Rave Reviews

Hey folks...

Some reviews for u this time... movies, radio stations, Odyssey - the bookstore and Zaha the pub...

Bhoothnath starts Big B, a very cute Aman Siddiqui, bubbly Juhi and here-now-gone-now luvable SRK. It's a chaotic state of affairs whr d part b4 the interval is timepass, you may even manage a few laughs thnx to d brilliant cast. But the characters n plot is flop. It's abt Big B who is attached to this bungalow in Goa and he dies there and stays on as a Bhoot ("Angel" as apna Bankoo = Aman calls him). The trio move in and AB tried to thro thm out. Rajpal Yadav is wasted in d movie, and so is Satish Shah, the plump and lisping, kids-tiffin-eatin-princi. Aman manages to jagao pyar widin d atma's atma n they hav fun aftr they strike a frenship whn thnx to bhootji Aman baby has a gr8 fall down the stairs n recuperates miraculously. Aftr d interval it's apna Bhagban whr Amitji gives a few seekh (forgive ppl and help thm, blah blah) and thn Amit's son surfaces who Amit has nevr been able to forgive as he lost his wife and even his life in pursuit of his son... Confused? well, dats wat Bhoothnath is all abt. You can laugh a bit and even get ur eys moist if ur d senti types. But d kid sittin next to me had a brilliant time laughin his head off n screamin than to Amitji's antics... I likd d caramel popcorn as usual, but the iced tea was too sugary and grainy... now u kno whr my interest lay ;-) hehe... if u'v got nuthin to do n no brains or slp to lose, go for BN, but make sure u dnt buy too expensiv tix. My rating 4/10 - coz d kid enjoyd it, my Ammi cried and Abba guffawed once or twice...

Radio One whatte fun - it's wonderful... a gr8 escape n a huge sigh of relief from Mirchi dat has shitty songs n shittier RJs... u'v got smart ones on Radio 1 n they luv to pull Big B's family ka massive legs... jab dekho they r at it, n it's quite witty I mus say. The songs r fresh n enjoyable n I absolutely adore Ghanta Singh who keeps askin Qs n irrit8g call ctr n other salesmen... My cel is now tuned to 94.1 (I hope I got it right, my memory's gone for a toss since I startd MA)... Bye Bye Mirchi... radio one is here to stay! hey btw, u heard Radio City? dats newly launchd too, but I dno how well it'l cope with Radio One. My rating 8/10 (it can get real irritatg sumtimes, all their Bacchan-bashing and sarcastic, insultin comments abt whoevr's making headlines, and Ghanta Singh's gettin repetitive and old)... However, I stand by my rating. It's really gud... no purana maal, jus fun...

Odyssey and Zaha. The first is a bookstore on FC Rd, rating 6/10 and Zaha is a pub near Chandni Chowk, rating 2/10 if you'r drunk n despr8 to go dance anywhr wid any1. The DJ sux (he was playin kaliyo ka chaman at 10 on a Sunday night!) and the crowd is yuck. Ppl who'v never been to a disc may like it, but then u know wat dat means... Absolut thumbs down. Probably d saving grace was d fact dat we had free entry (couple entry free b4 10pm) odrwise I'd b beatin d shit otta d person who sugstd Zaha to me in d first place.... Oops, forgot Odyssey in d heat. Good small lil bookstore dat has music n gifts n d usual stuff... I wonder y d Psychology section in any bookshop jus has dreams' interpretation and stress mngt books... get a life! Psych goes way beyond dat buds! D collection is gud, but d rates dont help u return to d store. It's fairly peaceful n no crowd on weekdays, d staff r frenly n helpful, so u can spend a free afternoon readin thr...

Got sum1 waitin for me.. so gota wind up... brb!
Enjoy the heat!

Luv,
Anuja

Padhai Khatm!

