It's a ........
...... GIRL!!!!!!!
Avani was born on 6th December at 1447 in Tsuruoka, Japan. She is 47.5 cms tall and weighs 2668 grams and is absolutely adorable!
07 December 2006
Avani was born on 6th December at 1447 in Tsuruoka, Japan. She is 47.5 cms tall and weighs 2668 grams and is absolutely adorable!
04 December 2006
Watching it snow
So what's a reasonable person doing being wide awake after midnight? Watching it snow. According to the weatherman, it wasn't supposed to till about middle of December, but I guess someone forgot to tell that to the weather.
I'm getting done with my packing. Since I'm going to be in the hospital for around 10 days, I decided this is a good time to re-read all 11 volumes of the Wheel of Time. Isn't it a good thing I convinced Arun not to throw it away when we moved? A too thinks it's the best way to kill time in a hospital bed. Beats watching Japanese television. I still haven't figured out what is a show, and what's a commercial. Or the point of one particular show where half the characters are dressed in kimonos and the other half in natty western suits, who seem to go through life in a series of elaborate tea ceremonies. Or another where a bunch of guys in, what I assume are medieval costumes, go around chopping up people like so many vegetables with their katanas. Wheel of Time is way less complicated! Just some 100 main and 200 sub characters, 1 dozen key plots and a dozen-dozen sub and sub-sub-plots, enough twists to confuse a geo-mapping satellite... what more could I possibly ask for to keep me entertained for 10 snowy dreary days?
Aditi is pretty excited. She's waiting to play with her new sibling. She's picked out books to read to and stories to tell the little one.
Here I sign off. I have no idea when I'll be able to blog again for the next few weeks.
How come all you guys out there aren't running a baby pool?? You were so much more fun last time around! So watch this space to know if it's going to be a boy or a girl.
I'm getting done with my packing. Since I'm going to be in the hospital for around 10 days, I decided this is a good time to re-read all 11 volumes of the Wheel of Time. Isn't it a good thing I convinced Arun not to throw it away when we moved? A too thinks it's the best way to kill time in a hospital bed. Beats watching Japanese television. I still haven't figured out what is a show, and what's a commercial. Or the point of one particular show where half the characters are dressed in kimonos and the other half in natty western suits, who seem to go through life in a series of elaborate tea ceremonies. Or another where a bunch of guys in, what I assume are medieval costumes, go around chopping up people like so many vegetables with their katanas. Wheel of Time is way less complicated! Just some 100 main and 200 sub characters, 1 dozen key plots and a dozen-dozen sub and sub-sub-plots, enough twists to confuse a geo-mapping satellite... what more could I possibly ask for to keep me entertained for 10 snowy dreary days?
Aditi is pretty excited. She's waiting to play with her new sibling. She's picked out books to read to and stories to tell the little one.
Here I sign off. I have no idea when I'll be able to blog again for the next few weeks.
How come all you guys out there aren't running a baby pool?? You were so much more fun last time around! So watch this space to know if it's going to be a boy or a girl.
03 December 2006
2006 - Big sister is watching
Aditi is quite curious and has her own ideas about the little baby.
She was quite shocked when I told her that the little one does not know how to open the kitchen drawers and cupboards. She thought about it for a while and came up to me and said, 'Amma don't worry, I'll teach kutti-baby to open drawers'. Yikes, that's all I need right now!
Aditi has told me that she will sing to the little baby, will carry it around (scary), will teach baby to use the potty, will tell the baby stories, will share with the baby (scarier: considering that her idea of sharing is to take what she wants from the other kids), will teach baby to sing, and yes, that she will tell baby to listen to what amma and appa say, and that she will teach baby to be good (scariest).
More than the baby itself, A and I are now eagerly waiting to see Aditi's reactions to her little sibling. Her first sight of the little ones and her opinions and thoughts.
That reminds me: better get the video camera ready. Charge batteries, get more tape etc.
She was quite shocked when I told her that the little one does not know how to open the kitchen drawers and cupboards. She thought about it for a while and came up to me and said, 'Amma don't worry, I'll teach kutti-baby to open drawers'. Yikes, that's all I need right now!
Aditi has told me that she will sing to the little baby, will carry it around (scary), will teach baby to use the potty, will tell the baby stories, will share with the baby (scarier: considering that her idea of sharing is to take what she wants from the other kids), will teach baby to sing, and yes, that she will tell baby to listen to what amma and appa say, and that she will teach baby to be good (scariest).
More than the baby itself, A and I are now eagerly waiting to see Aditi's reactions to her little sibling. Her first sight of the little ones and her opinions and thoughts.
That reminds me: better get the video camera ready. Charge batteries, get more tape etc.
Food for thought
Now that D-day is around the corner, I've been quite caught up with things... Was it this hectic last time around?? I don't remember. I don't think so.
