Sunday, December 31, 2006

awww. what happened to all our visitors! Brat we are back to square one. Commenting on each other's articles :(. I’m still deciding what to do for the new years. Stayed up late and got up late after such a looooooooong time. Felt nostalgic. It is just like college days :) dropped New Year’s wishes to everybody on my friends list, listening to favorite tamil, hindi and english songs. Used to do that before while working on last minute assignments...always wondered why working people said 'oh! I'm starved for time for extra stuff' I used to call them bad time managers. But now I’m party to the very same league I ridiculed. hummm...where did all that time go? A regular day starts at 5 something in the morn, workout session, getting ready for work, travel, work, travel back, eat, half hr or so o idiot box, half hour of orkuting, mail checking and crash to sleep. Sounds so uneventful to me. Anyway the last day of this year has given me a chance to leap back into old times....the prayer still stays brat!

Saturday, December 30, 2006

I rarely open fwds but this one on child abuse caught my eye. A very touching poem indeed!


My name is sarah
I am but three,
My eyes are swollenI cannot see,
I must be stupid I must be bad,
What else could have made My daddy so mad?

I wish I were better, I wish I weren't ugly,
Then maybe my mommy would still want to hug me.
I can't speak at all,
I can't do a thing wrong
Or else I'm locked up all the day long.
When I awake I'm all alone the house is dark
My folks aren't home when my mommy does come
I'll try and be nice,
so maybe I'll get justOne whipping tonight.
Don't make a sound!
I just heard a car
My daddy is back from Charlie's Bar.
I hear him curse,
my name he calls
I press myself against the wall
I try and hide from his evil eyes
I'm so afraid now i'm starting to cry
He finds me weeping he shouts ugly words,
He says its my fault that he suffers at work.
He slaps me and hits me and yells at me more,
I finally get free and I run for the door.
He's already locked it and I start to bawl,
He takes me and throws me against the hard wall.
I fall to the floor with my bones nearly broken,
And my daddy continues with more bad words spoken.
"I'm sorry!", I scream but its now much too late
His face has been twisted into unimaginable hate
The hurt and the pain again and again
Oh please God, have mercy! oh please let it end!
And he finally stops and heads for the door,
While I lay there motionless sprawled on the floor

My name is Sarah
And I am but three,
Tonight my daddyMurdered me.
I've really succumbed to boredom today. Sooooooo bored. It’s been two days since I’ve been having light work. I’ve been trying to create work for myself for the past two days. Going through files, old excel sheets, updating documents, cleaning my cupboards….all done. Now what? Sitting idle is the worst torture one can go through.
I’ve bought a new phone so I had to update the address book. I tried as much as I could to drag this work today. But no! I completed it at jet speed. Went for a walk with a colleague. Tried to make it as long as possible, but then I walk fast so reached office in 20 mins. Caught up with all the news possible about retail and trademarks. Done that. Been there so many times! Finally a ray of light when I got a ‘you’ve got mail’ sign. Had to make a call and discuss about it with my boss Did that. It just took less than 15 mins. This is the problem with me, finishing a given job early. Damn good for the office, amazing persecution for me ‘caz ‘o every idle hour spent.
Prayer for the new year : GIVE ME SO MUCH WORK IN THE OFFICE THAT I AM NOT IDLE ENOUGH TO WRITE ANOTHER ARTICLE LIKE THIS!

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

came across an article on names. A nice read.


Guest Article: Names and synonyms
Padma ThuravilRC&MDecember 28

Last week, my almost three year old daughter didn’t respond to either pet name or her own name. Instead came the pleading request: “Please… not that. Call me Anya?”

I’m stunned into silence. What?The oh-so-innocent look on her face deepens and she reiterates gleefully: “Please call me Anya no?”There… my daughter has renamed herself and insists on us calling her by the new name. I could cry when I think of all the effort, the emotions, not to mention the dozens of baby name books in which we invested… all in vain.

