Blogging away to Glory!

Whatcha doin buddies?!!

Hope life’s treatin u well.

Why do people answer a question with a question? And I’m not the only one asking this! I guess it happens when the initial question is either stupid, obvious, rhetoric, or repetitive. Anodr question I heartily hate, is “Aur Kya?!!” (= what else?!!) That’s OK when it comes once or twice in a conversation, but when all you’re hearing is “Aur Kya”.... Grrrr....

Just like the above is common, so is addiction and excuse. Each person has his/her own passion, and each one has a suitable excuse. Addictions may vary from drugs to books, lovers to emotions, actions to places, and so on. Ditto about the excuses ranging from time to people, situations to capabilities, resources to moods, and so forth. So what’s your addiction? And what’s your excuse? ... Mine? Shall tell u another day... Think about yours... And don’t say u haven’t got either! Shan’t believe u ;-)

There’s a lull in my life. Nothing seems to be exciting. Wohi kaam, wohi ghar, wohi log, wohi baate. My creative streak is takin a plunge as mus b evident from my recent posts! Writer’s block, as they claim... So, who’s sponsoring my trip to an exotic destination to get my brain cells stirring?!!

Talking about exciting and stirring, did u feel the earthquake in Pune at dawn on Wednesday? Around 3.15 am, I felt the bed wobbling and gripped my mum thinking it was her who was moving the bed (pretty Herculean of her to move a double bed so effortlessly!) In turn, she clutched onto me, and both of us started wondering wat was happenin. Not until the door rattled, did we realize that we were experiencing a quake. It was scary, I’ve never felt the tremors so distinctly. There was this huge one, and then a more constant, longer and milder one. Merko laga this is the last nite of my life! Whoosh...

In times of strife, a person invariably worries about self. Jaan hai toh jahaan hai. Even in airlines, the crew suggests you wear your masks and safety gear first and then help your fellow passengers. When mum and I discusd the event the next day, both of us admitd dat v wer thinking of ways to protect ourselves –getting under the bed, standing in a corner, etc. However, neither of us actually got up to do so or even tell the other wat v wer planning! V jus lay dumbstruck by the earth’s wobbly dance, and content wid our own thot processes...

This is something I thot I’d never say - narcissism ends at a point! Just like my obsession with my own blog ended one fine day this week and I was browsing for blogs written by others. The person who introduced me to blogging bowed outa blogger, and now has a stagnant page (which disappoints me coz she has impeccable English language skills). However, I’m amazed at the variety of people writin all over the globe! People wid zero language skills, people wid nuthin extraordinary to write about, people who seek action in the mundane, people obsesd wid their cities and studies. Some selling their wares, some displaying a host of snaps showcasing apparel and gadgets, some talking abt their kids, passions and books/comics, some about their adventures and holidays, and yet others ranting about business and cinema in their own languages. (I stumbled upon some that I can’t quite mention here widout bein flagd!!) (Come to think of it, if my mentionin them can get me flagd, y aint they flagd for having the blog in the first place! Watevaa... Whoeva said the world was a fair place?!!) You can check a few of my picks at the bottom of this page. Hope you enjoy them.

Hey, before I forget, leme tell ya this. This blog’s gona reach the half-a-century mark soon. 46 posts down. (This is the 47th one). Leme know if u wish to input anything. Completely my pleasure! Let’s celebrate people!!!

Rest is best... Will get back to u at the earliest... Won’t forget ya, I promise!

Adios,
AR

P.S : You must be wonderin y my blog’s lukin different. Added and modified quite a few things. Getting more professional and commited now ;-) My aim is to get noticed and be listed as a blog of note in blogger... Someone got close to 100 comments on the blog, and here I am, grappling wid no number greater than 5... If others can, so can I! Wid all ur help, and wid all my luv... Anuja

Post-Pleasure Plummet

Heya buddies!

I met an old school fren recently. The great news is he’s goin around wid a gal from our very class, and I’m so happy for both of them! I was surprised at my excitement, coz I couldn’t help recall a few facts centering around him...

