Saturday, July 31, 2010

Baby Bloom...

Seems like the stork is busy visiting my cousins..!!!
And here I am , a proud aunt of many small kiddos, with a li'l girl born few weeks back and two more on the way, my aunt-ism is on a roll.
Congrats to all my sisters!!
And eagerly waiting for august for a new kid in the family!!!
Yay!!!

Friday, July 30, 2010

Echo 2010:Missing Engifest Tadka!!!

And finally it's done!!
The annual newsletter of IEEE-DTU is finally done after days of poring over articles, editing them, having a good laugh over them and banging my head in frustration.
Once again working for a magazine, collecting articles, editing them and designing them, I was filled with nostalgia over my Engifest Tadka days and sorely missed the whole team..!!!
From our impromptu laughter sessions, "uncoordinated high fives", (non)funny jokes and camaraderie, the ET team was the best I have ever worked on.
Taking this bit of nostalgia with me, i once again contacted some of my ET members for their articles and needless to say i wasn't disappointed.You guys rock!
The echo team has been great too,sending articles by the deadline and being supportive. Seeing that everyone was enthused over writing this and some were over excited, the newsletter increased from its usual 8 pages to 10.
And the best thing was that the whole newsletter is done much before the deadline.I rule!!! ;)
And not without the help of the guy who got everyone in, UT, special credit goes to him!
But still, me being overtly nostalgic, I miss the ET team..!!!
Here is a teaser of ECHO.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Entrapment

A short piece I wrote for the word "entrapment".

blood.jpg revamped image by ezboizShe cowered inside her imaginary tower, trying hard to understand what was happening. She knew she was not at fault and yet she was being blamed. Her heart thudded in her chest and her head throbbed hard. She sucked in deep breaths and swallowed hard, gritting her teeth hard to avoid speaking.
She had once again disappeared inside the dark abyss of her sanctuary and she knew it will take time for her to break through the barriers. She waited for it to be over and for her tormentor to retire. The mute spectators crowded around her in mild curiosity, none able to help her through. She struggled through the dark stormy sea alone, fighting the huge waves lashing all over her, going under and then surfacing.
It had been another era, many ages ago, now she was in light, free from the depths she had been forced to plunge into.But then it returned and she swiveled right into it all over again.
She sat contemplating her revenge, helpless. She could do no more and yet she thought of what she could if she had the chance. But then she saw her nemesis struggling hard and it all washed over her. Because sometimes, despite how we feel and how much we are troubled, she could feel the tug of blood inside her. For they both shared the same.
And despite the atrocities faced by her, despite what she felt and despite what they said to her, she knew she could not do it. She was trapped in an ages old web of duty, commitment and relationships. Relations, the unseeing bond which bound all humans, which formed the rules and norms of our actions. She suffocated in silent misery because the tug was too strong.The tug of blood.

Monday, July 26, 2010

A Family get-together: A doggy affair

Yesterday was like any other Sunday, lazy, warm and fuzzy until we decided to backpack our way to a family get-together at my uncle's home. Normal enough.But then my dog, Casper started throwing a tantrum(yes, a doggy tantrum!) and we decided to take him along.
So it was a family of four with a doggy in tow and two grandparents who set off to the uncle's house. Squished in a normal sized family car, Casper decided that he wanted to hog the whole of the AC of the car and set off, improvising on his positions till he had one paw on my leg, another on my sister's arm and yet another on my mother's lap. Now he was bang in the centre of the car, right in front of the ac with his white hair flowing all around him.he loved it and blissfully ignored the bumps and jerks of the road and the fact that he could barely manage to stand in that position he had fashioned and was constantly slipping.
We reached our destination, thankful to get out of the car as our cramped legs stretched after the two hour road journey.
We then went to pay a customary visit to another aunt's place and now had another cousin in the car with us. Sans our grandparents, we found enough space to play a game of cards and this time we forced Casper to sit in the co-driver's seat which he readily accepted much to his amusement. Our game was not yet over when we reached our destination and so we decided to continue in the sweltering heat inside the car.
Lunch was a standard affair as richie managed to spoil 3 Ferraro Rochers :( before finally getting the fourth one in his mouth.Before much tragedy happened, we three girls decided to get hold of our share of chocolates and then enticed Richie with a brightly wrapped silver coloured cereal bar.he liked it because it was the biggest of the lot.
We then locked ourselves in the bedroom for another round of our game as the adults chatted in the living room. And we managed an improvised version of blackjack improving our math skills. the house served as a reminder for the fun we had when our two other cousins lived there.
Missed them a lot yesterday and our game of Tableux,playstations, twix and the summer heat.
Hope to meet the two of you soon..!!!
And yes, during the return journey too, casper tried to stand right in front of the AC but we pushed him down on the seat.
 Humans 1: Dog 0

Friday, July 23, 2010

Sohrabuddin Sheikh Encounter:Evil or a necessary?

