Random Ramblings...

Unsaid...Unexpressed...

2011-03-13T06:09:00.004-06:00

I still remember a couple of lines on my autograph book from college...lines penned by a friend whom I didn't know well enough...and definitely didn't understood too well...but it still is one that lingers in memory....

"You wanted to do quite a lot, but never did...You wanted to say quite a lot, but never did"

The second part is what I always find interesting...In all our daily interactions and conversations, there is so much thought, so much feeling that is unexpressed...uncommunicated.

Almost every movie that revolves around people and their relations and subtle interactions has this very theme...the Unsaid word...Fathers missing to tell their sons how deeply loved they were...Brothers misunderstanding each other and thinking that the other loves money more than their family bonds....Men who have waited all their lives to tell a woman how madly they wanted to be with them....
If people were perfect communicators and each one could understand exactly what the other thought, and why they thought so....the world would be so much happier...less arguments, less wars, less crimes....and yes, not so many themes for movies & serials :D

In the last few months and years of my life, this thought has been much more on my mind....
I have seen people dear to me argue with each other just because they don't understand each other as well as I understand each of them individually...and it has been sad.
There are people whom I've wished to say good words to, but just been too shy ;)
There are people who've inspired me purely by being themselves...and I haven't been able to tell them of the difference they've made...

There is probably a subtlety and complexity of human emotion that is beautiful to see on film...but the unexpressed thought is as useless as a helping hand that's intended but never given!!!

More Ramblings

2010-08-28T15:14:00.004-05:00

I just couldn't find a sensible title but just had to blog ;)

As ever, something has to inspire...and this time its another movie....Kaiyoppu.....a pretty good malayalam movie in a long time...

Thanks to more free time and a desire to shut out all thoughts of office, I am trying to see every good movie I can get hold of and listen to every interesting song I can pick up....;)
Kaiyoppu is a movie that gets categorized as 'arty', but is not another so-called 'not for the masses' movie.....its a very casually running story with a bit of art, lots of good feeling and a 'darkness' to it, which doesn't look too intentional to be fake....
I know that's confusing.....but I suggest you just ignore me and see the movie ;)

What I specially liked and what got me blogging were a few thoughts from the movie....
The goodwill and simplicity of the lead character (a stumbling writer, played by Mammooty) and a willingness to take life as it comes and not be lost in the 'race to prove yourself'....
For e.g., writing, reading or art or being kind are all just 'good, nice things' to this character....
There is none of the 'I am an obscure writer' or 'I am a buddhijeevi' thought....
I know life or humans don't come so easy and simple...but it was a nice refreshing state to be in for a lil while....

Watching 'Passenger' and especially Srinivasan's character left me with a similar experience....
Here was this guy going on with the everyday-ness of life, enjoying his daily train journey and the little joys of it and being absolutely open to help someone he barely knew....all too good to be true ;)

I really happen to one of those people who don't entirely believe in 'charity' or that people could be selfless....Man is made to 'survive' and his survival instincts just leave him incapable of being truly selfless or charitable....that's my opinion at least...

Well, just a few minutes of feel good....

I am hungry and feel-good ain't filling my stomach....;) Off to make some dinner....

It's been such a long time....

2010-06-27T14:23:00.008-05:00

This blog had been one that I'd grown used to updating on every whim and thought....
I guess I just got caught up with all the busi-ness (supposed to read like busy-ness, incase it isn't obvious) of life....

Well, I was just recently thinking about a couple of movies that were really stirring...one, 'Kite Runner' and the other 'The Lives Of Others'.
Both were amazing movies...and as someone commented 'tug at your heartstrings'...Kite Runner does that a hell lot more...

One thought or feeling I was left with...much after the appreciation of the wonderful filmmaking and story...was the feeling of anger...of seeing the most innocent being brutalised and yet not receiving any justice....and the worst of the worst doing the worst things imaginable and yet living wonderful lives...

I know it sounds like the oft repeated....God, where art thou....
Nah, I was thinking more about where people get their so-called humane thoughts...
I am one of those people who atleast most of the time believe that everything is just 'logical'...
Men run after women coz they are programmed to...People are jealous or insecure coz it helps survival...blah blah....more of what is referred to as....evolutionary psychology...of which I am an ardent supporter ;)
Why are humans 'humane'? Why do they shed tears just thinking about another's pain?
Is it just coz if they share each other's pain it helps improve overall lifespans? :D

Walking...

2008-02-10T00:49:00.000-06:00

One thing I know I'll always enjoy no matter what...is 'walking' ;)
I still remember the induction training we had when we joined our 'first company'...And as part of some introductions, we were required to speak about our hobbies.....I remember this guy who said..."I like to walk" ;)

Silly and weird as the above statement might sound...I am sure everyone enjoys walking....in some form or the other.
Either its those "damn, I gotta shed some pounds!" morning walk...or a casual evening walk....a walk with your sweetheart..whatever it is, I guess everyone enjoys this simple pleasure of life...

