Exams on in full swing

Exams are on in full swing.
One more paper to go!
Will be back soon!

Folks wishing you all a healthy, prosperous and happy new year.

Exam Fever

Folks my university exams will be starting in another three days.
Need all your prayers and good-luck wishes:)

ONE HAPPY FAMILY???

There was a massive fight at home as Dad once again returned home after an alcoholic binge. Mom had suffered and endured for over forty years. She had held on to Dad in the hope that he would reform some day. Her brothers helped her in the marriage of her daughter. She heaved a sigh of relief as her daughter bid her adieu in all her bridal finery. Now all her hopes were laid on her son. The boy was strange and shy, average in studies and sports. All his teachers never held any high hopes for him. He would grow up in to one more of those thousands of average unknown citizens who laboured as clerks, office-staff and the like.

Returning to the day when Dad broke all his previous records of drinking. It was a Saturday evening. Dad had expected the son to be at work. So when he knocked the door and saw his Son opening the door; Dad’s drunken confidence shook a little. He entered the house with his head stooped low. He faltered and slipped and when Son tried to help him, the alcoholic fumes created a sick stench.

That was the limit! The beginning of the end! Mom snapped and lost all her controlled patience of forty years. She asked Dad to leave the house. To the Son’s surprise Dad gave a sarcastic smile and with renewed energy packed his bags and left. When Mom egged him to take away all his belongings; he replied – “I don’t need them. Throw them away, burn them, do whatever you want.” He bid goodbye with a satisfied smile on his lips and walked away. Mom did not know what to do. She wondered – “I should have divorced the scoundrel years ago.”

The Son sat silent for a long time. He had tried his best to rid his father off alcohol. But the Devil had impregnated Dad’s soul a notch too deep.

The Son examined the contents of Dad’s closet. There were various bills. Mostly from bars and hotels. There was a diary where expenses had been recorded. There were multiple entries against a mysterious X. Jewellery, clothes, and perfumes! So the plot grew thicker. There had been another woman. So the Sinner had another sin to his tally. Perhaps it was the best option for all.

The Son closed the diary and picked up the telephone directory. He found the phone numbers of a couple of lawyers. Perhaps it was finally time to get a Divorce for Mom from the Scoundrel!

Serendipity

She stood there,
In front of me,
As pristine and calm,
As I remembered her,
From a time long gone by!

Sometimes life brings,
Memories and surprises,
In the strangest of ways,
Is this serendipity?
One can never tell!

Wishing you all the best as always!

Points to Ponder

I got this as a long SMS today. Makes one think:)

LISTEN and SILENT.

Look at these two words.

Do you observe something.

Both words are formed by different combinations of the same letters of the alphabet.

You need to be a good listener and also know when to remain silent to succeed in life.

Chennai Book Fair-2010

Folks!

I guess this is breaking news.

The 33rd Annual Chennai Book Fair is set to take place between December 30, 2009 and January 10, 2010 at St. George School Grounds opposite Pachaiappa's College, Kilpauk.

I came to know about this yesterday when I was reading a magazine.

For further details visit http://www.bapasi.com/

Members of the Book Loving Souls Gang if you are reading this please let me know if we can have a reunion of sorts:)

We never really progressed after the Citi-Centre Meet:(

Hi

It is not everyday that one gets a new follower for one's blog.
That too someone whom you have never met or spoken to.
It feels great.

Hi Madhuri and welcome to my blog!

India Win a Thriller

India won a tense thriller at Rajkot yesterday.

More than 800 runs were scored in a single day.

India scored 414 runs to post it's highest one-day total.

Sehwag blazed with the bat with useful knocks by Sachin and Dhoni.

Dilshan, Taranga and Sanga threathened to take the match away from India.

Decisive bowling by Zaheer, Nehra towards the end and Harbhajan in his first speel ensured that India won by 3 runs.

This is going to be a cracker of a series!

I Wonder

As I sit down in front of my computer and wonder,
Wonder if it is really worth it?
All this labour for all these years!
Was it for this?

No one to call as my dearest!
Nothing to claim that this is my labour of love and care!
I continue to trudge in monotony,
Performing my chores everyday!

The Orphan

This one takes the cake for its climax.

The movie is about a family that adopts a girl from the church orphanage.

Once the new girl Esther comes in to the family strange and disturbing events take place.

What is the real identity of Esther?

Why is she killing people?

Watch the movie for answers!

This is a kind of B-grade mystery movie but the climax works great.

I liked it because there wasn't too much blood and gore.

Watch it on a lazy Sunday afternoon if you have nothing better to do.

Sanga leads the way

Sangakkara's blitzkrieg with the bat set an imposing target of 216 for India to chase in 20 overs.

Gambhir and Sehwag gave India a rollicking start.

The loss of Gambhir's wicket triggered a collapse that saw the loss of wickets cheaply.

Sri Lankan fielding was impeccable with some brilliant catches in the out-field.

India have to win the next T:20 at Mohali.

Let us see what happens

Inglourious Basterds

Quentin Tarantino the maverick is back and in awesome form!

Blending fiction with history and a superb cast-the most notable being Brad Pitt the movie is a winner.

The movie starts with a senior Nazi officer arriving at the house of a dairy-farmer in Nazi-occupied France in 1941. The officer Colonel Handa portrayed by Christoph Waltz, interrogates the poor farmer methodically and coaxes out the truth that the farmer is hiding a family of Jews under the floorboards. A firing order ensures that all the hidden family is exterminated, but one girl Soshannah manages to escape.

The story moves to 1945 and we are introduced to Aldo Rainer played by Brad Pitt who leads a band of Nazi-hunters named The Basterds. he story moves on as the Basterds infiltrate the top rung of the Third Reich and get an opportunity to kill a whole bunch of Nazis in a theatre.

What happens? Do the Basterds complete their mission? Is Handa punished? What happened to Soshannah?

Watch the movies for answers!

Team No. 1

The final day's play did not spring any surprises. Zaheer's incisive spell of disciplined bowling ensured that the party started much earlier than anticipated.

India defeated Sri Lanka by an innings and 24 runs to become number one in the international test-cricket rankings.

Sehwag got both man-of-the-match and man-of-the-series awards.

This numero-uno position is pretty likely to be short-lived as the Australia-West Indies series is in progress and the South Africa-England series will start soon.

Anyway kudos the team, coach and support-staff.

In other news Pakistan bounced back with superb bowling to trounce the Kiwis and level the test-series 1-1.

Sehwag misses 300

Sehwag missed another triple century by a whisker and Muralitharan finally had his revenge!

Let us see how the game progresses.

Meanwhile in New Zealand Kaneria and Asif triggered a batting collapse to bundle out the Kiwis for 99.

The match is poised interestingly and in the absence of Shane Bond we need to see who will don the striker's role for the Kiwis.

For Pakistan the Akmal brothers, Umar Gul and the new kid Aamir are doing a good job.

Let us see if Pakistan can level the series?

I am Losing the Plot

Life is in utter chaos.
Mom's illness shows no great sign of recovery.
The monotony of work and all the lies associated with it are driving me nuts!
Six months back I made a decision with lots of dreams and aspirations.
Everything has gone crazy.
I have cursed and kicked myself umpteen number of times since that fateful day.
Now it is a matter of time!
I am running the risk of being labeled a back-stabber, escapist and quitter by many.
I guess it is just not worth it.
I need to be with my mother till she regains good health.
I need time to sit down and decide what to do with my remaining life.
Too many bad decisions have landed me in this current mess. I need to recharge, rejuvenate and do something meaningful.

It is time to do some serious introspection and find out what my life's true calling wants me to do.

Bye folks!