This time around, the rigmarole is starting to show signs of getting 'Lost in Translation'. I had a very exhausting 2 hour interview with the nutritionist at the hospital a couple of days ago. Somehow by the time I got through to her about what I eat and don't eat, I was quite ready to give up and tell her just give me rice and curds, and I'll get my own pickles, thank you. Being a vegetarian in this neck of the woods isn't all that easy.
First I had to explain that I don't eat meat and fish. No fish?? Yes, ma'am, no fish. So the nutritionist gets some printouts from her file and my translator asked me whether fish is 'meat'. Now, how on earth does one answer that? So the next step was to explain that I was NOT vegan, and that I could take milk, cheese and other dairy products. Yes, eggs are OK too. No, I do not mind eating tofu and eggs every day to make up for nutrition components.
Then I had to explain that chicken, beef and pork are not OK, neither are ham, bacon or sausages. By the time we got through that part, I was so tired. Then came the kicker. 'So does that mean prawn, shrimp and crabs are alright?' Sigh... we were back to block one. And the poor lady went through a list of vegetables to find out what was OK and what was not! After a point I gave up saying 'every vegetable is fine, every single one', and stuck to okaying each individual vegetable as it was read out.
This time around, the rigmarole is starting to show signs of getting 'Lost in Translation'. I had a very exhausting 2 hour interview with the nutritionist at the hospital a couple of days ago. Somehow by the time I got through to her about what I eat and don't eat, I was quite ready to give up and tell her just give me rice and curds, and I'll get my own pickles, thank you. Being a vegetarian in this neck of the woods isn't all that easy.
First I had to explain that I don't eat meat and fish. No fish?? Yes, ma'am, no fish. So the nutritionist gets some printouts from her file and my translator asked me whether fish is 'meat'. Now, how on earth does one answer that? So the next step was to explain that I was NOT vegan, and that I could take milk, cheese and other dairy products. Yes, eggs are OK too. No, I do not mind eating tofu and eggs every day to make up for nutrition components.
Then I had to explain that chicken, beef and pork are not OK, neither are ham, bacon or sausages. By the time we got through that part, I was so tired. Then came the kicker. 'So does that mean prawn, shrimp and crabs are alright?' Sigh... we were back to block one. And the poor lady went through a list of vegetables to find out what was OK and what was not! After a point I gave up saying 'every vegetable is fine, every single one', and stuck to okaying each individual vegetable as it was read out.
I don't know who was more shocked by my diet, the nutritionist or the translator. I'm sure they think I'm from another planet.
Bond, James Bond
Since Ma is now here, and more than game for babysitting, A and I decided to go watch Casino Royale. Verdict, not bad at all! Initially I really didn't like the idea of Daniel Craig as Bond, especially after Munich. Now I really should take back any uncharitable thought that i might have had about Craig as 007.
Of all the Bonds to date, I think Craig comes closest to the high standards set by Sean Connery. After Sean Connery, he has to be the next best Bond to date. I really should add that I did think Pierce Brosnan was an awesome 007 too. Eye candy, oozing sophistication and er.. more eye candy. A, of course, thinks that this is a girl thing. he might be right, but who cares. He's CUTE! No one could call Craig's Bond cute. Cool, but not quite eye-candy. Beef-cake, yes; eye-candy, never!
The initial action scenes lacked the usual polish of a typical Bond chase. Way too gritty, and not quite polished. The Madagascar chase somehow reminded me of a classic Jackie Chan movie, with slightly too acrobatic stunts.
And then there was the absence of the traditional Bond theme music in the title sequence. But never mind, it did play during the end credits. So A and I sat through the final credits just for the Bond theme!
One crib I have about this movie is total absence of gadgets. Where, oh where, was the watch that doubles as a detonator that could also be used to pinpoint someones location by GPS and of course, in an emergency, tell you the time too?? Where was John Cleese?? Somehow Bond wasn't quite the same without his faithful-sidekick-fancy-gadgets!
And not enough of the trademark one-liners. (You expect me to talk? No Mr. Bond, I expect you to die)
But yes, if they can't get Brosnan back, Daniel Craig is an awesome Bond, James Bond.
Of all the Bonds to date, I think Craig comes closest to the high standards set by Sean Connery. After Sean Connery, he has to be the next best Bond to date. I really should add that I did think Pierce Brosnan was an awesome 007 too. Eye candy, oozing sophistication and er.. more eye candy. A, of course, thinks that this is a girl thing. he might be right, but who cares. He's CUTE! No one could call Craig's Bond cute. Cool, but not quite eye-candy. Beef-cake, yes; eye-candy, never!
The initial action scenes lacked the usual polish of a typical Bond chase. Way too gritty, and not quite polished. The Madagascar chase somehow reminded me of a classic Jackie Chan movie, with slightly too acrobatic stunts.
And then there was the absence of the traditional Bond theme music in the title sequence. But never mind, it did play during the end credits. So A and I sat through the final credits just for the Bond theme!
