us, they represent a part of our culture, and, a part of growing up.

I dont ever remember a time when I was not in the presence of these sculpted pieces of art, and, strangely, I associate them with home. I only hope they find recognition. If anything deserves fame, then this is it.

Chained to chain mails! Please forward or else!

2008-10-06T12:30:00.005+05:30

When I say chain mail, I am sure everyone knows what menace I'm talking about, cos it spares no one. Every bloke with an email ID is sure to have been a victim more than once, and the real sorrow is, unlike spam, chain mails are usually sent by someone the victim knows. Tragic. Really tragic. A few trademark mails play on people's emotions, where the subject of the mail is a non-existent little girl or boy with an unspeakable disease. Others play on people's fears,cursing them with bad luck if they don't forward. The wonderful thing is, people still fall for these phonies. That is the hardest part. I sometimes have the same mail for about 10 times in my inbox, forwarded over and over to the same people, and I feel like screaming, "Gimme a break!!!" Well, since I got the mail 10 times, and I haven't forwarded it even once, am I going to have bad luck for 10 lifetimes, what?

Microsoft is sharing its fortune. Bill Gates is going to give away a chunk of his shares if we forward the damn mail??? Where are your gray cells, fellas?! No, you are not going to get a call from the love of your life if you forward a mail to a dozen people, you got to do it the old fashioned way, I'm afraid. No one ever lost families or millions of dollars just by failing to forward a mail. If that was the case, Wall Street and the Stock Exchange would go broke. Every broker in the world would be busy monitoring the flow of chain mails and forwards. Just imagine that. And no, your wish is not going to be granted at 12 midnight if you forward a mail to 50 people, no sirree! There would be no God anymore, people would be depending on software guys and techies to draft such mails and send them so wishes could be granted just by the click of a mouse.

Manic Mondays!

2008-09-08T14:42:00.005+05:30

Well, contrary to what I've written as "Manic Mondays", Mondays are not manic at all. Quite the opposite, in fact. Mondays can be safely termed as dull, boring, and sleepy, and the one thing which I absolutely hate is waking up to another Monday morning. It is all very nice for the Tom Sawyers of this world, pretending tooth ache and going to the extent of even losing the tooth in question(!!!) and conveniently missing school on Monday. If only it were as convenient for us poor employees. Ahh, well, I dont deny that I exercise my little gray cells on Sunday evening( you gotta be prepared in advance, guys!) and think of probable and convincing excuses for going in a couple of hours late on Mondays. My favorites being, a visit to the doctor(I have an unbearable pain in my tummy!), a visit to the bank(havta send money home, they need it badly!), bike's punctured(we both know I'm lying, but try proving it!) and, the most classic excuse of all, which the boss cannot refute in the most extreme of circumstances - Traffic Jam. Traffic jams are a boon to us here in Hyderabad, and invariably used by more than 50% latecomers. The rest is all quite easy, and something I'm quite adept at... Pretending to be busy and harassed at work, giving the boss an impression that you are one of the few hard workers left in this world; roam around the office a couple of times during the day, shuffling a few papers and muttering to yourself; this also gives the boss the same impression. Open Gtalk and Yahoo Messenger stealthily, and chat to your heart's content. Before you know it, its evening, time to leave, and thats another dreaded Monday laid to rest. In relative peace.

Leaflet from a devil's diary - A short story

2008-09-02T11:08:00.007+05:30

Dear diary, I opened my eyes to a dark, windy day. A perfect day for us devils, I thought, as I clapped my hands gleefully n stomped out of my bed. Performed my daily ablution of dustin' myself thoroughly wid ash. It took me the better part of an hour, n I did it with great fervour. Why is it, my dear diary, tht though I do it twice a day widout fail I dont get any fairer?? Hurried to the office n smiled at the pretty receptionist, who glared in return. I mean, its not my fault tht I've got stubby legs n funny horns, aint it? Anyways, my momma says I'm the most handsome devil ever born, and let anyone who thinks otherwise rot in fungus!

The boss was positively fuming today, mebbe he's got somethn on his mind, the poor feller.... Heard from the grapevine that he's got severe poop problems, so why doesnt he go to the witch doctor and do somethn abt it, for chrissakes? Hell smells bad enough, and now he's just adding to it. Aargghh, hell is teeming with hundreds of new souls everyday, and these guys don't even give me a raise for all the extra torture that I've had to do; cmon, how much more can a devil take?

