Friday, May 29, 2009

The Pankhe are bored

Hiya... one of my anonymous pankhe has commented how boring this blog has become. I completely agree... I try to fill posts with reviews about books and movies when I don't have much to write. Not that nothing is happening in my life... loads is... but I don't want to write about it. I treasure my privacy... hehehehhee...
  • Pune was great fun... it was nice to sit and do nothing on a weekday. We went to Hard Rock Cafe... It is an amazing place... and the crowd is fab... I didn't go to HRC in Gold Coast or Bangkok 'coz I wanted to explore the regional places there...
  • Tomorrow is month end closing and I am frustrated... it is one of the worst months. Thankfully, things will only get better June onwards
  • It is my B'day in June... Yoohoo!!! I love my b'days... I love receiving gifts and phone calls at midnight (hint: all friends MUST call)... I like new beginnings like... New Years, B'days etc
  • People rave about Pune... I don't know what is so great about it. It does have its advantages- proximity to Mumbai, posh areas, good pubs, low cost of living...
  • I always bargain with the autowala (who doesn't)... this is how it goes... he will charge a stuppendous amount.. I will act horrified... offer him a reasonable rate which will be higher than that offered by a local person... he will act horrified... and then say things like; "It is just a matter of Rs5/10... how can you be so stingy.. blah blah"... I will tell him; "You have 2 options.... take this or leave it"... he will take it... atleast twice the autowala has left the money... Strange people.
  • I sometimes wonder what the hotel people think about me. They must be surprised to see a female staying here all alone... they also know my routine... who I meet, when I go out, when I return, what I eat, what I wear... what irony... I don't even know names of the people who know so much about me.
  • I love the movie 'Luck by Chance'... every scene takes you higher... every scene is real
  • I spotted Nikhil Chinappa on my flight the other day... I was going to ask him for an autograph but then saw his shorts.... they were quite ugly and looked like boxers. I decided to ignore him
  • I also spotted Joanna the other day (of 'Splitsville' fame) at the airport... she is quite short and hot... I wanted to ask who won the game... but was too tired.
Good night... I need to get back to reading 'Dilbert and the way of the Weasel'... I write a review.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

26/11 Mumbai Attacked


I came across this book in Landmark. The journalists must have worked round the clock to get this book published so soon. It is amazing... as soon as a tragic events rocks the world authors/journalists write books about them to cash in on people's curiosity.
There was another book also on 26/11.
It is a good book... every chapter is detailed and everything has been thoroughly researched.
Definitely worth a read since what we know of 26/11 is gleaned from the inaccurate News channels.

PS: Happy belated B'day Tangy

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Window Seat

This book is by Janhavi Acharekar. It is a collection of short stories.
Writing short stories is more difficult than novels... for the simple reason that in a novel you have more scope to engage a reader... even if the story lags in the middle the climax can make up for it... in a short story you have to transport the reader in 3-4 pages. It is like flying... the travel time is reduced but the cost increases.
The stories in this book are ok... not too great and not too bad. The effort is appreciated. I was not disappointed by the book 'coz the expectations were nil and it did not make me go "Wow".

Worth a read.

Pune

Hiya... I am in Pune. I had last visited this city for the GD at SCMHRD. It was a flying visit and I was staying with relatives at Pimpri.

Anyway, RT has put up a tag... I will attempt the same for lack of anything else to write:

Q. What do you love the most in your lover?
Ans: Everything!! The good... the bad... the ugly

Q. What would you do with a billion dollars?
Ans: Quit my job first...

Q. What is love?
Ans: Hmm!!! Love is like the water in desert... like the ice cream on a hot day... like the loo after hours of traveling

Q. Will you fall in love with your best friend?
Ans: Never!!! Love is different from friendship... confusing the two can ruin a good friendship

Q. Which is more blessed, loving someone or being loved by someone?
Ans: Love has to be both ways

Q. How long should you wait for someone you really love?
Ans: Till you find someone else... ;)

Q. Is it possible to like someone without loving them?
Ans: Of course

Q. Is it possible to love someone without liking them?
Ans: Absolutely not

Q. If your lover betrayed you, what will your reaction be?
Ans: I don't know... I may or may not forgive him... pata nahi... socha nahi... aisa hoga nahi

Q. If the person you secretly like is already attached, what would you do?
Ans: Like someone else

Q. What takes you down the fastest?
Ans: Hunger.... I cannot function when I am hungry

Q. How would you see yourself in ten years’ time?
Ans: Slim... sexy and super duper rich

Q. What’s your fear?
Ans: None... I believe in spreading fear

Q. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
Ans: Determined

Q. Would you rather be single and rich or married but poor?
Ans: I'd rather be married to a rich guy

Q. What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
Ans: Answer my phone

Q. Would you give all in a relationship?
Ans: Nope

Q. If you fall in love with two people simultaneously, whom would you pick?
Ans: Have a relationship with both... :)

Q. Would you forgive and forget, no matter how horrible a thing that special someone has done?
Ans: Yes... Holding grudges is too much effort

Q. If you get to go back in time and fall in love all over again, would it still be with the same person?
Ans: Yes... even in the next saat janam


I am starting a new section where I am going to wish my friends:

Happy B'day Appu!!! Wish you all the happiness in your last few years in 20s.