So here I was, today evening....desperately wanting to go out...take a walk...feel alive. I hadn't had lunch either (it was 5PM ;) and was too lazy to cook...But it was snowing as well. So what? A decision is a decision....I went walking ;)
Out in the US, this feels weird....coz nobody really walks much...definitely not when it snows! But who gives a serious damn. If you enjoy it, why even bother? ;)
By the by....the above pic was shot while walking back..

...and, while the walk was difficult (the ice was slippery and the wind was cold)...it was enjoyable....and I didnt break any bones ;)

Speaking of simple pleasures, I discovered some interesting things you can do in the shower ;)
Nah, aint what you are thinking....;)
This is what I am referring to.

Simon, Garfunkel and the Graduate

2007-12-15T17:58:00.000-06:00

Strange as it may sound, I've never really listened to Simon n Garfunkel....not once ;) Well, maybe I have...and dint like what I heard...
Either way, I was seeing the movie 'The Graduate'...and was pretty 'affected' by the soundtrack...all courtesy Paul Simon n Garfunkel ;)

The Sound of Silence, Scarborough Fair and Mrs Robinsonv are a MUST HEAR!!! I've been listening to em songs over n over again....for quite a while ;)

...and here's some interesting trivia bout Simon n Garfunkel off wikipedia
"The duo of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel are American popular musicians known collectively as Simon and Garfunkel. They met in elementary school in 1953, when they both appeared in the school play Alice in Wonderland (Simon as the White Rabbit, Garfunkel as the Cheshire Cat)."
Oh, what a way to meet and start a music band ;)

Clicking Away

2007-12-09T22:16:00.000-06:00

Yaaaaaay....finally got my Rebel XTi....after years of wondering "should I buy an analog SLR? A compact ? A prosumer ? a dSLR?"...;)
And finally a month ago, I decided to loosen em purse strings for a while and splurge...get a dSLR...Hmmm, I know there must be a lotta ppl now saying "Nah, this aint a splurge...the worst is yet to come!" ;)
And then, the last month was spent in pretty frantic research...late nites researching the relative merits of the D40, D40x, D80, XTi, XT....and finally...thanks to lots of good inputs from all my camera crazy friends (TS, Nambi, Haris, Lijesh...so many)...came to a decision...haavoo..

Here are some fresh (and steaming ;) pics from today morning...Woke up lil early and took a walk in the snow....

This one was shot right outside our apartment complex...as I started walking...I guess people thought it was quite crazy. Walking in the snow is really quite stupid I must say ;)....the roads are so damn slippery, I was just too lucky not to fall flat on my back with the dSLR to support the fall ;) In fact, walking in the snow is easier than walking on em roads. When you are trudging through the snow, it caves in...yes...but with a kind of crunch, crunch sound....almost like you were munching away ;)

Hmm, this one was shot near this lil bridge somewhere along the way. There is this nice trail from my apt...which goes along beside a golf course (now all snow covered), extends along this bridge and stuff...and finally just ends ;)

More at Snow White

Sigur Ros

2007-11-04T02:25:00.000-06:00

This is gonna be a very small post I guess...I just wanted to put up a post about 2 things....an interesting band...and an interesting site...

The band's name is 'Sugur Ros', a band from Iceland....a kind of experimental rock or trance or psychedelic stuff...but definitely good....
I'd recommend Glósóli and njosnavelin. Incidentally, the second song featured in the Penelope Cruz n Cameron Diaz starrer Vanilla Sky (and Tom Cruise as well ;)).
All Icelandic words n lyrics as well....n of course, dont make any sense to me...but the music is nice...Glosoli means 'Glowing sole' in Icelandic...not like that helps any bit ;)
It can't be dejavu...but, I have this feeling I've see the Glosoli music video somewhere...maybe some ad.

And the interesting site...www.hypem.com. As the site intro says "The Hype Machine follows music blog discussions. Every day, thousands of people around the world write about music they love — and it all ends up here."
Its an interesting site for those who want to look out and listen to new artists, new songs...

oops...its 5 in the morning...I'd better get some sleep :D

Heard Melodies are Sweet...

2007-10-14T18:09:00.001-05:00

Hmmm...the last time I blogged about unheard melodies being sweeter, I wondered if this were indeed true...today is one of those days when I must disagree...
Nah, its not that I've decided to disagree to everything today :D

Well, been listening to some ol' mallu songs...Onnaam raagam paadi, Eeran Megham, Padam Pootha Kaalam , Nee en Sarga Soundaryame, Poo Venam, Thamarakkili Paadunnu and others...and I must say the nostalgia switch just tripped off ;)

Incidentally, I am reminded of this conversation I had a few months back where I was going on n on about being so much in love with this land, its music n all...and I was told...'u are really prejudiced'....haha, I wonder...is Kerala so beautiful...its life so rich...its music so full of life and feeling...Or is it just that everything about it is wired to some nostalgic figment of my memory ;)

Here are some pics that I clicked the last time I was in Kerala....

Well, this was shot on the train while travelling on to home...
A lil kid standing outside his home, watching the trains go by....watching the people travel by....

Aaaand...this was shot right outside my home in Trivandrum...
Hmmm, it was raining so nice...I guess I miss the rain..

