Friday, July 22, 2005
TGIF!
Have been in a bad funk whole week and I need this weekend to recharge with a really key week coming up next (don't really know, but just feeling it). Am not doing anything specific, but sometimes just a change of surroundings can help. So here's hoping for that. Ciao all...
Friday, July 15, 2005
The Crush
She flitted across my line of vision like a butterfly high on nectar and my eyes followed her. Her movements, though urgent, were graceful and she soon had me transfixed with her dance.
The devil riding on me won and I willed my straining heart to join her dance. As I looked on and followed on her wake, she almost bumped into some bodies and caused a few voices to rise in anger. But she passed by them uncaring, as fast as she had come by. Another day, I would have commented at the lack of basic courtesies in such a fine young lady. But not today. As I said, I was transfixed.
Soon she found herself caught in the midst of a slow pack and I found myself alongside her. I did not know if she had noticed me earlier when she passed me, but this time she seemed to. She flashed the silent smile that the “I know I am being ogled at and I love it” types seem to possess, at me and I knew immediately that she was reading my thoughts.
And even before I realized that I had a voice – well, the one that you humans can’t hear, she was off again, screaming in delight in a manner that reminded me of Thelma and Louise. She left me staring ruefully at her tail lights flashing against the backdrop of the rising moon, as she sneaked through gaps that a old minivan like me would not even dream about getting into. So much for romance.
x-x-x-x-x
I was riding shotgun on the front passenger side of a Honda Accord (yesssss, I know it's not a minivan) sometime last Sunday when I observed a Acura RSX weaving its way across lanes trying to beat us all on the ultra busy I-95 South. Watching it move while almost asleep after a heavy lunch and with U talking to his cousin on the phone, I had a creative rush of blood, the likes of which I have never experienced before. I wrote most of this post right then. I don't know how good it is, but I think I did ok for a first time writer of such things as minivans having crushes on sports coupes. Needless to say, some of this story is autobiographical and the Acura RSX does find a place on my list of must own cars. But I will leave that list for another day!
The devil riding on me won and I willed my straining heart to join her dance. As I looked on and followed on her wake, she almost bumped into some bodies and caused a few voices to rise in anger. But she passed by them uncaring, as fast as she had come by. Another day, I would have commented at the lack of basic courtesies in such a fine young lady. But not today. As I said, I was transfixed.
Soon she found herself caught in the midst of a slow pack and I found myself alongside her. I did not know if she had noticed me earlier when she passed me, but this time she seemed to. She flashed the silent smile that the “I know I am being ogled at and I love it” types seem to possess, at me and I knew immediately that she was reading my thoughts.
And even before I realized that I had a voice – well, the one that you humans can’t hear, she was off again, screaming in delight in a manner that reminded me of Thelma and Louise. She left me staring ruefully at her tail lights flashing against the backdrop of the rising moon, as she sneaked through gaps that a old minivan like me would not even dream about getting into. So much for romance.
x-x-x-x-x
I was riding shotgun on the front passenger side of a Honda Accord (yesssss, I know it's not a minivan) sometime last Sunday when I observed a Acura RSX weaving its way across lanes trying to beat us all on the ultra busy I-95 South. Watching it move while almost asleep after a heavy lunch and with U talking to his cousin on the phone, I had a creative rush of blood, the likes of which I have never experienced before. I wrote most of this post right then. I don't know how good it is, but I think I did ok for a first time writer of such things as minivans having crushes on sports coupes. Needless to say, some of this story is autobiographical and the Acura RSX does find a place on my list of must own cars. But I will leave that list for another day!
Saturday, July 09, 2005
Celluloid dreamers and dreamy numbers
The future of Bollywood seems to be in good hands. This one year old link (thanks George) lists all those usual suspects who have made their mark (sometimes silently and unseen by many) these past two years. Hope to see more from the Kashyaps, the Dhulias, the Amins and the Akhtars in the future. And going by the initial efforts of these guys, if this is going to be the Bollywood of the future, then I will have no qualms, five years from now, in accepting Bollywood as the representative of Indian cinema!
