BRAIN-LESS STORMING

The last "post"...

2005-07-22T10:02:00.000-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen, Mohan the blogger is dead. The desire to write is no longer there.

Thank you for all your comments and thanks to all those who linked me in your blog.

"The time is gone, the song is over, thought I’d something more to say"

- TIME by Pink Floyd

Exile

2005-06-28T11:34:00.000-07:00

Goodbye
Originally uploaded by rogueplaneteer.

Got bored of writing the same stuff over and over again.

Decided on a temporary hiatus.

Dunno how long. Maybe days or weeks or even months. Can't really say!!!

Till then, will be reading (and commenting) on others'.

ADIEU!!!

Movie Review-Batman Begins

2005-06-25T12:50:00.000-07:00

Batman Begins
Originally uploaded by rogueplaneteer.

A more cerebral perspective, even if complex at certain points. Chances of getting confused with chronological events exist.

Christian Bale stars as the eponymous crusader and does a good job of being the suave Bruce Wayne while slightly modifying his dialogue delivery when enacting the haunted hero. Nice first movie to watch of his.

Katie Holmes looks pretty. That's it.

Christopher Nolan should be tried for giving side roles to not one, not two, not three, but four of the finest actors in Hollywood. Michael Caine (Alfred), Liam Neeson (as the self-proclaimed purgator Henri Ducard), Morgan Freeman (as the genius Lucius Fox) and Gary Oldman (Lieutenant Gordon). Of the three, only Henri Ducard has some decent lines ("To conquer fear, you must become fear yourself.")

The scene I liked the most was at the end, when Gordon requests Batman to capture a new criminal. Watch this scene and the significance will come through, especially with respect to the title. And I absolutely adored the new Batman emblem (see above).

Rating: ****

(Short) Short story-2

2005-06-24T11:28:00.000-07:00

The ball rose like a scalded phoenix, spinning furiously and seemingly untouchable. The boy had absolutely no chance of touching the ball, let alone stopping it. He watched it sweep past the shoulders that had strained to block it. He tried to get his balance before he could time his jump but there was no time to hesitate. He leapt, without caring for the metal legs that now carried his ravaged body. He was at full stretch and his arms compensated for the lack of mobility in his lower limbs.

He felt his right palm make strong contact with the ball. And to his surprise, his palm resisted the ball's force in such a manner that it began to travel in a different direction. Towards safety. Towards freedom.

The ball did not cross the line.

The shouts of joy erupted from the players from both teams. They stumbled over one another as they ran to embrace him. The boy felt hot tears streaming down his cheeks.

Who won? The game or the crippled boy's invincible spirit?

Ever wondered why-Part 4

2005-06-20T12:25:00.000-07:00

...women yak/nag/call-it-what-you-want so much?

Office Colleague 1 : "Achcha....to bol, when are you releasing the build to QC? Do I have to ask the manager for clarification? What did they say in the meeting? Why are there so many issues assigned to you? What are you doing about them? Tell me something..."

Please..let me "work"!!!

Mother (scenario 1) : "Why don't you apply for Infosys? The bus comes and picks you up at the end of the street. All your friends work there. It is suuuuch (said with so much longing that I almost feel guilty) a nice company!!!"

Guilt lasts for just a second..the standard reaction is to pounce on my mother and smother her with hugs and pecks. It always works. Wish I had a girlfriend to do that too!!!

Mother (scenario 2) : "You know, in 4-5 years time, let's get your sister married off to a wonderful guy and be happy about it."

Really?? Why not drive her out of the house right now? Why wait at all?

Friend 1 (at a restaurant) : "You are really not in the mood for communication, Mohan. Why are you so distracted?"

Ahh..ermm..uh-uh..heh heh...hmm...........va va vooooommm!!!

Office colleague 2 (in the most annoyingly catty voice) : "You knowwww...I am not suuuure how to report thissss case. Can you help mmmme? I tried to checkkkk, you know. But I didn't know......Hee hee hee tee hee hee!!!"

Action stations! ACTIONS STATIONS!

Of course, not all are bad. Just thinking out loud!!!...:D

Weekend (weakened?) buzz..

2005-06-19T01:29:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY

Company get-together. Amoeba. The usual speeches on company policies and performance standards. The lectures end at 12 noon-ish.

Lunch at 3 Quarter Chinese, one floor below. Delicious mughlai-style chicken and mutton dishes. Washed down with yummy fruit punch. Totally pigged out. MMMMMMMMM....

Back to Amoeba. Bowling. Two full hours. Full masti, full yaari. Even got a strike by throwing the ball between the legs, standing and facing in the direction opposite to the pins.

SATURDAY

Morning dawned with the realization that today was the first in many Saturdays when I didn't have to go to office. Or was I wrong? Got 2 calls from office and after answering each with trepidation, learned (much to my relief) that they were just "status update" calls.

Things are getting better...

Met old gang after 3 weeks (long time considering that we've been together for 6 years now, through thick and thin, shit and slick). Planned for a movie and dinner.

Movie : Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Boring and an utter waste of 80 bucks. (Who's the idiot in the gang who insulted "Batman Begins" by calling it a kiddie movie?)

SUNDAY

Class. 4 hours. Fighting sleep and trying to re-learn school Geometry is Mission Impossible. Oh well...ZZZZZZZZ!!!!

Late evening rendezvous are risky, especially in tea-oriented eateries. My tummy is groaning piteously, again. Shit...tomorrow is Monday...one kick-in-the-ass at a time, please!!!

Newton's Law of Software Development

2005-06-15T21:46:00.000-07:00

"Bugs can neither be created nor destroyed. They can only be converted from one form to another. The total number of bugs in a software remains constant."

Wonder what the great man would have said to this....

Short story-1

2005-06-12T06:52:00.000-07:00

This is a short story I wrote today. Just felt like imagining a situation described below and getting feedback on it. It may not be the most polished story ever but I hope it is worth a single read.

They hesitated, stared uncomfortably at each other and parted slowly on the foyer of the posh restaurant, too tense to speak and weighed down by the conversation they had had a few minutes ago. Scared of hurting each other’s sentiments, each decided that silence (for now) was the best answer to the other’s question. The noise on the road, which was too grating for each an hour ago, was now inconsequential.

The conversation had started in the most innocuous manner but since enough hints were dropped before the rendezvous, the point for discussion came quicker than expected. And then there was reticence, shock, disclosure, the sound of breaking valves and chambers, appeal, and lastly, silence.