In the early 2000's Gujrat and Rajasthan were plagued by the tyranny of a local goon Abdul Latif. He soon paved his way through the underworld of the region carving a notch for himself as one of the most dreaded criminals. Later, as is with every underworld don, he joined hands with Dawood Ibrahim and went to join him in his exploits over the underworld of the country. He had a driver, Sohrabuddin Sheikh and as is the case with all such drivers he was a multitasker, a dreaded criminal and extortionist. In May 2000, he was kept under the police watch and it was discovered that he was responsible for storing huge caches of weapons and ammunition  involved in the 1993 Mumbai blasts.With enough evidence of his connections with the underworld and terrorist groups, he, along with his wife Kausar Bi were killed in an alleged "fake encounter".
This begs the question of how necessary was this encounter and who gains from it?
The police claimed that he was conspiring to assassinate chief Minister Narender Modi and his killing was justified.
Personally, killing of a dreaded criminal, who had around 50 cases against him and had an involvement in terrorism of the country is justice to the world. He was wanted in many countries and despite the shady nature of his death, they rejoice it. But human rights activists, anti BJP people and pro congress individuals have made it into a big political mess of allegations and finger pointing.
What people all over should realise is that even if the encounter was fake and staged, it was to kill a dreaded criminal who would have helped along with many other terror hits in the country. by killing one person, the police saved millions of innocent lives. But this is now a political game with the ruling party plotting to evict and convict the chief minister and his aides involved in the encounter.
Today one of his chief aides might be arrested and for me, it is a blasphemy. Something which should not ever happen.Sohrabbudin's death was a poetic justice and in doing so the country's goodwill was in consideration, whatever the given reasons are.
People should understand the circumstances and the fact that they are a tad bit safe now. he might have been a small fish in the terrorism and underworld nexus but maybe because of his death, they are now alive.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

The Indian Race

Too much of crime TV has got my brain into a muddled mess. I think of situations where Indians are arrested or bodies of Indians are found and then I start to think of the classification system of humans.
As of today, the world classifies human beings as Caucasians,Blacks,Hispanics and Asians.
For a while I was under the impression that Indians are Asians for the simple reason of us being in Asia.But then I was informed that Asians are people with Mongolian features and we don't come close and the confusion reverted back in me.
A general perception of race is done on the basis of color. The world classifies human beings as reds, whites, yellows and blacks. Many popular literature describes Indians as coffee color people or browns.
I came across another method of classification based on chemical analysis of DNA. An L haplogroup present in varying quantities in different races might prove an effective means. Indians have a large quantity of this as middle eastern people(who bear striking resemblance to us!) have low amount.So maybe a color based classification is not right.
If we trace back our origins to the Aryans, it becomes apparent that we are from the Caucasian race although we fall better into the Hispanic category.
I am still confused.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

My Love Affair with Delhi

I admit that I am completely, totally and irrevocably in love with Delhi. The city has grown on me and I simply love it. Delhi has its own characteristics which are so unique, annoying at times and yet endearing.


  • The Delhi traffic:You think you are going the right way..? No you are not! The red lights are for decoration purposes or maybe they are an inbuilt accelerators in your cars.You need to rush at top speed to avoid colliding with people coming from the opposite direction(where the hell did they come from?). And if you are on a two wheeler or a rickshaw, then you can drive at your own speed and forget about hearing the many honks and shouts from behind you.You are the king(Queen) of the road.
  • Punjabi:It has travelled from the land of sarso and sunflower to enter our very own city. It does not matter whether you are from haryana or kerala.You live in Delhi and as a rule, you should no a little bit of punjabi.From the excessive use of ji at all places to many other words, punjabi is Delhi's own brand of local language.
  • Street Food: A foodie's heaven, at every crossroads you can find a small stall selling chaats, chineeeese(spelled that way),momos and kababs.Dig into the delectable cuisine of delhi with its unique flavor because you will never find such momos in China nor such kababs in the best mughlai restaurants.The street food run down by the heat and the atmosphere of delhi has its own taste.
  • Shopping;A shopper's delight, delhi paves its way into the best shopping destinations with cheap ripoffs from the markets of Sarojini and Rajouri to high class haute fashion stores of south Delhi and now West delhi. Know style in Delhi, A fashion Capital in its own way.
  • Metro: It has become a trademark of delhi, snaking its way in and around the city, The delhi Metro ensures a fun filled, comfortable travel of which we once dreamed. A niche transport system, Delhi owes to.
  • Autos: These black and yellow little mixes between a scooter and a car traverse the terrains of Delhi.When you have no other option, they come to your rescue and the package contains a foul mouthed driver interested only in your monetary value and the little scooter which has a knack for hitting every bump on the road.
  • Commercial/residential: Is that a house? Is that a shop? No its a house! And the debate goes on with whole shopping complexes opened up in just any place, you will find people living on top of shops and the whole area being converted into one huge shopping complex with vestiges of its residential part remaining still. Tilak nagar anyone?
  • People: Delhi is nothing without its people from old aunties in bright coloured suits haggling with shopkeepers to uncles who seem to know the solution to every problem of yours.You have school girls in miniskirts and school boys in low pants.There are teenagers in various apparels and the young adults keen on their job.The corporate types travel around in lavish cars and a group of fun loving people stand and chat away to glory.
  • Cars: Delhi cars also have a way about them. You can spot a large SUV bellowing loud music and a sleek sedan with a man reading newspaper in it.And the usual assortment of Santros and Indicas with a family of four in it, small kids jumping in the back and the wife yapping away. Then there are the ones who seem to fit in dozens of people in one car.Talk about space utility.
  • Restaurants: The unique blend of five star restaurants and the usual dhaba is another mix.You can shell out thousands on one fine meal and the next day spend a hundred bucks at a dhaba all to your satisfaction:
To Delhi:
Salut!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Gurgaon and Public Transport