Hey buddies...
Hope u doin fine... m FINALLY done wid my studies, indicatin dat I believe m gona do well in my MA exam n pass out (wid joy)... hehe... so now vacation time. d last 10 days have been gr8 - bowling, partyin, hanging around wid frens, shopping, all in all, full masti... no work, no commitments, jus lotsa fun n masti... thinkin o travlin sumwhr bt location n funds n other logistics still underway ;-)

It feels gr8 to b done wid studies ya... I kno ppl say they miss this time whn they no longer hav it, but wat da heck... it's sucha relief nt to sit up readin late into the nite n bangin ur head over theories n stuff u cant understand nor will probably set eyes on for the rest of ur days... my exams wer gud n i hope i'l live up to the "All Outstanding" trend so far, but my Org Behvr paper wasnt too gr8... anybody on d lookout for an English trainer, psychologist, counsellor, industrial/HR person or even travel arranger... gime a buzz :-) this is Anuja, naam to suna hoga...
In d meanwhile, prisoner of Birth by Jef Arch is kpin me pinned to the bed. its an amazin read, absolutely un-put-down-able...i'v mngd to c "the namesake" (Jhumpa Lahiri's book made into a movie by Meera Nair) on tv dat i misd while it was still in d theatres... lukin fwd to "Jannat" this weekend - luv dat song "Zara si"... well well... nuthin much else, mum's outa town so cookin n cleanin n takin care of d house...need to reissue my passport which is sucha pain (in all d wrong places, dat too in dis heat given our govt functioning)...

Plannin to start my mornin walk routine again... so cya at d univ joggers park sum bright sunny mornin! rest is best...get bac to u soon... until then adios....

Luv Luck Laughter,
Anuja

April Phool...

Hey ppl,
To evry1 who's been directly or indirectly botherd by a certain SUMoNe...
I apologize, but I cant help it. Some ppl derive weird satisfactions by embarassin ppl they claim they care abt... And since it's been ages that I'v stopd takin dis nonsense, such folks r tryin hook, line n sinker to get to me... And in the bargain, u faultless, unrelated-to-the-entire-scenario, bz bodies r gettin bugd. Sorry again guys n gals... pls ignore, coz even I can do nuthin beyond dat.

So, wasup? Heard abt d "Batti Gul" drive? I heard it in Radio Mirchi. Was out at a family function on D-day, D-time. But twas amazin to c wat humanity can do as a team. The minute it struck 8, lights were out at Bibwewadi, even the streetlights, and tho it was a little scary, it felt great dat we r still capable of joint effort, in d same direction!

M bz at college these days, profs rushin to finish d syllabus (but does it really m8r considerin they hardly teach anythin dat we use for studyin for the big X - eXXXams). Next week is probably d final week of my student life ;-) aah, feels so gudddd... n after dat, we hav our pracs n theory papers anytim after d 20th of April. Which means I'm a free bird (wrt studies) after d first week of May.... Yipppppeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! Jealous, eh? ;-)

Here's a small poem, sumthin I penned while my Industrial prof was droning on n on... So if it sounds soporific, u kno whr to go ;-)
Whn faced by options galore,
A laidback, blissful attitude comes to the fore;
Whn faced by options galore,
There's parties, treats and uproar.
Worry takes a hike, insecurity blows away,
When others rock wid stress, u refuse to sway,
U bask in d blinding sunshine, while d rest pray for a ray,
To rest your problems and fears, u lay.
While you're still celebrating, d options start to dwindle,
D music fades and disappears, you're left wid a single fiddle;
Life plays funny jokes and ur d butt of a riddle,
D devil and d deep sea, ur stuck in d middle...
U cud try to be a winner, or accept d world to hate,
D crowds go away, and it's ur decision, mate;
Ur truest pals are unearthed in dis state,
Watever happens later, ur d master of ur Fate.
It's all abt how well u can cope,
It's all abt how well u express ur belief and hope;
Whether u become ur own candle, or in d darkness u grope,
Whether u stand up for ur happiness or sit in a corner and mope.
Finally wat happens is another story altogether,
When ur dreams r humble, they're d easiest to tether,
A bird can only cherish, not choose every feather,
So, dream big and vow to get better!!

You all alive n ok? ;-) Dat wasnt too bad, was it???
Hehe, tc guys... c ya soon. N in case I don't u know whr m stuck.... LIFE!!

Luv,
Anuja

Bas Yu Hi...