1. I had a crush on him ya! For 3 solid years! How can I rejoice his hookin up wid anodr gal? Of curz a lot of time has passed... Feelings, people, life – nuthin’s the same...
2. Once, when he proposed to my gud fren in school (under pressure, he says), I felt a lil happy, but not too great... (They broke up widin a week, tho...)
3. When a gud fren from school announced at our reunion that they wer goin around, I was hurt and astonished... Why dint he tell me before? We were best frens in school – the 3 of us... Besides, how cud they hook up?!!! I know they shared great chemistry, but HOW...!!!

Anyway, I can c u yawnin away so I’l come to the point. The main thin is, once you let a person go, nuthin he/she does brings pain. As long as I considerd him my property, whether deliberately or unintentionally, with or widout his consent/knowledge, I kept hurtin myself by takin evrythin concerning him, personally. Now, when v’v moved poles apart, it really doesn’t matter who his current flame is. I can only congratulate him and wish him the best in his life. Besides, the gal is really sweet and simple, and she looks like a bomb now! ;-) Amazin how assessments and cognitions change with the passage of time. Nothin is forever...

Moral of the story – acceptance is the key to happiness. Learn when to let go, and learn to be happy for others. When you let go, you feel happy for others. (Wah, kya logic!! Looks like a learnt a bit from my logic lessons in Fergi Junior Coll...)

M Orkut-ing and LI-ing to the hilt. The entire world is on Orkut! In the last couple of days, I’v re-connected with a zillion lost frens and buddies on this site. Feels great! Especially reading the “about me” column where u actually understand what a person is, or at least what he/she thinks he/she is! All of us are so adept at forming our own judgments about people, that we scarcely ever check with them about what’s correct or incorrect, as well as what their own perceptions are. Someone I know as a family fren apparently writes poems! And another person who I’v known to be quiet and reserved has described self as creative, dreamy, confident! It’s amazing. A silver lining in every cloud – black, white or grey... However, I wish they’d hav names and snaps displayed to identify people. When a user changes his profile name, thrs no way to understand who they are! Especially whn people scrap and say “hi, wasup” and thrs no accompanyin name tag or pic dat can help u get ur bearings right. However, I find the site much betr dan Facebook. Don’t ask me why, tho the latter has a better website and news-feeds, too. Flickr, WAYN, Tagged, Hi5, Octopop (initially Gazzag, I think) are other sites dat I’ve chosen to stay away from. Cant manage 2 profiles, as it is! Unfortunately, Linked-In’s getting a tad boring. Otherwise the Q-A section is a delight!

I had an amazing weekend after ages... Or rather, anything dat’s not a weekend, feels like ages ;-) Watched The Last Lear, and wondered about what the crux of the movie was... Was it about depressed, exploited and harassed women? Was it about an artist (whose craft has become obsolete) leading an eccentric life? Was it about how people can go to any lengths to achieve their aims and perfections? Was it about the bonding between men, women, artists? Or was it about feelings, actions and impressions? I leave u to find the answers – the movie isn’t too great, but individual performances are astounding. What can you expect when the Shehenshah of Bollywood is part of the endeavor? And Arjy boy’s getting better and better! Movie rating 4/10, individual actors rating 8/10.

Apart from the movie, there’s been the usual weekend action – hangin out and chattin n lazing around. Oh, and I’ve enjoyed goin over the past (my Dear Diaries and modeling portfolios). And yeah, I’v freaked out whn a cat spoke to me... It opened and shut its mouth thrice, all the while starin sharp at me, and it said sumthin to me in an eerie human way... Brrrr....

The higher you climb, the steeper/deeper is the fall. After a fun-filled, exciting weekend, the week seems too long for me to drag on. There’s no light at the end of the tunnel, and I’m wondering how I’m gona keep up my spirits with the droopy face that I’m carryin on my shoulders... Work’s no pleasure these days, nor is there any other passion for me to get up and get goin...

Goin on a sad trip! Leme come bac to ya whn I’v sumthin mo concrete to talk about. Until then, lets all bow our heads in prayer and hope the week shrinks to half its standard size!

Amen.

Rock On!

Namaste!