Silence

Dearest your silence,
Continues to torment me!
You said that-
"We still remain the best of friends".
Was that in jest or in spite?
Maybe I shall never know.

As the winds of time blow,
We might meet again,
Till then it is silence!

Sreesanth Reloaded

India completed its century of victories in test cricket by defeating Sri Lanka at Kanpur.
Sressanth's performance with the ball which included a five-wicket haul in the first innings was instrumental in India's victory along with the centuries by Sehwag, Dravid and Gambhir.
Sreesanth has mellowed down and his stint at Warwickshire has done a world of good for him.
He has to remain calm and focus on the game. Let his bowling skills talk instead of his on-field antics.
With the final test beginning soon, let us see if Sree can provide another match-winning performance.

Musings

My past continues to haunt me!

One of the darkest periods in my life which led to a life-threatening accident keeps returning.

Distant relatives on meeting me after all these years keep referring to the accident.

I have tried so hard to come out of those five months of madness, mayhem and illness.

But I can never run away from the truth!

Never:(

A Prayer

A prayer for all the innocent souls who lost their lives in the terror carnage on November 26, 2008.

A year has gone by, the scars remain.

I pray that we never again face a scenario like this.

Hang Kasab!

If a superpower can declare a war on terror, should not our nation at least take action against the culprits?

Will the law take its own sweet time?

Is any further proof required to prove that Kasab was indeed one of the main perpetrators of the crime?

The prime accused in the Parliament attack Abu Afzal Guru's execution was stayed!

Does justice prevail in India at all?

When will my nation's slumber be broken?

Folks please think!

Musings

My patience is running out.

Seems that I will have to run again!

But how far will I run?

Ghosts from the past keep returning to haunt me.

Is it the end?

Or the end of a horrible nightmare-

That seems to be forming in the immediate future.

Only time will tell!........

Kanpur Test promises to be a batsman's delight

There were loads of complaints on the quality of the pitch at Ahmedabad.
Seems the curator of Kanpur decided to better his mate at Ahmedabad.

At the end of day-1, India have scored 417 runs for the loss of two wickets. Solid centuries by Gambhir and Sehwag. Dravid looks good on 85 with Sachin giving him company.

Let us see how the pitch behaves tomorrow.

Back to work

A bout of fever and an injury on my foot got me a holiday on Friday.
I am back to work.
I am being typecast to be suffering from "The Friday Syndrome".
:)

Gambhir and Sachin Save India the Blushes

Determined centuries by Sachin and Gambhir and a patient 50 by Laxman ensured a draw.

The next test at Kanpur should be interesting. If the pitches remain as they were at Ahmedabad then well anything is possible.

The Clock Ticks!

The clock ticks,
I sit silently,
Staring at my monitor,
With a false smile,
On my face.

The mind wanders,
With the body stuck here.
Every single day starts on a melancholy note.
Each day one expects,
Things will improve.

But things remain the same.
Pressures at work,
Domestic discords,
The list of troubles keeps growing.

The path for the future,
Looks unsettled and mysterious.
Decisions in the past,
Some treasured as cherished memories
And others banished as dreaded nightmares.

As I stand at the fork,
Of my professional
And personal life,
I wish to break free.
Of all rules and codes

Travel all alone
To some distant mountain
Or to some old sea-side town
Sadly these will all remain as dreams.

As the monitor blinks,
With a notification,
Of an e-mail with yet another project-deadline
The clock ticks again

I awake from my dreams and am back to staring at the monitor.

Rediscovering Friends

It is a feeling of absolute joy and the heart feels happy when one rediscovers a friend from college-days on a social networking site.

I am happy:)

Jayawardenes demolish Indian bowling attack

Dravid's knock has been overshadowed by the batting display of the two Jayawardenes.

An imposing total of 760/7 ensures that Sri Lanka has a fair chance to win their first test match in India.

More to follow on this once the match ends.

A post on the batting of the underrated Mahela and Dhoni's flawed captaincy will be published once the match gets over.

First-Love and One True Love-Books

This post is inspired by Kavi's post

I have always loved reading books. All kinds of books except my school-books:)

Some of my earliest memories of introduction to reading goes to the journey I made from Pune to Calcutta; when my father had quit one more job and sent me and my mom to my uncle. I guess it was a Chandamama that my mother bought and silenced me. I kept looking at the pictures and was awe-struck by Vikram and Betaal.

At Calcutta, I met my elder sister after a gap of three years. She took me, I was five years old I guess, in her arms and promptly placed a peck on my cheeks. I got lots of Indrajal and Amar Chitra Katha Comics and my sister would explain the stories.

At school there was Ronnie madam who took English class and it was a real treat to attend sing-along classes when rhymes and lessons were held.

I guess I was seven or eight; when I got my first Tintin comic-"The Blue Lotus" from my uncle. I guess that fateful day marked the ignition for my life-long passion for books. My uncle was separated from his wife and son; perhaps to make up for his paternal los, showered all his affection on me. Sundays would be spent in Camac Street, Mirza Ghalib Street, Gariahat and lots of other places where we would pore over old books. The biggest attraction was the Calcutta Book Fair at the Maidan. I guess the venue has changed now. Enid Blytons were staple diet, by the time I was eleven I had completed-Famous-Five, Five-Find-outers, The Secret Seven and the Adventure Series.

There was healthy competition between me and my younger uncle's daughter. She loved Nancy Drew and I was mad about Hardy Boys and The Three Investigators. She had a massive book collection courtesy her uncle Mani mama who used to run a lending library when he was a teenager. As each new year dawned the seriousness of academic excellence dawned and everyone realised that I was an absolute misfit with Maths.

Classes six and seven were devoted to Arthur Conan Doyle, Charles Dickens, Jules Verne and Alexandre de Dumas. Sherlock Holmes, Captain Nemo, Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers were my heroes.

By the time I reached Class-8 I had switched to Sidney Sheldon, Jeffrey Archer and Desmond Bagley. I was a man trapped in the body of a boy. I had matured as a reader and as well as a teen who had realised that his father was an absolute failure.

Fast-forward to 1998-May 1

I am at Central Station in Chennai with my mother, waiting for my father. A last chance for him to redeem himself as a husband and a father.

Chennai is a book-lover's paradise. My dad could never fathom what I wanted. My mother would give me a hundred rupees once in every two months as pocket-money. I would pain-stakingly save money and make trips to Triplicane and Moore Market to buy old novels.

June 2002

After scraping through high-school; I finally joined college-R.K.M. Vivekananda College. A course in English Literature and a whole vast new world of drama, fiction and poetry. Shakespeare and Francis Bacon were read for marks, Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams and Tagore were read for pleasure.

Poetry for me was a fine balance between Robert Frost, William Wordsworth and Emily Dickinson. John Donne and co. with their metaphysics were beyond me.

June-2005 -The Professional

An essay on Dickens won me a place in the corporate world and I started my career as an Instructional Designer. Now I had the luxury of a zero-balance salary account. After paying my mother my salary, a small portion of my pay would go towards buying DVDs and books.

Current Scenario

Five jobs later in different companies and different roles, my career continues to hang on at the precipice of uncertainty as I am contemplating one more switch. I have discovered police-procedurals in the translated works of Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo-the Inspector Martin Beck series. I have also enjoyed the Inspector Morse and Inspector Rebus books.

There is such a vast ocean out there and my room is already full of books. I have a huge list of books that I need to buy and read. My mother keeps warning me that my wife will come and throw away all my books. Well that is a veiled threat:)

An affair that never began and ended before it could start still hurts me.

But my passionate romance with books will continue till the very end.

Girl-friends may come,
Girl-friends may go,
A woman might actually end up being my wife
But my one true love shall be my books alone.