Happy B'day Abhinav!!! I cannot gift you what you asked for... but my best wishes are with you.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

99


Finally.... I got to watch a movie in the theatre. One good part about the strike was that I didn't have to watch bad, new movies on the buses while traveling... old, good movies were played.

I like Kunal Khemu, Boman Irani and Cyrus... reason enough to watch 99. Soha is so ugly and I hate her hairstyle... what is wrong with her? The movie is good time pass... worth a watch once. Kunal has over-shadowed Cyrus. Boman is fab.. as always.

Election day

RT reminded me that I have not posted in a long time. Sorry people... have been a little busy and distracted.

Loads has happened... Congress has won... It is a good sign. Don't expect an in-depth analysis from someone who didn't bother to vote (Me). To give a superficial view... I think the junta prefers Congress over BJP 'coz
  • Everyone is happy with the status quo... nobody is ready for a change right now
  • Congress has younger leaders than BJP... I can't imagine calling L.K Advani the PM
  • Nobody wants riots or anti-Muslim Raaj
I am not too happy with BJP in Gujarat... was hoping for a change... a lot of people who wanted to vote for Mallika Sarabhai didn't 'coz they realized the vote wouldn't help the center... so they voted for BJP or Congress.

On election day I had a discussion/argument/debate with Archu and Niran on Facebook.
Before I post the conversation let me introduce the people:
Archu was my classmate in school till 10th. I have not met or spoken to her since but she is on my friends' list on Facebook.
Niran is from my engg college. He was an IIM aspirant. I don't know what he is upto now.

My status msg was "Yoohoo!!! Congress wins but BJP in Guj??? Sigh"

Archu: Tell me smethin will guj ever learn..wat do they see in tht f***** modi?? I hate him yaa
Me: Don't know re... People here are quite happy with Modi... there are good roads, electricity, it is safe for women... People I know voted for Congress... but...
Archu: Thts the point thre is a but..yes he's dne good things but he's a communal bastard..after 01 he still won the elections then in spite of the riots..m I missin smethin hre
Me: I guess Hindu Gujjus are anti Muslims... and Muslims are a minority here
Archu: Ppl gotta learn yaa..is religion so damn imprtant tht it makes u lose the power to think..
Me: Politics is all about power and divide and rule works in India..
Niran: happy that we have a govt for 5 yrs... however i dont understand the criticism against modi ... apart from the blot of riots in '02 he has been one of the best administrators we have seen.
Me: Huh??? I think the riots are reason enough to throw out any politician...
@ Archu: This is the reason why Modi is in govt... 'coz of people like Niranjan
Niran: for a state that is known for its industrial growth how do we explain this...

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Opinion/Policy/Emulate-Gujarats-agricultural-success/articleshow/4493375.cms
Archu: Bulbul u r rt its nt goin to chnge..ppl frget riots n tlk abt industrial growth which is all due to the support of nri gujaratis...
Me: Exactly... people dying in India is so common these days..
Archu: Its like a thousand mre dead so wat?? We r stil in power n thres industrial growth..thts wat we need
Me: So true...
Niran: girls .... the riots were really nightmarish ... i and maybe even you were there when it happened ... what i am suggesting here is that it was caused by a different set of people ... and more so arent we all ashamed of something in our past.
Archu: The different set off ppl was actually the narendra modi n his set of goons n yes ther r a lot of things I m ashamed of but I dnt think communal riots is one of them
Me: I agree with Archu.
Niran: you gals are intractable ... gujarat has clocked an agricultural growth thrice the national average over the past 7-8 yrs ... imagine in a drought prone area like gujarat .... do you think it could have been achieved without serious political will.
Me: You are so right.... so what if people were murdered??? Growth is all that we need.
Niran: ok ... what do you think is more easy .... people killing each other in the heat of the moment .... they are drunk with rage ... they hardly realise what they do ... and ..... sustaining development ... providing drinking water to all ... providing irrigation ... providing employment ... running a non corrupt govt..
Me: Niran, don't talk crap... innocent lives are worth nothing for you? You should have been murdered in the riots... we would have compared Gujarat's growth over your dead body then.
Archu: Lolzz tht wud ve bn good for gujarat
Niran: lets have no bad blood .... just bringing in a point of view and saying nothing is black or white ...
Me: Niran... the riots were not created by drunk people in the heat of the moment... they were well planned and executed... how else is it possible to find out the the Muslim shops in the city and burn them???
Archu: U r rt bulbul in fact ppl killed for money sme fr so less as thousand bucks..to think tht innocent ppls lives is worth so less

And I wondered... have we become so ambitious that we will forgive riots for the sake of growth? Is this the view of the youth??? It is a scary thought. Life is worth so little these days.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Pathwords

This game on Facebook has become an obsession.... but a bigger obsession is to beat KC at it. I will not comment on why I deserve a higher score.
I managed to stay on top (no perverted thoughts plz) of KC's score for quite sometime. But last week he beat me... I have been trying to break that score since.