Yesterday I had to run an errand in Gurgaon and with no private conveyance(seeing as I am not allowed to drive), I had to resort to the public transport system to reach there.
Knowing as many do, there is no direct connectivity bu public transport system to gurgaon and I had to devise a plan to reach there as soon as possible.
I was snowballed with suggestions from various sources which suggested the metro to Qutub Minar and then an auto.The whole system would take more than hour, which could not be spared.
Then I checked the bus routes to gurgaon.Me being in Janakpuri ensured that I would have to change the bus at least twice to reach Gurgaon, once again spending an hour on commute.
Finally relenting to the situation,I called the cab and drove away, reaching the place in half an hour.
I eagerly wait for the time when metro starts plying on the Gurgaon line as the commute to the millennium city is very difficult. I met no traffic on the way but on weekdays with the rush hour traffic, a mere journey of fifteen minutes gets stretched to an hour. For people without a private vehicle, it is tougher still as they have to negotiate the route in buses, autos and rickshaws.
Hopefully, the connectivity between gurgaon and Delhi improves with time as the city has now become an indispensable hub for party goers, shoppers and office workers.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

My Healthy Burger

Yesterday night I decided to make my version of a burger.a vegetable burger to be more precise.
The nutritional facts about a regular burger are:

Burger bun: 120 calories
Cheese slice: 70
Patties:
fried aloo patty:249
chicken patty:223

So a burger normally adds up to around 400 calories!! Not to mention the soda we take and fries as a side food.

I decided to do away with the fattening options.

My substitutes:

Burger bun:120 (cant help that!!)
dry yoghurt:23( -47)
grilled aloo tikki:128(-121)

And the usual, assort it with tomatoes,onions, lettuce. I liked the guilt free option of having a burger and it was delicious.! And I saved 168 calories.Not much, but then again, a burger is a sinful meal.

The chewing gum lair

I like chewing gum.I love its minty taste in my mouth after a meal and then I resort to playing with it. It twirl it in my fingers, stretch it, make it into a blog and then start imitating spiderman's webs.
As much as it interests me in doing all this stuff, people around me find it gross and disgusting.Ha! I continue to play with my gum, as much the other person is grossed out, i don't care.Me and my gum, the ideal place.
The day before, I was fiddling with my gum as usual when it fell down.Figuring that it must have fallen on the floor, I went to sleep. The next morning was the usual till I couldn't pry my pillow off the bed.
Wonders of wonders..! The gum had stuck to my pillow which was now sticking comfortably to my bed. ignoring the impending danger, i went on to do my morning chores.
During lunchtime, forgetting that my pillow was now the lair of the chewing gum monster I plopped it on my lap and the damn thing stuck to my skirt.So now, i have a soiled pillow cover, a spoilt bedsheet and an extremely sticky skirt.
So much for my gum playing antics.
 

