Mobile Me!!!

No, this is not about the Apple application; it's just about mobile phones.
And that's a long way one has travelled- from being portable phones- 'portable' in french or mobile phones or simply 'mobiles'; there is now the 'IPhone', the 'Windows Phone', the 'Smartphone', the touch screens and many many more. Like almost every thing which stems from a need, phones also are now a 'statement'. I don't want to get into the hows and whys- enough posts/articles about that already.

No- my reason was simple. The other day, i had gone to pick up my younger one from school. There were 10 people waiting. 8 were glued to their mobile phones. I actually felt so isolated that I picked up my phone and called my husband at work. There was a time and not too far back, when people or in this case- mothers, would try and strike up a conversation with others. Now, one uses the phone as a tool to aid the opposite. Just sit on the bench and play with your downloaded games- you could still manage to look 'importantly' occupied. Or the classic- pretend calls to avoid talking to someone, except don't forget to kill the ringer!

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The books were gorgeous.
The Swedish films were not quite so.
The first in this trilogy wasn't bad at all, though it definitely left some to be desired as far as as staying true to the book was concerned.
The second strayed a bit farther away.
The third had nothing to do with the book- it looked as if it had been made in a hurry. Oh it did carry the story but only in outlines- it totally missed out on the beautiful details.

Now I know books have to be adapted to screenplays and moving pictures don't have the beauty of a 'thousand words' to fall back back on; but one can at least try.
And then I saw the new Daniel Craig starrer 'the girl...'! It is a fabulously made movie. It stays true to the book, manages to squeeze in all the major and minor details/events of the book without compromising on the pace of the movie. It shows what the other one had missed completely- Lisbeth Salander's relationship with her now-ill ex guardian; exactly how she manipulates money into her account and a number of other things.
Though I get terribly depressed and scared in equal measure after seeing the movie- I would still give a big thumbs up to the new version, even though they do twist the story in parts, especially the end where Harriet Vanger is found in London!

Anthony Bourdain- Medium Raw

I'm sorry Mr. Bourdain, but I'll have to pass on this one.

I liked Kitchen Confidential- it was irreverent, honest to the point of being offensive and offered a very fresh look into the glamour world of prima donna chefs/cuisine art- oh what the hell- cooking.

And although you have tried to be as irreverent- sex, drugs, expletives et al; it's already sounding tired. And I haven't even crossed page no 100! I know you have tried not to blame your loving parents by blaming them (it doesn't make sense at all does it? ) for all your initial fuck ups, your wrong decisions, your drugs. But unless you are being completely dishonest and your formative years involved an abusive relationship with your parents; you claim- not imply, that had your parents been less normal and more abnormal, you wouldn't have gone out seeking other thrills.
Wow- what a case in point for parents to withhold love, engage in physically and verbally abusive relationships with their children, offer them drugs and alcohol from a very early age and generally give them thrills at home for them not to seek outside.

Also the books jumps from one thing to the other.
With chapters titled- Virtue/Lust etc- yes even to the non initiated, we know the biblical references. But the meat of the chapters itself is like you said at one point- cheap and too lean.

I am not trying to trash this book- it just doesn't appeal to me at all. I love all things food related- books, literature, films, ingredients- the works. And though I tried very hard to like this book, this one will be the third book I am abandoning without completing- just don't want to waste my time.

Downloads Inc!

Don't worry I have patented the title of this blogpost- it's too yummy to be out there all by itself- unprotected.

I have been on a download high for quite some time now. In fact some time ago, someone from my husband's family while snooping around in my computer (in my absence of course), remarked that all I ever did was 'download' games for my kids. Well, this guy couldn't have been more off the mark- he had to be taught how to open a facebook account (which is ok in most cases but in the case of this super sarcastic supercilious person- is not!)

Let me not digress. I download. I do not download a whole lot of things for my kids. In fact in this respect I am quite selfish. My hard disk is rapidly filling up with movies, books and tv series- hoping one day I will land up watching the complete season of New Girl, Suburgatory, 2 Broke Girls etc. Out of these, I truly like New girl- it's funny and makes me laugh. Something that Cougar Town just doesn't.
Having been through two seasons (I know- what the fuck was I thinking of), I reluctantly start on season number 3. And for the life of me, I just can't remember, why I bothered. Everything about it is pure, unadulterated SHIT. Courtney Cox and her monicaesque obsessions are a pure pain, and so is Ellie and the blonde giant with the horrifyingly colored lips. The fact that it exists, actually is quite heartening. It means someone or someones out there have a lot of money to waste on producing crap like this.

Which means there is hope for me!

And for the record- pirate bay rocks!!

AND WE ARE BACK!!!

After ages, during which we were out of commission :-); we are now back.

It's also been ages since the year turned- and what a turn for me (details to follow or not depending on my mood).