Hello folks...
Happy holi to all of u! I personally dnt like playin wid colors; a lazy person like me cant bother to scrub n rub n still end up lukin like a monkey (yeah yeah, i can c u grinnin n sayin "LIKE")... But for whoever can muster d enthusiasm, live it up pals!
I saw "Race" yday, pretty gud entertainment, I mus say. Great direction. Gud acting. Tons of style. Too many subplots dat create confusion, but intelligent nevertheless. My fav song "Pehli nazar" was only half picturised... all in all, u can watch it once if u can bear Katrina (who's as lively as a coffee table) and stop starin at Saif (Chhote Nawab rocks) to actually grasp d story...
So wats hapg at my end? Nuthin much, in the sense I hav a lot of free time on my hands; our dept at d uni is famous for cancellin lecs at at work, my scene is a little laidback - jus finished a course at d centre (wid a cute Swiss guy, ahem...) n nuthin else hapg at d moment. So its fun time wid frens n workin on my presentations n submissions at coll... My Bhabi's "roundin up" n it gives me extreme pleasure to imagine life on a new track in a few mths time!
People say m a lot mature these days, n maybe part of dat comes from livin for the moment, and tryin to be honest to urself n as gud as possible... Once u stand up to these criteria, life's a smooth ride... I dont quite like so much of free time, but its ok... i dnt hav it whn i want it, or rather whn i dont hav it dats whn i want it...
Ugh, pardon my ramblin... I get mighty excitd on d laptop n jus type away widout thinkin... So the agenda these days is playin cards wid mum (lost almost 300 bux to her last week) n hangin out wid my bundle of joy... rest is best. a few worries, a lot of laughter n life as usual...
B bac soon wid mo substance ;-) was jus rememberin u, so thot I'd drop in a line...
Muaaaaaaaahhh!
Anuja

Common Misconceptions

Jus sumthin I'd like to share wid u...
Here’s a list of some misconceptions that I’v often encountered – some dat I’v felt myself, and others I have heard from frens n relatives… Mo often dan not, as u gro older n (hopefully) mo mature one realizes dat these r jus silly notions dat lend a temporary feel-gud factor … Anyways, here goes…

1. One’s frens n colleagues r mo popular / treated betr dan one
2. Evryone says / shows what they really feel / think
3. It’s jus they who don’t win at games of luck and chance
4. Their mum luvs their sibling mo (I’v felt this one and I can c u noddin ur head, too!!!)
5. They look / perform the worst when they want to do their best
6. What they think / feel / perceive / believe is true
7. They’re not as beautiful / talented / successful / intelligent as others
8. (At a movie) Their neighbour has a better view
9. (On the road, in a queue) The other lane’s moving faster than theirs
10. It’s alwes they who bow down in a fight
11. Noone undstds them… OR They’re misundstd by everyone
12. Most ppl r out to get them – they’v got sumthin against them
13. (While shopping) They got the best / worst deal
14. “Good” ppl never bitch / crib / cheat / manipulate / hold grudges
15. (Foods and ppl) What looks good, tastes / is good
16. Money alone can bring happiness
17. There’s an external excuse for evrythin
18. They dnt get what they deserve
19. The best position is Number 1
20. Their bills r incorrect
21. They jus dnt hav d time to do thins they really want
22. A crocin is d answer to all dis-eases
23. Their experiences r d most unusual
24. They can’t help it if someone makes them angry / sad …

I’d luv to hear frm u if u want to add to d list, and I’d also like to kno if you have any experiences wid any of the ones I’v mentioned… I LOOOOOVE feedback ;-)

Asta La Vista Baby!
Anuja

Sister Prisca’s Fasssstt Lazzi

Hi ppl,

I’ve been travlin wid my mates, eatin meals at subsidized rates,
The South is a place interestin, and my Counselling course there enticing,
Educational and religious, fun and fatigue,
My trip was amazing, it brought me n my frens kareeb….

Dat abt sums it up really… My Dept at the Univ took us 19 ppl for an educational tour to Vellore… 9 days of Vellore, Chennai, Tirupati, Bangalore (o Bangalooroo as my frens insist)… I duno whr to start n I duno whr to end… I’ll need a long time to explain all I did and learnt and experienced (formally/informally), but in a few words – I visitd Mahabalipuram @ Chennai, Balaji temple @ Tirupati, Golden Temple (not Amritsar, but Padma Lakshmi) @ Vellore. I attended a Counselling course called “self-growth programme” at the Christian Counselling Centre, Vellore, Tamil Nadu – an esteemed and famous institute for HR and psychotherapy, and I shopped at Vellore and B’lore. It was tiring, but a great break. I loved it and hav very fond memories of learning, sharing and caring. Especially my first (and probably the only) experience of stayin in a hostel… getting up in time for brkfast @ 7.30am and dinr @ 7.30pm!