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Arranged v/s Love Marriage

I have been contemplating this for a long time now after reading the many historical romances Madz suggested.
The notion of marriage in those books is so romantic and simple and it got me to thinking about how we are changing when it comes to planning our life with someone.
Arranged marriage has many practicalities and as opposed to the general perception, the views of the bride and groom are taken into account(ideal case). This type of arrangement is not done in a fleeting second when you are overpowered by those mind numbing, ecstatic hormones of love. Both people involved are checked for compatibility and similar backgrounds. A financially secure life eliminates many marital disputes and background compatibility is often preferred. Many issues such as the incessant male ego and the female insecurity are hushed when such an alliance forms. On a lighter note,I find the notion of getting to know the person after marriage romantic.The whole concept of newness and intimacy.There are no secrets from family and friends because even if you are not, they know exactly what's going on..;)
Love marriage on the other invokes the concept of love conquers all, stemming from the many Hollywood/Bollywood movies. The wild romance of things, the flurry of heart, the fuzziness in the stomach, that first look and the first kiss. The freedom to chose your mate and the choice to do so whenever you want. All poetic theories which become the foundation of such a marriage.But sadly, love doesn't last and when the muddled up brain wakes up from the slumber, you realise that the small quirks you liked about the person are annoying, the small beach house you bought is disgusting and you don't have security.
Arranged marriages have known to go wrong with the cases of dowry deaths and NRI weddings but so do love marriages.The problem compounds in a love marriage if the two people don't have similar lifestyle before it, adjustment is a problem but then again maybe love does conquer all.
The debate is still on...

Electric Pole and sparking.

Yesterday night was like any other. me and my sister were watching marathon episodes of our latest nemesis, F.R.I.E.N.D.S(me watching the repeats having seen it all twice!). 
It was past midnight and my sister retired to sleep and I took my laptop to start writing when I heard some gunshot like sound coming from outside.assuming some over zealous sports enthusiast burning crackers, I paid little attention to it. But the sound increased in intensity.
Now I allowed my imagination to wander from imagining a bomb blast to a glorified police chase complete with gunshots and gangsters.
And then I saw a flash of light at the window and all the lights in the house started flickering right out of a cheap horror drama.i woke up my sister who was at her irritable best and we peeked out of the window.
what greeted us was much more magnificent than a thousand gunshots! the electricity pole outside my window had a lose wire and the whole thing was aglow in yellow light.There was intense sparking as i saw the loose wire sway dangerously.And then somebody shut the main power supply and all went quit.The whole fell into a deathly silence and we went to the balcony's to inspect the damage.
Much to my dismay there was no damage.And then the whispers grew.Enthusiastic aunties, clad in nightgown said that two cars were electrocuted and should not be touched, all the men came out to check on their cars and ladies screamed at their children to stay away from the wire which still hung loose.
The whole are was blacked out as the electric repair unit(whatever they are called) came to the rescue. Thankfully, the fans still worked and I went back to my work leaving the excitement behind while all the aunties and uncles gathered in a park to discuss it. They have nothing better to do.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

The Emergency Cook

I had never given much credit to my cooking skills until yesterday. i always thought of myself as being a gloried recipe copier, following the recipe by the line and cooking whatever it said.
Then yesterday around one in the afternoon, my granny called me to her room and informed me that my uncle will stay for lunch and she was much tired to cook. Seeing that it was already afternoon with not much time left to concoct something lavish, I raided the fridge of all its contents.
The trouble with the fridge at my grandparent's house is that it is optimally stocked with a pre-planned menu, so finding anything extra in it is difficult.Still I dug digger into the mysterious entrails of the fridge and finally found a packet of Brinjals.Eww!
Eggplant, the grossest and the most disgusting creation ever with it purple skin and interior filled with seeds.
I called up my mother who gave me a quick recipe and my granny who gave me another recipe. So i went to work in the kitchen, chopping onions, garlics, brinjals and potatoes.
Time was running out, i had twenty minutes to get lunch on the table.I put all the vegetables in the wok and then went on to cut the salad, cutting at the tomatoes and the lettuce with much speed and agility a chef would be proud of.
Side by side I tossed the all too disgusting brinjals, which had started to emit a burnt odour and went to lay the table.
I am proud to say, i achieved it all in the given time span, with the table neatly laid, salad in the centre, and the brinjals all cooked an ready.
They arrived much later to devour it all but I am glad to realize that I can be a fast cook/server/sous chef.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Forgetting you

A friend of mine wrote it: 
I love it, it's so honest and deep.


Every night before i sleep
Think of you, and begin to weep
I love you so..but i have to let this ..feeling go!!

Its no easy, but i have to try,
Can't keep living in this lie,
Easy to say but hard to do, 
Its not easy, forgetting you!

I dont wanna feel like this no more
My heart is hurting to the core

Moving in is what i chose
I've got not much to lose
I'll be fine, i'll be good
Life is gonna be as it should.

From now on, I'l live for me
Be as happy as i can be
You are all but a memory
Don't need you, I'll feel so free

The Best Days.