You can find more pics at Kerala Travels ;)
ps. Special thanks to those nice fellas who uploaded these songs on youtube for everyone to enjoy!!! I can't imagine uploading so many MBs/GBs of music/movies just so that others may see ;)

The Need to Connect...

2007-10-13T12:02:00.000-05:00

"Tom Hanks with his companion, 'Wilson' the volleyball...from Castaway"

Human beings are so very interesting...in their strengths and weaknesses...
There are times when they wish away society and everything in it....wish that they could just be on an island all by 'emselves doing what they wanted to...nothing less, nothing more...(er...maybe the island could do with a nice chick as well ;)

And other times...when they yearn so much for the 'human connection'....the want to reach out to another human being....to relate to the rest of the population...
While its probably a good 'built-in feature' ;)....I wonder why humans were created to be so dependent...so linked to feedback from other beings....

aaah, I feel a want tooo...for some coffee/juice ;)...here I go!!!

Unheard Melodies....

2007-09-30T12:00:00.000-05:00

'Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter...'
Maybe true....maybe not...I can think of reasons to agree...and to not agree ;)

Anyways, here are some new songs I listened to on the radio...
and yet again, I cant but thank the internet and youtube....for leading me on to the songs that I just heard on the radio and desperately want to hear again...
Haha...nice songs that you heard on the run...are something like beautiful gals that you run into...;)
Gals that make you go "omg" for a while and wish you run into em again...but unfortunately, that never happens ;)

Thankfully, songs aint that way :)

So, here are some picks...and yet again, those are from artists I didnt know rocked...much less, even existed!!! (with the exception of A-Ha)

Well, among all the clicking and loitering around on youtube...I was just seeing this trailer from We own the night which hits the theatres is a coupla weeks...and I was thinking...what is it about these trailers and movies that really turns us on...from the aural perspective alone...
Try viewing that trailer...there are these distinct bassy sounds and so on...that strike up the pace...and instantly give you those lil nice goosebumps or lil-shivers-up-or-down-the-spine...;)
I am sure everyone's had this feeling of some sort of elevation that comes with slick trailers....Infact, not only do they excite you...they even make you feel charged or whatever...

Try listening to the Carmina Burana. Not sure whats the actual name...I guess we all know it as The Old Spice Song. The youtube video is a lil gruesome, lemme warn you...so dont see it over lunch ;)
Coming to the point....there is something about this song that instantly charges you up....

I am not sure...but I guess there must be people out there researching about the effect of different sounds or frequencies on humans...ya, take theta waves(not theeta ;) for example...
Maybe there might also be people who take this research further to introduce those 'magic notes' into trailers and movies to really spark up people....
Come to think of it....a trailer, just like an ad, has very little time to speak up for itself...the sights...and to a very large extent, the sounds...decide on how the audience is impacted...how they are pulled in...to get the cash registers ringing ;)

Time for lunch....adios ;)

uhh....5 years?

2007-09-28T20:35:00.000-05:00

And finally, its 5 years since I stepped out of college...and started working!!!

Wow....5 years....can't quite beleive its been so many years...;)
I used to think 5 years was a big chunk of time...and life...

Like the pic on the left (an album cover that I flicked off the net and screwed around with a bit ;) ), 'The Last 5 years' has been all a blur...dint really realize time flying by....

Nah, I dont wanna start introspection into where these 5 years have taken me or where they haven't taken me....why bother, I am happy where I am :D

Anways, its been a nice 5 years...good times...
So, here's to the next 73 years of life!!! :D
Lemme go have some 'energy drink' to stick around that long ;)

Rocking Away...

2007-09-18T19:44:00.000-05:00

Here's to two bands that I've lately been very much into...Snow Patrol...and Coldplay...
Both are quite similiar, the general style of playing...but yes, I like em both..

Snow Patrol:

I really like their songs...akin to Coldplay and a lil dash of Blink182 at times...

Coldplay:

They've been around for a while and I like the usual favorites like Yellow, Clocks, Trouble and so forth...but here a few others that I stumbled on lately...

Rain Rain Go Away!!!

2007-09-10T18:20:00.001-05:00

Aah, I just cant think of why anyone would come up a rhyme like Rain Rain Go Away ;)...I just luvvvvvv the rain!!!

Its been a nice day...raining nice n well....nice breeze...lil cold...makes you shiver just a lil bit....
Aaah, what a time to indulge in a lil drink....;)...nah, I decided not to...mood nahin hai ;)
I thought I'd rather click away...snap a coupla pics...aaand...here's one...

Its just the rain streaming down the roof or 'whatever-u-call-that-thing-jutting out of the roof' ;)
Interestingly, there are people I know who dont like the rain...
Some of em dont like it coz they cant go out, do stuff they want...
Others just plain dont like it...find it depressing...
Ya, the rain is sometimes depressing....I guess its on the same lines as what a friend told "Winters typically clock the highest number of suicides in the US"...
You know, staying indoors...thinking too much....especially stupid analytical folks like me :D

I guess I better quit thinking...atleast for a while!!! ;)

Its movie time!!!