PS: Guys, I've run out of ideas for this piece. In case any one has any idea as to how to continue this, please let me know. I shall be more than happy to write their name in this space. I look forward to giving this baby a happy ending, folks. Please help. :-(

Acting Vs. Politics

2008-09-01T15:59:00.006+05:30

What is it about these two fields, anyway? Are they one and the same, with just a thin line in between??? I really dont understand why successful actors, with a good name in the movie industry risk everything they have, and join the murky world of politics. This trend is not prevalent just in India, but in the US too(remember Arnold? Ronald Reagan?)... Ohh, politicians were always great actors, in fact, I wonder how they act so splendidly without ever enrolling in an acting school, heh. After a spate of actors entering the political arena, the latest to join the bandwagon is our South Indian superstar, Chiranjeevi. I know its wishful thinking, hoping Chiranjeevi is going to make a difference, and that the lives of Andhraites are going to take a turn for the better; like some cine industry scribe put it, he never cared tuppence for the film industry people, and the people he knew; so how on earth can we expect him to do something good for the people of the state? Political campaigns have a volley of actors at the helm, so much so that, people forget the real meaning of these meets, and flock just to catch a glimpse of their favorite actor/actress. Talented South Indian actress Soundarya lost her life when she was on her way to attend some similar meeting. What a meaningless end. Even our dear respected politicians have turned towards acting nowadays; what with Laloo Prasad Yadav having an entire film named after him, and on his way to acting in his second, I seriously doubt whether these two industries are planning a merger. Hmm. Should be quite interesting.

Mills and Boon Romances

2008-08-31T17:21:00.010+05:30

A blue eyed, peaches and milk complexioned girl. A bronzed, muscular, multi-millionaire man. Romance. A beautiful, vixen-eyed, cold-hearted girl vying for the man's affections. This forms the plot of every mills and boon book ever written. No marks for guessing the ending of these stories. As predictable as the tip of your nose. So why are MNBs famous all over the world? Why do people read them so much? Why do I spend hours in musty second hand stalls, poring over these books, and why do I end up buying them, one for every day, to last throughout the week? For book lovers like me, reading is a way of letting out stress, and the tensions of everyday life; truth be told, I dont care if the plots are the same, or whether all the heroes and heroines of these books resemble each other to a great extent. I love reading them, period.

I am an absolute romantic at heart, and a sucker for love stories. I shed buckets of tears when I read Love Story and The Bridges of Madison County, and yes, ahem, I shed tears when reading MNBs too, though a few friends might laugh at that admission, heh. After all, what is life without fantasies? Fantasizing about our very own, personalized Prince Charming? There is a certain innocence in every MNB, which captures our heart. The girl, hopelessly innocent, falls for the hero since the start but acts like she hates him; the man, inevitably older than the girl by a few years, is a casanova, with a bevy of women on his arm, acts like he cares tuppence for the girl, and yet at the end we find all of a sudden he is madly in love with her, and was not sure whether she loved him back. Cmon, we find that a little hard to believe! And hey, dont forget the punchline, "So, darling, when did you know?!!!" Then both exchange stories about how they fell in love, and ta-da! The book ends with a kiss.

Sometimes I wonder why I read them so much; I try to psycho-analyse myself, and I wonder whether it is because I want the same to happen to me, a love story, a man who sweeps me off my feet, and then the happy ending. I created a community in orkut for MNB lovers, just for kicks; I never, ever, imagined that today the community would boast of 500 members :D Well, honestly, I feel, what Harry Potter is to kids, MNBs are to the Bridget Joneses of this world. Silhoutte Books also churn out romances, but I think they concentrate more on the physical aspect of, things; every other line has a sexual ennuendo attached to it. Nevertheless, I'm not complaining. Every girl needs some romance in her life, some spice.

All the best, dearies, if you still havent read good old mills and boon here, then please! Head for the nearest book store, buy one, curl up in bed and start reading. Ohh, yeah, dont spoil the fun by reading an ebook, you are gonna spoil the spirit of romance! Go ahead, and do share your reviews with me!