A side benefit from spending time with the likes of M and N every weekend is the chance to hear Bollywood numbers that otherwise would pass under my radar. Case at point - Aao na from Kyun Ho Gaya Naa. Sadhana Sargam's melliflous voice elevates this song to levels that I haven't seen in a S-E-L effort before. The classical touch to the song is very evident and probably adds to its allure. Heard it for the first time (with concentration) over the last weekend and have been hooked. It's just beautiful!
Another song/video came to my notice through one of my co-workers here is Blood Brothers by desi hip hop group Karmacy. Karmacy's singles have been featured in different hip hop compilations along with the likes of JayZ. Their single Passage of India was on the American Desi soundtrack too. Now they are out with their debut album "The Movement". And Blood Brothers is a poignant look at the American dream and the issues otherwise unseen by the family back home. Another single that's been on continuous play this past week!
A side benefit from spending time with the likes of M and N every weekend is the chance to hear Bollywood numbers that otherwise would pass under my radar. Case at point - Aao na from Kyun Ho Gaya Naa. Sadhana Sargam's melliflous voice elevates this song to levels that I haven't seen in a S-E-L effort before. The classical touch to the song is very evident and probably adds to its allure. Heard it for the first time (with concentration) over the last weekend and have been hooked. It's just beautiful!
Another song/video came to my notice through one of my co-workers here is Blood Brothers by desi hip hop group Karmacy. Karmacy's singles have been featured in different hip hop compilations along with the likes of JayZ. Their single Passage of India was on the American Desi soundtrack too. Now they are out with their debut album "The Movement". And Blood Brothers is a poignant look at the American dream and the issues otherwise unseen by the family back home. Another single that's been on continuous play this past week!
Maru dhil, my heart, maru loi, my blood from the start
Mari nath, my family two worlds apart,
How do I move on bhai,
Kevirithe jais, cuz no matter where I go,
My soul is in the same place......
Speaking of heart and soul, have been listening to Ilayaraja's Thiruvasagam in Symphony this past two hours. I have always wondered what it is that makes IR's voice so calming (some people hate his voice, but he is par excellence when it comes to soul). Somehow his voice and esspecially his orchestration makes me close my eyes and TiS certainly acheives that.
Btw, TiS instantly took me on a flashback. In 1997, one of my friends, unfortunately not with us anymore, introduced me to this Malayalam soundtrack called Guru (incidentally, India's entry to the Oscars in the best foriegn movie category that year) that he had picked up in Chennai while on a visit. Repeated listening for the next couple of months made me realise that if there was a zenith that IR could reach, Guru was IT! Bought my own tape on my next Chennai visit and then one of my friends borrowed the tape from me a couple of months before I left India in 2001 and I haven't seen it ever since! Listening to Tis reminds me of Guru. The sounds are so similar and I wonder if Guru was recorded with the same musicians. The feel is the same, if I remember right. My next music purchase will be Guru for sure. So now I have a new item on top of my list for my paycheck!
Mari nath, my family two worlds apart,
How do I move on bhai,
Kevirithe jais, cuz no matter where I go,
My soul is in the same place......
Speaking of heart and soul, have been listening to Ilayaraja's Thiruvasagam in Symphony this past two hours. I have always wondered what it is that makes IR's voice so calming (some people hate his voice, but he is par excellence when it comes to soul). Somehow his voice and esspecially his orchestration makes me close my eyes and TiS certainly acheives that.
Btw, TiS instantly took me on a flashback. In 1997, one of my friends, unfortunately not with us anymore, introduced me to this Malayalam soundtrack called Guru (incidentally, India's entry to the Oscars in the best foriegn movie category that year) that he had picked up in Chennai while on a visit. Repeated listening for the next couple of months made me realise that if there was a zenith that IR could reach, Guru was IT! Bought my own tape on my next Chennai visit and then one of my friends borrowed the tape from me a couple of months before I left India in 2001 and I haven't seen it ever since! Listening to Tis reminds me of Guru. The sounds are so similar and I wonder if Guru was recorded with the same musicians. The feel is the same, if I remember right. My next music purchase will be Guru for sure. So now I have a new item on top of my list for my paycheck!
Monday, July 04, 2005
Blog Mela @ The Maanga
The Mango guy is hosting the next blog mela on the 9th of July. Interested parties head there to nominate the best posts from the Indian Blogosphere that have been (or will be) posted between the 2nd and 8th of July (both days incl.) Most of the common Blog Mela rules and instructions hold true.