2007-09-10T00:10:00.001-05:00

Well, the last weekend, I thought I could go someplace....the weather was still fine, so we should probably be travelling before the winter (everyone's been predicting a 'fun' winter ;)...

Finally got lazy (as usual ;) and thought I'd see some movie...n started off thinking that I could maybe see Deja Vu...had a download that I thought I could see...Start off the movie, and bingo....its in Spanish!!!
Likely to be Spanish....but cant be sure, since I dont know Spanish either ;)

Well, so I settled for a lil serious movie....Amadeus....a movie about Mozart and a jealous contemporary of his, Salieri....
Its fundamentally about the well gifted people and the less gifted ones....about human jealousy....about artists...about opera....about music...
It was a lil serious movie....yes...but worth the time....infact, I am beginning to appreciate opera a bit ;)
The word Opera, atleast till now....used to remind me of the scene from Dil Chahtha Hai, with Aamir sitting through the wails n screams of an opera ;)
....and of this opera that I went to with Don once ;)
Well, for all who somehow think opera is all bullshit, but can still appreciate a good movie....try seeing Amadeus...maybe it might help you see what the guys who write/direct operas think like...

Well, Amadeus done, I thought I'd see something lighter....funny types...
and so, I switch to Dr. Pashupathy!!! Nice ol mallu movie....;)

And finally, a real classic movie that I am getting tired of recommending to everyone...Meghamalhaar...a very poetic movie so to say...starring Biju Menon n Samyuktha Varma...
The movie is about two married people who meet...and...before you think this is one of those "The Other Woman" type movies, stop!!!
Its about two people who are married and dedicated to their family lives...they meet quite coincidentally...and soon realize they once were childhood best buddies...
Aargh...I just feel like I am doing injustice to the story....go, see the movie...rather than listen to my pathetic narration :D

ps. Special thanks to www.videoduniya.com for helping me catch up on these nice mallu movies...

Splashing around...

2007-08-22T20:54:00.000-05:00

Well...I am typing this blog out with my speedo googles on....ya...swimming goggles... :D:D
and, before u get me wrong....lemme clarify that I dont swim at the Olympics....neither national level...not even 'local' level ;)
Am a newbie to swimming...but just got enthu-ed up recently!!!

....nah, it isnt the chicks in the pool...coz there aint any whereever I go ;)
I am just trying to have fun and stay fit....which reminds me I have two lil chocolates just before I swim
...nah, its not the 'ow, there a choc in the fridge' urge....its more of 'I need energy to swim' calculated thought :D

Ouch...these goggles are tight....

I first took some time understanding how they were supposed to be put on...
Well, you mite think this is a lil 'obsessed with the west' observation...but nah, the americans have a way with making things simple
Infact, as a friend told me once, "If you find it difficult to use something here, then you can be sure you are doing it the wrong way"....
Proves true...Putting on this pair of goggles is simple too...I just tried it on the wrong way first..;)

Now its a lil tight and gives me a lil headache
....esp me, I have a lil wide face...Speedo never designed for those dimensions I guess ;)...
and, I am not used to things on my eyes...not even specs...

I guess I'd better loosen em up a bit...grab another choc (for the energy, of course ;)..and splash in...

'Special credits' to Don for suggesting that I look for 'anti-fogging' goggles (u know, these have an anti-fogging switch with wipers n the works ;)...

Chic-Ago!

2007-08-19T18:41:00.000-05:00

After a quick visit (I guess I could call it more of a stop-over!) to India, I am back in the US...now in a different city...Chicago...
I have been hearing lots of nice things about this city...a lively downtown...great weather thats akin to India (except the chilling killing winters!)...lots of desis....and yes, lots of relatives ;)
Am just 1 week in here...so far so good...hopefully its nice n fun...

The last couple of weeks have been too much of activity...some 'pennu kaanal' (seeing gals ;) )....
but yet, me still a bachelor...free....n confused ;)

Yes....when I come to think of it, too much has happened in the last few weeks....that suddenly the weeks before it look so bare ;)....
And now...I am gonna be here for some time....far longer than I've stayed in any American city...I hope I dont get bored...and I hope to go around a lil bit....explore this place..

Ok, a coupla things I wanna do:
- I wanna get a pair of swimming goggles...and yes, swim ;)
- I wanna get into the habit of doing some meditation....mebbe yoga, but atleast meditation...
- and yes, I wanna do some interesting work at office ;)
- get an american driving license...
- maybe do some programming...get back into the 'thinking groove' ;)
- maybe do some writing/reading....o boy, its been so long since I did either pretty seriously...

I guess I'd better do something....rather than just blog about doing ;)
So here I go....wohoooooooo........

Where were youuuuu.....

2007-07-18T00:08:00.000-05:00

"Where were you when I was burned and broken
While the days slipped by from my window watching
Where were you when I was hurt and I was helpless...
....
Lost in thought and lost in time
While the seeds of life and the seeds of change were planted"

I was walking back from office today...yet another typical ordinary day....when one of those cars blurting out music passed by....you know, those guys who must roll down their windows and play their music so loud people can hear em two blocks down.
surprise surprise...they were playing Pink Floyd...Coming Back to Life...
As I write this, I must say, I can hear/feel the guitar strains that commence the song...haaah..
I must say, I felt happier...elated...