Nostalgia

2008-08-29T15:08:00.005+05:30

Parlakhemundi, the place where I grew up, is a paradise for lazy bums like me; I still remember the summer holidays I spent as a kid, when I had nothing better to do except think about what games to play; I remember the times when we had a hard time deciding whether Hide-and-seek, or Chasing game was a better choice. When we didnt know what having computers in the house was like. I love these warm, drowsy, afternoons, when you feel like doing absolutely nothing, just laze around in the house, or maybe go out into the backyard and climb the gauva trees, and yearn for the juiciest ones which are always out of reach. On days like these everything is unusually silent, and the normal sounds of nature, like the twittering of sparrows, or the occasional bark of a dog, are amplified. Those sounds soothe me like no other, and it is the only place where I feel absolutely at peace with myself.

Even now, years later, whenever I visit my grandparents, deep inside my heart, I feel like I've finally come home. The house itself, rambling and huge, feels welcoming and warm, and I feel an overwhelming sense of security. I guess there is something special about the place where you spent your entire childhood, where all the townspeople live as neighbours. I feel glad that none of those people have changed, and I feel happy about the fact that they still remember me, as the child that I was, and treat me with the same affection whenevr I visit the place. Parlakhemundi is the only town that I know of, that has'nt changed; new buildings might have cropped up, and new people might have made it home; but the real spirit of the place, the old-world feel... they're exactly the same.

I feel thankful, that I have a haven to escape to, when I find mundane life too much to bear; I have a home, which will always wait for me with welcome arms, and people who I love, will always be there to love me in return.

Kung Fu Panda Review

2008-08-25T12:28:00.008+05:30

Kung Fu Panda is like a whiff of cool air after all those action flicks, Wanted, The Dark Knight, and Hancock. Chock full of humor, the film portrays the dreams and aspirations of an overweight, lovable panda, Po. Po wants to be a Kung Fu warrior, but feels thats an impossible feat, partly due to his weight, and partly due to his responsibilities towards his Dad's noodle restaurant. Po's fortune changes when an announcement is made regarding a search for the Dragon Warrior, and Po decides to try his luck. Needless to say, our hero gets selected as the Chosen One, and embarks on his adventures. How he realizes his dream, and proves that he is, indeed, the Dragon Warrior, forms the crux of the story. The film has been made with a liberal dash of humor, but it has its serious elements as well. The animation is excellent, and so are the graphics. The film can be seen by all age groups, since it has a subtle message which says, "Dont judge yourself too hastily, dude, success lies in your hands, entirely!!! No secret ingredient!!!" So all you young uns out there, who were hoping to pass your examinations without studying, take care! You might not be as fortunate as me! Heh.

Phoonk Review

2008-08-25T11:53:00.005+05:30

Deccan Chronicle sums up Phoonk in just one sentence - "Phoonk fails to scare!" Yea, I expected to shiver, and planned on viewing the entire movie through slits in my fingers, but found out that there was absolutely no need to do so. The only way Phoonk scares the audience is through its blaring sound effects. The sounds are deafening, and are a torture on the eardrums. The lead actor is way below average, tries too hard to be the tough guy. The vamp in the film acted horribly, laughing like a cackling rooster, and screaming as if she had sat down on a ton of red hot bricks. She leaves the audience grimacing at her expressions. There is no story at all till the interval; we spent the entire time waiting for something, anything, to scare us; the movie was finished before you could say "Boo!" and the entire theater was in splits, which made us wonder whether Ram Gopal Varma had in fact misled the audience when he said its a horror movie, finally revealing that he had made a comedy, instead.

The film is a poor copy of the box office hit The Exorcist, and even then the likeness was utterly dissatisfactory. The only scenes which have some element of horror in them are not even real, they are just dreams. The one where the hero dreams of prowling through his house, and the one where the maid dreams about the mother-in-law. The actual scenes featuring the girl fail to impress. The Baba is spooky, and looks like a bhoot himself. He overacted like there was no tomorrow, twittering his eyes in a ridiculous manner, and looking like he might drop dead any moment. The only thing his rasping voice did was grate on the audience's nerves. The end is quite sudden, and if you turned for a moment to have some popcorn, or sip some pepsi, blimey! You'll have missed it, and wonder what could possibly have happened within such a short time.