One crib I have about this movie is total absence of gadgets. Where, oh where, was the watch that doubles as a detonator that could also be used to pinpoint someones location by GPS and of course, in an emergency, tell you the time too?? Where was John Cleese?? Somehow Bond wasn't quite the same without his faithful-sidekick-fancy-gadgets!
And not enough of the trademark one-liners. (You expect me to talk? No Mr. Bond, I expect you to die)
But yes, if they can't get Brosnan back, Daniel Craig is an awesome Bond, James Bond.
28 November 2006
Hair raising tales
... and I bit the bullet, packed my dictionary in my handbag, wrote down a list of (what I thought) were useful words and phrases, and walked into the hairdresser's salon.
The first sight of the stylist wasn't all that confidence inspiring. And it didn't help that my so-called useful phrases list turned out to be next to useless. Then the stylist handed me a few books and asked me to pick a style. Some of them looked quite nice... on Japanese women. Finally i gave up on the book and told him to just shorten it. I think that offended his professional ethics, and he asked me to wait a bit and disappeared. That was somewhat scary... was I getting my hair cut or not?? Then he came back with a glossy ad from a glossy magazine for one of the cosmetic giants. And pointed out to one of the models' styles. Alright. That looked comfortably simple, something which I could live with. If it didn't look good, at least it wouldn't look terrible.
The end result wasn't too bad. After lots of 'chotto skoshi' , 'o this or that kudasai' and plenty of 'onegaishimasu' I decided I could live with the look... It certainly doesn't make me look like the spokes-model for Estee Lauder, but at least I don't have the everyday-is-a-bad-hair-day look anymore.
Aditi, of course, thinks that I'm in disgrace for not combing my hair, which is why it's way shorter. I wonder if she'll still think that way once she's in her teens!
The first sight of the stylist wasn't all that confidence inspiring. And it didn't help that my so-called useful phrases list turned out to be next to useless. Then the stylist handed me a few books and asked me to pick a style. Some of them looked quite nice... on Japanese women. Finally i gave up on the book and told him to just shorten it. I think that offended his professional ethics, and he asked me to wait a bit and disappeared. That was somewhat scary... was I getting my hair cut or not?? Then he came back with a glossy ad from a glossy magazine for one of the cosmetic giants. And pointed out to one of the models' styles. Alright. That looked comfortably simple, something which I could live with. If it didn't look good, at least it wouldn't look terrible.
The end result wasn't too bad. After lots of 'chotto skoshi' , 'o this or that kudasai' and plenty of 'onegaishimasu' I decided I could live with the look... It certainly doesn't make me look like the spokes-model for Estee Lauder, but at least I don't have the everyday-is-a-bad-hair-day look anymore.
Aditi, of course, thinks that I'm in disgrace for not combing my hair, which is why it's way shorter. I wonder if she'll still think that way once she's in her teens!
Movies, Movies, Movies
So just what have I been up to lately?? Watching movies!
Since we discovered the wonderful world of torrents (thanks, Nikhil), I've been downloading movies, old and new, by the dozen! After all, that's our second best entertainment option (#1 of course, is li'l sis, who got us hooked totally to 24).
Lets see, in the last fortnight we watched Cars, Khosla ka Ghosla, Pyar ke Side Effects to name a few.
Cars was, in one word, BRILLAINT! Loved the concept, loved the execution! It was worth waiting all those months till I could get a decent print!
Bollywood movies are definitely starting to break out of the stale old mold. We watched Khosla ka Ghosla earlier today. After I downloaded the movie, A read some reviews, none of which were even charitable. So we didn't get around to watching it for absolutely weeks... till today! And we really liked it. The characters are funny. The plotline: could happen to anyone.. very very real, and realistic! No unnecessary song and dance for no good reason. Anupam Kher, Kiran Juneja lead an exceptionally subtle and sublime cast. It's definitely worth watching. Do give it a try. Really entertaining!
Pyar ke Side Effects was another refreshing change from the usual ho-hum Bollywood plots. Rahul Bose and Mallika Sherawat (who really can act) are quite funny. I loved the bit where Mallika Sherawat tries to initiate a serious conversation about relationships... right in the middle of a cricket match (deja vu)! Again, a good timepass movie.
We still have Don and Dor on our to watch list. And we're saving those for snowy weekends when we're likely to be totally housebound! So more reviews will happen later.
Since we discovered the wonderful world of torrents (thanks, Nikhil), I've been downloading movies, old and new, by the dozen! After all, that's our second best entertainment option (#1 of course, is li'l sis, who got us hooked totally to 24).
Lets see, in the last fortnight we watched Cars, Khosla ka Ghosla, Pyar ke Side Effects to name a few.
Cars was, in one word, BRILLAINT! Loved the concept, loved the execution! It was worth waiting all those months till I could get a decent print!