I went to see “Rock On” last week, which was quite unexpected, coz
1. I don’t c movies that I’v misd too long
2. My usual movie-mate went ahead for it wid frens
3. I don’t quite like rock
4. I dint intend the movie to be absolutely watch-able or extraordinary

However, my uncle invited my family for a movie after ages, so cudnt refuse. Besides, who in the wide world wud want to miss a chance to gobble sum popcorn?!! Not me, fer sure laddies! (Anyway, we went to Rahul so the caramel ecstasy dint materialize).

The movie was a delight. A powerful beginning. Great performances. Awesome music. Tremendous sensitivity. 10/10 to the directors, producers, writers, actors, et al for exploiting the KISS principle so effectively (Keep It Simple, Stupid!) Any showgiri or complicated plots wud hav ruined the brilliant event. There were a few hitches, tho. Pardonable, as long as the movie dint compromise on its pace and energy. Like Farhan’s husky voice (Ugh! Acid on the ears) Rob’s kuch-dino-ka-mehman melodrama (The omnipotent brain tumor tragedy) The shitty lyrics (Who wrote them, anyway?) And the lull jus before the intermission... Purab, ever the comedian, remains nuthin mo dan a sidekick as Farhy boy steals d plot and Arjy boy steals the show... One of the highlights in the film was certainly the scene where the band sings for a Garba party to raise money for equipment. Very endearin. A very “Dil Chahta Hai” moment. Another parallel between the two movies is the ego issue between 2 friends. And how can I forget Goaaaa?!!! Aahhh... Ages since I’ve been thr...

I need to confess a few realizations that came to me while watching the film. One, rock IS English, and that’s final! Two, I actually like rock, PROVIDED it’s played on low volume. (I know dats not how its meant to be, but the BANG-BANG makes my head split.) M crazy about the guitar and the keyboard, and best of all the confidence, dynamism and camaraderie among the band-members, the way they connect with the crowd, and the way the crowd reacts to their every move. Its so in-sync and invigorating! I have alwes said I don’t like rock, for the simple reason that everybody likes rock, and its mo exciting to be on the other side of the majority ;-)

A more important reason for my dislike cud be that I find it hard to accept the reckless and selfless passion bestowed by rock-lovers on the music. The entire rock culture where people give up everything (including their ego, self-righteousness and awareness) to the beats, the free-flowing drug scene, the moshpit and other oh-so-rock complements; they don’t go down well wid me. Of course, I like their unity and vigor, but the entire episode is resplendent wid destruction, suicide, drug overdose, misfortune and penury. Too depressing for me. And besides, I cant tolerate anything un-Godly to become a religion, a thing to worship... Maybe its jus my shortcoming. If a thing/person becomes greater than me to someone I hold dear, I go to pieces. I’m too possessive for my own good... And this envy is not limited to living things alone! I can turn green even when a loved one gushes uncontrollably and approvingly about a non-living entity – a bike, or a book, or a place, or whatever. Sad, na? Kya karu... it hurts me as well as the other person, but sum qualities u jus cant choose or change...

Plannin to see The Last Lear (*ing Big B, Preity, Arjy boy) this week. I’m sure most of you dnt know wat “lear” is, and none of u wil chk d dictionary. So, free help – my gud deed for the day ;-) “Lear” is learning, lesson or instruction. Historically, Shakespeare wrote a play revolving around a character called Edward Lear, whose daughters are scheming and bad-tempered. As the movie is about plays and dramas, I assume both the meanings to be important and pertinent. Will let u know precise details when I watch the film.

As far as books are concerned, I’m still hooked onto The Last Don by Mario Puzo. The plot is thickening. I duno whether it makes things easy or depressing when authors make their characters too likeable or dislikeable. Its like fast food chopped to bits, you jus need to pop it down your throat widout havin to spend time and effort on chewing and feeling the taste... I prefer to study my characters for myself and endow them wid my own perceptions, evaluations and observations. But well, each one to his own... the book is fairly interesting though... Not as compelling as the Godfather, but not too down the list, either.

Chalo bahut hui gupshup, gotta go pals.
TC and keep smiling!

Muaaaaaahhh!
Anuja

Ganpati Bappa ... Morya!

Hiya buddies!

