Ghajini - a disappointment

A badly directed movie.
The action looks like in a South Indian Rajnikant flick.
Illogical show of strength and no use of guns and strategy.
Its like a collage. Different scenes just put together.
Except Aamir and the heroine, acting is very loose.
Aamir exposes more than the girl, and sadly his body is too much for his short height.
I expected much more from this movie:(

Shahrukh and Rab de rule the day!!

Ek garam chai ki pyaali ho!

After a cup of hot steaming coffee and a a chocolate doughnut, it struck me that there were so many existing coffee cafes in India: Barista, Mocha, Cafe Coffee Day, Cuppa Coffee..and many more rumored to be opening soon: Starbucks, Gloria Jeans Coffee..but why don't we have any branded places for tea?

The only pseud place for tea that I have seen is Oxford Bookstore's Cha Bar in South Bombay. (By the way, thats one place you'll enjoy going to. They have so many different types of tea, and cool-looking designer cups, saucers and teapots. Though, I can't guarantee the taste of tea, as when I went there I had had a heavy lunch hence could only have a sip from someone else's tea.)

So coming back to the issue that there are really no pseud places which are made especially for tea in India. I guess we believe tea is something we will enjoy more at the nukkad shop rather than at a Barista? Now , I am more of a tea person. Infact, I like making tea a lot. Especially masala tea with kali mirch(pepper), dalchini(cinnamon), long(clove) and adrak(ginger). Throw it all in water, watch the water turn golden, then add chai patti(tea) and watch the water go black. Let it boil and add milk, making it go the muddy tea brown. Then pour it into colorful cups and tadaaaa..enjoy one of the most popular, tastiest drinks of India:). Nostalgically, remembering this whole routine, I once ordered tea at CCD. The waiter kept hot water, milk and tea bags on the table (for Rs. 32) and went off, allowing me to do the honours. I cribbed and cribbed for whole 24 hours till I got to have good tea in the hostel the next day.

Well, I wish someone would feel the same love for tea and open a chain of cool tea cafes. Or maybe I will, after 7-8 when I have enough money. Hmm, a cool startup idea. If someone plans to borrow the idea, do give me free coupons to your tea cafe.

Ciao!

The Secret Seven by Enid Blyton

This is my collection of The Secret Seven series, considerably less as the books used to be thinner than Famous Five hence I was never keen on buying them as they finished too soon.

The Secret Seven were a group of child detectives. Lead by Peter, the society consisted of his sister Janet, their dog Scamper and their friends: Jack, Colin, George, Pam, Barbara. The secret seven normally met at a shed in Peter and Janet's house. To enter there meetings, all of them had to say the password that they had decided upon in the previous meeting and had to carry the secret seven badge.

The seven got into all sorts of adventures: recovering a stolen violin, tracing a dog thief, finding stolen medals in the woods, getting curious about what is going on in a curious castle....

I think there were 3 major reasons why I liked the books:

One because of the sort of independence those kids had, going off to movies by themselves, running off after thieves and robbers in the night, cycling off to watch the circus and so on...

Second was the description of food. Things as simple as lemonade and cookies were described so well that they made my stomach grumble. I remember sitting down to have biscuits and water in an elegant manner after finishing yet another book, pretending to eat what they were eating in the books!:) (I got a similar craving last night when I re-read one of the books in the series). As for when Enid Blyton described tea, my stomach shouted out aloud! Ham and cheese, bacon and eggs, cream tarts, hot chocolate and what not! That got me my love for salami sandwiches which holds till date.

Third was Scamper! What a name for a dog. I can imagine a healthy golden spaniel with mischievious eyes running around licking every person in sight. I loved it when the Secret Seven kept passwords related to Scamper: Scamper, Wuff (his bark), and Thump ( the sound his tail made on the floor). I think that made me laugh a lot as a kid, when Scamper could also pronounce the password.

The town where the seven lived, was an idyllic one, modern yet traditional. They had access to telephones and motor cars, and also to the nearby woods. I always enjoyed the way she described the woods.
"The woods were full of springing bluebell leaves, their long green spikes standing guard over the flowers pushing up between them. "
"They had their lunch in the bluebell wood with the blackbirds and thrushes singing loudly overhead, and a little robin hopping around their feet, waiting for a crumb."

As this was my first series ever (rather first book ever) I have a soft corner for them, even though Famous Five are a much better read with the characters more defined.

But still as Enid blyton used to conclude her books, Way to go Secret Seven!

Since 1995!

Yet another fulfilling visit to a book store, and three expected-to-be-good buys inspired me to trace my reading history. I have been reading since 2nd standard. That makes it since 1995. Simple maths:D and its been 14 great years in a wonderful relationship. Books are, so to say, my childhood sweethearts. I have been known by friends and family as someone who gets so lost in books that even going to the washroom in between reading, becomes an onerous task :D. To all the romantic couples out there, beat this commitment.