Bollywood movies are definitely starting to break out of the stale old mold. We watched Khosla ka Ghosla earlier today. After I downloaded the movie, A read some reviews, none of which were even charitable. So we didn't get around to watching it for absolutely weeks... till today! And we really liked it. The characters are funny. The plotline: could happen to anyone.. very very real, and realistic! No unnecessary song and dance for no good reason. Anupam Kher, Kiran Juneja lead an exceptionally subtle and sublime cast. It's definitely worth watching. Do give it a try. Really entertaining!
Pyar ke Side Effects was another refreshing change from the usual ho-hum Bollywood plots. Rahul Bose and Mallika Sherawat (who really can act) are quite funny. I loved the bit where Mallika Sherawat tries to initiate a serious conversation about relationships... right in the middle of a cricket match (deja vu)! Again, a good timepass movie.
We still have Don and Dor on our to watch list. And we're saving those for snowy weekends when we're likely to be totally housebound! So more reviews will happen later.
19 November 2006
So wish me luck....
Nonono... this isn't about the latest addition to the family.. All's smooth sailing on that front. Except of course for names... neither of us can agree on one... or rather, two, as we decided we didn't want to know the sex of the baby.
Later this week I embark on an adventure like none other. After having a series of progressively worse bad hair days, I decided to bite the bullet and do something about my hair. So after a lot of R&D (looking for good cuts that didn't look like the wearer was attacked by rodents) I asked one of A's colleagues who her stylist was. That lovely lady went one step further and booked an appointment for me.
Now we get to the catch. The stylist doesn't speak English. So I'm poring over the good old dictionary and making a list of what I think are important words that one needs to communicate with a stylist.
Worst case scenario: I don't get on the wrong side of a camera a few months. Considering that I'm the one doing at least 99.99% of any picture taking, that doesn't seem like such a big scare!
So wish me luck. This is my acid test. Whether or not I post any pictures will tell you whether or not all those Japanese lessons paid off.
Ave Caesar! Morituri te salutant!
Later this week I embark on an adventure like none other. After having a series of progressively worse bad hair days, I decided to bite the bullet and do something about my hair. So after a lot of R&D (looking for good cuts that didn't look like the wearer was attacked by rodents) I asked one of A's colleagues who her stylist was. That lovely lady went one step further and booked an appointment for me.
Now we get to the catch. The stylist doesn't speak English. So I'm poring over the good old dictionary and making a list of what I think are important words that one needs to communicate with a stylist.
Worst case scenario: I don't get on the wrong side of a camera a few months. Considering that I'm the one doing at least 99.99% of any picture taking, that doesn't seem like such a big scare!
So wish me luck. This is my acid test. Whether or not I post any pictures will tell you whether or not all those Japanese lessons paid off.
Ave Caesar! Morituri te salutant!
07 November 2006
Testing 1..2..3..
One of my readers (all countable on one hand) asked why there haven't been updates here in ages. Good question... No answer...
Honestly, nothing much has been happening out here. Since my last update, all that's happened is that I finally passed my driving test, got my license and the very next day backed the car into a pillar. Nono.. not to worry, the car had the mildest of scratches on it!
Now that I have my license, I've been exploring this little town, drive in any direction that seems interesting (advantage of living in a small town: can never get lost), going window shopping without harassing Arun.. You get the drift.
Right now, we're trying to get decent baby furniture, infant car-seats, woolen and other assorted warm clothes for Aditi (who's shooting up like a beanpole), warm clothes for the new baby... phew... Did I forget to mention heated carpets, room heaters and more stuff along those lines?? So all spare time's spent in stores checking out stuff.
The weathers starting to get chilly. Quite chilly actually. There's already been snow about 60kms north of here. Any sunny days are now spent airing out quilts, comforters, blankets and other assorted winter wear that's been sitting in storage for a few months. Or if its a really gloriously sunny day, I drag Arun and Aditi around somewhere for a long drive in the mountains and look at the pretty colours.
Other than that, nothing much. Will get around to posting some pics one of these days. Don't ask when, when I get around to it.. that's when!
Honestly, nothing much has been happening out here. Since my last update, all that's happened is that I finally passed my driving test, got my license and the very next day backed the car into a pillar. Nono.. not to worry, the car had the mildest of scratches on it!
Now that I have my license, I've been exploring this little town, drive in any direction that seems interesting (advantage of living in a small town: can never get lost), going window shopping without harassing Arun.. You get the drift.
Right now, we're trying to get decent baby furniture, infant car-seats, woolen and other assorted warm clothes for Aditi (who's shooting up like a beanpole), warm clothes for the new baby... phew... Did I forget to mention heated carpets, room heaters and more stuff along those lines?? So all spare time's spent in stores checking out stuff.
The weathers starting to get chilly. Quite chilly actually. There's already been snow about 60kms north of here. Any sunny days are now spent airing out quilts, comforters, blankets and other assorted winter wear that's been sitting in storage for a few months. Or if its a really gloriously sunny day, I drag Arun and Aditi around somewhere for a long drive in the mountains and look at the pretty colours.
Other than that, nothing much. Will get around to posting some pics one of these days. Don't ask when, when I get around to it.. that's when!