Yes, this song always gets me feeling good...can almost feel hair standing up...maybe dancing to the music ;) It is probably because I'm a Pink Floyd fan, but yes....there are many instances when I hear this song and feel all so elated n good...

On a sidenote, I've been to many parts of the US, but I've pretty much not been in any place that plays my selection of music better. The cafeterias here, the cars on the road, restaurants...somehow they share my passions....like the music I like...such a nice n pleasant coincidence!
Btw, the cafeteria had 'Rocky Mountain High' (John Denver) for lunch today ;)...as in, they had it playing for lunchtime...;)

New Notes...

2007-07-07T00:25:00.000-05:00

It never ceases to surprise me....there are always so many different artists that I never knew existed...and so many different songs I've never listened to...

For once, I am thankful for this ignorance....and the slow n steady discovery ;)

Just like all those wonderful movies that exist...but you probably dont hear of...there are times when you think u've heard it all...and wish that someone came up with something interesting...something fresh n new...

In such a similiar state of mind I was....as I listened to an interesting bit of music...part of some ad on TV....I picked out the lyrics, googled away ;)
Soon I was on youtube...listening to 'Feels Like Home' by Chantal Kreviazuk...wonderful song...

One thing led to another....and no...we weren't in bed ;)
I ended up listening to many artists I wasn't even aware of...

Here are some:

And yes, I stumbled on a movie that I'm looking forward to watching...The Notebook...its a love story....and if the youtube videos based on it are any indicator, it must be truly touching...for the romantic at heart ;)

Stuck in a Web....

2007-07-02T13:06:00.000-05:00

It is funny & interesting how much we get used to the internet and its facilities....and how dependent we become....

The Net is booming with information sources...news, blogs, maps, feeds, stock quotes....you name it....n its 'on the net'!!!

When I'm in India, I must say that my net-habits are pretty confined...I transact online, I pay bills online....but thats it...I dont remain forever logged on on Gmail or Yahoo messenger...and I dont reply to mails in 'the next 5 min' ;)

Here are some things that I do differently now....and the interesting scenarios:

- I get tickets for a baseball match and it says Seat No, Sector No...Whats Sector No? Where are my seats gonna be? I decide to give it a try and just do a Google....wow!....I get a map of the stadium with seats clearly marked so I know where the game's gonna be....and where I am gonna sit!!!

- I am working on a 6 pack (even 7-8 pack would do ;)...but don't seem to be making any progress. Finally end up reading a coupla well written webpages on common mistakes and excercises that could help!...Thanks to Lijesh n Don who gave me this info and directed me to some excellent sites...

- I have no idea how many calories that delicious dish at the cafeteria has....Enter calorie-count.com ;)....

- I am watching this movie on TNT or so....there's Tom Cruise...Demi Moore...Jack Nicholson...courtroom drama....I'd like to know what this movie's name is....More googling...and hey, its "A Few Good Men" ;)

The list goes on and on...about music that I listen to, but can't find its name...and on n on...

a To-Watch List

2007-06-26T15:01:00.000-05:00

I have such a lot of To-Do Lists....lists of things I'd like to do...and 'hope' to do ;)
Most of em are about the many dates that I tirelessly strive to make it to, but cant...the many dinners I am invited to, but dont have the time...aaah, I wish that were so :D

haaa...for a change, I thought I'd put up a To-Watch list....a list of movies I am looking forward to watching....tis a lil decent list...and I guess it should help someone wondering what to watch....
Well, I was under the impression I'd watched most of the stuff there is to watch....and was waiting for directors n producers to come up with some real good stuff :D...till I hit upon a series of 'Rotten Tomatoes' pages...

So, here's the list...

Well, if there are any 'not worth watching at all' movies on this list, pls. comment and help me save time....so I can attend those dates I am struggling to attend :D

Sip Sip Sip ;)

2007-06-26T13:10:00.000-05:00

Its such a nice feeling...to have a nice lunch and be drinking a lil hot cuppa...

I used to think I was more of a coffee person (reminds me I am starting to describe people in terms of 'coffee person', 'cricket person', 'early-up person'...and so on!)...until quite recently...

I like coffee...maybe lil like I do alcohol, though quite opposite...

Alcohol makes me less thoughtful, more calm, more nice n humane ;)...lets me write drunken blogs ;)
Coffee makes me more active, less sleepy...gets me bloggin more ;)
Ya, I guess I resort to coffee the way a lot of office workers do, esp. those typing away all day at their computers and check mail frantically for 'signs of life'...i like that phrase :D
I like espresso shots...they are a bit like tequila shots...except the reverse effect...;)

That was all till we bought some masala for cooking...and got a coupla of Tazo tea bags freeee...calming tea, black tea, some other tea ;)....and those lil fundoo looking packs just hung around in my cupboard waiting for a chance to strike ;)