The first book I read was a Secret Seven by Enid Blyton. I went on to Famous Fives, Five Find outers. Took breaks with Archies. Went on to school books: Malory Towers, St. Clares, Naughty Girl Series, Classic series: Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, Pollyanna and lot of other single classic novels: The Old fashioned Girl, The princess, Daddy Long legs etc. Then came the Nancy Drews, Hardy Boys, Twins of Sweet Valley. Then came onto Jeffery Archers..And now devour arbit authors: Vikram Seth, Gregory David Roberts, J.D.Salinger, Robin Cook, P.G.Wodehouse...A long and varied list..

So I have decided to dedicate this December to book reading and book reviewing. Starting tomorow, I will start from the first book I ever read and take you through my 14 yr old journey.

Get set and go!!!!:)

Welcome Aboard!

All your prayers have paid off! I am finally a consultant:)
I got a job in Opera Solutions on the 1st of December, 2008.

15 interviews and then this job in hand, to decribe what I went through would take a lot more characters and a lot more retrospection.

What I' doing right now: Relaxing for the first time in many months and enjoying every minte of it

Countdown begins: 16 days

16 days to go for the D-day (Placement Day 1)

First job, first company. Wonder how that will feel. To belong to a company. To go to office everyday. No more having days when you can just bunk and sleep. No more hanging out generally at shack. No more cack sessions in hostel. No more afternoon naps. But, newer horizons. Crisp formals. Official parties. Travelling. Good food daily. Money;).

Mixed feelings.

Coming back to the topic: The countdown has begun. 16 days to go. Well wishers better start praying for me now :D:D

Dreams Unlimited!

A step closer to my dream
Visualizations turning true
Satisfied for the moment
Geared up for the future:)

BE MORE!

A recommendation from moi:

Watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMLvqOMB5-U

Be born everyday..aaj rockstar kal pilot and who knows what the day after..

Kabhi kisi anjaan station pe utar kar dekho
Kabhi kisi gumnam shahar ka ticket katao

Doosro ki galtiyon se kya seekhna; make your own mistakes yaar..

And never resemble your passport photo for more than 3 months
Har subah shock your reflection

Explore..

Bachpan me to kya kuch nahi ban na chahte the
Why not today

Be born..everyday

BE MORE!

Schlumberger Internship-Summer 2008

Thats me:)

I put this pic on orkut, and a junior commented "Oh man!", my reply was " Oh woman!" *grin*

I was in the wireline segment at Schlumberger, Baroda. As wireline engineers, we are the people who send tools down into the oil well to check its various properties and hence give readings which help people know the well conditions *in very layman language:)* Also we are engineers with the most rigorous schedules and perhaps the best paid among all. We deal with catwalks, dog houses and monkey boards *these are all components of a rig:D*. We also deal with guns, explosives and radioactive sources:D

Its been a very different month for me. I have been on an oil rig twice - once for 26 hours and the next for about 8 hours. I've done it all right from washing oil off the tools to holding equipment while getting drenched in the rain to standing within about 3 metres of a radioactive source. I've used the hammer, the filer, the wire clipper, solder iron etc. again *mech workshop memories*. I've worn double layer of clothing for 32 days in the summer heat. I have worked for 40 days straight without any holiday * no weekends*.

I have also watched every movie released- hastey hastey, sarkar raaj, mere baap pehle aap, indiana jones. I have played TT, carrom and chess. I have eaten awesome food *courtesy our cook babun*- fish, prawns, chicken, mutton, pancakes, pasta etc. I have gained 3 kgs *sniff sniff:( * I have had a chauffer driven car take me to office and drop me home everyday *grin grin*. I have cooked dinner with 4 indians, a thai and an american.

Most importantly, I have met an amazing set of people. Everyone from a different background with a different story, but each one with a hearty sense of humour.

Cheers to Schlumberger Baroda for making summer of 2008 such a memorable experience!:)

Family Gossip!

Eccentric relatives and mind boggling family trees
Marriage of Blah's daughter with Blah's son
Grudge for this gift and that money
Divorce of Blah's son and Blah's daughter
New borns, and passed aways
Burlesque, mockery and snorts of laughter

This is how I would describe family gossip sessions:). I just had one when I went to Delhi to my relatives place. Everyime I go I'm treated to a new eccentricity of some new relative, with an amazing imitation(thanks to mami:) ) of the same. A treat to the eyes, ears and the heart:D

Jaane tu ya jaane na..

A little late to be putting this on blog, but better late than never.