A silence, which lasted that day. That night. The next. And, the next. And, for many days, months, and years.

The wall was built. Not from egos. But from sadness.

Many years passed. Each had married and settled down with the respective spouses. Secrets were shared and forgotten. Thoughts of each other’s welfare had crossed the minds but the fear of opening old pages from a discarded book was too huge. Each was convinced that the best had happened to the other. But did it?

A Saturday evening. Rained with hailstones. A party at an old friend’s house. The guests were mostly engrossed in remarking on the paunch lines and gray hairs. The drinks flowed and the music was equally intoxicating. A few danced. (How many to remember and how many to forget?). A man arrived, with his wife. And, with the usual lop-sided grin, embraced the old friends he had missed for a time eternity. Sahar glanced around while his wife exchanged pleasantries with the women.

And then the eyes locked.

Natasha had come. Sitting next to her husband. She met his stare. The couple looked at each other while Sahar continued to gape. The husband nodded, recognizing the moment. She got up and walked slowly towards him. The walk left him surprised. There was no longer the funny gait he had liked in her before. The waist was more feminine and the gait was definitely womanly. The elegance was so pronounced in his eyes that his jaw dropped a bit. She smiled faintly and came to his side.

Natasha: “Hi, How are you? Long time..” (the voice was still the magical same).

Sahar: “Fine, thank you. How are you doing?” (he was taken aback to hear his own voice shaking a wee bit).

Natasha: “Fine too. How come you haven’t called these many years? Not even once?”

Sahar: “Well…I figured that you would have carried on from that day.”

There was an awkward gap in communication. Lasting around half-a-dozen seconds.

She: “Come on, let me introduce you to my husband.”

Sahar (thinking): “How strange that I am getting introduced to the person I was dreaming to be?”

They walked across to him.

She: “This is Sahar. And, this is my husband, Ajay. I think you may have met before.”

Ajay: “Oh, yes. In the party of our mutual friend many years ago. Remember?”

Sahar: “I don’t think I can ever forget that party. And the people I met.”

All three grinned.

Ajay: “So what’s up? What are you up to now?”

Sahar: “I am the Director of Operations in the company that we launched 5 years ago. And you?”

Ajay: “I am a Marketing Head. And life’s good.”

Sahar: “That's great. And you?”

Natasha: “I keep myself busy. Still involved with writing. And life couldn’t have been better!!!”

Sahar: “Same here. Honey…”. He beckoned to his wife. “Would you come here for a second please?”

His wife left a gang of giggling women and walked across with a radiant smile.

Sahar: “Meet my wife Rajni. She is Director, HR in our office. This is Ajay.”

Ajay: “Hi. How are you?”

Rajni: “Hi. Fine. Thanks. And I hope you are doing well too.”

Natasha: “Hi”

Rajni: “Hi, and you would be Natasha. Right?”

Natasha: “That’s right. So… what will you do if your husband quits on you someday?”

Ajay looks at Natasha and Sahar is momentarily dumbstruck.

Rajni: “Excuse me?”

Natasha (hastily): “I mean…as the Director of your company.”

Rajni (with a relieved laugh) : “Oh, I would ensure that his life would be hell in another company!”

Rajni turns to see Sahar’s reaction. It’s a knowing grin. Rajni smiles in return. The meaning is not lost on Ajay and Natasha.

A passing waiter offers drinks for them. They accept and sip a bit.

Sahar: “I think we should dance. Don’t you, honey?”

Rajni: “Yep. Let’s start.”

So, the 4 of them start dancing. The mellifluous strains of “Wonderful Tonight” only serve to make Sahar and Natasha catch stolen glances at each other. Rajni notices this but doesn’t mention it. They dance for an hour or so.

Rajni: “Honey, I think we better have dinner and leave. The kids are waiting at home and there may be a power outage anytime.”

Sahar: “Ok, let’s go grab some grub and make a move.”

They walk towards Ajay and Natasha who are by now lost in each other’s eyes.

Rajni: “Excuse us, but Sahar and I are sitting down for dinner. Would you like to join us?”

Ajay: “Oh, sorry. Thanks, but you carry on. We will have it later.”

Rajni: “Ok. Cmon, honey, let's go eat.”

They have dinner and get ready to leave. The goodbyes are done and they walk towards Ajay and Natasha who are still dancing.

Sahar: “Ahem, sorry to disturb, but we are leaving. It was really nice meeting you both.”

Ajay: “The pleasure is ours. Do give me your contact number and I will call soon. May talk of business possibilities.”

They exchange numbers.

Rajni: “Bye. It was really wonderful meeting you both. Till next time, take care.”

Natasha: “Bye. And Sahar…may have I a word with you?”

Sahar: “Sure. Honey, take these and you drive”. He hands the car keys to Rajni, who looks curious but obeys Sahar. Ajay looks concerned.

Sahar and Natasha walk to the garden balcony and soak in the cool drizzle breeze.

Natasha: “Has life really been never better for you?”

Sahar: “Yes, it has. I have the best wife in the world and the best home. What more could I ask for?”

Natasha: “Are you sure? I mean, do you have any regrets of any sort?”

At this, Sahar laughs heartily. Natasha is embarrassed.

Sahar: “Sorry. You know what that question reminded me of? The conversation between Edmond Dantes and Mercedes when they meet each other after a long time in The Count of Monte Cristo. Do you remember that?”

Natasha: “The Count of Monte Cristo? I don’t think I have read the book. Who wrote it?”

Sahar: “Alexandre Dumas. The same guy who wrote The 3 Musteketeers.”

Natasha: “Oh, but you still haven’t answered my other question.”

Sahar (after a thoughtful pause and a deep breath) : “There is something that I wanted to tell you that day. I decided against it after seeing your reaction.”

Natasha (wide-eyed) : “My reaction stopped you saying something?”

Sahar: “Well, not exactly. But, I figured that there was no point in letting you know about it if you didn’t think the way I had.”

Natasha (with mixed feelings of dread and raging curiosity) : “I hope there is a point in telling me now?”

Sahar: “Yes. I wanted to tell you that I badly wanted to learn dancing from you.”

And again, there is the unmistakable sound of crashing valves and crumbling chambers. Only this time, from a different place.

A change of plan..

2005-06-10T13:07:00.000-07:00

I was planning to write a post, a cribathon; a diatribe on current mental state....

And all that changed so quickly, so extremely on Friday night, that the week's episodes were by(e)gones.

The wedding of a close friend with another.