Wat was amazing was my expenditure (including meals, travel, shoppin, lodging, etc) was less than 3k!!! Can u beat dat?!!! The Golden temple at Vellore is mindblowing – its made of 900 tons of gold (undeclared of curz)!! Wat suckd was d fact dat I did a weird stunt in the train (was travlin sleeper class first time in my life!!) n I got ppl worried…

Will tell u mo abt d trip later, one thin tho – I find myself a lot more mature and rational in the last few mths, looks like my study of psychology and professional training is payin off… I’m satisfied wid life, and don’t complain quite as much as I used to… which is a good sign considerin d person I was! I also find myself betr equipd to advise and guide others, and they compliment me on d positive chngs that they have seen in me. Feels great…

Hey, I also hav another piece of news – my frens n family r kickd abt d fact dat I rcvd an offer frm Tata Motors durin a campus placement (a package of 25k+ in hand evry mth) - the brand’s good, the salary’s huge… I’m the only one frm my dept who got thru… jus 2 women selectd outa 50+ folks… evryone’s celebr8in, sumhow m nt too elated… lets see… I alwes seem to b thinking things noone’s thinking abt…

More details later… m bac to work n college and assignments and deadlines…
Hope u’v been good! Buzz u whn I can! Chow…
-Anuja

Insan(e)

People never cease to amaze me… First of all, thrs this unflagd race goin on all the time at evry signal on evry street… Whats d hurry buddies? But I’v spoken enuf abt dat in “Road Rage” so wudn’t want to lapse into dat again… wat m sayin here is ppl come in all shapes n sizes, n v often make mistkn jugdmnts abt them… There are those who I don’t think are worth a 2nd glance, yet they bcum an integral part of my life thnx2their luvly nature and adorable behavior... And then thre r those I wish to meet a million times before it gradually dawns upon me that they’re nuthin but a bucketload of s***. I‘m sure u’ve experiencd d same.

V’r so immature na? V let go of our rationality and get blown away by emotions and intuitions. When we hit Mother Earth (sumtimes wid a huge THUD), v realiz how silly v wer to b taken for a ride. V vow not to be so gullible n foolish d next time, but r v realy successful? I doubt it… Really admire those self-actualizd folks who can live happily and carelessly, not botherd by how others behave and nt affectd by wats goin wat way…

I had a 2B batch dat ended recently, n it started wid a bang. 3 handsome hunks n 1 simple cheerful woman. I’d expectd fireworks, n thr wer quite a few as they attemptd to gel wid eachodr, at times to no avail ;-) but it was fun al d same, unfortunately an anti-climax, as it dint end as wel as I’d hoped it to… rem I told u once abt my last 2A? it was gr8 al thru… even after it got over, had expectd d same here, but … Anyways, my current 2A is a huge surprise. Notwidstanding d fact dat I need to get up early weekend mornings to take d class, my batch now boasts of a robust 5 – 4 gals n a swiss guy. Its goin well… n I get my laughs frm here to kickstart d day…

Other than dat, there r 2 ppl who surprised me… one is a sweet, little (literally) person who I dint think much abt whn I met him 1st, but now it feels as if I’v known him all along. He makes me very very happy n I luv spending time wid him. Attitude lik was I’v alwes adored, gives me praise n priority which leaves me little to ask for, and well, how shal I say? Jus abt evrythin I’d dreamd about… God pland for us to meet n v did, but I wish v’d met sooner… v’re gr8 buddies, n wil alwes b… he undstds me betr dan I can say, n I can read his mind. We laugh 2gdr, v share joys n sorrows (ample of both), but life is much happier n content thanx to him…

The other one is one I had gr8 expcttns from… Smart, decent, ambitious, sincere, simple, consider8, unassuming... thot he’d be an amazing person to stand by for life, but ego raisd its dirty head n made life ugly… m glad I had d guts to call it quits n move on… I realizd life has much betr thins in store for me… God luvs me!

I duno how my relations wid these people will chng over d days, weeks, yrs… But I certainly wont forget thm ever… I can forgive, nt forget…not d guds, nor d bads… Dats life, aint it? Full of lessons and experiences… Wid each person I meet, I gro as a person, regardless of whether I like him/her or not, whether I keep in touch wid him/her or not… So far, I’v learnt not to lie… to be good to those who cant return d favor… to be happy… To not expect… N life is indeed feelin good… who says happiness lies outside you? It’s within, jus delve a lil deeper…

-Anuja