One awwesssommmee movie, left me wondering why it only got 2.5 stars. Hell of an entertainer with the right amount of smiles and laughter. Excellent acting by every one. Perfect casting! Imran Khan is too cute to miss, and I love Genelia's clothes.

All in all, a must watch and a very fresh performance. I wouldn't mind going for it a second time.

God:MAN::MAN:Robot

“One man's "magic" is another man's engineering. "Supernatural" is a null word.”

---Robert A. Heinlein

The above words have never seemed truer to me. Today, I came across an article which talked about a machine called Rep Rap which can duplicate 3 D objects. A 3 Dimensional xerox machine!

I have never read of anything more amazing and astounding. Though it is slow at present and has lot of limitations, it can be improvised with time. It could be used to replicate itself also. It is mind boggling to think of the vast impacts it will have. Imagine what it can do to the manufacturing industry. The cost of setting up an industry, hiring labor, etc. all reduced to one simple machine!

It almost seems like a device hurtling out of a science fiction novel. The concept could be thought of as self reproducing robots. We could say,

God:MAN::MAN:Robot

By such discoveries, is man interfering with nature or is he doing exactly what the nature intends him to do. Maybe nature intends him to discover the ultimate truth of existence, of this universe gradually through such experiments, through science. The day we end up making a world of machines similar to the world that has been made for us, would perhaps be the ultimate day.

Maybe Science is God and God is Science?

Cheers to Summer 2008!

Tomorrow comes to an end the most awesome and the most different month of my life.

I keep thinking that I will write a nice long blog on all this, but till that happens, this will suffice.

Cheers to Summer 2008!

whats cooking these days part 2

white chane/punjabi chole(for 3 people)
ek katori chane
2 medium sized pyaaz
2 medium sized tamatar
1/2 inch ginger(adrak)
2 harimirch
namak to taste(3/4th teaspoon)
aam choor(3/4th teaspoon)
chana masala/chicken masala(catch/everest/MDH)
sukhi methi(calld kasuri methi)
kali mirch sabut(3-4)
elaichi(choti+moti:2-3)
coffee powder
dhania

overnight bhigo ke rakho..

take chane and add elaichi and ltl salt nd water to just cover in cooker..let it boil on high flame..den keep on sim after 1 whistle fr 20 mins

side by side prepare masala..add oil, den pyaaz den adrak den harimirch den oder masalas nd all...aftr onions turn pinkish brown, add tamatar..keep stirring...till masala pak jaaye...after ample time, add chane..nd 1/2 teaspoon coffe powder..(add water also of chane: DNT THROW IT AWAY)..let it mix..add dhania also...keep mixin under heat..
and punjabi chole are readyyyyyyyyyy!!!:):)

PS: now tats it...more aftr my training..am bored of this now..3 dishes more than enuf..:):)

whats cooking these days!

Just putting recipes here so that they're always accessible to me and also to show off what all I am cooking these days:)

Lemon Chicken (to be served as starter)
1 spoon oil
1/4th kali mirch
1/4th jeera
chicken(2 leg piece)..
salt:1/4th
lemon:1 lemon

first add oil, den jeera, den kaali mirch, den chicken..keep mixing on sim..den add lemon..keep stirring..now switch off gas and keep it covered..and thats it..its simple..its less oil..nd its yummyyyy

Gravy Chicken (main course)
onions(3)
garlic-lassan(7-8 pieces)
adrak(1 piece)
tomatoes(2-3)

cut onions and lassan(garlic) and adrak..make paste if mixie..add to kadhai..add oil...let it become brown/dark pink..
then add tomatoes(2-3 big ones)..mix..
add salt to taste(1 teaspoon)..chicken masala if available..haldi..long..elaichi
mix and make gravy..now add chicken pieces(3 leg pieces)..keep heatin till pak jaaye..
do it on sim flame..
if u have to make chicken wid gravy, add to cooker..add water to just cover the chicken..heat..

chicken ready tra la la la

Absurd..

We all have our idiosyncrasies. Some weird habit thats so normal to us, but annoying to others. Some people talk too much, some talk too less, some shake their legs continously, some knock their fingers, some drag their feet while walking, some sing tuneless and continuous, some sing in tune and continuous.

But its weird how, if you like someone, either as a friend or as a lover, the same habit becomes a sign of familiarity. Something which was annoying earlier, becomes an action you tend to love and miss. Thats the reason I think we can never criticize or find faults with our loved ones. Because we fall in love with their absurdities too. Absurd isn't it?:)

A beautiful statement by Carrie
"Somewhere out there, is another little freak who will love us, understand us and kiss our three heads and make it all better"- Carrie Bradshaw (Sex and the City)

Some days don't end the way you wanted them to..

Happens and Happens.

Cliched yet different!