Such thrill when old friends greet again, that words sometimes don't freely at once. Its just that the happiness is so deep when this happens, this moment should last forever. Forever. And ever. (..aaah..the fading shades of the stunningly mesmerising High Hopes by Floyd).

And the icing on the cake, the faces of the newlyweds. Vaish looked so furious at me coming so late, that I couldn't help breaking into a guilt-edged (very punny I know..:P) sheepish laugh. Whereas Harish was his 12-PJs-a-minute self, unrelenting even on the stage..Actually so were all of us....PD, Ajit, Shom, K3, CC, Koli, Rohit, Raj, PV, Vinay, Stevie, Om...:)))))))

THE EVENING OF 10TH JUNE 2005 WILL LAST A LIFETIME!!!!

*** Disclaimer: All jokes cracked were purely the consequence of the gift of comic timing that the above are blessed with. These could be lost if reproduced in text.***

Hmm..was there a cake? I absolutely adored the juice though. Musta had some half-a-dozen glasses. Super delicious. MMMMMMMMMMM....

Bench literature...

2005-06-01T12:58:00.000-07:00

"I am sick and tired of being sick and tired!!!"

Some years ago, I read this fantastic statement scrawled on the classroom desk of the college I studied and guffawed over it. Back then, it was a result of the frustration faced by a former classmate (Varun Suri, to those from IT dept, '02 batch) .

Profound and simple. And nothing else could have described my professional life right now, better.

Liberation.....

2005-05-26T23:57:00.000-07:00

I am flying away
Running like the wind
As I chase the sun

Up spinning around
Circles on my mind
Sailing over ground

From "Chase the Sun" by Planet Funk.

Yes, the song is best heard in a disco. Yes, it is quite old too (probably 4-5 years). Yes, it is a wierd mix of strings and rustic percussions and electronically modified vocals.

So what??????

Sometimes, the act of unburdening the self can be so incredibly cathartic that feeling blank and being taken away by freedom is the most breathtaking emotion in the world.

Hitch

2005-05-21T22:22:00.000-07:00

Not candy-floss. Not too deadpan either. Somewhere between truly engrossing and sit-through fare.

Inspite of the pretty ordinary plot, the treatment and dialogues are well thought-out. Sample a few below (reciting from memory, may not be 100% accurate):

1. Sara Melas (played by Eva Mendes) to "Hitch"(Will Smith): "Give me a ring sometime,...I mean, on the phone!!"

2. Hitch: "Love..is my life!!!"
Albert Brennaman (a rather adorably klutzy Kevin James): "No..Love is only your job!!!"

3. Hitch in the last scene to Sara:"Sometimes, people jump from the sky and wonder while they are falling:'Why the hell did I do that?'. Then, along comes a person, who they think can make them fly away. And to me, YOU are that person!!!"

4. Hitch (in the showdown with Sara at the speed-dating venue): "Mr.(I forgot the name) is a pig and I refused to work with him. And it's because of pigs like that I have a job............................... Had a job!!!"

5. Hitch to Albert: "Make sure you touch the right spot on her back. A few inches upper and she will think that you want to be her friend. A few inches lower, she will think that you're aiming for her arse. Aim it just right!!!" (this scene is totally hilarious)

Could have been better but then, urban love is an extremely tricky subject to handle in the big screen.

Rating: ***1/2

Point to ponder..

2005-05-19T11:07:00.000-07:00

If the simple things make a lot of difference, then why are gestures or acts that are heartfelt but not truly big so condescendingly accepted?

The dance of fantasy

2005-05-15T11:37:00.000-07:00

The cymbals slowly come to life
The rhythm is breathing
The sound of melody will arrive
The air gives way for wings

The flight begins, a bird is born again
The music in full flow
An uncanny harmony of soul and mind

I say to myself
"Dreams don't last so long"

But, the fantasy dances on
The strangest gift I ever got
The light remains after dusk till dawn
A trap worth being caught

Movements blend without seam
Like a shroud woven by invisible hands
There's magic in the air, it would seem
Like the soft touch of a girl's hands

I give in, mesmerised
The world spins around me, but I, faster
Instinct rides an experience, wise
A vortex of pleasant terror

Its a crescendo
Our voices boom in tandem
The barrier is being broken
A moment as precious as a royal gem

The finale comes, and with it
The sadness of parting
I hope we can meet again
For it is then, that we love more

Silent Warrior

2005-05-11T12:25:00.000-07:00

This song by Enigma, in their second album "The Cross of Changes" (circa 1993), is often overlooked for the more famous "The Eyes of Truth" or "Return to Innocence".

And this song always..always reminds me of James Fenimore Cooper's classic "The Last of the Mohicans", especially the character Uncas. Just like the song has the title of the album in it, this native Indian is the man who is being referred to in the book title. And just as Uncas is the heroic warrior revered by his tribe but feared by the despicable Le Renard Subtil and his henchmen, so is this song so powerful that it is not categorized in the popular list of Enigma songs. And if one were to listen closely to the song, (with the volume turned up a few notches higher towards the end), faint strains of haunting Gregorian chants can be heard, along with water gushing sounds. Just gives a fantastic touch to the song.

Forget the movie where Daniel Day Lewis played Hawkeye and Eric Schweig, the title role. The book is now a part of American Literary Classics. And it's easily one of the best books I have ever read!!!

Wrote this in 10 minutes, I swear!!!

2005-05-08T10:24:00.000-07:00

WORDS

Like a lifeless leaf
Flying in no direction
Pulled by the cruel wind

Here I stand
Unable to speak
With a mouth of million words

I let you go
And lost my way
Knowing that you won't return

I die now and then
I live forever
But the scars remain still

I sought joy in pain
And got anger in peace
A trial by fire for hell

And yet, you knew
Threw clues askance
Hoping to revive me

I missed them then
And I miss you now
Time stole from me again

The secrets craved
The swords flashed
And it was just as before

And it was just as before...
When I was a nobody anymore!!!

Ever wondered why-part 3

2005-05-07T10:47:00.000-07:00

...For some people, sometimes, success comes at a (significant to heavy) price?

Take Michael Schumacher for example. Or, William Henry Gates III. Or, Saurav Ganguly. And to a lesser extent, any celebrity.

An immensely difficult achievement is often taken as the benchmark for future endeavors. The burden of expectations increases many-fold as the person becomes more famous. Consequently, the person gets to be described as "..best known for..." rather than what he or she is currently doing.