And today I succeeded... Yoohhhooo!!! Perseverance pays.

The strange part is this guy plays the game only to beat my score and does not admit it.

Anyway... I forget what I wanted to blog about... I think I will play some more Pathwords.

Good night.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Met Nick today

Met Nick today... he was a regular in my posts in the previous blog. We met after 2 years and it was unbelievable... life has changed so much since then.
Then we didn't imagine we would be here...

Me (to Nick): If only 2-3 yrs back we would have known this is how life would turn out... we would have been happy about it.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Tarot- works or not?

Don't be surprised by the title. Khushi just read my tarot.

2 weeks back Khushi and I went to Crossword. She picked up a Tarot packet which had tarot cards, a book and a CD. It was expensive and she was worried her Mom wouldn't approve. Her Mom's response was that she should use the cards and not let them gather dust. She started reading the book and realized it is more than a game... much more. You cannot just start reading the cards... you need to acquire the necessary knowledge... preparations have to be made, prayers said etc etc.

I was unable to speak to her for 2 weeks but she sent the message that tarot reading was going well. She had read it for her parents and colleagues and they went back believers... her predictions have also come true.

I asked her to read my cards. I won't reveal what she said but it made sense. It was easier for her to interpret 'coz she knows me and whats happening in my life.

According to tarot, every person has a guiding spirit... probably we call it instinct... which guides us through our lives.
Khushi sat in her usual place (if she sits somewhere else she cannot get it right), cleaned the table, spread a green cloth, placed a dhoop/candle, a glass pyramid to keep bad spirts away which may interfere with the cards. The cards are wrapped in a silk cloth and Khushi prayed to them before starting off. She laid out the cards... she can read the past, present, short term future and long term future. The past and present was bang on... even the people featured in them were correct. Lets see about the future. You can ask her specific questions and she will provide answers.
The shocking part is she cannot remember her interpretations once she puts away her cards... she loves to gossip which makes this part very very surprising.

I don't know whether to believe it or not... but I do realize that I have never thought seriously about the supernatural... since my parents and their parents believe in this stuff has been reason enough for me to shirk it. There are a lot of coincidences happening regularly which show that there is a power somewhere. What it is and where it is.... is something I cannot answer.

I do know why old people turn towards spirituality... how long can we feel responsible for our actions especially when the outcome does not seem like a result of those actions? It is so much easier to turn to something else... to give up the responsibility... to have something to blame for the way life turns out... and it gives peace of mind.

I am scared to believe in the supernatural 'coz I don't want to know that I am not responsible for my life... I don't want to know that I may make efforts, plan and it may all come to naught 'coz of some power... I don't want to know I am helpless.... I don't want to know that my life is not in my control.

Anyway... if any of you want to get a tarot reading done by Khushi... contact me. It is fun... and you can find out for yourself if this works.

Btw... Khushi is convent educated with a MBA in HR...

Friday, May 8, 2009

Hello

After my yesterday's conversation, I realized how little I know my best friends... they still surprise me... I also realized how little time I give them...

I vow to interact more with the important people in my life.

I am watching 'So you think you can dance" on AXN. It is one of the very good reality shows on TV. My sis is a fan and catches it on TV without fail.
Another good show is 'Project Runway'... they did show the re-runs on AXN but I wish some channel would screen the latest episodes. There was an Indianised version on Star One years back. It was quite good... the designers and the winner was also deserving. I don't know why they didn't have more seasons.
Another good show is "Step it up and dance" on AXN. The best part about it is the camaraderie between the contestants... they were laughing and cared about each other... there was no bitchiness.. no scandals or politics. The focus of the show was dance only... no cheap stunts here.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Fireflies in the garden

I was not sure if I should blog about this movie... KC and I wanted to watch some movie and headed to Colaba. There was only this one playing at a convenient hour. I was not keen on watching it since it seemed like a boring romantic movie but KC is a Julia Robert's fan. He has accompanied me to all kinds of 'girly' movies without complaining and I gave in.
Julia Roberts dies within the first 20 mins into the movie... the people left are ugly and old. We got so bored, we left before 30 mins.
Avoid it!!!

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Married but available


Crap... crap... more crap. The author is some 'Abhijit Bhaduri' and the book is a sequel of 'Mediocre but Arrogant'. I think I have read it...
This book is another one of those... "Oh!!! I have done MBA and survived in the corporate world... people will fall over each other to read about my experiences... no matter how fictitious... and it does not matter that I don't have writing skills".
An impractical book about corporate life.
Khushi and I have been wondering if we should write a book like this too. After all, we are MBAs and working in the corporate world... and there are enough stories floating around to fill 200-300 pages.