29 September 2006
12 September 2006
Watching Superman with a 3 year old
My little one watched her first Superman movie, Arun and I laughed all the way through.. Why?? Because of all the questions we had to answer, and the lovely running commentary.....
Here are some of the more interesting ones.
Here are some of the more interesting ones.
- Movie begins- Krypton explodes- the little one thinks it's the moon- scene changes- Clark Kent shows up at the daily planet- little one goes, "But what happened to the moon?"
- Lex Luthor throws his wig at the little girl- "Uncle did not wear ponytails, so his mommy made him bald" (am sure that sounds familiar)
- Lois Lane is being bounced around the aircraft- "See? That's why amma tells me to wear a seatbelt!"
- Superman changes back into Clark Kent- Lois and Watzisname are discussing how Clark Kent possesses some traits similar to Superman- "Is Superman wearing glasses?"- Even a three-year-old-novice to the Superman franchise knows that Kent is Superman.
- Lois Lane leaves the cabin where she finds the collection of wigs- Lex Luthor steps out of a washroom- He's brushing his teeth- "This is the way we brush our teeth, brush our teeth, brush our teeth.... left, right, up and down... " (remember the tune to 'here we go 'round the mulberry bush'?)
- Superman is taken to hospital and the doctors prepare for surgery- "what happened to Superman's clothes?"
- Lois Lane starts to light a cigarette, and flicks on the lighter- "No playing with fire. It's dangerous"
Arun promised her that he'd tie a towel around her shoulders and she could be 'Super-Aditi'.
So I can safely assume that both kids loved the movie.
So I can safely assume that both kids loved the movie.
10 September 2006
Tagged again!
Why me?? I spent too much time trying to figure out 8 things about me, thanks to Dents' tag.. and now this... ah well.. here we go!
1. Book that changed your life: 1984. Why?? 1) sounds darned impressive, 2) I read it sometime in the early '90s and by then it was too late for 1984 to be like 1984... (it could happen later, or it may already be happening, but it not like 1984 happening in 1984.. hehehehehe)
2. Book you've read more than once: The Collected works of O'Henry. I've read them a gazillion times before, and will probably read them a gazillion times again!
3. Book you'd take to a desert island: Weekend Wodehouse. This collection has the perfect blend of the incurably loony inhabitants of Blandings, the moronic Bertie Wooster and his faithful Jeeves, and a handful of the most eccentric of Mr. Mulliner's relations. Simply perfect.
4. Book that made you laugh: Mike at Wrykin, Aunts Aren't Gentlemen
5. Book that made you cry: To Kill a Mockingbird
6. Book you wish you had written: "What to cook that (both) a 3 year old and a 35 year old are likely to eat"
7. Book you wish had never been written: Here I throw a cat among the pigeons.... "Catch 22" ... I started it 4 times, but could never get beyond a certain point... I still don't get the point, if there was one, of the book...
8. Book you're currently reading: Tom Clancy's 'Cardinal of the Kremlin'
9. Book you've been meaning to read: Anna Karenina... I don't know why. Each time I started reading it, I couldn't get beyond a point. I'd like to say that I have read Tolstoy ... hehehe
04 September 2006
28 August 2006
The new king of Bollywood
When I first read on Rediff that there was to be a bollywood remake of Othello, called 'Omkara', I told myself it was a recipe for box-office disaster. Then after I read about the casting, I had this image of a producer like the kinds of Naseeruddin Shah in Bombay Boys ... who wanted to make a bad movie so he could launder some black money...
Ok, Ajay Devgan was cast in the title role... after watching Company I didn't doubt he could play Othello. But Saif Ali Khan and Viveik Oberoi?? Saif would have made a decent Cassio... but Viveik Oberoi as Iago?? Note how quickly I jumped to the wrong conclusions. When I later read that Saif Ali Khan was to play the role of Iago, I couldn't believe my eyes. Chocolate boy Saif as the evil Iago?? No way.....
So over the weekend Arun got his hands on the movie, and I was like, oh well, beats watching Superman Returns in Japanese. 30 minutes into the movie I was ready to apologize to Saif Khan for any misgivings I might have had of his histrionic capabilities. Saif Ali Khan HAS to be the new King of Bollywood. His portrayal of Langda Tyaagi is way more than superb and brilliant. His performance is exquisite! Pure art. If he doesn't get ALL possible awards for that role, then there is something seriously wrong with the Indian Cinegoers, Critics and film jurists alike. He's simply the perfect Iago, oozing evil from behind a veil of innocence.... It's time for the rest of the Khan's to move over and make way for the new King of Bollywood, Saif Ali Khan.
Ajay Devgan as Omkara (Othello), Viveik Oberoi's Kesu (Cassio), Kareena Kapoor's portrayal of Dolly (Desdemona), Konkona Sen Sharma's Indu (Emilia) and Naseeruddin Shah's character of Bhaisaab (Doge of Venice) were beautifully played. Bipasha Basu as Billo (Bianca) sucked big time. She was way too plastic. Yes, she was there just for the item numbers, but still, I'm sure there are better actresses who could have played that role.