Hows the Ganpati season goin? So faa so gud? I’m doin well, thanks for askin. We hav Ganpati at our place, so thrs lotsa delicacies brewing in my kitchen ;-) Courtesy Madhulika Rathi, the most stunning lady in our family, also a gifted cook, able housewife, marvelous singer, amazin mom, (and so on and so forth)....
Women who run the house as a primary task never cease to amaze me; imagine having to work 24*7*365, without compensation and benefits, overtime and other allowances, leave policy, and other privileges that come with being employed outside the house. Unthinkable, as far as I’m concerned! Why take up a thankless job which is considered valueless and dishonored, inspite of the hardwork and continuous commitment? Thanks, Mum... And thanks all u other homemakers who may not b reading dis... Ur invaluable, ladies! And courageous ;-) Take a bow!

I’m pleased to get incredibly encouraging feedback and comments from u all. Really appreciate it, readers, active and passive. Each one of u, please take this as a personal and hearty thanks! From unexpected quarters, compliments have been coming my way, and that’s more dan enuf to make my day! (Wow, that rhymed!)

Back to business... Hey, do u like Lola Kutty? She currently hosts a on Channel V called GK (wid the punchline “knowledge is nnnevvvverrrr general”...!!) Awsum accent she’s got man. The way she rolls her L’s and R’s is hilarious! So, the GK tip for the day was the full form of GOLF – Gentlemen Only, Ladies Forbidden. Interestin, eh? Mus b invented in the pre-gender equality era... Akin to fugdi (for those unaware, its a speedy spin, similar to the western popular version of ring-a-ring-a-roses, in pairs/triplets/quadruplets), bhatukli (doll’s house) and other womanly games...

Well, ladies and gentlemen and all others, this blog’s for everybody... Hearty welcome!

Hope the last post went down well wid u. No offence meant, jus an attempt to show u dat noone’s especially close to the lord anymo dan the others. Its jus dat some of us find this connection a lot more easily than the rest. And everyone can... sooner or later... Its only our awareness that needs to be kindled.

Maybe mine was coz my Mum, a staunch devotee herself, ignited this love and belief of God widin me whn I was jus a toddler. I mus hav said d Hanuman Chalisa and Ram Raksha close to a thousand times now! If u ask me how profound and heartfelt my recitations were, my guess wud b as gud as urs. But, as my mum luvingly mentions – when u walk a path, whether carefully or carelessly, your stepping on a burning lump of coal is gona burn u no matter wat ur intentions or thots. Similarly, whn u reach out to God, He’s gona hear u. And the simpleton He is, He always chooses to give u d benefit of doubt and interpret ur intentions positively. I duno wat went right for me, but I certainly feel his hand on my head all the time. I’m blessed, and those who know me can sense it, too. I’m His favorite child! Yippee! Touch wood.

The other day, I went to Chatushringi on S. B. Road. I don’t quite believe dat one must donate money when one goes to the temple. It’s not about me not wanting to spare a buck, rather its coz I dno whose pocket d money goes to and besides, God doesn’t need my money. He’s got all He wants... Anyway, on special occasions, I do make it a point to drop sumthin in d daan-peti, and in this instance I decided to spare a tenner each for Ganpati and the Devi. When I inserted my hand in my hind pocket to place the cash, I felt some paper there, which turned out to be notes of 50 and a 10! I could swear I hadn’t left them there anytime recently. Moreover, the jeans was washed and newly ironed; to escape the clutches of my mum, the maid and the dhobi is nothing short of magic to me! This was my miracle for the day! God always returns good thins a 100-fold to me... And such small events are enuf to make me smile and c d world in a completely new light...

... Sibi, miracles r not jus the ones that turn iron to gold; they are also a ray of sunshine when it’s pouring. Its in ur eyes and perceptions. A cynic may scoff and ignore the unusual, but an optimist may c God’ s grace in the most mundane affairs. It’s this faith dat endears, this trust dat infuses us wid energy, this hope that makes our wicked lives seem pleasant and live-able, this belief that brings us yet more luck and joy... And who doesn’t want happiness?! All humans r d same; probably the only distinguishing factor is our perspective, our beliefs. God may not give u all u want, but He certainly gives u al u need... And as Sheryl Crow crooned in her “Soak Up the Sun”, it’s not having wat u want, its wantin wat u got...