Musings

Again and again I rue my decision of having quit my job on writing about cars. I feel like kicking myself for becoming greedy and tempted by the designation of a "Manager". I got a decent offer from another company but I rejected it.

I honestly am at a self-created mess or yet another career-crossroad. A couple of fellows left without serving any notice; just a farewell. I do not have the heart to do that as I am a sentimental bloke. I respect a director of the company for her intelligence and her strength.

The way things are going with no signs of any major improvement I think I will have to "abscond". My resume looks shabby and although I have worked in various roles in diverse areas the "drifter" tag is becoming prominent.

I think I will end up again at SS Earnley or at some of the other companies where I have worked earlier. The process of sending resumes, taking up tests, attending interviews is all set to start again. I need to find a job without shifts!

Wish me luck folks! The game is afoot !

Bride-Hunting and Horoscope-Matching

Thirty horoscopes from my sister.
After many permutations and combinations, five show signs of matching. Five e-mails have gone to different parts of the country with my details.

Let us see if a favourable reply comes.

A Time to Study

Need to start studying with more interest and energy as exams are in December.

I am worried about one paper called Quantitative Methods.

Maths has always been my weak-point and the ghosts of high-school are back to haunt me.

God give me strength to study well and clear all papers in the first attempt itself.

Team India-What went wrong?

Team India-What went wrong?

Before the start of the seven match India-Australia ODI series, things were pretty much gung-ho and we looked for an interesting series.

The so-called second-strung Australian team has once again proved how an effective and efficiently run Cricket Australia churns out match-winners who are up to the challenge and snatch victory from the mouth of defeat.

Two very closely contested matches. It was India's cocky approach that cost them the series. Today's match is likely to be canceled because of heavy rains. Sachin will once again be disappointed as his 175 a master-class of batting went in vain. Memories of the Chennai test conceded to Pakistan will echo again.

Dhoni's captaincy and the lop-sided batting of the team has caused a lot of heart-burn.

A banner held by a spectator "INDIA MISSES THE WALL" is proof of what is needed.

Why Sehwag or Sachin did not get to bowl remains a mystery. Sehwag's failure to get a good start and an unsettled opening batting pair troubles India.

The one true positive from this debacle was Praveen Kumar surprisingly for his batting.

The Sril Lankan series starts soon can India regain some respect. Let us see.

Public Enemies-Politicians

Look at the mess:

In Karnataka a chief minister and a national party are held to ransom by two brothers.

Madhu Koda a former minister is accused of a scam running in to thousands of crores.

Maoists continue to create mayhem as ministers look dumbfounded.

Maharashtra Assembly is disrupted as MNS members attach Abu Azmi for taking oath in Hindi.

Water wars emerge as Tamil Nadu and Kerala are at loggerheads over Mullai Periyar Dam.

God save this country!

UP!

I finally got to see "UP" this Sunday evening. This gem from Pixar had a long delay in reaching India.

The movie is a departure from previous offerings from Pixar and has human emotions as a major factor.

The movie recounts the story of a young boy who wants to be an explorer. He meets a girl who has similar ambitions. They become friends and they grow older and get married. They plan to reach the fabled Paradise Falls and start saving for their trip. The sequence extends and the childless couple have grown old. The man Carl and the woman Ellie still love each other deeply.

Carl gets two tickets to Venezuela but Ellie has fallen ill and eventually she dies. Carl sits all alone in the church after Ellie's burial.

Carl's old house is in the middle of a construction plan. A series of events leads Carl to be arrested and forced to move to an old-age home.

Carl plans something else and blows loads of balloons fixed to his roof and flies away. The only problem a small chubby boy Russell is unwittingly also at the doorstep when the house flies.

The duo face problems and finally reach Paradise Falls.

Here they meet talking dogs, a strange bird and an explorer Charles Muntz who was presumed to be dead.

What follows next is an interesting mix of the duo outwitting the old explorer who wants to capture the bird alive with his coterie of talking dogs.

There are chase sequences in the air, a zeppelin kind air-ship and Carl's humble home.

Watch the movie on the big-screen.

Thumbs-up!!!

Public Enemies

I expected a lot from this movie.

A chance to see Christian Bale and Johnny Depp trying to outwit each other.

This is a movie which traces the history of notorious bank-robber John Dillinger and the story of how law-enforcer Purvis manages to trap him and kill him finally.

The movie was good from the cinematography and background music-score point of view. A couple of jail-breaks and chase sequences.

The movie was entertaining but the feeling that I did not get my money's worth continues to bother me.

Christian Bale was wooden while Depp was average.

The lady who plays Depp's love-interest has done a good job.

Sadly only a 2.5 star rating!

District-9

DISTRICT-9

What a movie!!!!

A formulaic concept of a man on the run that has been rewritten with an alien twist.

This movie needs a detailed review, but I am pressed for time.

A situation where aliens land in Johannesburg, they are pushed to a colony in the city termed District-9.

A company is given the task of moving them to another area. One of the officers gets infected and mutates into an alien.

Now the authorities and a group of Nigerian gangsters are after him.

Does the officer escape?

Does he become a full-fledged alien?

Is he reunited with his wife?

Watch the movie for answers.

Worth watching on the big screen

A Decision

Musings.....

Well I do not know who all are going to read this post.
May be someone from my current office might read this!
To cut a long story short, I got an offer from a leading company. A good offer too.
But with all the problems and short-comings that are here, I chose to continue here.
Let me see how things progress.
The 2-year clause continues to weigh heavily on my mind.
I am trying to bring in changes, clarity and a systematic approach to work. Two months more to go for completion of probation.
If things continue to move downwards then it will be "quits".
There is a gut-feeling that good-times are around the corner.
Let us hope for the best.

HAPPY DIWALI

WISHING EVERYONE HAPPY DIWALI

Crisp Movie Reviews

Crisp Movie Reviews

Managed to see some movies:

Kandaswamy-Over-hyped, time-pass, Shriya looks stunning and anorexic at the same time, Vikram is cool, Vadivelu is crass, the movie bends all notions of "Wilful suspension of disbelief".

Eeram-Great potential, starts of well, loses steam in trying to balance itself as a horror movie or a suspense thriller. Definitely worth watching once.

Unaipol Oruvan-Mohanlal outshines Kamal, but the movie lacks suspense for folks who have seen "Wednesday".

Dare House

All these years in Chennai, I used to look at the imposing Dare House at Parrys Corner.
The European-style architecture and a chequered history behind the building.
Later this evening I shall be visiting the building to meet a client.

Wish me luck:)

Searching for The Divine

Searching for The Divine

One wanders in temples, mosques and churches, trying to find the Divine One.
It takes a long time for one to realize that the Divine One exists in oneself.

An Emotional Outburst

All the frustrations at home, my mother's illness, father's irresponsible behaviour and the pressures at work-took their toll and I had an emotional break-down at work. I was practically in tears and mumbling incoherently.

The folks at office were worried and promptly sent me home.

A colleague dropped me at the railway station and I reached home in a dazed state.

I do not know how things are going to go on.

Life keeps springing surprises at every stage.

The quest continues...

Missing Kolkata

Lines Composed on the City where I was Born

I do not know why!

But I am missing Kolkata a lot.

The Navaratri season has started.

It is time for Pujo in Kolkata.

The pandals with the various forms the goddess.

The crowds, the jhal-muri and puchka.

The stalls with the shooting games.

I just don’t know why!
Why I had to leave the city where I was born!

Chennai has given me a lot!
Moulded me in to a man,

From the gawky adolescent that I was!

Given me praise, friends, fame and a job!

Somehow the winds of change,

May destine me to return to the city,

Where I was born!

May be a bride from the land of sweets!

Who knows?