That brings me to the new era of naming er… branding er… whatever…My first tryst with the new era of naming came with an agency called Crayons. Then things that were things started becoming names. The relief was that at least Crayons, as the name suggested, was into doing something with colours, never mind if it was an advertising agency. At least, it sounded good, I thought as I went back to my mundane life at this rocking ad agency.How names have changed since then! Now we have Spinach and Lemon and Tomato and Orange and the latest I saw was Vitamins!!! (A fashion clothing store for girls.)Why can’t people let vegetables and fruits be?

This naming thing has taken an exciting turn… For generations, businesses were always known by their name, or so I thought. The Batliwalas, Daruwalas, Kabadiwalas – take a bow. Then came the traders whose businesses were known by who was running it – Khurana & Sons, Ramnik Lal & Bros, and so on. Then came the trend where just like the joint family became a nuclear family and then just singles, along came names like Preeti Vyas Gianetti, Pritish Nandy Communications – the trend of individuals becoming names becoming brands.

Anybody not from the industry would get confused. Though this was quite the done thing in the US, in India, it was something new and that made us sit up and take notice till we got used to it… and we moved on…But now we have moved on to something more interesting and the movement doesn’t seem to stop here.Now good old spinach is no longer the measly ‘palak’ used to make ‘palak paneer’, it’s a retail supermarket that promises you the elusive, ever fresh vegetables and fruits. Lemon is a creative hot shop. Tomato, which my colleague always assumed was an eatery, is a trendy shopping zone.

What puzzles me is what were the owners thinking of when they thought up these names, unless, of course, they were trying to be desperately different and ran out of options.But I do know what the pubs and the latest in trendy joints were thinking of when they decided to call themselves Amnesia or Velocity or Red Light.Like they say, some names are names and some names are controversy, like the restaurant with the swastika symbol called Hitler’s Cross in the lanes of Kharghar… Poor guy – so much for inspiration.Names need to at least connote what the business is all about, but if the name is the business, or the business is the name, which would come first?

Personally, I feel very comfortable with names that tell me what to expect – Only Parathas or Dosa Diner. But then again, at a ‘dosa’ diner, I know they also offer ‘idlis’ and ‘vadas’ and ‘uthappams’. Maybe the rationale is that the batter is more or less the same. Would it not have been better then to have called it Batter Diner?Gosh! Never knew names were so difficult to rationalise and think up. Anyway, who’s thinking?

Post script: By the way, after my daughter renamed herself, I have decided not to hunt for a name for my second child. After all, what is the point?
My year in review

was reading one of those year in review articles on a news website when it suddenly struck me how much my life had changed in one year. Every year always brings in changes both expected and unexpected, but I have rarely ever given much thought to any of these. I have always been a firm believer in the adage 'life goes on' and never ever stopped to reminisce about the things that happened to me in the year.

However it really amused me to see how much I have changed over the past one year. I can remember exactly what my priorities were, things that I looked forward to, things I never gave much thought to, things that made me happy, sad, excited etc and how it has changed so quickly. Although my likes/dislikes etc have not changed all that much, what I would prefer to do has changed a lot!

For example last year around this time, things I really looked forward to doing (by order of preference) were:
1. playing tennis
.
.
.
2. eating good food or finding a new favorite restaurant/food item/cricket/hanging out with friends
3. hanging out with my sister (when she's around)
4. finding a date
5. Reading up on current affairs/browsing the net
6. working out/playing some random sport/watching movies
7. reading up on trivia
8. cooking
9. talking to my family on the phone
10. talking to friends on the phone

And now they go something like this:

1. Talking to/being with/daydreaming abt my fiancee
.
.
.
2. Talking to my family and hanging out with my sister (when she's around)
.
3. Finding new ways to save money so I can spend it later when she's around
4. playing tennis
5. working out/playing some random sport/watching movies
6. reading up on current affairs/browsing the net
7. cooking

As you can see my list has been dominated by one person. It is a little weird for me to notice how much one person has changed my perspectives and priorities in life in such a short period of time.... esp given the number of people I have met in my life.