So what have I been upto these past few months?
- Moving
- Setting up
- Cooking
- Aaaaaaaaaah (pls don't let your minds run away with you)- this is just a breath- so breathing!!!!!

2012

So any plans for the new year yet?

I know the ones we had haven't really gotten on track till now but hey who am I to say no? And although I wanted to write about so many different things, I guess the one thing that is non controversial and top of mind is the New Year's eve!

Also praying hard for all my friends going through terrible times- really feel for you my friends and pray and hope that with the new year 2012, our kismet changes as well.

The one who's daughter is suffering from a terrible something- I pray on behalf of my entire family, that your baby girl becomes absolutely fine and comes back home happy. It would take some time to get out of this and I pray that God gives you strength and happiness as a family again and soon.

The one who went to rescue her mother from an old age home- I pray you and your mom spend many happy years in each other's company. May God bless you for being so considerate and so helpful. You were there for us, we are too- for you.

The one who's living away from her husband of many years- I pray you find happiness and the inescapable note of sadness from your voice leaves it forever. May you be a family again- happy with each other.

The one who is a single mother. She's been through a terribly tough time which has lasted years. She has fought with all that life has handed out to her and though she doesn't have all that she wants, she's thrashed the fuck ups with all her might and I do believe she is a winner. May you find someone to love and cherish you the way you deserved to be loved. May you find lots of work which gives you a lot of satisfaction. May you finally get what is rightfully yours- everything your heart desires.

And my husband and my little children- May you find happiness with me and find in me- a less irritable wife and mother. May God give us peace and happiness as ONE family - finally.

Happy 2012.

Martina....

Thanx for being there.

We really love you and think you are doing a great job.

You are fabulous just the way you are.

(and yes I am shamelessly using this as an excuse to complete my numbers :-)

No cupckaes at midnight!

Not that i wanted to eat them...just wanted to make the promised batch for my babies Christmas morning breakfast.

But I dozed off, putting them to bed and when I woke up, it was already too late- considering I currently inhabit a full house with almost the same number of people per square meter as a crowded beach!

And although my dear husband said what the hell- just go ahead and cook, I thought the noise of the hand mixer would draw more than a fair share of 'what the hell do you think you are doing in the middle of the night'!

So I gathered material for the morning-falling short of a couple of ingredients (hopefully the poor soul will run to the market early morning to get them!), and hope we have a freshly baked cake (i decided against the cupcakes) for Christmas morning.

Merry Christmas everyone! 

and the ones with the double standards...

...are not always or just the people I am related to, even by marriage!

On one of those rare occasions that I sneaked out for a Christmas-y eve at a friends' place nearby, met a whole lot of people. And it feels nice to meet people. Nice people.
Long story short (and this post is basically to cover up numbers...have to reach at least as much as last year!)- ran into someone I knew very well till some time back. So well, so well. Turns out I did figure her out pretty well.
Anyway, so here's this lady who has told me in no uncertain words, her opinion of my food, my taste in music among other things and had really belittled ALL Hindi music claiming complete lack of knowledge of the Hindi music scene. Guess what I caught her dancing to 'Choli Ke Peechhe'!

Ha Ha...now I do know what goes on uske 'surface ke peechhhe!!!

The Dirty Picture

I have no idea why everyone is going gaga over this very mediocre film.

I like Vidya Balan- just wanted to say it at same time of proclaiming that the film is very average.

The film is loosely 'inspired' by the life of a southern siren Silk Smitha. They have shown Vidya Balan and her ample body to perfection; actually like nobody could. She is the one on screen actress besides Kajol, I adore. You really don't need to ask why. Hello? With a two-baby-body, I know I don't have the time to work out and aspire to be the fitter ones, so if these babes can carry it off, so can I. Yippee!

Back on track- the film is quite crap. Lots of cleavage, lots of titillation, lots of implied sex, lots of irreverent dialogues mouthed almost obscenely by the protagonist but where's the acting?

Has anyone seen 'Black Swan'? The internal struggle, the pain, the sheer agony, the almost psychotic devotion to the ballet portrayed so beautifully by Natalie Portman. And this particular film even boasts of an almost lesbian scene besides scenes of self pleasure and not once does the film try and ride on it alone.
Truth be told, my dear husband asked me this question and got me thinking. I had cheated on him a bit and quietly saw the downloaded copy of this film (so I am not prefect). He asked me if it was worth watching, was the turmoil even come close in intention to the Black Swan or was it only short dresses and boobs?

Would not take my two year old also too long to answer- Boobs!

It is a filmi story- poor girl becomes famous by using the only thing she has- her body. Said girl unable to handle neither her success nor her temporary failure. So far so good. What would've made this film infinitely superior- using some of Vidya's acting talents, may be meeting up pre-production some people who actually knew the lady in question...