An offer to work!

In a land of bandhs and strikes!

A chance to travel by the trams and the Metro!
A chance to visit the maidan in the evenings!

Wish that some things,

Fall in to place soon!

The Quest Begins!

So the quest shall start all over again!
The surprise being the seeker might return to an old haunt again!
Wish me luck folks!

Musings

Musings


I wonder,
As I sit trapped,
In this place.
Bereft of any joy or humour.

Pretending to be happy,
And enjoying what I am doing.
Another charade-
To play my role.

Will there be a change?
The darkness that continues to haunt me
Is puzzling!
Will the shining light!

That I aspire for,
And dream in drug-induced sleep
Brighten my life-
In reality?

Salary:)

Salary:)

Finally we have got our salary.
Funny thing is have not got a message from the bank yet.
One of my colleagues checked his account online and passed the news around.

Salary!

Still no luck and my saint-like patience is reaching its breaking point.

Salary......!

Salary Woes

Salary, dear salary,
Where are you?
Are you stuck-
In the coffers-
Of the great directors?

Are you stuck in limbo
Awaiting a signature from HR
Or a signature from Accounts?

Or are you stuck
In the labyrinth
Of servers and networks
That enable the transfer of funds

Shall I receive an SMS
From my bank this evening!

Stating that-
RS ***** has been credited in your account number XXX
As salary for the month of August!

Was I a fool?
To have accepted things at face value!
It seems that the Quest!
Shall begin all over again.

It seems I shall never ever-
Find sanity-
Amidst this corporate chaos.

The Guessing Game Begins!

With August coming to a close tonight and September starting tomorrow-- the guessing game begins!

Wonder not!

It is with regard to the payment of salary.
Last month it was the tenth or eleventh of August!

Hope pay gets credited at least by fifth of September!

Keeping my fingers crossed.

A Change is Promised

The culmination of various frustrations led to a colleague tendering his resignation. What followed was a long e-mail to the VP of the company detailing all the problems.

Some subtle changes can be seen since then. Things have been promised. Let us see how things shape out.

Wishing Big-heart all the best in his future endeavours!

Independence Day?

Happy Independence Day to all Indians.

The update is one still has to work from home on I'Day to avoid traveling for four hours to and from work.

Now that is Independence!

Damn! If they had Form V-A we could have claimed double wages!

Life continues to go in all it's monotony!

Cheers!

Earthquake in Chennai

Woke up to an urgent call from sis' enquiring about an earthquake. The TV news items added the suspense with reports of trmors in Thiruvanmiyur and Velachery. Tremors were felt in Cuddalore and Kanyakumari too.

I did not feel a thing and thank God for that!

There is a tsunami warning too!

Let us see what happens!

Old Movies on a Sunday

Hectic work, frustrations at work and a strange feeling of emptiness within were all forgotten on Sunday as yours truly went on a cinematic voyage through some classics.

I saw the following movies yesterday:

Wages of Fear-French

Branded to Kill-Japanese

Rebel without a Cause-English

Singin' the Rain-English.

Each movie in the list deserves a separate blog post as a review. Currently I am limiting myself to brief summaries.

Wages of Fear-Yves Montand, Charles Vanel, Peter Van Eyck, William Tubbs, Véra Clouzot.

Directed by-Henry James Clouzot.

The movie directed by Henry James Clouzot is a slow haunting psychological case-study of the fears and unfulfilled desires of mankind, coupled with lust for money and women. An unnamed Lain American country, an oil-field operated by an American conglomerate, a rag-tag bunch of vagabond-like characters, two truckloads of nitroglycerine. How is that for a plot? The movie is shot in monochrome and the first hour progresses in introducing us to the characters. Then the challenge of transporting two truckloads of nitroglycerine across 300 miles of rugged terrain. Two drivers for each truck. You have got to see the movie to experience the fears, tensions, courage that the actors portray. A scene where a truck almost falls into a ravine as a wooden bridge breaks is brilliantly shot. Do both trucks reach their destination? Do all the four drivers survive? Watch the movie for answers. The movie deserves five stars!

Branded to Kill-Jo Shishido, Mariko Ogawa, Koji Nanbara, Mari Annu

Directed by-Seijun Suzuki

This was indeed a special movie. I had purchased this dvd almost a year ago, inexplicably I never viewed it. The movie is a real treat for its visual appeal, symbolism-imagery and slick editing. The striking aspect is that the visual appeal holds greater value as the movie was shot in monochrome. You have obsessed women, disturbed-assassins, thrilling chases and shootouts, strange imagery of dead butterflies and birds, a couple of explicit sexual encounters with abundant nudity. An anti-hero who sniffs boiled rice for sexual arousal. The movie is a bit difficult to understand but never loses its tempo. Condemned in Japan on release the movie has since built a cult-following and served as inspiration to many directors like John Woo. Deserves 5 stars but I was put off by the nudity and I guess language is a barrier. So I give it 4 stars.

Rebel without a Cause-James Dean, Natalie Wood, Corey Allen, Sal Mineo, Dennis Hopper

Directed by-Nicholas Ray

James Dean why did you die so young? The movie showcases the acting skills of James as a teenager who tries hard to fit in the scheme of normal American life. Shot in colour the movie serves as a mirror of American society in the fifties. Life was about status in society, how to present and conduct oneself so that society would look up to you. The movie is set in a time-frame of 24 hours. from getting arrested for drunkenness, to joining a new high-school, a fight, a racing challenge, an inadvertent death, fleeing from home and once again another inadvertent death.

Frustrations in society that are universal. A must-watch for all teenagers and their parents. Sometimes parents never understand kids and many a time kids end up living a life that their parents envisage for them! Five stars for James and the gang!

Singin' in the Rain-Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds, Jean Hagen, Millard Mitchell

Directed by-Stanley Donnen and Gene Kelly

The all-time favourite seen long back on TNT. The movie describes the transition of Hollywood from the silent era to the musical talkie. A sweet little movie with elaborate sets, songs and dance. A romance woven into it. A star who falls for small-time artiste. Great lines, beautiful songs, awesome tap-dancing, some really funny lines. Watch this on a rainy day with your beloved beside you. Five stars again!

Murali Leaves Us

Talented actor Murali passed away this morning in Kerala. He was 55. An actor par excellence, a lawyer by profession whose first love was theatre. Murali had the depth and power to reign supreme in Malayalam cinema. There are many rumours that Mammooty tried to sabotage Murali's career as a hero. Such accusations are common in all the various "woods" when character actors give the so-called heroes a run for their money.

Murali has played the cold-blooded villain, the friend, father, honest police inspector and countless other roles. His performance in Pulijanmam won him an award. He had won accolades for many other movies too. Of late he appeared in some Tamil movies too. He also appeared in the Deccan Air ad of a small town villager who ends up travelling in an aeroplane.

On par with Thilakan for his powerful dialogue delivery and magnetic gaze-Malayalam cinema has lost another good actor.

State of My Mind

Life sometimes is cruel,
But when the cruelties,
Strike one after the other,
Without a break in between.
When prayers that come,
From a devout heart,
Get lost in the confines-
Of space and time,
What does one do?

When the folks-
Who always stood by you.
Stand helpless and weak.
How does one provide support and solace?
Is this the cruel joke!
That was in store for me!

I cried when I realised-
That I had lost her.
That I could no longer call her-"Dearest."
I was sad but then I quickly recovered!
And wished her the best.

But now-
I am lost for words.
Lost on every count!
And in spite of everything that I tried.
I ended up as a loser!
Not just in love.
But in life too.

As I continue this dreary monotonous existence and fall into new depths of depression with each passing day. I continue to hope that the light would shine out of the gloomy depths.