Finally, its cleaning time...and we wonder if we should use em tea bags or just throw em out....settle for Option 1 and I am sipping away Tazo tea....
Those marketing guys are real good with all the fundoo lines on the pack...about monks sipping away this tea after meditation and all that...hahaaa....wait till the monks hear about all this branding ;)
But yes...i must admit...the tea IS good....nice to sip away....whether its the healthy n invigorating feel of green tea with herbs....or the black tea (so reminescent of India...).
Am sipping away some nice black tea as I blog away....aaah ;)

I think I am gonna buy more packs of these exotic teas sometime soon....maybe gift em...for all I know, I think I am beginning to enjoy tea...getting to be a 'tea person' :D

Here's what one reviewer for Tazo tea had to say:
"Warning: HIGHLY ADDICTIVE TEAS. Once you taste these teas, you will want to try them all and forever be on a search for new Tazo teas. Fortunately they have enough tea blends to entertain you for years."

ps. Black tea is great to sip on...but am beginning to think its got some laxative 'features' as well ;)....actually there are more people who think so....check google...

The Magic Of Light and Glasses

2007-06-24T13:45:00.000-05:00

Glasses and light have always been fascinating...the way different glasses bend light, change it, color it....is always so interesting...so magical...

Here are some products of a lazy...'what to do' Sunday ;) ...remnants of a boozing nite...and flower vases ;)

Before you conclude that I've been drinking too many bottles...lemme add that 'Objects in the mirror add up to more than they really are!'...yup, some of 'em are reflections in the mirror!

The first one brings to mind 'dark corridors of power'...hmmm, the second one...reminds me of nothing in particular...except my fingers that you probably see wrapped around the delicate vase ;)

More at Reflections

Gloomy Sunday

2007-06-21T22:53:00.000-05:00

Sunday is gloomy, my hours are slumberless
Dearest the shadows I live with are numberless
Little white flowers will never awaken you
Not where the black coach of sorrow has taken you
Angels have no thought of ever returning you
Would they be angry if I thought of joining you?
Full Lyrics

Hmmm....this song would probably be one of the most intriguing songs that I've listened to..

The song dates back to 1933...with origins in Hungary....written by a Hungarian self-taught pianist and composer Rezső Seress. What is most enchanting about this song is the slow melancholy feel to it....and the sad knowledge that it inspired many suicides (apparently), especially during the Nazi period. Frankly, its a very beautiful but sad song -- you could really get depressed listening to it ;)....but ya, you could listen it on and on, without getting bored....I could, atleast.

I never knew this song existed...for a really long time...till I saw the movie 'Gloomy Sunday' which is based on this song. The central characters are Ilona (Erika Marozsan) a gorgeous waitress at a nice lil restuarant, the owner of the restuarant (who's Ilona's lover as well), a young wonderful pianist and a German.

Ilona is a woman of such beauty as to make any man lose himself. Every man who walks into the restaurant is captivated by her beauty and depressed by the thought that they cannot have her. It is not difficult to see why this is so....as you see this movie ;)
The pianist composes this song 'Gloomy Sunday' as a birthday gift to Ilona.
But he is soon saddened when he realizes that his song inspires many to suicide.

The story, set in Hungary...slowly drifts into the Holocaust times...with Jews being arrested, their properties confiscated....and you literally feel so angry....so cheated...
Its a great movie, for those who love drama and are not scared to get depressed or angry....Every movie doesnt have to be a 'And they lived happily ever after' story ;)
Atleast for beautiful Ilona, its a must watch ;)
Thankfully, someone's got a clip of this on youtube...with the song.

To speak of this song, lots of artists have recorded this song. Diamanda Galas, Billie Holiday, Sarah Bergman...the list goes on...the best ones are by these three though. Here's a youtube video based on the Billie Holiday version.

And, yes...the composer of this beautiful song...Rezső...did commit suicide by jumping off a Budapest Building in 1968 ;)
...and....this song features as No:2 in 'The 25 Most Exquisitely Sad Songs in the Whole World'
must say that....much as I love this song, I take care not to listen to it too much....;)

I am mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!

2007-06-21T22:24:00.001-05:00

Finally, a movie worth blogging about...after a loong time ;)

I watched 'Network'...a lil old movie...1976 as per IMDB.

A movie about television networks, probably about Ted Turner's time....the wild n mindless competition, the total loss of morality or ethics even in business decisions...and how human life itself was so skewed, contorted, dehumanized so to say...

I hate to spoil anyone's pleasure of seeing the movie...so I guess I'll skip any detail....

Well, the story begins with a TV newsreader/anchor getting fired because his ratings weren't good enough (think appraisals! ;)...He goes on air telling his audience he would blow his brains out....Much as he is expected to be fired for this, the television agency sees opportunity in this 'mishap'. They seek to keep him on the air with all his deranged talk and mad prophet talk....and on the story goes...

The key and interesting characters:

- Howard Beale, the mad tv anchor with his mad rants...
- Max Schumacher, Howard's friend and aging boss...the only sane guy for miles ;)
- Diana Christensen, a career driven lady wanting to drastically improve the channel's ratings...

The main dialogue of this movie is a Howard Beale line "I am as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!"...about people depressed with the state of things in the world...
However, the line I liked the most, on first hearing...was a Max Schumacher(nah, not Michael Schumacher ;)) line...