However, you can trust Nilu to do something different (or stupid as your opinion might be!). He wants you to describe the post (that you nominate or self nominate) in a short paragraph not exceeding two or three lines. And he has an example (mentioning Freud) for the same too. Go here and check it out and to participate by nominating posts.
(P.S Nilu, done da...)
However, you can trust Nilu to do something different (or stupid as your opinion might be!). He wants you to describe the post (that you nominate or self nominate) in a short paragraph not exceeding two or three lines. And he has an example (mentioning Freud) for the same too. Go here and check it out and to participate by nominating posts.
(P.S Nilu, done da...)
Friday, July 01, 2005
All MY Circuits are fried
My cell phone plan is from a company endorsed by Catherine Zeta Jones (and more recently the choice of LG) and I have had this plan for just over a year now (currently out of contract). For quite sometime now, my friends have told me that a lot of times when they try to reach me, they get a a message that starts with "All circuits are busy........" or something to that effect.
But now that my cell phone is more or less my primary phone (the landline at work not withstanding) and now that my contract is out, I have finally become proactive about this problem. So much that, since the 22nd of June (my current billing cycle began on the 19th), I have spent a total of 140 minutes of talk time (toll free) talking to my provider about this. In comparison, I have used 131 regular daytime minutes and a total of 367 night and weekend minutes since then.
I know the first question that you would probably ask is, why am I still sticking to the provider. First thing is, they have an awesome deal thats very easy on my pocket and I am still going to be in the "need more minutes, but will pay less" mode for atleast a few more months. Second thing, I know a number of people in Delaware who have the same service provider and apart from the two of us who have the same 740 area code (which originates in Athens, Ohio), no one else seems to face this problem with receiving calls. So I am pushing this case strongly for the past week to get them to resolve it. At least I was hoping to.
I spent one hour yesterday searching for "all circuits are busy" on Google. I was surprised to find that this problem is common to almost every other one as well. So, I have lost hope that this issue will be resolved any time now. A chat with G, someone who's techie enough to explain in detail to me how cell phones work, reaffirms this conclusion. He advises me that the best solution would be to change numbers, while my other friends advise me to change providers. But should I really change providers, when mine has topped the JD Power quality survey last year in 4 categories, including the Overall Satisfaction Among Wireless Telephone Users"?
Actually the bigger issue is my number which might have to be changed, unless this issue is resolved. I might have to change my number since the next best provider (going by rep) does not seem to have the "number porting" facility in Delaware. Ughhhhhhhh!
But now that my cell phone is more or less my primary phone (the landline at work not withstanding) and now that my contract is out, I have finally become proactive about this problem. So much that, since the 22nd of June (my current billing cycle began on the 19th), I have spent a total of 140 minutes of talk time (toll free) talking to my provider about this. In comparison, I have used 131 regular daytime minutes and a total of 367 night and weekend minutes since then.
I know the first question that you would probably ask is, why am I still sticking to the provider. First thing is, they have an awesome deal thats very easy on my pocket and I am still going to be in the "need more minutes, but will pay less" mode for atleast a few more months. Second thing, I know a number of people in Delaware who have the same service provider and apart from the two of us who have the same 740 area code (which originates in Athens, Ohio), no one else seems to face this problem with receiving calls. So I am pushing this case strongly for the past week to get them to resolve it. At least I was hoping to.
I spent one hour yesterday searching for "all circuits are busy" on Google. I was surprised to find that this problem is common to almost every other one as well. So, I have lost hope that this issue will be resolved any time now. A chat with G, someone who's techie enough to explain in detail to me how cell phones work, reaffirms this conclusion. He advises me that the best solution would be to change numbers, while my other friends advise me to change providers. But should I really change providers, when mine has topped the JD Power quality survey last year in 4 categories, including the Overall Satisfaction Among Wireless Telephone Users"?
Actually the bigger issue is my number which might have to be changed, unless this issue is resolved. I might have to change my number since the next best provider (going by rep) does not seem to have the "number porting" facility in Delaware. Ughhhhhhhh!
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