Avani Avittam without Father

The yearly ritual of changing the sacred thread, went without a hitch. Managed to get a day's leave for the ritual. It is good to have an Iyengar/Iyer as the boss. They know the importance of the day and do not ask silly questions. This year holds special significance as I performed the ritual in the absence of my father. The Lord knows what he is doing. For all practical purposes I guess he has fled the state. I spoke to some staff at his office and they said that he comes to office irregularly.

I try not to worry or think about him. But my work keeps getting disrupted as my mind wanders back to the past when I thought I was a part of a happy family-20 years back in a block of flats in Pune. Never did my child's mind realize that Fate would play such a curious trick on me and I would end up like this.

For 11 years when the three of us stayed together and tried to build a rapport, cracks kept appearing and disappearing in the bonds of affection. Finally as the proverbial final blow that struck, I was surprised to see how happily my father washed his hands off all responsibilities and left us.

All these years of prayers, meditation and devout belief have resulted in this. Perhaps the Good Lord wanted things to be like this. I made a choice to chart a career again in Instructional Design and I will be honest when I say that I am failing in my quest. An environment that is filled with self-created pressure does not help things.

If things go on at this pace and tempo-I am definitely calling it quits. Salary being delayed again and again, lame excuses of a strike that started today when pay was promised on the fourth of every month(maximum by the fifth!). This blog started with a definite purpose of providing insights into cinema, literature, my poems and short stories. Now it has turned in to my cribbing/crying/ranting notebook. I have lost my follower too.

Nadodigal and Meiporul

Finally I managed to see two movies.

Nadodigal and Meiporul

Nadodigal
Directed by Samudrakani starring Sasikumar, Ganja Karupopu and others.

Sasikumar is turning out to be the man with the Midas touch. He has found success as a director, producer and actor. Nadodigal is about a group of friends who help another friend marry the girl he loves. The impact of this action and how this changes the lives of the original group of friends forms the crux of the story. Good energetic feel in the movie, one unwanted gaana-item by a buxom lady, decent comedy track and a foot-tapping mood-setter "Shambo-Shiva Shambo."

The movie becomes preachy at the end and suddenly Sasi reminds one of T. Rajendar but the movie is a superhit in all centres and the producers are laughing all the way to the bank.

Meiporul

Shot in the U.S. and made by a bunch of non-filmi software professionals this movie deserved a better run. There is a doctor and his wife( a reporter for a Tamil magazine). They are friends with another couple. The doctor is an atheist and he befriends a man who predicts the future. He says that the doctor would be killed by his wife.

What happpens? Does the doctor get killed? Who is this strange man who predicts the future? Who is the American who shadows the doctor?

Watch the movie for answers!

Musings

I just do not know. I am cracking up! Losing my sanity and patience. After my father returned home after a massive alcoholic binge and listening to another cock-and-bull story. I finally asked my father to leave. Surprisingly he was extremely happy and thanked me for liberating him of his duties. He never did do anything good and that is another story.

Mother frequently falls sick and is becoming frailer with each passing day as she keeps worrying herself.

Work-load is heavy and I feel that I have signed a pact leading to my own doom.

If things keep going at the current pace-I am going to call it quits and start working from home as I cannot keep worrying about mother while I am in office.

Let me see what happens.

Wish me luck!

Saw some movies on dvd-finally!

Will post reviews soon.

Work, Work and more Work

I seem to be loaded with work and have not seen a movie for a record period of 20 days now. That is indeed a weird statistic considering that I am one real movie fanatic.

Loads of work at work[I am being poetic!]

Good I guess!

Hope pay gets credited properly on time.

Last month was one long complicated waiting process.

Things not well on the domestic front too as Daddy Dearest has begun his ritual of the Betaal climbing the old tree and returned to his nefarious ways of drinking hard and absconding from work and home. God knows that I have been very very patient all these years and I do not know when I will snap and take a serious action. Mother continues to suffer in silence and has been afflicted with fever and tiredness.

Things continue to go and I try to find some sense in this life.

May be I am cursed to be this way and suffer for the sins of others!

Cricket News

Bangladesh secured a historic test win against West Indies.
Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan twice in the current test-series.
England managed to escape by a whisker to secure a draw in the first Ashes Test.
The second test is underway.

Cricket News

When everyone talks about the demise of Test Cricket and how T:20 is changing the world of cricket-the first test match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan provided twists and turns and a striking batting-order collapse. Pakistan lost 8 wickets in quick succession and lost a match that was by all means in their pocket.

The Ashes Test in Wales is in progress and Ricky has cracked century number 38. Today's play should provide some interesting fodder for thought.

England 435 all out. Australia 249/1. Katich is on 104 and Ponting is on 100.

A Month

It is exactly a month since I joined this firm. It is too early to say anything. But it is very evident that there is absolute chaos in everything that goes on here. Having the head office in another city and allocating work across branches and people does not help matters. Remote management, communication gap, miscommunication, money-transfer issues. A set of people who do not know what to do? Conflicting and confusing job roles and responsibilities. The list can go on... Added to that this is a small office functioning out of a flat.

But among all this chaos there is a good bonding among all the staff and there is a sincerity of purpose and dedication to get the job done. Additionally there are a couple of stalwarts of the e-learning industry who are on the board of directors and offer lot of valuable insights.

Let me see how long I last here.

Folks wish me luck!

A New Friend

Well after four years of company in which you provided me joy, good news, sorrow and fun. I decided to move on. But do not worry you will still be with me.

Well folks I got a new mobile phone. The Samsung Star. It looks awesome and is loaded with features. A huge screen and only three buttons at the bottom. The phone is a total-touch enabled one and has a host of widgets. A 3.2 megapixel camera with lots of photo-composing features. Dedicated music player and FM radio. The phone is black in colour and cost me Rs 9500 plus taxes.

My old friend the Sony Ericsson z530i is safely secured in its original package in my cupboard at home. Too many memories of using Ziggy. Well you can stare that's the name for my old mobile. I have spent many an hour talking to someone whom I can no longer claim to be mine. Tracked cricket match updates while traveling on the train by calling up friends. Shot a whole lot of pictures in Ooty. The list can just go on and on. Ziggy thanks for being such a good companion. I almost had a shock when someone tried to steal the phone in the bus, but by good luck and presence of mind I got you back in one piece.

Thanks for all the good times!

Now it's time to keep moving with the times with Sammy! That's my new friend:)

Holy Shit

HOLY SHIT

I am going to think twice before I utter the phrase again. The past week has been hectic. A case of food poisoning and dehydration-leading to upto four trips to the toilet every hour for three days. Three days of Sick Leave in office. A delay in completing my work. The Lord knows how much water has passed:)

My stomach still feels strange and I have a suspicious feeling that I might need to rush to the toilet any time.

Folks my advice-"Avoid red cabbage and spinach for a while."

Those were the suspects in my case.

Thiruvanamalai

THIRUVANAMALAI

An opportunity to visit Thiruvanamalai came my way and I jumped to the chance. A magnificent temple and well maintained too. The overpowering feeling of strength and devotion is unmistakable here. I also managed to visit the Ramana Ashram and met spiritualist Nochur Venkatraman-popular for his discourses on the Bhagavatham.

The whirlwind trip was completed in 10 hours-Chennai-Thiruvanamalai-Chennai.
A proper trip is in my mind and I intend to spend a couple of days at the ashram.
As God wills!

Pakistan Win

In troubled times some good news for Pakistan. An all-round performance by the team and a brilliant spell of fast-bowling ensured that Pakistan are the new T:20 world champions.

Afridi, Razzaq and Gul did a good job.

Younis Khan announced his retirement from T:20 cricket.