The most amusing change everyone notices (and really tease me a lot about) though is to note how I've changed from being someone who hated talking on the telephone and rarely had much to say for more than 5 mins at a time can now talk for hours and hours about pretty much nothing to just one person. I think I must have spent more money on calling cards these past two months than I must have ever spent on my family/friends/dates/gfs... pretty much anyone in my entire life put together.

My friends I hardly bother about anymore. I do keep in touch but they hardly feature as much in my life as they used to. I feel sad sometimes that I'm drifting away as are they from me thanks to developments in their lives. But for some reason I rarely do much more than the bare minimum to do keep in touch.

I suppose life keeps changing as your grow older and you tend to have new experiences along the way every day, but there are some years that you feel that you've changed more than in others. This has been one such year for me.

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

A nice read about the FedEx logo
I like going shopping. 2 of my aunts and me make a good threesome for a shopping spree. Love to see what's the in thing in the market. Not that I have to buy whatever is the latest. Just that I just like to know stuff, feel and touch things that you can only dream about buying. Well with 'drive and see' schemes you can even hop into your dream car and get a free ride without worrying about money! You can even go into an air-conditioned store on a very hot day, pose as a serious buyer and leave all cooled off :) no strings attached. Oh yes you will see some very irritated faces but that’s okie. They see a 100 customers everyday. Who’s gonna remember a person returning the next year?

The store that comes under my serious shopping list is FabIndia. I love this store. I've harped so much about this store to my friends at office that they too have become FabIndiaholics. Go into the store, and I become so tempted so much so that I've stopped taking any form 'o money with me :)

I basically like wearing clothes that make you feel very comfortable and light. That’s exactly what is provided. High collared long, short and mini cotton kurtas all sans dupattas (man i really hate it) with block print/ hand embroidery. Their clothes give you a nice chic look. FabIndia better give me my cut 'cause no one I’ve sent there left without making a minimum purchase of 1000 :) hurrah to me!

One drawback was that they had very few outlets in India. With the retail boom catching up, you'll soon see a lot many of these stores. Who knows one many open in your city too! cross your fingers!
Saw Kabul Express a couple 'o days back. I really liked it. My kinda movie, definetly. Man what has happened to hindi cinema. I'm amazed at the kind 'o movies they are churning out. Change for the better! Normally good movies are runied by the forced song sequences. Kabul Express was spared of this torture. I wouldn't call it a heart wrenching story but, somehow it appeals to you. There was a high level of consistency in location & wardrobe. Arshad Warsi got the best lines and ye was the fun attraction. There are many subtle messages given yet Kabul Express doesn't become preachy. This movie somehow reminded me of a photograph i saw some years back at a radhi shop. There are times when you see something and it just stays on in some corner of your mind just to resurface later. I'm sure a lot many people have seen it. That gaze. It makes you shiver and yet makes you look at it over and over again.

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Rants

Sorry for not posting the masti post I have been promising.... having a terrible week. I know it's not terrible as in something bad is happening.. but it's just one of those times when you feel that nothing is going right and things seem real crappy. However I have found out that:

First of all ... and most importantly - Long distance relationships SUCK! Esp if you are not in the same time zone.

Never take Nyquil instead of Dayquil during the day. It really screws your day up (not to mention your driving).

Time goes very slowly when you're bored. In fact it freaking crawls. Every second feels like it's a hour.

Don't ever try to argue with someone with a migrain. It really messes your day/night up!

Oh and long distance relationships SUCK!

:(

I hope this week passes quickly. Definitely one of my worst weeks ever!

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Hunkification of Bharath Hemachandran - Part III

Sorry about the short post but this has been a bad week for Bharath Hemachandran's dreams to achieve hunkification status. He has had to sit up late studying and due to this his daily gym routine and eating schedule has suffered disastrous consequences.