The desi setting for Othello was brilliantly conceived. The background was the murky politics of the region. Character development was brilliant! It was gripping to the end! I don't think I have really raved about a Bollywood all this much.... ever! For a tragic ending, it was brilliantly shot. From start to finish, Omkara is gripping!
I recommend this as a must watch. However, if you are looking for a long song and dance production, with hazar bizarrely outfitted extras in the background, this is not for you.
Bollywood's most sophisticated and stylish offering to date. All hail Omkara!
Ok, Ajay Devgan was cast in the title role... after watching Company I didn't doubt he could play Othello. But Saif Ali Khan and Viveik Oberoi?? Saif would have made a decent Cassio... but Viveik Oberoi as Iago?? Note how quickly I jumped to the wrong conclusions. When I later read that Saif Ali Khan was to play the role of Iago, I couldn't believe my eyes. Chocolate boy Saif as the evil Iago?? No way.....
So over the weekend Arun got his hands on the movie, and I was like, oh well, beats watching Superman Returns in Japanese. 30 minutes into the movie I was ready to apologize to Saif Khan for any misgivings I might have had of his histrionic capabilities. Saif Ali Khan HAS to be the new King of Bollywood. His portrayal of Langda Tyaagi is way more than superb and brilliant. His performance is exquisite! Pure art. If he doesn't get ALL possible awards for that role, then there is something seriously wrong with the Indian Cinegoers, Critics and film jurists alike. He's simply the perfect Iago, oozing evil from behind a veil of innocence.... It's time for the rest of the Khan's to move over and make way for the new King of Bollywood, Saif Ali Khan.
Ajay Devgan as Omkara (Othello), Viveik Oberoi's Kesu (Cassio), Kareena Kapoor's portrayal of Dolly (Desdemona), Konkona Sen Sharma's Indu (Emilia) and Naseeruddin Shah's character of Bhaisaab (Doge of Venice) were beautifully played. Bipasha Basu as Billo (Bianca) sucked big time. She was way too plastic. Yes, she was there just for the item numbers, but still, I'm sure there are better actresses who could have played that role.
The desi setting for Othello was brilliantly conceived. The background was the murky politics of the region. Character development was brilliant! It was gripping to the end! I don't think I have really raved about a Bollywood all this much.... ever! For a tragic ending, it was brilliantly shot. From start to finish, Omkara is gripping!
I recommend this as a must watch. However, if you are looking for a long song and dance production, with hazar bizarrely outfitted extras in the background, this is not for you.
Bollywood's most sophisticated and stylish offering to date. All hail Omkara!
25 August 2006
Who let the doc tag??
I always thought PhD students (at least going by the ones that I've seen) didn't have enough time in a day to get their research done... Looks like I could be wrong about that. A certain researcher in a certain university in Bean-town seems to have all the time in the world to play tag! I refuse to be a spoilsport, so here goes...
This is how one plays tag online..
1) Say who tagged you
2) Say eight things about yourself
3) Tag 6 people
I was tagged by that jobless doc in Boston.
8 things, eh?? Lets see....
I WANT chaat... desperately..
I DON'T want to make the aforementioned chaat.
I WISH I could have something nice for lunch (something NOT cooked by me)
I genuinely believe that if I wish hard enough some inspired soul WILL open a Mexican restaurant in Tsuruoka.
SOMEDAY I will wake up on time to watch a sunrise here(so what if it happens at around 4:30 am).
I HAVE conclusively proved that a cellphone dropped in a pot of boiling sambar will never work again.
I NEED retail therapy to feel good.
I'm WAITING for the local release of X-Men 3.
(Wow... how colossally boring!)
Now let's play tag... Anitha, Deepak, Arun (much against my better judgment), Joji, Gouri.... you're IT! And here's right back at you, Dents.
This is how one plays tag online..
1) Say who tagged you
2) Say eight things about yourself
3) Tag 6 people
I was tagged by that jobless doc in Boston.
8 things, eh?? Lets see....
I WANT chaat... desperately..
I DON'T want to make the aforementioned chaat.
I WISH I could have something nice for lunch (something NOT cooked by me)
I genuinely believe that if I wish hard enough some inspired soul WILL open a Mexican restaurant in Tsuruoka.
SOMEDAY I will wake up on time to watch a sunrise here(so what if it happens at around 4:30 am).
I HAVE conclusively proved that a cellphone dropped in a pot of boiling sambar will never work again.
I NEED retail therapy to feel good.
I'm WAITING for the local release of X-Men 3.
(Wow... how colossally boring!)
Now let's play tag... Anitha, Deepak, Arun (much against my better judgment), Joji, Gouri.... you're IT! And here's right back at you, Dents.
10 August 2006
Who let the dogs out?
Who let the cat out of the bag?? What cat?? What bag?