Afridi might be the new T:20 captain

Pakistan enter the finals

South Africa with all their experience and positive vibes continued to retain the "chokers tag" as they were defeated by Pakistan in the first semi-final by 7 runs.

Afridi won the match for Pakistan with a brilliant performance with both bat and ball.

The second semi between Sri Lanka and West Indies will be a thriller.

Let us see what happens.

Three Defeats in a Row

Well Captain Cool-Three defeats in a row. Disastrous captaincy horrible running between the wickets. A target of 131 against South Africa and you lose with wickets still in hand. Soul-searching, accusations and resignations are expected soon. The honeymoon is over let us see what the big bosses say.

Team-India Falter

The first true test and our first Super-Eight Match against the mighty West Indies!
India bat first and wickets fall in quick succession. Yuvi and Yusuf Pathan do the rescue act. A decent total of 157 thanks to a solid knock from Yuvi.

West Indies lost early wickets but Dwayne Bravo sizzled with the bat to add to his 4 wickets to lead the Windies to victory.

Dhoni's captaincy was poor as the bowling changes do not make sense.

Let us see if we can make it to the semis.

England are in a desperate situation too and the India vs England match will prove to be a thriller.

Another Innings in Instructional Design

The past week has been hectic. I have joined a another firm in the e-learning domain. I have the designation of an Assistant Manager. The new place is a small outfit and they are in the process of setting up a full-fledged team. There is absolute chaos. We have a big and prestigious project that means a lot to the company. An induction is yet to take place. I was supposed to go to another city for a formal induction but it got canceled. It is a young and dynamic team. We were told that it was a 5-day week but the project and the deadline means it is a six-day week.

A colleague celebrated his birthday yesterday. There was cake and ice cream. In the evening it was time to go for a wedding reception. Met some old colleagues from SFY and EK.

Let us see how things go!

Wish me luck.

The Last Day

The last day at work was spent in the usual order. Saying good-byes! Wishing luck and all that emotional nonsense!

Memories:
Sethu Sir-Truly one of the great inspiring men that I have met in my life-time. Thanks for the books that you gave me and for the blessings.

Honestly the best manager I ever worked with - Vicky. Always cool and calm composed and steady and a great human being.
Deepak-Funny, honest, frank and sometimes too damn philosophical for even me to interpret what he means!

Robin-Great all-rounder and always ready to crack a joke.

And everyone else who made my stay at the firm memorable.

Now I await the settlement amount!

Rohit Sizzles with the Bat

India continued its supremacy over arch rival Pakistan and defeated them by 9 wickets in a warm-up game. Pakistan lost a wicket in the first over. Then they went ballistic and reached 45 in four overs. Then a suicidal run cost Kamran Akmal his wicket courtesy a superb throw from Raina. Then Pakistan were reduced to 45 for 4 as Afridi too lost his wicket alongwith the other opener.

Misbah as usual was the mainstay as Pakistan reached 157. The Indian openers Rohit Sharma in the form of his life and Gautam Gambhir blasted the ball to all corners of the park. Rohit's quickfire 80 and a composed 50 from Gambhir ensured that India won.

The main tournament starts tonight and we can expect loads of fire works.

May the best team win.

I WONDER

[Image Source-Google Image Search]

I wonder. I wonder a lot. No wonder I was labelled a day-dreamer when I was still very young. When I was in Class I-I used to wonder what it would be to be a famous cricketer. When I reached Class V-I used to wonder what it would be to be a tram-driver.[I was in Calcutta during that peiod]. Class VIII and the first crush on a girl in class and I wanted to emulate the antics of Shahrukh and Aamir. Reality struck a crushing blow when we had to move to another city. The first crush remained in my heart forever. I had never spoken to her in that year in class. I guess the shyness-syndrome continues as many of the readers of this blog already know:). By the time I completed the torture that was Trignometry and Analytical Calculus and Differential Calculus and drawing diagrams of the human heart and preparing herbariums of Clitoria ternatea. I was done with Science and Maths. Three years of college were full of fun, two life-threatening accidents. A long-period of recovery, which led to a spiritual awakening. A campus-recruitment drive that I attended by accident. I wonder what would have happened if I had never written that test. Four years down the line and heading in to my fifth job.

These four years have brought in so many incidents! The pangs of a failed attempt in love. The realization that I belong to a fractured family where the factors may change but some couples will remain incompatible and at loggerheads forever. The knowledge that the powers vested in me are great and the responsibilities and roles that I have to perform are greater. The absolute truth-that the path that I have chosen was destined to have come to me. I know that I am different and though folks may say I am difficult to understand and slightly cracked:). They will nver know what is in store!

Now I really wonder if something is wrong with my head:)!

India take on Pakistan

Team India faltered in its chase and lost to New Zealand in the first T:20 warm-up. Tonight the boys-in-blue take on Pakistan. Let us see what happens. The match is scheduled at 10 PM IST. So watching the full match live is ruled out.

May the best team win!

The little piece of plastic-the credit card

Know how your credit card
works before you swipe...."


It is just a piece of plastic the size of a visiting card, which has changed the way we handle our money and finances. You do not have money right now, do not worry, use your credit cards, make your purchase, wait for your monthly statement, and pay the bill in installments. Is that all that there is to using a credit card?

The credit card as a concept started in America. The success and popularity of the concept led to the global presence and usage of the credit card. A credit card is essentially a plastic card containing a magnetic strip. The card is issued in the user's name and allows the user to purchase products without making any cash/cheque payment. At the beginning of every month the user receives a statement from his/her bank. The user has to pay the bank the amount within a specified period either in installments or as a one-time payment. If the user pays the amount in installments the bank charges interest for the balance amount.

The bank specifies a credit limit based on the user's income and financial security. The user can make purchases using the credit card within the specified credit limit. A credit card is valid only if it has the user's signature on the reverse of the card.

Identity theft is an issue of growing concern as more and more cases of online fraud are being reported everyday. This is primarily due to the increase in the number of users conducting their transactions on the Internet and the carelessness of the credit card users. There have been instances where portable card-readers were used to get data from credit cards and this information was misused. Hackers also use this information to conduct online transactions.

Some simple tips that can help prevent identity theft and misuse of credit card details are as follows:

1-Never reveal your credit card details, like account number and PIN(Personal Identification Number) to others.

2-Be sure to tear all receipts or bills once the transaction is over and the bills are paid.

3-If you are buying something online, ensure that the Website is approved by digital security firms like Verisign, Entrust, RSA Security, etc...

4-Always collect your credit card once you complete your transaction and keep analysing your bills to check if someone has misused your credit card.

A credit card is a boon for the middle-class citizen as it allows the luxury of buying things now on credit and paying for them later. One has to remember that all things should be used in moderation and it is always good to pay one's bills on time.

Good Used-Books at Low Prices

The book-lover is bothered by the rising cost of books. Some have also gravitated towards buying pirated copies of books. In a world where everyone wants to spend the minimum to get the maximum pirated movies and pirated books are a major source of income to many entrepreneurs and source of joy to many book-lovers and movie-lovers. A Sidney Sheldon thriller that costs Rs 250 to Rs 300 in Landmark is available for Rs 50 to Rs 60 in many of the pavement stalls that dot Chennai.

But not all books make it to the pavement in its pirated form. Only the books by Jeffrey Archer, Sidney Sheldon, Frederick Forsyth, Paulo Coelho, Stephen R. Covey, Linda Goodman, Robert Ludlum, Arundhati Roy, Arvind Adiga and a few other chosen ones make it to the pavement.

The other option is to visit the many used-book shops to find old forgotten novels and comics. Indulge in nostalgia from childhood and an age of innocence when one fought with siblings to read Enid Blyton and Asterix and the Biggles series. Adolescence was devoted to the exploits of the Hardy boys, Nancy Drew and the Three Investigators.