I would rate Phoonk a 1 on a scale of 5, and would ask you not to waste valuable bucks watching it in a theater. If you love Ramu too much, and feel like watching it nevertheless, get a CD or a DVD. You'll not be missing anything.

Ever felt like quitting?

2008-08-20T16:30:00.002+05:30

You ever have the feeling, where you just wanted to scream, smash the screen before you, and stomp out? Ever felt that mind numbing sensation, which you used to feel way back in college when listening to your parents' lectures? Aaarrgggh, I feel the same way now, buddies! Every morning I wake up and think, "Awww, Lord, no, not another working day!!!" If it wasnt for the life saving two days they call weekends, I wonder what on earth would've happened to me.

A boss who expects me to work wonders, and frowns when that (predictably) doesnt happen; a senior colleague who thinks she is the CEO of the company, and we are all born to slave under her; colleagues who feel the same as I do, which doesnt help matters any, cos all we do since morning is gossipp about everything under the sun, and collectively concentrate on new epithets for the manager. Sales is a real tough job, cos even though you are a star performer, the moment things begin to slack, you are dropped like a hot brick. You gotta perform, period. Now, I'm the sort of girl who's too fond of laziness; I hate people who boss me around, and I'm the perfect taurean - I can be very, very stubborn when I choose to be. All this combined, matters have gone from bad to worse with my new boss. I feel like running away, but not before I give everybody a piece of my mind. I've reached my limit, after seeing the same faces everyday, and doing the same thing over and over again, for two long years.

Sometimes I daydream about being born in the Ambani family, or the Mittal's; I probably would have gotten fat and round like their sons, but heck, what does it matter, anyway? You miraculously get surrounded by new friends, get invites to parties, and literally have a good time, without doing a single thing whatsoever. Hmm, I would get bored of it within a few days anyway, and clamouring for the life I am leading at present.

I guess the human mind always craves the impossible, always pining for something out of our reach. Guess I shall have to make an effort to like the slum I am in, and like the pests generally known as the managers, and the team leaders; appreciate the mediocre life I am leading right now, and daydream about what I could've had, if only things were different.

To go, or not to go

2008-08-11T14:39:00.002+05:30

Its monsoon time in Orissa, Dad wants me to come over for the Varalakshmi Puja on 15th August; I am scared to journey through all those waterlogged areas, brave the raging elements, and come back to Hyderabad in one piece, by Monday morning. My favorite train, Falaknuma Superfast Express has turned its tail and started detouring from Orissa ever since the onset of monsoons. I am left with just two options - Visakha Express, and the Konark Express. Visakha leaves Hyderabad at 5PM, drags itself with difficulty all the way and leaves me on Bhubaneswar station at 7PM the next day. Whereas, Konark leaves Hyderabad at 7AM, and dumps me at BBSR the next day morning at 4AM.

To top it all, I hadnt even booked my tickets, and the waiting list showed100+. Aaarrrgggghh! Might as well go anyway, since my leave has been approved, and I have been feeling suffocated since the past few days. Tatkal reservation cost me an extra 150 bucks, but atleast my ticket showed waiting list 18. It was reduced to WL 07 by the time the chart was prepared, and I was a goner. To top it all, I contracted a slight fever that evening, and I boarded Visakha Express with a running nose, blaring cough, and high temperature. I had to run the entire length of the train twice, requesting the TTEs for a berth. They were adamant, saying the train was full and it was impossible to get one. Finally, when it was nearing night, and I was fully exhausted, I let it slip that I had a few bucks I was willing to spare; and a berth miraculously appeared, for 200 bucks.

I gave the money with reluctance and cursed the system from the bottom of my heart. I slept throughout the entire journey, and not even gossip in the compartment about floods at Rajahmundry woke me up. The train finally, mercifully, reached Bhubaneswar, and I caught hold of one of those mini buses which frequent the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack highway. Luck seemed to be mocking me, cos with Cuttack just 05 min away, the bus sputtered to a halt, and thick, hot, smoke started coming from the engine, making it unbearably hot and suffocating. Needless to say, the bus was filled to overflowing, and people started screaming and jumping out of windows. I have been reading too many thrillers recently, and in my mind's view I could see the bus catching fire, and exploding, with me coughing and huddled up inside.