After John Mathew Mathan directed Sarfarosh, much was expected. But not many people really remember his next film, do they? (I know I don't).

After Ali Naqvi and Azhar Mahmood did what Saurav Ganguly (well, he did) and Rahul Dravid couldn't in Lord's '96, Azhar Mahmood went on to become a regular member of the Pakistan team (now, you will have to assign special meaning to the word "regular" when you are talking of the Pakistan team). But, where did Ali go? Does anyone know or care?

Jose Mourinho won the Champions' League with a completely unfancied Porto last season. And when he arrived at Chelsea and pretty much demolished the Premiership rivals, everyone thought another European triumph was there for his taking. Not so. And when Chelsea bowed out, (and not only this occurrence, all through the season, Chelsea and Mourinho became almost synonymous with controversy), Mourinho's words were heard first rather than Benitez's.

Why does success bring so much pressure with it? I mean, if I could get sick and tired of the endless lawsuits (Microsoft), the ruthless domination in a team sport (Ferrari), the constant calls for replacement (now this is more Indian-style, don't you think?), I am amazed at these guys' predicaments.

Really incredible!!!

Bangalore's traffic woes

2005-05-05T12:25:00.000-07:00

The road was smooth and the traffic fast. To add to this was the exaggerated lane-switch behavior of motorists who had to move from left to right to go towards Majestic and from right to left to go towards Market and the south side of the city. And it was precisely this which had caused the minor mishap.

It was a really disturbing sight. The bus had lurched because of some obstruction ahead. On moving around the commotion, I saw a man standing on the ground and apologizing to the driver of an Ambassador. The lights were focused on him and his pained grimace when he clutched his right shoulder brought back the bad memories all at once. Someone stopped beside him, helped him get his bike up and get him to the safety of the pavement. We rounded a corner and the incident was soon forgotten.

Or did I? For around 9 months ago, I received a phone call from my home. Dad had had an accident on the way back home from office. I dashed home and learnt the accident had occurred due to a stray dog running full speed across my Dad's path when he was driving the bike. The shoulder took the brunt and broke in 3 places. A surgery was decided and performed. I remember the time when my mother was in tears when the nurses refused to explain why he wasn't being wheeled out of the theater even after the promised 5 hours was over. He was experiencing an asthma attack soon after he regained consciousness. And was really restless. He stayed in hospital for the next 2 days and was discharged.

I wish Bangalore's roads had more order and respect in it.

I miss ITPL

2005-04-28T22:46:00.000-07:00

I miss sprinting and chasing the bus at 7:35 AM.

I miss talking to my friends on the bus and wisecracking about park-mates (usually females) who looked to have stepped out of the bath just minutes ago.

I miss sleeping (or reading a book or listening to the tragically romantic Hana's eyes by Maksim) when the bus was traveling.

I miss the breakfast I used to have with my friend, who still works there.

I miss the smell of the lawns in the evening, where we (my colleagues and I) used to sit down and chat about projects, deadlines, and life.

I miss the quiet of the surroundings and the imposing buildings with the sunshine reflecting on them, giving an impression of being far away from Bangalore (It is. Actually, 28km from my house).

I miss going down to the mall at around 6 or 7 PM to have snacks and stare at the women who were leaving for the day.

I miss doing a nightout and going down to the mall for dinner at 10 or 11 PM.

I miss going to Bhagini (a restaurant 3km from ITPL) with my colleagues for lunch in the cab, whose driver should have definitely tried his hand in F1. Or, maybe joined Gillette, for he was the Master of the Close Shave.

I miss the inaugural ride for any new employee who was asked to sit in the front seat by us and enjoy the 'ride' in the above-mentioned cab.

I miss the drinking sessions (in Bhagini) with my colleagues on Friday evenings and the wonderful dialogues that were the outcome of alcoholic stimulation.

I miss the mad scramble for the 8:15 PM bus and getting in at the last moment, only to find my bus friends had either already left for the day or were going to work through the night.

I miss sleeping in the return trip, through the never-to-be-solved traffic jam in BTM Layout-Bannerghatta Road junction, when the flyover was yet to be finished.

Oh, well.....

Math fun

2005-04-24T02:05:00.000-07:00

Joke in our class today.

Question:

A, B, and C are three different people. A and B can complete a specific task in 20 days, B and C take 30 days for the same, and A and C take 60 days. What is the time taken if the three work together and try to finish the same task?

Answer:

20 days. (Calculate it, it is right!)

Now, see the fun.

If the time taken for A and B to finish the task and for all three working together is the same, it is practical nonsense. Unless and until....

A and B are software engineers and C is the project manager!!!

Lambi race ka ghoda?

2005-04-19T22:07:00.000-07:00

What Is Your Animal Personality?
brought to you by Quizilla

Couldn't have agreed more with the last point.

Ever wondered Why-Part 2

2005-04-18T04:05:00.000-07:00

The heart is begging:

"Rid me of this burden..please. PLEEEEAAAASE!!!"

The mind cracks the whip and thunders, with no remorse:

"No chance! Career and family are more important!!!".

Ever wondered why God gives us a heart and a mind when conflicts arise like this?

Raullllll.........

2005-04-11T02:18:00.000-07:00

Raul celebrates the 3rd goal against Barcelona
Originally uploaded by rogueplaneteer.

The old warrior is back. Scored a goal. And the eternal rivals beaten.

JOY, DELIGHT, HAPPINESS, SATISFACTION,...

The simple Caribbean life

2005-04-04T11:47:00.000-07:00

Royal_West_Indies-Beach-Boardwalk
Originally uploaded by rogueplaneteer.

There's something about Caribbean cricket that makes it distinctly different from other parts of the world. The flair in the game, the unbridled joy of the fan who doesn't give a damn to sizzling weather, and especially the beach. The endless sands, the bluest waters,...How I would like to spend a vacation there someday!!!

Ever wondered why-Part 1

2005-03-27T06:40:00.000-08:00

Beginning this post, I am starting a thread of entries titled "Ever wondered why?". No guarantee on how long the thread is or the continuity of the thread.

I was discussing this with my friend today. I am not sure if I am correct: Why do most Indian men like to ogle at girls (women basically) with modern outfits and a trendy body language (pun? What pun?), but like to settle down with someone who's down-to-earth and conservative by appearance, not necessarily by attitude?