I am listing a few of my favourite haunts in Chennai to find old books.

1-Moore Market

This has been my favourite ever since I started college and went hunting for copies of Milton’s “Paradise Lost” and “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare.” Moore Market has a long chequered history. The current suburban railway complex is where the original Moore Market stood. My uncle used to say you could get each and every type of electronic item, exotic perfumes and various birds here. The biggest section was reserved to rows of book stalls. A planned fire led to the shop-keepers to be evacuated. A new complex (the current one) was built but many shop-keepers left the place. Today one finds most of the shops selling engineering books. Only about 12 shops spread across three floors sell novels and magazines. There are some shops that sell stamps and coins. The current complex has a lot of shops that sell exotic fishes, aquariums and related equipment. I visit the place and browse through the books. Some of the gems that I got here include: “An Anthology of American Poetry”(Got for Rs 350) a bargain as a new one costs about Rs 2000. The original James Bond novels by Ian Fleming at Rs 30 a piece. A new one at Landmark costs around Rs 200. Four Agatha Christie novels at Rs 45 a piece. The books look new and none of the pages are missing.

2-Adjacent GPO on Mount Road

There are about four stalls on the pavement on Mount Road adjacent to the GPO. Three sell pirated new novels. The fourth shop sells old books on a wide variety of topics. Novels starting from Rs 10 to coffee table books selling at Rs 500. I have picked many Enid Blyton novels here for Rs 10 and Rs 20. Other buys include an encyclopedia on dogs for Rs 200.(a picture book with details on breeds and health care tips for dogs). Lots of pulp fiction thrillers for Rs 20 and Rs 30.

Folks more shops coming soon. Cross-posted on Art, Books, Cinema and Music.

Chelsea Win!

Finally the silverware and joy for Chelsea Chelsea defeated Everton 2-1 to win the FA Cup. A parting gift for their Dutch coach Hiddink. Everton struck the fastest goal in the tournament's history but Chelsea won under the stable leadership of Lampard and a good game by Drogba.

BARCELONA THRASH MAN-U

Manchester United were outplayed in all departments as Messi sealed a win for Barca. A good match and a day where Man-U will rue their missed chances.

Now Barca are the UEFA champs.

Let us see what Chelsea can do at Wembley stadium when they take on Everton in the FA Cup final.

Gilchrist has the Last Laugh!

It ended in an anti-climax as the whipping boys of IPL-1 made it to the finals of IPL-2. Dhoni and his team lost the plot against RCB in the second semi-final while Gilchrist's power-packed 85 kicked Sehwag's Devils out of contention.

The final started with a surprise as Kumble bowled the first over to Gilchrist and the gamble worked as he was bowled by Kumble in the first over. The Deccan Chargers aided by Gibbs and Symonds reached 143. RCB faltered and lost by six runs.

In my opinion the turning point of the match was Dravid dropping Symo's catch at slip. Robin Uthappa and Dravid's failure with the bat is an added negative.

So folks applaud the Hyderabad team who won the coveted but ugly trophy.

Wish they made more beautiful trophies. All that gold and diamonds and rubies in an uninspiring trophy.

An Eventful Day

E-mail 1

There is a bomb scare at XXXX.The bomb squad has been summoned to carry out necessary precautionary checkup.

YYY is coordinating with them and they have informed us that there is no need for panic. They are in constant touch with us. We request all of you to maintain your calm and carry on with your work.

E-mail 2

Dear All,

With reference to our previous mail on the subject, the bomb squad has declared that the building is safe and informed that it was a hoax call.

We thank all the associates for the spirit displayed and the co-operation extended.

Well folks to cut a long story short, some chap who needed a break from his monotonous job called the building administration office and said that a bomb has been planted. All mayhem broke out and the building was quickly evacuated and the bomb squad, dog squad and the police were called in. Our company decided to remain silent as the smokers gang spotted the sudden rush of people trooping out from other floors. A while later the first e-mail confirmed our worst fears. But even then no signs of evacuation and the blokes joked about "End of Days" and "The Apocalypse." Some of the women staff were really worried and began to panic.

Two hours later some of the brave guys went out and found out there was no danger. Another two hours later we received the second e-mail.

Now just imagine if the hoax had been real. Well I cannot imagine anything. Any way the folks at the company are a sporting lot and continue to work without too much complaints. A great company and its brave employees.

I traded on the stock exchange today. Spent close to Rs 2000 and already I am running a loss of Rs 300. Hope things turn for the better tomorrow.

Folks Chennai are thru' to the semis with a win over Kings XI Punjab in yesterday's low-scoring spinners'-thriller.

This was my post no. 400.

Thanks to the encouragement of my beloved readers and friends.

Thanks Ashwin (Common Man Dreamer), Priya (cool dudette), Kavitha (The Book-Lover), Sowmitha (Editorial Trainer and dog-lover), Siva(handsome rocker), Sudha(wish you posted an actual comment), Sevi(Great News Soon).

Thanks again everybody!

The race for the IPL semi-finals heats up as Rajasthan Royals play the Kolkata Knightriders and Kings XI Punjab play the Chennai Super Kings. CSK had a rude wake up call when Mc Cullum and Hodge blasted the CSK bowlers to snatch an awesome victory by overhauling the improbabale 189-run target.

The Royals are on to a horrible start and are at 46/4 in the seventh over now. If Chennai win today then they will not have to worry about run rates. The way Kumble-led Bangalore Royal Challengers are playing I think net run-rates will play a big part in deciding the final 4. Let us see what happens.

In other cricket news-England defeated West Indies to retain the Wisden Trophy. Chris Gayle has a lot of introspection to do now after his T:20 v/s Test cricket comments. Symmonds has been left out of the Australian squad for the Ashes. India will play Pakistan in an invitational T:20 at the Oval before the ICC T:20 World Cup.

Is Prabhakaran Dead?

The struggle in Sri Lanka has ended! Or is it the beginning of another struggle? The bloody war against terrorism and the Tamil cause has cost close to 80000 lives on both sides. In addition to several high-profile assassinations and the first suicide bomb killing of India's former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. What started as a fight for a real cause, lost its initial impetus as the LTTE slowly morphed into a demon led by a leader who lost sight of his original mission.

News came in yesterday that Prabhakaran had been killed but no photos were released. This morning photos were circulated with Prabhakaran's dead body. He had been shot in the head above the eyes, very similar to Veerappan's end. The real struggle will start now and the government led by Rajapakse has to ensure that the Tamil people are not abused.

Let us see how things go about in the island nation. Supporters continue to claim that Prabhakaran is alive and the dead body is of a decoy/dummy. Only the Lord knows the truth and perhaps Prabhakaran too.

We can only wish that the country stabilises itself. The Sri Lankan army inspite of all the claims by agencies of harming civilians has done a thorough job. Why can't India with more resources and a powerful well-equipeed army put a stop to the cross-border terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir?

Maruti Suzuki Ritz Goof-Up

The Maruti Suzuki Ritz is one of the most eagerly awaited hatchbacks of the year. They spend millions on R&D and marketing but make an error in spelling. Look at the image. "Compliant" is spelled as "Complaint." Click on the image to see it in full-size.
The website is http://www.marutisuzuki.com/.

Measuring Productivity

The sorry state of affairs of "Under Maintenance" continues. Just imagine you have important work to be completed an internal deadline. You visit the loo to answer the Second Call of Nature and to your consternation both stalls are occupied and the third stall mocks you with the "Under Maintenance" poster. Well that is life. If all loos function properly that means reduced waiting time in the restroom. So more time to sit in front of the computer and complete the official work! That translates into increased employee productivity and more profitability for the company.