So do u know wat u want? If you get it, gud for ya! If u don’t, don’t lose hope. God wants u to hav sumthin better...

Keep the faith!
Anuja

Psychological Parley

Hi mighty people! How ya doin?

U mus b bored of all the TV and movie and book reviews I keep writin about. Sala kisi ne zara tareef kya kar di, main to chipakich gayi us topic ko! No, I’ll talk about sumthin mo my-type this time... Like wat? Philosophy, psychology, life-ism and love-o-logy...

Calamity unites humanity. When it was pouring over the weekend, people wer runnin helter-skelter ducking the showers. Raindrops as huge as snowballs(Ok, a lil exaggeration thr, but the way they hurt was comparable). Its nice to see that on such an occasion whn passers-by seek shelter under commercial and private awnings, nobody turns them out. I was perched under Allen Solly’s near Aundh, and several bikers and families rushed to the same spot for cover, but no showroom personnel came out and complained about them using their roof and wetting their stairs coz they wer non-customers. It was very moving and heartening. Even whn Mumbai is doused with rainwater and floods, people help each other irrespective of caste, gender, age, status. A completely different picture frm whn times r rosy... We need reminders to embrace our humane and benevolent side. Thanks, Nature!

... And thank you for the rains as well! We need them else we shud prepare ourselves to put up with endless power cuts and food scarcity... Not too pleasant whn ur getin drenched and ridin a bike, tryin to get someplace asap. But when did we ever have the authority to command Nature?! We jus THINK we do... Misconceptions galore!

Speakin abt humanity, wat does Psychology mean to u? Most ppl think it’s all abt mind-reading and craziness. Sooooo not true... Each time I tell sum1 I’v an MA in Psych, the first comment is “Oh! So I shud b careful! Maybe ur judging/reading me!” Get off it; I’v got betr thins to do ;-) Freud is the layman’s only connect with this subject, and he is notorious for his pervert, shocking revelations. According to him, most things v dream about r about related to genitals and sex. Even otherwise, his views were very anti-humanistic, so I thank Maslow, Rogers and the like for showing Psychology isn’t jus for the “bad/abnormal” people, but also for the good folks. Check this site for positive psychology; quite a few interesting tests thr once u register: http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/Default.aspx

Other popular topics in Psych, especially in the educational and occupational area r Motivation and Transactional Analysis (TA). The latter deals with how one behaves, y he behaves that way, and how it can be modified. Pretty interesting when studied deeply; a mere glance at Berne’s Games People Play may not entice u much.

I firmly believ that whatever one does and whoever one is and however he lives, is coz of one’s childhood experiences. I don’t quite concur with Freud whn he talks about the Oedipal/Electra complex (where kids are “attracted” to their opposite-gender parent), chiefly the part about the castration/p***s anxiety sounds grotesque... But, I do know for a fact that the environment one lives in shapes his/her ideas, lifestyle, behavior, perceptions, and a zillion other things. For example, I know of this lady who spent her childhood in her disagreeable uncle’s house, fearing and dreading the consequence of her every action, and she continues to be a nervous, diffident individual, even after so many years. Another person I know saw a life where every penny was a luxury, and now, even after money’s flowing, he still continues to drive a hard bargain at every nook and cranny. Small examples, but if u spare a moment to think y ur d way ur, u’d probably find the answers in ur childhood experiences and upbringing. Your parents, siblings, authority figures and significant others sculpt ur thinking, feeling, understanding and behaving processes, and u carry these wid u into ur adulthood. U can change urself outwardly, but inside u’ll always carry dat young boy/girl inside u, dat needs to be protected and nurtured wid love and affection.

... And whn there’s noone to give u a hand wid wat ur tryin to accomplish, thn u turn to (oh no, not me all the time!) God. The Almighty. Who always has ur good in mind. Who always wants nuthin but the best for u, in watever capacity possible. Who accepts ur innumerable accusations, disrespect and hatred jus coz he luvs u so... And we ignorant earthlings jus dont realiz this...