Because you spend hours talking
A moment lost not together.
Because you spend every second thinking
An hour alone is not enough.
Time passes, moments come
And gather them we should.
I stand here thinking what you would
A thought that creeps in my head.
And suddenly it is just not about one
Because you matter too.
And the sun shines brighter
In the deep blue sky.
The birds sing louder,
It’s a glorious day.
For once again it all matters.
A thought about you jumps right at me
A thing you said
That made me laugh.
A word about you comes right at me
A smile that I can’t stop.
They ask me what is wrong
But for once everything is alright.
It is the best.
Because the feeling stays with me,
Till you do.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Free Pizza and F.R.I.E.N.D.S

Friday began with an unusual call for me.I was roused from my deep slumber by my cell phone ringing and when i picked it up, a gruff voice spoke.It took me a moment to register that it was my sister's bus conductor, calling to ask if she was coming or not.My sister was late in catching the bus and it was waiting for her.Although, in my sister's version, the bus came early.I just found it strange that the conductor actually made an effort to call me up!
Strange beginnings.
My breakfast was the normal one, of oat meals until i realised i had put too much of oats into the milk and now, ten minutes later, it was a thick goop.I threw it in the dustbin and my poor grandparents came up with many theories as to what it was while I was away.The most probable one being that it was vomit.
Come, evening and me and my sister were in a heated debate over dinner.Pizza or Chinese takeaway? we could not decide.And then came the master scheme, i searched over the Internet for free coupons and found one dominos' one that would guarantee me a free pizza.
y sister was apprehensive about the whole operation and I assured her that we would not need an actual proof of the coupon just as long as we have the coupon code.The phone order went fine enough as the Domino's person on the other completed the coupon code for me and I just had to sound confident. Thirty minutes later, I started having my doubts about the whole plan when the delivery boy called on my number.He was lost! ha!
i guided him and in all his embarrassment or maybe laziness he didn't ask for the coupon and I managed to get two pizzas for the cost of one.Long live the Internet!
we watched marathon episodes of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. and then my sister plonked to sleep.
Later in the night, me and my F.R.I.E.N.D.S. conference chatted on our upcoming outing.It was fun and i spent a good hour or two in the chat room while my backlog of work kept on piling up.
To cover it up, i worked till the wee hours of morning(Go me!!).
And now,my sister is back with her beauty kit and i am off to run my amateur beauty centre.



Friday, July 9, 2010

To do list

I thought of posting a to-do list, just to keep me encouraged..! ;)

1.Marry Tom Cruise <3

2. Meet annoying actors like Shahid Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Anushka Sharma..most of the bollywood brigade and give them a tight slap..!! Really annoying..!!

3.Tell Jeffrey Archer that he is a "kamina." .

4. Write one non-depressing, non-dark poem.

5.Eat Hershey's pure milk chocolate without guilt.

6.Make a decent salad. Haven't done that ever.:(

7. Compose music, Damn! I am a music illiterate.

8.Learn to ride a motorbike, without falling..!

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Watch FIFA World Cup Online for free..!!

Yesterday my television was hijacked by my grandparents who wanted to see marathon episodes of their favourite serial. Contemplating this, I figured that the torture would be over by midnight, the time the Germany-Spain semi would start. I waited patiently till 11 pm, passing my time watching the movies, "The perfect man".
and then my grandparents fell asleep! arrrrrgghhh!!
Sadly enough, the television was in their room and I could only gaze forlornly at the black screen.So much for my soccer evening.
Then a brainwave hit me and I consulted my consulter-GOOGLE.
Luckily, I have free internet access, thanks to a stray router in the area, I have free wireless.So the connection was no problem and i searched the internet for sites which offered live streaming of the match.

11:57 pm

I found someone's blog which boasted of the same and clicked the links he provided.Darn! I had to pay for the site.Something I was not willing to do.

12:00 am

The match had started and I had no way to watch it. I logged on to the ESPN site and Voila! it offered free live broadcast.Eagerly I clicked open the window and moments later a nasty looking window popped open and I was informed that since I was outside of the US(ill wonders never cease!) I could not watch the match till I provide the name of my internet service provider.Something I could not do and I shut it.

http://espn.go.com/espn3/index/_/sport/soccer-futbol

12:04 am

I had already lost precious four minutes of the match and I saw this another site.  the homepage looked promising and I waited for a whole minute for the stream to start.But it was not to be and I logged off.

http://www.justin.tv/directory/sports/soccer

12:06 am

I had my hopes pinned on this last site. I opened it and a blue screen glared at me. tentatively I clicked on the link and the streaming started instantly. Instant gratification!
I had lost seven minutes of the match and I clicked on the full screen view and went on to watch the match.

http://www.ustream.tv/discovery/live/sports-soccer

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

The Top Ten must reads



After much thought, deliberation and research, I have come up with the following list of top ten books one should read.
 