But the never say die attitude shall return very soon (hopefully on sunday after his singles match). Nonetheless here's hoping that all the studying pays off and he passes his exams with flying colors!

See you guys the other side of this weekend!

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Writing styles - Mills & Boons

Every writer has a style. The style that I have always found very entertaining (albeit in small doses) is the one used by the authors of that fascinating genre of books under the infamous M&B banner.

I suppose if you throw in a bunch of overdressed overactors, with overly sentimental, loud and over the top music you get a soap in any televised language.

Getting back to the books... and their writing style, M&B books are so much fun to read. A sure shot cure for any bout of depression or day when you're down. I mean just see how much more interesting life is through a M&B scenario! Unfortunately a guy has to read a bunch of stuff about the heros of the stories who are always unimaginably handsome and feel inadequate about themselves... but nonetheless hope is restored as the descriptions of the unimaginably beautiful heroine ensue.

Take a normal nursery rhyme:

Jack and Jill went up the hill
To fetch a pail of water
Jack fell down and broke his crown
and Jill came tumbling after

M&B style:

(First some background on our characters - Jill is a spoilt brat socialite and Jack is the poor cowboy who works on the ranch owned by Jill's father)

Jack's pounding heart raced as he followed the love of his life Jill through forest and over seas. His muscles rippled in anticipation of climbing the hill that loomed in the distance. Although he loved Jill and her heaving bosom with all his soul questions raced through his sandy hair covered head as his mane blew in the breeze like straws in the wind.

Why did she need to quench her thirst with water only from this gosh darned hill. It was so steep! Why was it so steep? Was she wearing a sports bra today? Her bosom didn't seem to be heaving as much...

Jill twinkling blue eyes sparkled as she thought about how much she was making Jack race after her. Good I'm wearing a sports bra tonight she thought as her delicate, porcelain features twisted into a smile that would have made the clouds weep in appreciation. Jill was enjoying making Jack run after her. After all someone with her beauty deserved a little bit of fun. Even though Jack was very good looking (the blah blahs ... i usually started skipping over the male descriptions from here on until the author started on the female again), but was he the one to get her water from the well everyday?

(ok getting a little tired here... so going into fast forward mode)

Little by little, day by day, Jack and Jill got closer to their destiny of drinking water from the well. Jack's muscles rippled a lot in the meantime as his green eyes haunt Jill and her heaving bosoms and delicate and porcelain beauty with a liberal sprinkling of curvaceous figure and attitude threaten to destroy Jack. Despite their deepest desires of getting some water on the well they after much drama sleep with each other.... and then on the way down fall and break their heads.

(Sorry got work to do and have to go to the gym for my own set of rippling muscles... so had to end the last 3 lines quickly. If you would really like me to expand the story please leave me a comment and I will do so in an update)

Well as you can see M&B is fun. It has something for both guys and girls. Isn't writing in someone else's mode of writing more fun? Ideas and suggestions for any more styles?

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Hunkification of Bharath Hemachandran - Part II

Hunkification is an arduous process. It is not for those weak at heart nor for those looking for something of a hobby to do. You need to use both mind and well... mind to trick the hunk within to surface. But the hunk is cunning as well. He will throw obstacles at every turn along the way willing you to leave him alone, but should you give in to the temptation of giving up and letting him be?

Well that would depend on you I suppose... No real answer to this question. Very subjective.

Oh well back to the topic at hand. Did I mention it was an arduous process? Running out of things to write here. :(

Oh yeah I can write about the obstacles that could come up.

Obstacle #1 - Odious emmitonius

The hidden hunk uses this funky latin sounding weapon to devastating effect (both for you and anyone around). While you are concentrating on ridding yourself of the copious padding that cakes your rectus abdominus, suddenly out of nowhere comes this unexpected caveat. The hunk invokes the odious emmintonius releasing the dreaded silent (well loud if you are unfortunate - make sure u are in a crowd then so you can look at someone else and shake your head pitifully) killer killing your mood to lure him out that way anymore. You are forced to cease and desist to pin the blame on someone else, or, well prevent further repercussions for your own well being.