There was this uninhibited stare by a man riding a bike with his wife and kid behind him at a woman wearing a white top and a dark-blue figure-hugging jeans talking on her cellphone last week, when I came out after having gone bowling with my friends. And one of these friends I am talking about is married but not shy of admiring a pretty species of the female kind every now and then. Can't help it you see, he's just 26.

Now whether these 2 case studies make a strong reason to generalise, I may not know and may be wrong in assuming too. This is because not only do most Indian men deny their ocular shenanigans, but also some of them DO like to marry a wild one, not just stare at them, as my friend mentioned above said.

As for me, if you think that I've no other business than staring at people who stare at women, I don't stare at girls. Well, not all the time at least!!! If I was, then this post wouldn't have come, would it?

Random thoughts

2005-03-22T09:39:00.000-08:00

After a long time, I am starting off this post with football.

As usual, a high-profile match in the English League was characterized by such furious pace that it ended up with a win for one team, but at a heavy cost. Liverpool have been hit by such a rash of injuries this season that you would be forgiven for thinking that it was contagious. The speedy French pair of Cisse and Sinama-Pongolle are out long-term as is the Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso. Now, Morientes and Hamann are out too while Luis Garcia is hovering on the tightrope between fitness and the medic's table. Considering that, Milan Baros' unkind lunge on Alan Stubbs in the match left the manager Benitez and captain Stevie G unimpressed. Can they find the mental strength to defeat the mighty Juventus in the quarters of the Champs' League?

Across the Atlantic, Terri Schiavo is fighting a brave war to stay alive while her mother and husband are locked in a battle of their own. I hope the bickering dies down and the Law that the President has passed helps her to live longer, even though a judge has made a decision that hasn't gone down well with her parents.

On Sunday, as India completed the necessary formalities to take a 1-0 lead in the 3 Test series against a relatively inexperienced Pakistan team, my friend complained that Kumble and Dravid should have been awared the joint MOM. I did see the 4th day's play on TV and in the searing heat and the pressure of having to bat with Ganguly out and Laxman packed off with a swollen eye, Dravid did a marvellous job of getting the lead in the company of Karthik with some industrious batting. Yet again, he delivered when it mattered and forget the statistics, he is becoming THE player you would like to bat for you in a crisis situation.

Finally, for all those who think you can (and want to) make a difference to others' lives, please do so by clicking here.

Catch-22

2005-03-17T12:11:00.000-08:00

Given two choices, the necessary and sufficient condition for one becomes the compulsory consequence of the other and vice versa.

Not clear?

1. To be the best team in the world, we must learn to think beyond Sachin Tendulkar. But Tendulkar is the talisman and without him, the team is as good as crippled.

2. To be an efficient lawmaker, you need to understand the rules. But to know these rules, somebody had to be a lawmaker first.

3. To win the Champions' League, Real Madrid must play like a team. But to be a team of superstars, sign more self-centric dolts like Beckham.

4. To impress someone from the opposite sex, do something to grab attention. But when attention is awarded, act your normal self. (Whassat? Who said "playing hard-to-get?")

5. Failure is the stepping stone to success. Prevention is better than cure.

So on...

And, last but not the least, this post was borne out of boredom. But then, boredom is when I force my mind to think of something useful!!!

A nutcase, am I???

The power of HUG!!!

2005-03-13T07:06:00.000-08:00

Such a simple act...I just don't have enough or the right words to describe the sensation.

And all thanks to "sister", for making me realize what it means!!!

And check out this soulful card..

Dial S for....

2005-03-01T10:03:00.000-08:00

Q: What is common to music videos like "Haaye Re Haaye Tera Ghungta," "Dil..Dil Ne Jise Apna Kaha," "Rangeela Re," (not the one from the movie starring Urmila Matondkar) etc and movies like Paap, Rog, Murder, Tauba Tauba among others?

A: More than a generous dose of sleaze.

Add to that the crassy concept of item numbers and the stinking picture is complete. Bollywood, it seems, has decided that one of the best ways to reinvent itself is to indulge in low-level pornography. While movies which showcase the use of sex in a relevant way are perfectly acceptable (Jism was a decent effort in this direction-though John Abraham was miscast as the alcoholic lawyer), others have been diabolical. Several more have been an embarassment to the ethos of creativity. Most of the directors or script-writers (is there such a person in Bollywood, I wonder?) don't realize that there's a fine line between sensuality and vulgarity. Sushmita Sen was enchanting in the otherwise hollow Main Hoon Na, while Neha Dhupia must have been possessed by Eve in Julie. I am told Black is brilliant. Fine. But for every good one like that, there will be a dozen others that ride on the S-factor alone. It is distressing.

I feel even more outrage when it comes to this remix business. I regard music sacred in the same way that the others regard cows which block our already-choked roads, probably even more. And to see an immigrant whose idea of music is to take an old classic Hindi song, add filthy frills to it, and package it with an appalling video, it is downright humiliating. I read an interview of one such singer long ago. Not only did he admit that he stole some old songs for his albums, but also justified his decision by claiming that in order to create music that people will accept, it is necessary to give the kind of music that people want first and then ask them to like his own music. I am still reeling at this statement.

Item numbers. I don't really know who started it and I don't really care. But if a movie is remembered more for the saucy songs it has rather than the performances or the technical expertise being used, it is a sad reflection on the taste that we have. Agreed, it is meant for the front-benchers and is regarded as a paisa-vasool element in a film. But would I decide to go watch a movie just because Yana Gupta or Shilpa Shetty flaunted her body and dancing skills amidst drooling goons? DEFINITELY NOT.

And to top it all, recently, Amitabh Bachchan made some noises about giving status to Bollywood as a regularized industry.

Narain Karthikeyan

2005-02-25T23:37:00.000-08:00

Narain Karthikeyan
Originally uploaded by rogueplaneteer.

TRUE, Karthikeyan IS talented, SAYS that HE knows WHAT and IF, and SEE that TO win, THIS is (READ Jordan) WHO pick THOSE. Actually, FOR a TEASER, such A chance IS given THUS. So, THIS, an ENTRY (an ARTICLE), is ON motor-racing THAN an ENTRY more PERSONAL. Thus, ON his COMMENTING style, AND suggesting READING that PEOPLE are MORE tuned ON his STATEMENT, a FRIEND'S mail: "A great TEST. Hope TO be KEEN!!!"

There is a message in the above entry. The words in uppercase form a clue.

John Dykes

2005-02-17T20:50:00.000-08:00

johndykes
Originally uploaded by rogueplaneteer.