Thanks to Dents' constant linking, we discovered YouTube. The first time I looked at the Youtube site, I found 'Kajra Re' on the first page. This little one absolutely loves that song, and sings it so adorably I ended up bookmarking that for her. As a natural progression, we found links to other songs that she liked, Hakuna Matata etc.
And with a little searching and browsing we discovered we could find a lot of old favourite music videos too. Arun wanted to see if he could find The Ketchup Song. It did have such a catchy beat. So talking of catchy beats, we thought we should find Macarena too. I remembered certain 2-left-footed types (other than me of course) trying to dance the Macarena. It was such a craze when we were in college!
And then one of the videos we were watching actually had a link to... I am not joking.. "Who let the dogs out?" The little one actually sings that one now! Of all the good music she could have picked up, she had to like that one song (if one can call it a song)!
Now first thing in the morning, she comes up to me and says, "may I please watch Ketcher (ketchup), Macarena, Kajra Re and Who let the dogs out? Please??"
What a start to my day.....
As a very irrelevant postscript, does anyone who remembers a certain party remember the part where a certain artist type would, in the middle of conversations, suddenly ask, "but folks, Who let the dogs out?" And then everyone else would religiously reply "Who? Who?" And then, the artist would pick up the intercom and go "Security, 1 plate baasundi.. "
Thanks to Dents' constant linking, we discovered YouTube. The first time I looked at the Youtube site, I found 'Kajra Re' on the first page. This little one absolutely loves that song, and sings it so adorably I ended up bookmarking that for her. As a natural progression, we found links to other songs that she liked, Hakuna Matata etc.
And with a little searching and browsing we discovered we could find a lot of old favourite music videos too. Arun wanted to see if he could find The Ketchup Song. It did have such a catchy beat. So talking of catchy beats, we thought we should find Macarena too. I remembered certain 2-left-footed types (other than me of course) trying to dance the Macarena. It was such a craze when we were in college!
And then one of the videos we were watching actually had a link to... I am not joking.. "Who let the dogs out?" The little one actually sings that one now! Of all the good music she could have picked up, she had to like that one song (if one can call it a song)!
Now first thing in the morning, she comes up to me and says, "may I please watch Ketcher (ketchup), Macarena, Kajra Re and Who let the dogs out? Please??"
What a start to my day.....
As a very irrelevant postscript, does anyone who remembers a certain party remember the part where a certain artist type would, in the middle of conversations, suddenly ask, "but folks, Who let the dogs out?" And then everyone else would religiously reply "Who? Who?" And then, the artist would pick up the intercom and go "Security, 1 plate baasundi.. "
08 August 2006
How to give a 3 year old a haircut
1. Take said 3 year old to a hairdresser, preferably one run by elderly ladies who are sure to pamper her silly
2. Take out dictionary and try to explain how you want her hair trimmed
3. Listen to responses that don't make sense as the words used by hairdresser do not exist in your dictionary.
4. Put dictionary back in handbag.
5. Start miming. Fold, twist, mime scissors, cutting motion etc and hope message is getting through correctly.
6. Seat daddy-dear on barber chair and let 3 year old watch him being draped in towel etc.
7. Seat 3 year old on daddy's lap, and cover her with towels etc.
8. Confer again with hairdresser using abysmal vocabulary and sign language and agree on length.
9. Hairdresser shall start snipping at this point.
10. 3 year old insists that she doesn't want her head shaved and will wear her ponytails from now on.
11. Explain to 3 year old (before onset of tears) that this will look very cute, and ask the hairdresser to say 'kawaii desu' (how cute) a few times to get the idea through.
12. Explain (or try to explain) to three year old why its not a great idea to move her head rapidly from side to side.
13. Let cute cat walk through salon.
14. Ask elderly lady whether its ok to pick up said cat.
15. Pick up said cat and hold cat in angle and height so 3 year old looks that way.
16. Move cat around to keep 3 year old looking in the right direction.
17. Turn chair away from mirror.
18. Explain to 3 year old that this style will look cuter than curls.
19. Get hairdresser to reiterate #18
20. Repeat steps 16 till desired results are acquired
21. Do a final trim.
22. Wait for hairdresser to get a pretty ribbon and let 3 year look at herself in mirror.
23. Repeat steps 18 and 19 again.
24. Pay hairdresser.
25. Get out of salon before cute (but very annoyed) cat decides to express displeasure.
26. Start breathing and thank the dude above for getting one through this with minimum trauma.
27. Look at s.o. and hope one doesn't have to repeat this in a hurry.
2. Take out dictionary and try to explain how you want her hair trimmed
3. Listen to responses that don't make sense as the words used by hairdresser do not exist in your dictionary.
4. Put dictionary back in handbag.
5. Start miming. Fold, twist, mime scissors, cutting motion etc and hope message is getting through correctly.
6. Seat daddy-dear on barber chair and let 3 year old watch him being draped in towel etc.
7. Seat 3 year old on daddy's lap, and cover her with towels etc.
8. Confer again with hairdresser using abysmal vocabulary and sign language and agree on length.
9. Hairdresser shall start snipping at this point.
10. 3 year old insists that she doesn't want her head shaved and will wear her ponytails from now on.