Obstacle #2 - SharpSenseOfFoodSmellonius

Suddenly while you have been good for a few days avoiding anything that can derail your excellent sense of nutrition, you find that your sense of smell increases tenfold. Suddenly you can actually smell the delicious double chocolate chip cookie that someone in a different part of the building is eating. This is followed by your sense of smell pulling in other delicious smells such as butter popcorn being made in the break room, fries being prepared in the canteen downstairs, pizza baked in the store across the road .... This smorgasbord of delicious food smells causes your tastebuds to tingle, leading to much mental dilhelmas about trying to track it down and satisfy that craving that is created by the hunk. Ah the mind games can be quite terrible indeed! A recommends remedy for this is Empty Walletus, which however can be trouble if your car runs out of gas and you need to fill it up.

Stayed tuned for further updates

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Ramblings

Went to Chinar the Indian Restaurant in dt Charleston on Sunday with our Pictionary group as Sandeep and Priyanka were bidding Charleston farewell. Unknown to us Charleston county had scheduled their annual Christmas parade which seemed a little weird considering that there are 3 weeks to go for Christmas.

Nonetheless there was a small crowd collected along the parade route as pickup trucks (often bigger than the floats themselves) dragged hastily assembled floats down King Street towards the Battery.

I guess the best part was this dog dressed up as a rastafarian. Pretty cute. Oh and a before pic of me for those of you who wanted one. As you can see can do without the chubby cheeks.

Thanks to Dhaval who took most of these photos (except for the really nice ones that were taken by moi and Bhadri for uploading them after much persuasion)







Monday, December 04, 2006

Hunkification of Bharath Hemachandran - Part I

Approximately 120 hrs ago, as he gorged on his 7th slice of bread with the aloo matter that he had prepared Bharath realized that he only had a couple of months before his wedding. A wedding in which he was going to be photographed from almost every angle whether he liked it or not. Now it's not that he was a complete slob, but there were surely a couple of well padded areas that would unfortunately be exposed to even the not so careful observer. Anyone blind enough to miss it the first time around would of course gather it during the perusal of the copious photos that were bound to result from the various ceremonies.

Even worse Mr. Hemachandran was one of those unfortunate few that cannot sit cross-legged.

The inevitability of having to show his wedding photos and vidoes to the junta sprung him into action. First stop, the thrash can.... to dispose of the half eaten 7th slice of bread and remaining slices of bread. Then sighing he thrashed the delicious aloo matter as well.

Then he consults various body building sites for good workout programs and comes up with one that would awaken the hidden hunk within. Next a search for a suitable nutrition program that would lure the protesting, badly fed hunk to the surface.

120 hrs hence, after having followed the workout routine to the T (not so much the nutrition routine) and endured many jibes, and much leg-pulling with a severe ab-burn, feels that yes... the hunk inside is protesting a lot to emerge. After all the hunk must be suffering a severe case of prisoner's complex having been trapped inside for all these years... 16 to be exact (apparently I was quite popular with the ladies until i became old enough to reciprocate their interest)

So here's to a good start.

Updates on the hunkification process to follow. Stay tuned.

Saturday, December 02, 2006

Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Bored of your run o' the mill carols you have at home or listen to on the radio? I've always listened to carols growing up and used to sing for many choirs as a kid for my schools. However now, hearing the same ol' carols gets to me.

And then I found these renditions by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. They are amazing! Apparently they've been around for a bit, but I never knew their songs were this good! They really rock (pun intended) :D.

Check out Sarajevo courtesy of youtube



They have many others on youtube as well. Others I was able to find on youtube were Wizards of Winter, Faith Noel, Christmas Cannon Rock, Queen of the Winter Night, Good King Joy, An Angels' share and many more.

I am def going to their concert if they happen to play in Charleston.