Just came up from a long session at the mess table with everyone narrating their love stories. I got all mushy at the end on how sweet every relationship was. Also, I realised how a common link ran through the building of relationships. It was almost as if there were random combinations of the same parameters. Maybe that is a very non romantic way of looking at it, but its true.

Every relationship can be divided into two categories-with senior and with batchmate

With batchmate: It starts with the inevitable bonding during some arbit project in December. Infact statistics will show maximum anniversaries during December. Maybe some Christmas spirit spills over to India also. Meals together, night outs, movies. The project gets ditched, but the relationship reaches completion..

With senior: Some fundae for some company, resumes, scholarships, fundaes for insti activities, MI seniors, dept seniors. Intellectual sessions leading to the gal being impressed. Resume gets made, schols get awarded and you get hitched in addition..

The weird thing is that inspite of every relationship story being cliched, with the same tricks and games being played, yet its still so sweet and beautiful to listen to..!!

Hats off Cupid!!

For the unphoenix

One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs
Or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls

These are lines by Saeb-e-Tabrizi, a seventeenth century Persian poet while praising Kabul.

These are the lines that Laila, the protagonist of A Thousand Splendid Suns remembers when she is returning to war torn Kabul after the US forces have defeated the Taliban there.

These are the lines that every citizen can find befitting to describe his/her home nation.

Just finished reading this touching bestseller in which Khaled Hosseini has tracked the history of Kabul from 1980s to now. It seems a pity that a country so beautiful is destroyed and shattered by war. All because of power play. Power play, a game that twists your conscience and breaks all your moral bindings; wrenches the heart right out of your body and hurls it away.

In such times of adversity, what does it take to survive? Laila survived. She did not come out unscathed or unscarred. Memories of the terror, nightmares of the massacres continued to haunt her, but still she learnt to live with hope again. She still had the courage to come back to her home country which had taken away everything from her-her parents, her youth, her freedom. But that was Laila. She was undefeated by the war demon. What about the thousands who succumbed to the terror the demon yielded? What about the thousands who didn't have the courage to return? Everyone is not a phoenix.

And for those unphoenix(pardon narrative license), I mourn today.

PS: Bunked a CAT class to finish the novel and write this blog. Back to the world of books, I am loving it!

Midsem week!

Disclaimer:This is written for the sole purpose of cribbing!

I don't like studying..I don't like exams..and I don't like people who make me J by going out and having fun when I cant..

I want something good to eat..I want to sleep..I want to finish my novel..do anything but study..

Those were the best days of my life!

Innumerable night outs....

Shameless oversleeping and running for lectures..

Ridiculous reasoning to get tests postponed..

Absolutely absurd excuses for coming late to class..

Flippantly forgetting about quizzes..

Reckless rush for last minute submissions..

Constant cribbing about mess food..

Leisurely loitering at lakeside..

Walking around getting drenched in rains..

Cursing the unfair sex ratio..

Teasing everyone and anyone nonchalantly..

The first crush..the first date..

The first cigarette..the first drink..

Complaining about everything the institute had or did..

But loving it even more every moment ..

There are countless intangible things that we take away with us from IIT Bombay apart from the degree. What we are when we enter, and what we become, as we leave this institute, are two completely different personalities. And definitely, the change is for the better. Lord only knows the reason for the change, for such an amazing grooming—whether it’s the campus, the academics or the impressive seniors who always show us how much more we can improve.

Whoever be the magician, the institute has cast a spell on each and every person who has stayed in it. A spell which keeps calling us back to it, forcing us to miss it daily. For our mission, we are hoping to remind everyone of the magical times(if they need any reminding!) so that people will shell out some money to give something back to the institute.

WRITTEN FOR SARC(Student Alumni Relation Cell) FOR THE FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN

One for the cravings!

I am one of the worst people I know in terms of food cravings..

Thai vegetable rice
Black forest pastry
Cheese pasta

That makes it Pop Tates, Red Box and Pizza Hut

Presently, I have people who listen to my whims and take me out to satisfy these urges. And I live in Bombay, where cravings can normally be satisfied by a single auto ride. Dunno how long this will last. Thats why I want the future to be like the present. Always..

Story of a free spirit

Flying high
Across boundaries
Breaking barriers
Breaching bonds

Running- a free spirit
Memories washed away
Feelings drenched
Awakened, strengthened

Lilliputian issues forgotten
Towards a greater purpose,
I walk ahead
I rise alone

Adeos 2007, Welcome 2008!!

2008 deserved a new template..
2007 was an amazing year and I hope 2008 continues the same way..
Will be an eventful year with internship, CAT and placements..
Hope the good luck continues!

PS: They should have released the movie welcome in 2008..then they could have advertised "Welcome 2008 with Welcome" :D:D