11. Explain to 3 year old (before onset of tears) that this will look very cute, and ask the hairdresser to say 'kawaii desu' (how cute) a few times to get the idea through.
12. Explain (or try to explain) to three year old why its not a great idea to move her head rapidly from side to side.
13. Let cute cat walk through salon.
14. Ask elderly lady whether its ok to pick up said cat.
15. Pick up said cat and hold cat in angle and height so 3 year old looks that way.
16. Move cat around to keep 3 year old looking in the right direction.
17. Turn chair away from mirror.
18. Explain to 3 year old that this style will look cuter than curls.
19. Get hairdresser to reiterate #18
20. Repeat steps 16 till desired results are acquired
21. Do a final trim.
22. Wait for hairdresser to get a pretty ribbon and let 3 year look at herself in mirror.
23. Repeat steps 18 and 19 again.
24. Pay hairdresser.
25. Get out of salon before cute (but very annoyed) cat decides to express displeasure.
26. Start breathing and thank the dude above for getting one through this with minimum trauma.
27. Look at s.o. and hope one doesn't have to repeat this in a hurry.
31 July 2006
30 July 2006
Dinner with Geeks!!!
Arun had invited a few of the students from the Univ to dinner last night. Are they geeks!
Suddenly the conversation changes track and the guys start discussing one particularly pretty student. One of the PhD students was looking a little confused trying to figure out who the rest were talking about. Suddenly one saw enlightenment on his face. "Ok... I know who she is... she's the one with the IBM thinkpad...." Not the hairstyle, or other attributes to jog our friend's memory.
The reactions around were priceless.... jaws dropped, one guy even slapped himself to see if he'd heard right.....
And now I think people (especially Tina) should think twice before calling Arun a geek.
Suddenly the conversation changes track and the guys start discussing one particularly pretty student. One of the PhD students was looking a little confused trying to figure out who the rest were talking about. Suddenly one saw enlightenment on his face. "Ok... I know who she is... she's the one with the IBM thinkpad...." Not the hairstyle, or other attributes to jog our friend's memory.
The reactions around were priceless.... jaws dropped, one guy even slapped himself to see if he'd heard right.....
And now I think people (especially Tina) should think twice before calling Arun a geek.
28 July 2006
Template generator
I've been rather bored with the look and feel of my blogs, and didn't really care all that much for the templates available on blogger. I really wanted a three column template, colours of my choice etc...
The previous template was alright, but it was absolutely BORING!! Rather colourless... uninspired too.
Today I discovered PsycHo, one of the best template generators I could find online. The customization options are quite comprehensive. It does need some very minor tweaks to personalize it further. If a HTML/CSS doofus like me can do it, trust me, anyone can!
All I need to figure out now is how to get the side columns run the length of the page, and not abruptly terminate where the column text ends. And I also need to know how to lose those bullets against the previous posts.
Comments anyone? And yes, I really need to know the column length thingie... so do put on your thinking caps and help!
PS: I did find a few more bugs and can't figure out how to debug those...
1. According to Axe, he can't click on any of the old comments. He tried clicking on June 2005 and couldn't click on the "5 voices in the dark" thingie. But he could click on the timestamp to view everything, though.... I tried it too.. he's right.. . (check)
2. Just how do I lose those darn bullets agianst previous post titles? (check)
3. Clicking on any link makes it open in a new tab... does anyone who doesn't use a decent civilized browser like Mozilla find they are opening new windows with each click on a hyperlink?
Deepak set that right for me! But there's still other li'l things I need help with.. so all geeks out there can put on their thinking caps!
The previous template was alright, but it was absolutely BORING!! Rather colourless... uninspired too.
Today I discovered PsycHo, one of the best template generators I could find online. The customization options are quite comprehensive. It does need some very minor tweaks to personalize it further. If a HTML/CSS doofus like me can do it, trust me, anyone can!
All I need to figure out now is how to get the side columns run the length of the page, and not abruptly terminate where the column text ends. And I also need to know how to lose those bullets against the previous posts.
Comments anyone? And yes, I really need to know the column length thingie... so do put on your thinking caps and help!
PS: I did find a few more bugs and can't figure out how to debug those...
1. According to Axe, he can't click on any of the old comments. He tried clicking on June 2005 and couldn't click on the "5 voices in the dark" thingie. But he could click on the timestamp to view everything, though.... I tried it too.. he's right.. . (check)
2. Just how do I lose those darn bullets agianst previous post titles? (check)
3. Clicking on any link makes it open in a new tab... does anyone who doesn't use a decent civilized browser like Mozilla find they are opening new windows with each click on a hyperlink?
Deepak set that right for me! But there's still other li'l things I need help with.. so all geeks out there can put on their thinking caps!
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