An underrated constituent of any football match report that we see on weekends. Wonderful grasp of nuances of each game, the team gameplans, and a good analyser of the match flow. Suffice to say, the Harsha Bhogle of football.

Not surprisingly, guys like the true experts Jamie Reeves and Paul Masefield show their mettle when they are involved in a chat with John. The only idiot on the show usually happens to be Shebby Singh, who I think has a problem in verbalising his thoughts.

He is beginning to look even better now that a farcical show called "Nokia football crazy" is being aired with totally annoying hosts and a platoon of lunatic fans screaming as though they were in an actual match.

Keep up the good work, Johnnie!!!

Some intriguing questions

2005-02-12T04:25:00.000-08:00

After nonstop work from Friday morning to Saturday evening, I was faced with the questions listed below:

1. Why does a mail arrive about the deadline at the last possible minute?

2. What are the purposes of inventing the MAC, apart from being a rival to the ubiquitous Windows systems?

3. Why are there guys in senior positions with little to mediocre hands-on experience advising others on how to solve issues?

4. Why should a normal person not have second thoughts of coming to work on Sunday?

5. Why is there such pressure to deliver things and then crib about things like I am doing now?

For the record, I completed 6 months in the company I work for last week. There were some days when I was eagerly waiting for it. And now, when it passed, I let it go as though it hardly bothered me. What could be the reason for such a change?

Sign

2005-02-09T22:18:00.000-08:00

Sign outside the Lake View Ice-cream parlour in M G Road Bangalore...

"Life is like an ice-cream, enjoy it before it melts!!!"

pretty apt eh?

The purpose of blogging

2005-02-07T20:30:00.000-08:00

I have been wondering why people take to blogging.

I remember the first time I posted an entry to my blog in rediff. It was predictably bereft of any useful idea, purpose or intent. But as time went on, and I became increasingly dependent on the Net to learn more about the world, the desire to broadcast my perspective on what I saw, heard or felt and receive feedback increased in a similar way.

I read others' blogs and got to know more about people I had only talked to before. A wonderful peep into their minds and thought-processes.

There were opportunities aplenty to add thingies to these pages. How nice of bravenet!!!

There was a mildly bitter episode of meeting someone through my earlier blog and due to rather immature behavior on my part (that's why my current blog title is called so), lost contact with that someone.

But above all else, blogging gave me confidence. Hidden somewhere behind a shroud of reticence. A belief that even though my entry may not go down well sometimes but interesting enough to spark a personal discussion. Which is the ultimate purpose of a dialogue.

Cheers to the blogging community of the world!!! May they live long!!!

The best player in the Premiership for the current season???

2005-02-06T20:47:00.000-08:00

Arjen Robben. Holland and Chelsea.

He is not really quick like a traditional winger. (examples: Ryan Giggs, Joaquin Sanchez, even Roberto Carlos-nobody really knows what position he plays). But endowed with an amazing ability to maintain balance, which enables him to ride tackles smoothly. A trait that was clearly evident in Chelsea's match against Portsmouth a week or so ago.

And on top of that, when he was brutally taken out in the match against Rovers last Wednesday, Chelsea struggled for the remainder of the match without him. And they lost the plot a little bit too, against Man City for whom David James, the goalie turned in a brilliant performance.

Wonder what will happen if he doesn't get fit in time for the match against a lately-faltering Barcelona?

Sting

2005-02-04T20:22:00.000-08:00

Friday evening. 6:45 PM. I am still stuck in front of my office system, wondering why the bloody hell my program is acting up like Archie's car in Archie comics. Shom is waiting for me outside M G Road. We have a small matter of attending a concert by Sting.

7PM. I give up. Tell my project lead that I will look into this bug tomorrow. He agrees. Hurry towards Shom and try to catch an auto to the concert area. After a few refusals, we get one. Scramble through the infuriating traffic. Then, stupidity happens. The driver coolly rips down on the wrong side of a busy road and not surprisingly, blocks a factory bus filled with tired employess coming from the other side. A few lose their temper and let fly some profanities at the idiot. The guy, instead of admitting his mistake, retaliates with some choice words of his own. A small scuffle follows. Shom is frustrated. Finally, some sense dawns on the loony driver and he manages to get on the right side of the road and continue driving. Shockingly, he boasts "Police-police bolte hain. Kya kar sakte hain un policewalon? Woh log hamari jeb se hi jeete hain!!!".

8 PM. We finally get down at the venue. Grab a pack of ciggies and dash into the grounds. As we reach the place, he's belting out "Brand New Day". Followed by "An Englishman in Newyork". The crowd go wild. Then, my fav. "Fragile". A soulful song but in a concert, not properly sung. Then, Shom's fav. "Fields of Gold". Much better. And so, he sings "Shape of my heart", "Sacred Love" (which is a rather long duet with a female singer-forgot her name), "Every breath you take", "If I ever lose my faith in you" and of course, the famous "Desert Rose" which turns out to be terrible because Sting makes a poor imitation of Cheb Mami's superb chant in the original version. Also meet a cpl of Shom's friends. A lot of couples dance, smoke, smooch, and one man in particular is trying desperately to get his girl to groove. Poor guy, ended up scaring her with bat-like movements (shouldn't have said that, being a terrible dancer myself!!!).

He packs up at 9:40 PM. Loafer. But what the hell!!! A good night to remember.

Movie Review-Page 3

2005-02-01T01:55:00.000-08:00

Excellent script, few understated but effective performances, innovative execution, and certain moments of cinematic shocks. The movie traces the professional life of Madhavi Sharma (Konkona Sen Sharma) who is a page-3 (hence the name) correspondent for a leading newspaper in Mumbai. As we learn more about Mumbai's high-society life through her eyes, the ugly skeletons and the sleazy underbelly emerge in a disturbing array of incidents. Vinayak Mane (the grossly underused Atul Kulkarni) initially taunts her for hunting stories amongst the rich and mighty of the megapolis, but later on, becomes a guide to her when she exposes a sensational case of child abuse in the middle of the night but is forced to give all the evidence to her boss. Madhavi's roommates are the headstrong Pearl Sequeira (Sandhya Mridul) and a wannabe starlet Gayatri Sachdeva (Tara Sharma), both quite good roles. The final twist where Madhavi sees the once-demure Gayatri who ran for her life after her modesty is outraged by a scumbag producer, share a drink and smoke with the same film bigwig is pretty much symbolic of life in the upper echelons of Mumbai. Scenes to look out for are the earthy but insightful chats of the drivers of the socialites, Madhavi's speechlessness at discovering her model-boyfriend is having a gay relationship with her best friend, and Pearl's outburst when Gayatri comes home tearful after the nightmarish encounter with the producer and also in the hospital where she survives but her baby doesn't. Darn good effort.