1.The Da Vinci Code,Dan Brown: Undoubtedly, it is the book to have. Filled with history, mystery, conspiracy
 and adventure. It tells the story of a Harvard symbologist who, after being called on the scene of a murder finds himself in the midst of a battle going on for centuries.a battle to protect the identity of Christ's long lost children and their secret.

2.How Opal Mehta got kissed, got wild and got a life,Kavya Vishwanathan.Although the book has been drowned among allegations of plagiarism, it is still a must read. The story of an Indian-American girl who changes herself into an American teen all to get into Harvard.Noticeable are excerpts from princess Diries,Birn Confused, sloppy's first and second helpings.






3.The rule of FourIan Caldwell and Dustin Thomason: A must read for all historical books buff.
A story set with a person's obsession with the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili., a book of pictures which has remained a mystery for ages with many conspiracy theorists claiming that it holds within itself a dark secret.Hypnerotomachia in itself is an enigma wherein it has been written in many languages, symbols and secret codes which have not yet been deciphered.




4.Kane and Abel,Jeffrey Archer: From the best ever fiction writers, this book is a legacy.Following the story of two character Abel Rosnowski and William Kane, different backgrounds yet a similar fate. The book is a memoir, a novel and a legend.A definite must read.






5.Deception Point,Dan Brown: Another book by the master of thrillers, it tells of the deception of a high profile 
US office.A meteor with alien species has been found and it comes upon four scientists to authenticate it or was it all a big deception?





6.Star,Danielle Steele:the mistress of drams writes the story of Crystal, a beautiful girl born in a poor family.he unearthly beauty gains her much recognition, sometimes to her advantage and sometimes not.her life is laid bare for readers as they follow her falls and triumphs in Hollywood and her love story with her brother's friend.





7.Along Came a Spider,James Patterson: A kidnapping rocks a small town when it becomes apparent that the
 young children's teacher is the kidnapper. He shoots openly at a restaurant and psychologists deem him to be mentally unstable but he claims to be the kidnapper of the famous Lindbergh baby.Is he telling the truth?




8.Out of the Blue,Belinda Jones: Selena takes an impromptu trip to the Greek island of Crete with her unwanted suitor Alekos after he breaks his hand.Love blossoms on the romantic Greek islands but trouble is not far away. The description of Greece and its mythology give the book an edge as does Belinda Jones satirical writing and subtle jokes.





9.Marker,Robin Cook:From  the world's best medical writers, this book is a must read.It follows the story of two
 New York medical examiners and a serial killer on the lookout for victims with a potential gene malfunction.




10.Destination Unknown,Agatha Christie: One of the finest works from her.It is a story of murder, suicide, espionage and a deception so large that it could destroy the government.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Compaq Laptops suck!

Today my laptop malfunctioned and for the whole day I tried everything from opening it up to hitting it and finally screaming at it. Much to my chagrin, nothing worked and I felt a chill creep down me. without it, i was non existent.I had nothing else to do.

My laptop was my saviour. It played my favourite songs as I cleaned the place, let me surf the Internet. It is my writing tool, where I pour my thoughts on it, it has my collection of poems, my stories, articles, journals etc etc.It is my lifeline. And it stopped working today.
amidst much anger and frustration I called up my father who is far away in kalimpong to contact his friend who owns a laptop repair shop.As my luck would have it, the shop had closed down and the uncle instead instructed me to call up different places and inquire about different parts.
And then my mother came to the rescue, taking out her contact list, her friend told me of a place in district centre where i could go and me and my sister rushed to the repair shop before it shut down.
District centre is streaming with a number of laptop repair shops and for me it was like Christmas.We went to one shop where we were promptly informed that the adapter we were looking for is "out of stock" and we would not get it in any other shop. The man instead asked us to return to "his" shop in a day or two. We checked another shop which had a large crowd around it, maybe it was popular? It was not, the poor shop owner was having a ball of a time fighting with one of his suppliers, we skulked away from the scene.
The last shop wore a look of desolation.As we approached it, the owner's minions woke up from their slumber and rushed to our service.needless to say, it was prompt and I got what I wanted.
I returned home a happy girl, with my laptop intact.
Now I have learnt two things:
1.District Centre has everything and Anything, no need to go anywhere else.
2.Compaq laptops are the worst ever so please don't ever but them and if you want, please buy mine ;)

Rain Rain! missing CME..!