Well who bothers to listen to the rants of a disgruntled blogger. When I get to run my own company I will ensure that all loos are fully functional. Damn! I am beginning to sound like a phony politician begging for votes:)

SMS

Read this SMS:

10 Terrorists came by Boat.
539 Terrorists will be coming by VOTE.
Vote Responsibly.

Great SMS!

Mother

In celebration of the "Living Divine" dedicated to all Mothers and of course my Mother.


MOTHER

You sheltered me,
In your womb.
So that I could see,
The light of this world.

You nourished me,
With your love and care.
Ever present to help me.
Guide me when I was confused.
Comfort me when I was frightened.

You were there to comfort me,
In my failures,
Be it in exams or in love.
A story to put me to sleep,
When I was a little boy.

In my troubled teens,
When I was confused!
And on the verge of entering the troubled vortex,
Of a life of crime.
You reiterated the importance of "Good Company."
I brushed away your advice and paid the price for it.

Even then-you stood by me.
And guided me to recovery.
Nursing my wounds both physical and mental.
I am what I am!
Because of your love and care.

If there were an after-life!
My only plea to God!
Would be to make me a woman!
So that I can undergo the pain and suffering that you felt!
And be a loving mother to my child!

England the Lords at Lords

West Indies were thrashed by England in the first test. Onions the rookie England bowler and Swann the spinner shared the honours as the West Indian batting order crumbled under the Ebglish bowling attack. Chanderpaul had his lowest test aggregate score of 4 runs. Ravi Bopara's wonderful century should England's No.3 batting woes to rest. Graeme Swann was named the man-of-the-match for his excellent all-round performance.

Brief scores:
England-377 and 32/0.
West Indies-152 and 256.

Another Resignation!

"I am sending my resignation through this e-mail. It has been a great pleasure to work under your guidance and leadership, but I guess it is time for me to move on to a more challenging assignment. Please send this e-mail to HR so that the relieving procedures can be put into action and I am relieved at the end of my notice period."

Well folks that was my resignation e-mail. Is it a moment of madness in this recession? I do not know. I guess it will be forwarded to HR and I might be relieved in the first week of June. It has been fun working here and I have met a wide range of people and have had the best boss so far in my stint with various companies.

I am moving back to my core area of expertise Instructional Design. The field has changed in this gap of 2 years and there have been lots of improvements and changes in the various associated models and theories of learning. Lots of new tools and technologies have come in to vogue too.

So like the Prodigal Son returning to his father's house I have chosen to return to Instructional Design. Will keep you posted on all updates!

Wish me luck folks!

DVD Reviews

Well I guess more reviews are headed your way! You folks must be wondering how does this guy get time to see so many movies! Well I just manage my time-the same 24 hours that God has provided to everyone is what I get too. No more philosophy. The reviews follow:

THE ODESSA FILE

Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Frederick Forsyth this is a fast-paced thriller with the tension building slowly. A Nazi plot to regain power, a secret society called the Odessa, a group trying to infiltrate the Odessa, a journalist who discovers the truth based on the suicide of an old Jew. Lot of plots and sub-plots ending in a shootout. Starring Jon Voight as the journalist Peter this is a definite must-watch. Shot on location in Europe good cinematography and simple but interesting action sequences keep up the tempo of the movie.

FELON

Star Cast-Stephen Dorff, Val Kilmer and Harold Perinneau.
Director-Ric Roman Waugh.

This is the saga of a man who ends up in jail after accidentally killing a burglar. The ramifications of his action on his family and his personal life are brought out well. In prison a sadistic warden creates a mini=arena of sorts where the prisoners indulge in fighting with each other to remain alive. The movie shows the bitter truth about life and racist divisions American prisons. Val Kilmer gets a solid role as Stephen's protector and old-timer in prison. A grim looking movie with excellent performances by all.

DVD Reviews

It has been a while since I posted movie reviews here So folks get ready for a bunch of reviews.

FRENZY

Star Cast-Jon Finch, Barry Foster, Barbara Leigh-Hunt, Anna Massey, Alec McCowen.

This Alfred Hitchcock classic is about a serial murderer who rapes women and strangles them with a silk tie. The movie has a scene in which the killer puts the corpse of a woman in a sack and loads the sack on to a van carrying potato sacks. Then he realizes that his tie-pin is missing and returns to the van and hunts for the sack with the corpse. The van starts moving an he panics and struggles in trying to retrieve the pin. A well-made thriller.

INKHEART

This Brendan Fraser movie is a nice fantasy tale. Based on the best-selling Inkheart series of novels. It describes the adventures of a book-doctor(Fraser) who has the power to bring characters to life when he reads aloud. A well-made movie thorough family-fare for the long summer.

BEDTIME STORIES

Starring Adam Sandler this Walt Disney production has a similar premise like Inkheart. Sandler works as a handyman in a massive luxury hotel which was built on the site of his father's old motel. Sandler gets to baby-sit his nephew and niece and when he tells them stories the next day it happens to him. A good family-movie.

THE DARK CITY

Star Cast-Rufus Sewell, Kiefer Sutherland, Jennifer Connelly, William Hurt, Richard O'Brien

Directed by Alex Proyas this 1998 movie went surprisingly unnoticed. Imagine you wake up in a hotel having no memory of what you are and what you do. You find the corpse of a young woman in your room and you are on the run. The police wants you a young woman claims to be your wife and a sinister group of bald-headed men are out to kill you. To add to the confusion a strange psychiatrist also follows you. What is the mystery? Watch this movie to find the answers. The suspense quotient is high and the dark locales are complimented by the stunning cinematography and massive sets.

IPL News

So some good news for the Chennai Super Kings after three consecutive wins we are at the top of the table with 9 points from 8 matches. Most other teams have just played 7. So in all probability we will slide to place 2 or 3 by the end of today's matches. Dhoni and Raina played well, with a mature knock by M. Vijay. Jakati the spinner is doing a good job and has been instrumental in CSK winning the last two matches.

Hope that Kolkata Knight-Riders win today I feel terribly sorry for them and Mc Cullum who has tried every possible thing but he has been weighed down by the burden of captaincy. Let us see if he can recreate the fiery 150 of IPL-1 today.

Good Morning!

This happened to me to this morning.

I was waiting for the elevator, when I noticed one of the top bosses of the company also waiting for the elevator. As a matter of courtesy I went up to him and said-"Good Morning." To my consternation I did not even get a blank stare. A minute later one of the beauties of our office walked in flashing her pearly smile and you know what happened? The top boss walked up to her and said-"Good Morning. How are you?"

Damn! I never knew being born as a woman had such advantages.

Any way life goes on.....

IPL News

Things are pretty bad for Chennai, Kolkata, Rajasthan and Bangalore. The teams have performed horribly and with Hyderabad and Delhi comfortably perched at the top with Mumbai Indians following the leaders it is time for the other teams to perform.

Shahrukh and Shilpa must be fuming with the mediocre performances of their teams. Kings XI Punjab had bad weather spoil their chances but the other matches that they played they have done well.

To early to say anything but it looks like Delhi and Hyderabad are serious title contenders now. The way things are going the fourth semi-finalist will be the place which the teams will fight it out for as Mumbai Indians are likely to be the third semi-finalist.

The big news is the person who is running this blog- www.fakeiplplayer.blogspot.com
Some posts are real vintage humour. No one knows who the author is though I doubt if any actual KKR player is behind the blog.

Come on Superkings with Flintoff gone now play Ntini for God's sake. Dhoni you better score runs or you are going to end up like Laxman and Dravid. Remember no individual is greater than the team. Come on Superkings set the stadiums afire!