RATING: 4/5

3 years

2005-01-27T20:17:00.000-08:00

"Thanneer kudathil pirakkirom o-ho
Thanneer kolathil mudikirom o-ho"
Nathiye Nathiye (RHYTHM-2000)

Literal translation: We begin from the water and our lives end in the water itself!!!

And on the way, it would be tremendously satisfying if I could change the lives of some. The "some" who include children who do not have basic amenities but are so intelligent, they would have beaten me hands down at my age.

Just waiting for 3 years. And then, to hell with societies prejudices!!!

'Il Capitano'

2005-01-22T19:39:00.000-08:00

Paolo Maldini

A legend in a world filled with greedy mercenaries, a glittering example of professionalism and dedication to a single team (AC Milan), bags of honours, 20 years of hardwork but still, no personal recognition. What a tragedy!!!

I once saw an interview of his in a curtain-raiser for World Cup 2002. Soft-spoken yet firm, he could barely talk of the heart-breaking injury time defeat against France in Euro 2000 final. Who would have thought that Italy were to face another painful loss against that annoying South Korean team in 2002?

They don't make guys like him anymore...for sure!

INTROSPECTION MODE..AGAIN

2005-01-18T20:51:00.000-08:00

Is it greed that is pushing me to look for someone special even when so many great people are around me? Or is it desperation to be seen as one among the "haves"? Or is it the sheer stress at work?

As I write this at the office (by some quirk of fate, I have got some time off at the office), one of my colleagues (who is apparently not doing anything else either) peeks into my monitor and asks me: "What are you doing?". Good question. Because I can't answer it myself. I manage to tell him that this is like an online diary where you can write whatever you feel like. He is mildly enthused by the concept but guess what?..work arrives at his desk like crowshit: from nowhere but impossible to get away from. Day after day, I type something in the damn machine that some jerk, ten thousand miles away, wants it at this date and with no errors. And what am I learning? How to say one thing to someone and do the exact opposite smoothly. Sophisticated corporate skulduggery. How enthralling!

Sometimes, I feel blogging is an avenue for personal thoughts expressed in an indirect way. And at other times, I think putting an entry like this is a super waste of time.

Like the [V] slogan goes (or used to)...

WHAT TO DO? I AM LIKE THIS ONLY!!

FREE BIRD

2005-01-11T20:24:00.000-08:00

I believe that this song was written by someone with a similar thought-process to mine...

If I leave here tomorrow
Would you still remember me?
For I must be travelling on, now,
There's too many places I haven't seen
And if I stayed here with you, now
Things just wouldn't be the same
Well I'm as free as a bird now,
And a bird you can not change.
And a bird you can not change.
And a bird you can not change.
Lord knows I can't change

Bye, bye, its been a sweet love.
And though this feeling I can't change.
Please don't take it badly,
The Lord knows I'm to blame.
And, if I stayed here with you now
Things just wouldn't be the same.
For I'm as free as a bird now,
And this bird you'll never change.
And the bird you can not change.
And the bird you can not change.
Lord knows, I can't change.
Lord help me, I can't change.

And the guitar solo at the end is breath-taking!!!

Movie Review

2005-01-09T09:24:00.000-08:00

ALEXANDER
In one word, SHIT.

Far too long, with exaggerated fight sequences. Too much stress on portraying Colin Farrell's star persona. Val Kilmer behaves wilder than he is supposed to. Angelina Jolie talks like a Russian spy. Some scenes lifted straight from Braveheart. But for one small instant, was left wondering what the hell Jason Gillespie was doing in such a terrible movie. Until I saw the credits.

Gary Stretch (Cleitus) in Alexander

Fun at workplace!

2005-01-03T08:46:00.000-08:00

One of my colleagues sent us a "did-u-know?" mail last week and I just couldn't resist sending smart-alec replies. Below is the full content.

Note: All comments are meant in a lighter sense, not to offend anyone.

1. Coca-Cola was originally green (who cares??..a pesticide is a pesticide is a pesticide..)

2. The most common name in the world is Mohammed (I thought it was Infosys!!!)

3. The name of all the continents end with the same letter that they start with (we will discover a land and break this rule!)

4. The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue (pity I cant reply with it now)

5. TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row ! of the keyboard. (maybe thats why it was invented)

6. Women blink nearly twice as much as men (no comments!!!)

7. You can't kill yourself by holding your breath (but u sure can by holding someone else's, cant u?)

8. It is impossible to lick your elbow (what about dogs?)

9. People say "Bless you" when you sneeze because when you sneeze, your heart stops for a millisecond. (everyone is either a walking God or a born scientist)

10. It is physically impossible for pigs to look up into the sky. (poor things..how will they go to sleep when they are tense?)

11. If you sneeze too hard, you can fracture a rib. If you try to suppress a sneeze,you can rupture a blood vessel in your head or neck and die. (so what are we supposed to do?..)

12. Each king in a deck of playing cards represents great king from history
Spades - King David
Clubs - Alexander the Great
Hearts - Charlemagne
Diamonds - Julius Caesar.
(and whos the Joker??..Shiva??***)

13. 111,111,111 x 111,111,111 == 12,345,678,987,654,321 (wah..wah..wah)

14. If a statue of a person in the park on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air, the persondied as a result of wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four legs onthe ground, the person died of natural causes. (and if the horse is walking with one leg bent with no rider..whats thatmean??..the rider ran away in fear??)

15. What do bullet proof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers and laser printersall have in common?Ans. - All invented by women (just goes to show that men are optimists)

16. Honey is the only food that doesn't spoil. What is this? (spoil what??)

17. A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out. (its teeth more than compensate for this)

18. A snail can sleep for three years (cmon..i have been sleeping since I was born..how else do u think I got here?)

19. All polar bears are left handed. (do they bowl??..maybe we can include them in our cricket team just in case Pathan or Zaheer get injured)

20. American Airlines saved $40,000 in 1987 by eliminating one olive from each salad served in first-class. (is there an opening for Olive-remover in American Airlines?..i would surely apply)

21. Butterflies taste with their feet (YUCK!)

22. Elephants are the only animals that can't jump (thank God..or else..we would have earthquakes whenever they played basketball)

23. In the last 4000 years, no new animals have been domesticated (wrong!..I was domesticated by the Indian Constitution)

24. On average, people fear spiders more than they do death (for me...both are same)

25. The cigarette lighter was invented before the match (so we started going retro then eh???)

26. Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ear by700 times (If I die of ear cancer, I know who to blame)

*** Shiva is an ex-colleague who still comes to lunch with us and is the butt of our jokes.

The Indian Mind

2004-12-23T20:02:00.000-08:00

I am ashamed.