The past two days have been a gift from heaven with the rainfall and the eventual drop in temperature.Delhi has never been so alluring before.
As I walked into my balcony with the rain still pouring, it reminded me of the many games we used to play in the rain as children. I rummaged through my old home videos and came up with one of all of us playing in the muddy garden of my house back in CME, Pune. Nostalgic enough,I saw all of us, in various coloured apparels throwing icky muddy water on each other, jumping around and screaming.
One particular scene shows Sashu filling a bottle's cap with water and throwing it on me.The bottle was the usual PET one. Another scene has sid dancing and making funny faces on the camera and then Tin man joins him. My sis is the youngest of the lot and she and aaru roam aimlesly all over the place. Seeing how silly we were, atleast i am assured our parents had much fun filming it!
Another rain reminds me of Mumbai and it's continuous showers which went on for days when me and Anu would valiantly cycle our way to school.while returning, we would be joined by manju and it was always great fun getting wet and the making excuses and pretending to be angry at what happened in front of my parents.
Casper, my dog hates the rain.He tries to keep his paws off the wet part of the road and insists that we carry an umbrella for him when he goes out for his walk.He manages to walk under the umbrells, hurriedly pees on the driest part of the land and then rushes back in before a droplet hit him.So much for enjoying the rain.
I love the smell of the rain(as does everyone) and the feeling when the first drop hits you on your face and then the whole lot as your hair become Matty and sticky.Somehow, Delhi Rain is not to be compared to other parts, it comes and goes in small amounts and sadly enough, the people here have never experience the Mumbai showers or the ones in pune. The showers in north east India are different too, clean for a change.
Rain...!!
I Love it..!!

Monday, July 5, 2010

Dhoni gets married,breaks million heart LMAO

The papers today ran with the sad and heartbreaking news of MS Dhoni getting married.Instead of giving the details of his wedding or the bride, they focused on the millions of hearts which were broken.Poor girls crying all over, issuing statements like "I will not wish him on fb this year!" or lamenting their fate "humne pehle rishta kyun nai bheja!".
Hilarious! right?
Come to think of it, how could anyone cry for him?and why should they? It is actually surprising, the female fan following he has garnered over the years and sheer hilarious the way these girls react.If I were to compare him with some other athlete of international stature, he would definitely lose.He doesn't have a body to boast of(none of the Indian cricketers do), doesn't have communication skills, his style is laughable and even his game is not great anymore.
Now, these international stars, like a certain Christiano Ronaldo not only has a body to die for, but even his game his decent enough.Then there is is Frank Lampard, Kaka, David Villa, so many to die for..<3
So I certainly don't understand this interest in the poor Captain Dhoni.Let him live his life.Or maybe not, I do like more fodder for my entertainment.
Go girls...!!
              

Sunday, July 4, 2010

The food critic me!

A visit to a Chinese restaurant ensures that I get to dig into my favourite cuisine with much gutso.although it takes a lot of convincing for the people around me to try my my choice of dish and I did agree that in the past it has not been a delectable delight for anyone.
ChopsticksImage by Nothing exceptional here via Flickr
So, me and my sister went to Yo! China yesterday, a decent enough place with passable Chinese food.We sat on the corner seat with a flourish and took to reading the menu.After a moment or so, we placed our first order, a batch of appetisers and as is custom with me, i asked for chopsticks.This feature of Chinese restaurant annoys me, most of them do not place chopsticks and you have to ask them like you are a big showoff. As we waited for our order to come, we observed our environment, chatted and the usual stuff one does at a restaurant.Our order came and few minutes later, the waiter returned to ask me how I liked it, simple enough, i gave my view.Few minutes later, another one turned up to ask the same thing.And then another one came who asked if I wanted something else.This did get a bit fishy.Their service became fast as I saw that this whole team of waiters was observing us and as soon as we were done, they came to clear up and again asked if we wanted something else.It now became apparent that this was not just a polite question.I noticed two waiters circling my table and others who kept a tab on the order.One order was a bit delayed and two of them came to apologise for it.It wasn't THAT late and I wasn't angry.My sister came up with a theory that because of my nasty outer appearance and cold demeanour, they had mistook me to be a food critic.Well, we enjoyed this explanation and fed the fir, acting all important and stuff.
We left the place soon after, with all the frills of a food critic.Even if they were just being extra polite or the table was a special one, i am really not bothered.I got to play the role, I have always dreamt of.I was hoping for the food to be on the house, but still, the treatment they gave us was fun too.
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Saturday, July 3, 2010