I got up, collected my bags, and started elbowing my way towards the entrance. It was a huge relief when I got out into the open, and breathed in huge gulps of air. I was sick and tired of my misadventures by then, and I motioned to an auto rickshaw which was going in the general direction of Cuttack. I finally reached home at around 8PM, and collapsed on the sofa, my fever kicking in big time. Guess my Dad was overjoyed to see me, but that happiness was shortlived. I spent the entire vacation sleeping, sneezing, coughing, and literally making a nuisance of myself. The only good that came out of this miserable experience was that I was able to bag an extra couple of days leave, spent more time with my family than I did in the last couple of years(yes, I stayed for 8 days, guys!!!) and finally came back to Hyderabad on the 20th. I am still coughing away to glory, but a few days of bliss, where I slept uninterrupted, were worth the effort.

My Sunday Luncheon at Barbecue Nation

2008-08-04T13:00:00.003+05:30

Sunday morning. I woke up at around 11AM to the incessant ringing of my fone, and cursed. I absolutely hate waking up, period. I perked up somewhat when my cousin said we would be going out for lunch, and I could bring a couple of buddies if I liked. I was adamant that we would go to Barbecue Nation, cos I just love the barbecues they have to offer, and the drinks are on the house, too, hehe. Sunday being Friendship Day, we were unable to get a reservation and had to wait outside for more than an hour, which dampened our spirits somewhat. There is nothing worse than waiting with a hungry tummy, more so when you have already tasted the nose-tickling, tummy-rumbling, aromatic delicacies that are just within your reach, like sour grapes.

We were finally escorted to our table at around 3PM. Barbecue Nation is special in the fact that each table boasts of its own tiny barbecue, and you can have your meat just as you like it. Fresh veggies, marinated and coated liberally with spices, arrived. BBQ Nation have a lunch buffet, and these barbecues are merely starters. Red, green, and yellow capsicum, tiny potatoes baked in their skins, baby mushrooms, broccoli, and fresh paneer make up for the veggie palate; the non-veggies had a field day with chicken kebabs, fish, and prawns. The service is excellent, with the waiters keeping an eye on your plate at all times, replenishing it as soon as it gets empty.

Unfortunately for us, the place was filled to overcrowding, and we had to wait for a long time before the waiter topped up our barbeques; the buffet closes at 3:45, and we spent precious time just waiting for the kebabs and stuff. At around 3:30 our waiter came over to us with an apologetic expression and informed us, very politely, that we had around 15 min to finish our meal. We scrambled towards the buffet; predictably, I ran for the desserts counter. BBQ Nation serves excellent desserts, and the baby gulab jamuns are a real treat for taste buds. I served liberal helpings of pineapple souffle onto my plate, along with a couple of chocolate truffles, a few baby jamuns, and a couple of icecream dollops thrown in for good measure. By the time the waiter arrived again, I had finished my jamuns and was tucking into the souffle; we looked at the clock; it was nearing 4PM. We motioned him for the bill.

We had to look at the bill twice to believe it. Unlike other days, when its 250 bucks a head, the buffet was priced at 450 bucks per head, and we being 5, it totaled to somewhere around 2300 bucks, luxury taxes included. We had ordered drinks(welcome drinks are on the house at Barbeque Nation), but we were given a bill for those, too. It seems they don't offer welcome drinks on Sundays, and, they added a further 500 bucks to the bill. We paid without batting an eyelid(after all, it is deemed uncool if we exclaim over the bill) and went out, licking our wounds in silence. To sum it up very nicely, we paid 2800 bucks for a plate of roasted potatoes and capsicum, a few gulab jamuns, and some time in plush surroundings. Will you go there again, you might ask me. Ofcourse I will! But not on Sundays! No, sirree!!!

My Weekend Bash - The Dark Knight!

2008-07-21T17:35:00.003+05:30

Weekends mean party time for all Hyderabadis, and we were not surprised, therefore, when we encountered SOLD stamped against every show in PVR Cinemas, Sunday evening. We loitered at the ticket counter for over an hour, hoping that a couple of cancellation tickets would pop up. Whether it was our persistence that paid off, or whether the guy at the counter was sick and tired of our droopy faces, we'll never know. The light flashed available for Batman, we raced like mad to the counter, outran everyone else, and before we knew it, we were marching triumphantly to the theater, tickets, pepsi and popcorn all in place.