Because I did not care for the condition of a man who was claimed to be responsible for the liberal initiatives of early 90s. The man who took over the mantle of Congress (and the national) leadership when the whole country was in a tizzy over Rajiv Gandhi's assasination. I did not bother to find out about his admission into Law College in Nagpur.

Because I am a citizen of a country that still produces country liquor and kills many unaware blue-collar workers, one that was ruled some months ago by a political party that is now being accused of bribing the primary witness in a case of communal carnage, one that periodically sees avoidable railway catastrophes being used as a weapon for political mileage and appalling blame-games.

Because I am still a resident of a city that prides itself on being the home of corporate giants and yet tied down by pathetic infrastructure, terrible roads, satanic truck-drivers who mow down innocent pedestrians (the recent death of a Mount Carmel student outside her college).

I feel sick.

Football quotes of the year gone by

2004-12-22T21:06:00.000-08:00

Some funny, some interesting and mostly from the mouths of the well-known

Friendship

2004-12-07T17:22:00.000-08:00

What I've learnt from friendship:

1. No matter how hard anyone tries to balance it, there's a greater urge to initiate friendship with the opposite sex.

2. Every friend is different from others and every friend also behaves differently in different situations. There will be someone to lend you a bike for your road trip one day, but a week later, refuse to lend you even a pen.

3. Expecting reciprocal gestures is a surefire way to 'pal'demonium.

4. Obligations are like air-pillows. The more you blow it out of proportion, the uglier it looks and you end up with wasted energy.

5. Judging friends on the basis of wealth and inclination to be at beck-and-call is another recipe for disaster.

6. Hoping for all friendships to be everlasting is worse than building castles in the air.

7. Some friendships turn into love and some doomed love affairs see the partners still remain as good friends. Moral: Be a friend first and then a soulmate later.

8. Whoever said that a friend is one who calls your parents as "Mr. - Mrs." and a good friend is one who calls them "Dad" and "Mom" was mouthing baloney. You are your friend's priority.

9. Self-respect even in the closest friendship is something that is frequently ignored. Friends do not like to be taken for granted always.

10. Some people misuse the privilege of being able to choose friends. At most, they deserve a second chance and nothing more or less.

A VISIT TO THE SCHOOL

2004-11-27T19:58:00.000-08:00

St.Joseph's Indian High School, where I studied from 1990 to 1996

Thursday, close to noon . A man calls on the cell. "Hello, am I speaking to Mohan Murali?". "Yes???". "This is Scotus Fernandes, your old school headmaster. Do you remember me?".

What a needless question. I cannot forget that man who was short with heavy eyebrows, a smile that made the eyes so thin you wondered if he was being troubled with something, English that was precise and yet easy enough to be understood by kids between the ages 10 and 15, and a fantastic artist to boot. I still remember my middle school days when we used to write answers in our books with our heads bent down in his class only to look up at the blackboard, awestruck at the majesty of the caricature there. The man would have a sly grin on his face, taking great pleasure in surprising us with his gift.

Coming back to the phone call, he continued to ask where I worked, what I did after school and if I was in contact with others. Reason being, he wanted to meet some old boys so that he could ask them to contribute towards meeting the expenses for constructing a new complex. A meeting was fixed with him on Saturday at 11, along with old classmate Anup. We wanted to register ourselves with the Alumni Association.

Saturday morning. Cold enough to be awakened by a phone call. "Hello?".It's Anup. "Hey maga, have a look outside. You think we can go to the school today?". Mumble that we will wait till 10 and then see.

Leave at 11 and reach school around 11:40. After some 10 min, Anup saunters in with long hair and a big grin on the face. Couple of other old friends walk in as well. Some event is going on with several boys mimicking the wrestlers from WWE/WWF or whatever, hilariously. Finally, Fr.Scotus walks across towards us and announces that he is the Rector now. We walk towards the Centenary Office where he works and settle down for a long talk about the old days. Despite the 8 year gap, he remembers 2 amongst us and at the end of the meeting can easily mouth our full names.

We also meet the new High School headmaster who is a fairly young chap with a mildly bored look on his face. Another cruel reminder to never judge people by their appearance. Easy going, good diction and sufficiently proud to be the headmaster without going overboard with his feats, he comes across as a decent man to lead the school.

Browsing through our copies of the school magazine, the Rector and the Principal take turns in amusing us with tales of "old-old boys" (alumni comprising batches of 70s and 80s) recently meeting up and having a gala time inside the very classrooms where they "grew" up to become Chief Financial Officer of Infosys (Mohandas Pai), former Police Commissioner of Bangalore (A.R.Nizamuddin), Joint MD of MICO (Lakshminarayana) and so on. Seems that amongst earlier batches, only '74, '79 and '88 are active.

Some motivation for the batch of '96 to show what kind of Josephites we are!

ROLE MODELS

2004-11-21T03:20:00.000-08:00

Positive:
Inspiring, usually legendary, a blend of natural gifts and perseverance, the desire to continually seek perfection even when almost everything has been achieved, hugely committed to the common cause.

Negative:
Everything a positive role-model is not.

And yet, there's so much to learn from both. After all, is there success without failure, sweetness without bitter agony, sunshine without night, beauty without ugliness?

A TRIP TO REMEMBER FOR DIFFERENT REASONS!

2004-11-20T02:29:00.000-08:00

The buffoons from left to right : Mouli, yours truly, Kashi, Rajshekar, Ravi, Darshan, Tallam, and Mithun outside the lodge where we stayed overnight. For story about the trip, click here.

Trip to Kerala, November 2004

Tom Hanks

2004-11-16T21:12:00.000-08:00

Hardly a post that goes with the title, but then the novel is more about religion, history, beliefs and perspectives rather than hardcore logic.

Tom Hanks, he of undisputedly stellar performances in Cast Away, Philadelphia, Forrest Gump among others, is now in talks to play Robert Langdon from the novel The Da Vinci Code. Read more here...

A new beginning...

2004-11-16T02:27:00.000-08:00

Test entry...