"You are television incarnate, Diana, indifferent to suffering, insensitive to joy. All of life is reduced to the common rubble of banality. War, murder, death are all the same to you as bottles of beer. The daily business of life is a corrupt comedy. You even shatter the sensations of time and space into split-seconds and instant replays. You are madness, Diana, virulent madness, and everything you touch dies with you. Well, not me. Not while I can still feel pleasure and pain and love."

This is the basic theme of the movie...this line says its all...

Diana Christensen, played by Faye Dunaway is a character that interests me a lot too...I fail to understand how people can lose so much humanity n feeling in the 'race to be successful'...

Wikiquote rocks...just as much as wikipedia does! For more interesting lines/quotes from this movie check Nework WikiQuote.

Beeeeeeer

2007-06-13T15:30:00.000-05:00

Finally I went to a brewery/winery...Anheuser-Busch Breweries out here in STL.
Must say it was a pretty long walk to the brewery and back (close to 7 miles in total!)...but thanks to free beer, I am a happier man now ;)

Here's another 'happy man' asking for a second freee beeer:D

Well, I had been keeping off from beer drinking for a while. Beer is one of my favourites...for its taste and 'sippability' ;)....but thanks to 'the beer belly scare', I have been trying to stay off....

The thought of beer conjures up an image of big bellied huge fellas gulping down mugs n bottles n pitchers....aaah, not too good for those yearning for their 6 packs;)

Just on impulse, I did some googling to research on 'why beer makes you fat'. Surprise, surpise! Beer isnt really fattening as we think it to be...

Here's some quick info flicked off a BBC article...for those wanting to quickly get their facts staight before they reach for another pitcher ;)

"There's no such thing as the beer belly," says George Philliskirk, of the Beer Academy. "But it is an appetite stimulant and it's the fish and chips or curry that round off a night with a few pints that puts the weight on."

Some statistics:
CALORIES PER 100ml
Beer (4.6% alc): 41 calories
Wine (12% alc): 77 calories
Spirits: 250 calories
Milk: 64 calories
Orange juice: 42 calories
Apple juice: 47 calories

Should I change to beer instead of apple/orange juice? ;)

And, here's good news for all alcoholics...:D

"In fact, concerns about alcohol being fattening could be completely off-target anyway. Martin Bobak says there isn't even concrete evidence that the human body can turn alcohol into fat."
Martin Bobak surely sounds very intelligent, he must be right :D

Post Processing...

2007-06-13T11:02:00.000-05:00

I used to think that post processing was a bad thing to do....Post Processing, for the uninitiated, is just processing pictures/film after actually taking the pic....everything from blurring, grayscale-ing, sharpening, color tint-ing....much much more, depending on what tool or utility you have....and for people who do that stuff in darkrooms.....thats a totally different story....

I used to have a chat friend....who used to be crazy about doing touch ups and all crazy stuff in darkrooms.....I never got down to doing anything on those lines, though....

Ok, so....I used to think that one 'should' take a picture as one wants it....and get no points for anything done after the 'click'....;)

Basically, one should visualize what one is shooting at the moment its shot, rather than crop it, edit it, think over it....and create something else...but I guess I was wrong ;)

Lately I've been taking almost all everything I shoot, and work on editing em....its interesting to see the 'hidden' picture ;)....

The following are some pictures shot at Busch Breweries, STL...

Here's a shot of a mom and her child...the mom looking so happy....the child looking left....to see its twin bro (or sis, I wouldnt know ;)....who happened to be in its dad's arms...

I kind of like this one....gets me thinking about the happiness n concern in every parent's life....nice to be married ;)....worrisome tooo ;)

Here's another pic.....the other end of the emotional spectrum....sadness...despair....

This one really makes me a lil sad ;)

More at http://picasaweb.google.com/arun.george.john/ArtOrSomethingLikeIt

Doing nothing n watching others work....

2007-06-10T21:12:00.000-05:00

I guess most people are probably guilty of one pastime....to do nothing....laze around....and watch other people do stuff...;)

I would say TV is a manifestation of this.....sitting idly on cosy couches.....watching adventurers struggle away through difficult n interesting paths...another is hanging around in balconies looking out...watching people making their way to places they've got to go to....watching em do work that they need to....

Sunday morning....misty n sleepy eyed....coffee cup in hand, I indulge in this lil pastime....of observing people working away...

Thanks to staying in a 'lil' tall building in the heart of downtown.....I get to see a lot of contruction going on...and cranes veering around drunkely....workers with hard hats walking around...going someplace....

I am not sure if you can 'feel the view'...but this is a really nice sight...
Since the windows are all big and encompass the whole wall, you could literally lean on em, look out...and forget than you are actually in another building.....you know...a bit like like being in mid-air between all those buildings ;)

Well, meet Mr. Crane....he keeps working away day and nite...lifting stuff and putting em back ;)...

I do wonder how it must be for the guy who 'runs' this crane (the guy in the centre cabin, if you can see)....office with the best view in the world....fresh air and space....no colleagues/boesses around for pretty too far ;)
But ya, it looks quite scary....atleast to me....