Somethin dat voices my sentiments is dis SMS that I got awhile ago - Prayers are not to lighten ur burden, but to strengthen ur back. Hav faith in God. Faith doesn’t move mountains, but it gives u the power to climb them...

So, the next time a pebble falls on you and you complain to God about it, just bring to mind it was actually a boulder that could’ve crushed you to pieces... Had God not intervened and taken the weight on himself... He’s watching you... And he loves you... No matter what a jerk you are...

Mantra for the day - Jai Shri Krishna!
Cheers! (The abstinent one, guys... get off it, booze-happy one-track minds!)

Love,
Anuja

Sach aur Saahas

Heyloooo!

August almost winding up, and come to think of it, it doesn’t feel like too long ago when I celebrated New Year’s! Time’s a-flying buddies... The city’s gearin up for Ganeshotsav, and I’m tryin to rise above my varied work responsibilities... GASP!!!

Hey, I forgot to mention my review of the movie Phoonk in the last post, but dats exactly wat the film is - Forgettable. A few Qs may ease the understanding process...

Q1. WHY was this movie made?
Q2. WHY is the lead hero (crow) not acknowledged in either the credits or d title?
Q3. WHY does cackling Amma (Grandma) shake her head aka Amitabh in Black?

If RGV’s idea was to exploit the public by his aggressive and come-hither tactics of announcing a 3 lac Rupees award for watching d movie alone, then Ramu, ur goin d wrong way... It may attract people to the theatre, but dnt ask which way ur gona get it bac after they sit thru d 2 hour nonsense, hoping for a few edge-of-d-seat moments and being horribly disappointed. Since Aag, u seem to hav gone bonkers, what wid tryin to create an eerie environment by focussin d camera in crazy angles on weird murals, paintings, toys and statues strewn around the house. But well, dat dsnt quite make up for the lack of “bhootiya-giri” in the movie. Black magic in its simplest avatar. To seek revenge, a crazy woman wid her henpeckd hubby do sum jadoo-tona, jantar-mantar on a young gal, her atheist Dad’s laadli. Amidst the age-old feud between babas and psychiatrists, the climax shows a few scenes dat cud’v been creepy had they nt been so predictable and juvenile. Utter crap. Bhoot (starring THE diva of the millenium Urmila Matondkar) was so much better...

Anyways, did u kno thrs a sale on at Crossword? Good collection. But wat caught my eye was the fact that thrs a writer-in-the-making in every student of IIM! Or at least, they wud like to believe so! Anyone’s writin a book these days, and everyone thinks they’v got a story to tell. The entire spate of IIM pass-outs is describing their daily experiences in IIM, their love stories (or the lack of thereof), their faculty and peer conflicts, and other paltry details with great gusto. Quality-wise, the books are duds. All thanks to one-book wonders like Chetan Bhagat and Anurag Mathur, who’v breathed life into an entire generation of semi-talented (and non-talented) dreamers... Us hisaab se merit oh 8 – 10 kitaabe chhap jani chaiye na! ;-) Bachnaaaa ae deewano! Join the bandwagon! Heehee... Good for the Indian book industry, at least in terms of numbers, but not too good for an average reader who doesn’t know which book to buy (which dsnt make a difference either coz each book is more or less the same). So, if u’v got noone else, I can consider offering u recommendations free of cost. Now ain’t I generous?!!

Was watching this show on Star World, I think it’s called Your Moment of Truth. Not too long before apna Hindi channels cash in and copy this reality show as well (to name a few, The Weakest Link, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader...) The scheme this time is, there’s a series of embarrassing and dangerous Qs about your own life that you need to answer truthfully in order to win the prize money. U risk getting kicked outa relationships, ur job, ur home, and most importantly u risk losing ur self-esteem and dignity. I’m nt sure how reliable the polygraphs are, but it’s pretty easy to see whether a person is lyin or not from his/her expressions and behavior (at least for me, I hav a PG in Psychology yaar!). Probably the worst part is, you hav ur spouse, children, parents, friends, colleagues sitting right in fronta u, so its kinda tough to answer Qs like “Would you cheat on ur wife if she cudnt find out?” and “Do you watch pornography without any1’s knowledge?” and “Do you steal from work?” and “Do you resent your parents for not accepting ur spouse?”, etc. I mean okie, I win a cool $100,000 but what’s the point if it leaves me wid no1 to care, love or respect me? Worse, I may get sued and exiled! Not my cup of tea. Not that I hav too much to hide, yet y hurt people around me any more than I already do?! Naah... Harishchandra, this one’s for you!