I Hate Luv Storys-My Review

A movie for all die hard romantics? Or a masala film with the same cliched formula? This film does not fit in the usual box and yet it does.With its predictable turns and dialogues, this film is yet another refreshing change.
After heavyweight films like rajneeti and oh-so-boring duds like Raavan and Kites, I hate luv storys rises above.
The newcomer director, Punit malhotra deserves accolades for fitting perfectly into those large shoes of Karan Johar as does Sameer Soni for aping him in the film.
The star cast leaves much to be desired.Sonam Kapoor is a pretty package till she opens her mouth.With an almost drunken like dialogue delivery, she slurs her way throughout the film.You could almost wait the whole time for some emotion to be expressed in her voice, but it is not to be.Hence, the director focuses instead on her charming smile and the wardrobe by Manish Malhotra.Sonam Kapoor's acting skills were absent as was a proper script.Imraan khan is another pretty thing in the movie.His puppy dog looks now have a more macho avatar but some of his costumes make him look gay.Just as well, something for the guys too ;)
The story is cliched but the highlight of the film is the many references to bollywood greats like DDJL, Kuch Kuch Hota Hain, K3g, Dil Chahta hai etc.
Sonam's boyfriend is an obvious reminder of "Subodh" from Dil Chahta hai as is the underlying story of Raj and Simran a tribute to DDJL. Imraan apes his mamu to much hilarity as many famous dialogues from these movies are repeated here.
The end result?
A potpourri of "luv storys" for all SRK Fans and an ego booster for Karan Johar and his long gone Movies.
The Movie is a one time watch littered with funny scenes.

Friday, July 2, 2010

I hate luv Storys

Finally..!! It has released...

I am dying to see it.Going this saturday.My dad gifted the tickets to me and my sis.Love him..!!

Cinderella

There was a certain rush in the air,
Of kohl unplugged and clothes everywhere.
It was the time once again,
When we do something, but in vain.
It started but an hour ago,
The preparation for all of us to go.
Of lip gloss and eyeliners in the room,
And perfumes warding off the gloom.
We picked and pricked,
And the ear rings nicked,
We asked a many times the same,
questions when no answers came.
We preened and pruned in front,
of the mirror all glossy.
A ruckus created an hour before,
An excitement in times galore.
The night settled as we reached there,
All set to shine with perfect hair.
Music set the tone so high,
For nothing mattered, no but or why.
There were clicks and flashes,
of lights on eyelashes.
There was jumble and rumble,
throbbing hard on the ears.
This place, a time unknown,
It stood still, for us to go.
A landscape of our time,
A reason and a rhyme,
We pushed our way in,
Together forever.
And pushed our way out,
Lost in the maze.
Somethings change yet somethings don't.
Cherish it till it lasts,
For it might be too late.
The last bell rang and the cinderellas ran,
Leaving no prince behind.
For beyond the image, the castle and the mirror.
Were infact dreams with her.
And each and everyone had them once,
And together they would keep afloat.


Thursday, July 1, 2010

City Skyline

Made this recently, oil on canvas.

The Commonwealth Experience

The Day
It began as a usual day with a little unusual start as we had to wake up early to catch our ride to Amity University for our general training. as me and sanchi descended the metro station, we spotted a group of students and promptly went to join them.As soon as we reached, a university bus came and as luck would have it, we were stuck behind a crazy white tee shirt whose only aim it seemed was to let everyone except us cut past him.needless to say we missed the jam packed bus thanks to that person. When another bus came a half an hour later, we pushed our way inside only for an RTV experience.For all its money and frills, Amity bus does not hold good to the brouhaha created by the university.
We reached the campus gates and were greeted by two large guard dogs, a menacing sight otherwise, but they were sitting on the cool floor, ignoring all of us, happy in their doggy world. Despite the Amity bus ride, the commonwealth organisers had set up a good reception and we zoomed through the paper work in no time to reach the breakfast venue.
Hungry after the tumultuous bus/RTV ride, we were welcomed with a breakfast of cold patties.Arrgh!!! Suddenly we missed our college mech canteen.
The first session was the best, with the speaker cheering us, joking at us, making us do crazy stuff and a Mexican wave. The rest that followed could not live up to the first speaker but they were fairly good too.
We were hammered with the phrases, "you are not worthless, you are priceless", "Delhi United" and "We are going to make these the best ever commonwealth games". The prospect of lunch kept us through some of the more sleep inducing sessions and as sanchi happily trotted to the lunch venue, she was in for a surprise.Despite the hype created and the things imagined by us, we were given lavish lunch of jail food.Watery dal and equally watery sabzi with a proportionally dry roti. I chomped on my veggies as sanchi endured the all too delicious food.
The last leg of the session included a meting with Shera, the official mascot who is now all in character and loves to perform random acts of comedy, an acting session for CNN IBN(Do check it out today!) and high tea which once again failed to live up to its exceptions.
We were shooed off at the end of the day with a promise of more to come.
Go Team Delhi United!