While everyone can not be a Natalie Portman, nor can everyone make another Black Swan, the producer's laughing all the way to the bank.
Seems like the joke's on the world- the rejection of SS and her subsequent suicide led many many years later to this film based on her life, which goes on to make tons of money!

Nebuliser

Well...A Jr had to be...poor thing has been ill since more than a month. And I have had to do it. Of course he's terrifies of it and I would've been as well. Takes very poorly to it and cries the whole time!
The year's almost ended.

When will this hell of a situation end for all of us?

Beat It!

I nearly did!

Just didn't want to write. Just could not.

Could barely on.

Somehow I have come this far. And then I saw, my vow to beat the last year's total number of posts doesn't have a chance in hell, unless I blog like a mad person that is.
The problem with me is, I put the pressure- ON ME. How stupid can you be? Nobody's holding a gun to my head saying, and here it gets reallly (that's why the 3 'l's) corny- BEAT IT (the last year's number that is).
I do it to myself. Maybe I can cheat and write one line per post and still BEAT It. Ok enough of the beat it!!

Of course am still not allowed to spend extended periods of time on the computer, so...let's see.

How have you all been- my millions of fans worldwide?

Anna Hazare and other Issues

To be very honest (and it is always followed by something negative, sure enough here as well), I don't know the scene by scene details of this whole issue, which has taken the whole nation by storm and is keeping it firmly in its grip.

I do know about the principal question and the big furore now. While most of the nation's citizens are up in arms with Anna,  suddenly a large number of the 'thinking' populace is divided in its opinion.

It is a joke. Really, it is.

I don't have too much to say about this. But I do want to say, out of these who are now deriding Anna's method of protest amongst other things, how many of them have ever truly tried to help someone else without any ulterior motive?
How many of them have ever tried to break up a fight between total strangers when they were a witness to it?
How many have stopped their air conditioned cars when they saw someone needed help on the road?
How many have even written a letter of protest against some injustice, regularly meted out to the citizens of India?
How many opened their laptops or computers to pen down a mail against the scandal that were the Commonwealth Games?
How many even VOTE?

If someone is doing something against the corruption and other very basic issues which plague the fabric of our society, our government, then let them.
If you can't stand with them, at least let them do their job- and if in the process they get a bit of long overdue publicity, then so be it!

Old Hindi Movies

I am a huge fan of those.
It still takes me a fair bit of coaxing to be a able to sit through a new flick- barring a few exceptions of course; but old movies I can rewatch any number of times.

Maybe that's what I will do once both my babies go to full time school- sit and watch movies! I don't really think so, but I do believe there's a fair chance I will watch my favorite bits.
I love the music, the actors, the stories- all. Among these I have my criteria as well- some actors like Nanda, Sadhna, Mala Sinha, Rajendra Kumar, Rajesh Khanna in his post Aradhana bad hair days and many more are a complete no no!

My fav old films- Anubhav (the Tanuja, Sanjeev Kumar starrer and not a soft porn movie of the same name), Masoom, Ijazat, Namkeen and can't think of any others at the moment. But this is a fair idea of the films I love. I also like the likes of Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron, Ab Aayega Maza, Kisi Se Na Kehna and even Chameli Ki Shaadi- the crass hit of the eighties!

But when I want to sit down and watch a bit something like right now, I can't even make up my mind :-)

A Note On Independence Day

Happy Independence Day to all my compatriots.

Cliched but true- if only we realized the importance of freedom, we would definitely behave more responsibly. And this of course directly translates into a whole lot of things, culminating of course in a better life for all, for generations to come.

But of course and quite unfortunately, the condition of my country is quite similar to that of my current domestic situation- bad decisions, short sightedness, complete lack of unity and no sense of self respect. And with that if you get a clear-as-glass picture of the murk that I currently inhabit, so be it. After all, it is true on a much bigger scale for all of us in India today.

And before all your misplaced patriotism makes you pronounce me a cynic and whatever else forms a part of your vocabulary, it is very important to stop and reflect. What is it about India today which will make me proud of being an Indian?

I reflect, think, debate and think some more every single day with the same sad truth- very little.

Are we able to provide basic food and shelter to all?
Is education a given regardless of social or economic background?
Have we been able to bring corruption down to almost digestible levels?
Is personal security not even an issue to be thought of?
Do we have electricity, roads, clean drinking water for all?
Have patients stopped residing in men's restrooms awaiting medical attention in the premier hospital of the country?
Is medical attention available to all?
Have we risen beyond our own separate castes/ religions/and whatever else that divided us centuries ago to embrace our nation as one?
Do we not plan and hope and work feverishly towards escaping from this country in search of better opportunities and relentlessly egg our children on to finding lives elsewhere?
HAVE WE BEEN ABLE TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT LEADERS TO GOVERN US?

The list is tragically endless.
And all the answers veer towards the negative if not outrightly so.

Happy 15th August to all.