I looked forward to a good deal of excitement from the film, and, it didnt disappoint me. The Dark Knight is a Batman film, but we cannot term it as a superhero film in the strictest sense of the word; Our Batman is not a typical superhero, he cannot fly on his own, he doesnt have a readymade web springing from his wrist with a single flick of his fingers; nor does he have the uncanny ability to know what's happening in every nook and corner of the world. He is more of a masked James Bond, a techie, who relies entirely on his hi-fi technical equipment to defeat his enemies. The enemy, in this case, being our Joker. Heath Ledger portrayed himself as the Joker to the hilt, so much so, you find it difficult to associate that this amiable, handsome young man played one of the most gruesome villians with panache and style. The character of the Joker is malicious, cunning, and heartless; he knows how to play around with people's minds, influence them, provoke them to his benefit.

Other characters in the movie include Harvey Dent, the District Attorney; Harvey is ambitious, and nurtures hopes for a city free from crime; he wants to make it happen, and soon. So much that, he risks his life, his career, to catch The Joker. Harvey is in love with his attractive assistant, Rachel, and is full of optimism about his life. Fate has other plans in store for him. Lieutanant Gordon is Batman's trusted ally, and the backbone of Gotham's legal department. All in all, the film was awe-inspiring, though I could'nt help feeling for Heath Ledger, the actor. If you havent watched it yet, then please do. Its an experience in itself.

My virgin blog

2008-07-17T19:12:00.002+05:30

Hmmm... So I've finally started. After months and months of procrastination, I've finally registered, and now here I am, writing my first blog. I mean, why is it that I dont get any ideas like all those folks out there? I see hundreds and thousands of superbly written pieces, and I'm like, think, Asha, think!!! You are bound to get some ideas, something, anything, on which you can write a few lines without stuttering to a stop midway! Suddenly, one fine(or not so fine) day, "Eureka, eureka!" I screamed. Inspiration strikes! Why not write something on this very predicament? Bulls eye, I thought. Atleast, I'll be starting my foray into the blogging world, if not with a bang, then atleast with a squeak, heh.

From all the blogs I've read so far, I've noticed that the title should be as catchy as the story; if not, you don't have hopes of garnering interest from co-bloggers. This being my first ever blog, I thought of naming it "My first blog". But I aborted the idea, since it sounds like I'm still in my 8th standard, writing English essays and studiously doing my homework. So what other word would substitute for "First"? I thought hard. Initial? Naah, sounds boring. Premier? Sounds even more boring, if possible, alongwith stuck up thrown into it. Inaugural? Eeeek! Gimme a break, people would say. Maiden? Sounds horribly like a prude, I thought miserably.

I'll think of a suitable name for my baby(yes, it is!!!) even if I don't do any work the whole day, I swore to myself.

20 minutes later, I was still trying to use my gray cells, when my colleague sauntered along. He noticed my puckered up face, deep in concentration, and asked me what the matter was. I told him. "Ohhh, cmon, Tampa, you can't be so dumb! What other substitute for "First" would garner more interest than a "Virgin"?!" I was skeptical, but once he's stuck on something, that's it. He's stuck. I sighed, and muttered a weak yes. He walked away jauntily, leaving me to finish my precious blog in peace.

And that, my dear friends, is all about my "virgin" blog! I'll have to see whether I manage to rummage around for ideas, and all I can say is, if I dont, you're gonna find another blog here titled, "My swan blog"!!!

The Silence of the Lambs

2007-12-06T13:08:00.000+05:30

I bought this book at a musty, second hand bookstore near my office, which is my favorite haunt. I just knew that this was a thriller, and was planning to read it this weekend, but temptation got the better of me. I opened the first page, at around 10 30PM, and, guys, believe me, I finished it by 3AM. I don't wanna mention here that I had to go to the washroom a number of times during this period, and, I also dont wanna mention that I slept with the lights on, something I hadnt done in a long time now. Thomas Harris was brilliant with his plot, keeping the reader on edge from the word go.