One wonderful thot I got by SMS before I end this post:
All things in life are temporary.
If they’re going well, enjoy them.
They wont last forever...
If they aren’t, don’t worry.
They cant last forever either...

Cheers!
Anuja

Love and life

Hiya pals!
Its so amazing to reach home after a “hard” day at work, prop ur legs up on the sofa and relax with a hot cup of ginger tea (made by mum, if I may add) and delve into the pleasures of channel-surfin! Aahh, pure unadulterated bliss! My remote usually stays a moment longer on HBO, known for its wonderful movie fare. Sometime last week, a mermaid movie was goin on. Never having seen one before, and having nothing else to watch, I decided to linger a bit. It was a tad scary, especially when the innocent looking thing opened its eyes and swallowed a man whole! Woah... And when she screamed it was like a high-pitched wail, similar to a dolphin’s or a bat’s (whatever makes the ears bleed). Anyway, my understandin of the story was there’s this troupe of sailors who catch a mermaid and plan to take her to NY to become rich and famous. But what happens is they catch the Queen of the lot who is the provider for the other mermaids and how she finally destroys them all but one; a woman (“Lily”) who is later rendered dumb coz none that see the island of mermaids live to tell the tale. What was the movie called? The She Creature. Not really a must watch, but bearable if u’v nothing else to do. This week, I saw a bit of Son of the Mask; as crazy and as silly as The Mask, but probably cuter coz thrs a funny, smart baby and a comical, scheming dog.

Work’s getting busier. Not too many off-sites happening for me (thankfully), but there’s tons to do as I provide support for the admin and sales processes. My modules are turning out well, but only time (and my supervisors) will tell how good they actually are... What I’m reading at the moment? Body Language at work (did u kno women r regarded as body language experts the world over?!!), and The Last Don (Mario Puzo) at home. The latter is currently turning out like the entry scene of Bollywood’s Hum Saath Saath Hai. A gazillion of characters introduced every minute, and a disconnected storyline that plunges the reader into a Chakravyuh similar to Abhimanyu’s... Maybe I shud jus hold my review until the plot catches on...

Do we choose the people we meet? Do we choose to like/dislike them? And more importantly, do we choose who stays? Wish the answers were “Yes, yes and yes”. It would save us from the hurt and anxiety that accompanies mistaken intentions and unfulfilled wishes and desires. How wonderful it wud b if v cud command and direct our mind, heart, body and behavior! And how uncomplicated life wud be! Unfortunately, v end up likin people v can’t have, and we hold those we do in contempt. V don’t meet our “perfect” mates at the right time, and our contemporaries fall short by miles in every way. People u love walk away and people u cant stand fall in love wid u... The heart has no choice but to tide over its many hurts and mend its broken dreams. And thankfully, time co-operates... Time, the best healer, comes to the rescue and remedies wat life injures. However, the heart needs much more than merely time to move on... Love... Luv can dry ur tears if nt stop them, and love can bring a smile to faces that hav forgotn the sound of laughter. It can fetch hope when joy shirks your way, and it can get u up whn burdens weigh u down... M crazy about love! And for those of u who agree, life’s a great way to live! For those who don’t, I pray u attain ur own insights soon. As a very wise man once said (or was it a woman?!) “Learn from others’ mistakes, coz life’s too short to make them all!!” Love’s wonderful! And life widout love, merciless and bleak. Here's wat others say...

Love is when you look into someones eyes,and see everything you need - Kristen Kappel
The best things in life can never be kept;They must be given away.A Smile, a Kiss, and Love - Tony Farrar
And my fav of d lot... If you have love, you dont need to have anything else. If you dont have it, it doesnt matter much what else you have - Sir James M. Barrie

Love ya!
Anuja