I like these shadows....looks like 2 workers in hard hats....n two spooky stalkers....If you can imagine em workers slowly stepping forward...one foot at a time...and the shadows following stealthily...pin drop silence...you kinda get what I am thinking ;)

Too much lazing around for a day....aaah, am tired :D

To Blog or Not to Blog....

2007-06-10T00:15:00.000-05:00

aaah....here's one post thats goin to be more 'thoughts' than anythin else...a genre of posts that I wasnt sure of doin....

well, to speak of blogging per se...I must say that I have always been lazy...unsure... unconvinced....about whether to blog...or not...

I have also wondered about the differences between what people talk, what they chat, what they put down in their diaries....and what they blog...

Honestly, bleak as it may sound, blogs are not supposed to reflect people's thoughts in their entirety...blogs were supposed to be more of an in-between of diaries and magazine columns....and thats what they do.....its a bit like an artist's self portrait ;)...if you know what I mean...

Well, if I were gonna be ENTIRELY true to a blog, I would probably be ranting n shouting at every twist n turn of my mood...;) ....not a nice thing to do on a blog...
Blogging also is another manifestation of the human tendency to 'be accepted', which I am still confused about....I think everyone who'd put a lil bit of thought would agree....

my apologies if I just disturbed anyone from their blissful peace...of feeling that all is well ;)
my complements n aarghhs to the few people who got me thinking on this pt of view ;)

Bacardi 151

2007-06-08T10:33:00.000-05:00

Liquor is one of the few things that keeps being interesting...am yet to get bored of it ;)

Partly thanks to the many breweries n wineries n what not.....people coming out with their new variants....new stuff...interesting stuff....

I guess most of the fun of liquor is just about downing it....feeling high n mighty n good....and smiling away happily ;) The other part of the fun is about finding new forms of liquor and trying em out....this lil blog is dedicated to one such variant....the Bacardi 151°!!!

Well, the first time I saw this fella sitting lonely on some shelf, I thought 151 was just a fancy number....Bacardi 151...pure puerto rican rum...

More research n I realize that 151 is the proof. Essentially, liquor is rated in "Alcohol content per volume" or proof, which is twice the % By Volume....

What this means is that.......the 151-proof liquor is approximately 75.5% alcohol by volume....oh myy god(read in Janice tone ;)....this is really hardcore....I am used to seeing 40-50% types....75% sounds like a killer....;)

Finally, curiosity gets the better of me....and I am happily carrying home a lil bottle of this rum, grinning excitedly all over. Thanks to a recent tendency to be so tied to google n forums n types, I decide to read reviews before I actually try this....not a nice tendency maybe....coz its spoils the 'adventure' ;)

Here's what I saw:

"As with all beverages of this proof, consuming the rum by itself ("straight") is not recommended"

"Bacardi 151 is a purely ruthless liquor"

"Very Flammable...dont pour near flame"

I give up reading....and take up drinking....;)
Open up the bottle and breath in the smell....boy, this is so stinging....pungent smell that irritates your nose...
I think I am gonna try a small shot...on the rocks so to say.....just to feel how it tastes....
Pour it in....1...2....3...down!
owww.....this thing burns reeaal hard.....you can feel it really travel all the way down....and you feel lil strange / dizzy or something....I guess its just the stomach getting its shocks....had to grab some lil snack n stuff it down to feel ok....

I then settle for a lil 151+Fruit Juice cocktail....which in itself feels lil strong.....zzzz......n goood....zzzz ;)

disclaimer: I do not represent the Bacardi company nor endorse its products...least of all, the 151°. Try anything at your own risk...not mine :D

The Tree of Half Life

2007-06-08T09:54:00.000-05:00

Well, I just posted a pic for my profile pic...something I flicked from a Pink Floyd cover....
Just read up about it, and I think its interesting....apparently, there IS such a tree...

‘The Tree of Half Life’, though originally intended for a band called Catherine Wheel always seemed very Pink Floyd. It was submitted as an image for a Floyd 30th anniversary campaign that never got fully realized. It was so liked by the band, and by Storm Thorgerson that it appeared as a Tshirt and as the frontispiece of the ‘Mind Over Matter’ book of Floyd imagery.

The official story is that this tree profile head was achieved by helicopter topiary – a man hung from a ‘copter and cut the shape much as he might a hedge.

Photographed on Hasselblad 500C with daylight transparency in a London Park in February with available light.

How can I tell you....

2007-06-08T09:27:00.000-05:00

How can I tell you that I love you, I love you
But I can't think of right words to say
I long to tell you that I'm always thinking of you
I'm always thinking of you, but my words
just blow away, just blow away....

A fascinating n captivating love song by Cat Stevens....
I dont really like the crooner version by Cat Stevens, which sounds ok...but not too great...

Have been watching a 'A Diamond is Forever' commercial ...which features this song...
Did some lil googling....found that Cat Powers (an assumed name) sang this version...though she aint got a commercial release version....
I also realised that there were many others captivated by the song and maybe Cat Powers' smooth voice...who have to be content with the short 2 min version in the commercial...
Cat Powers, pls. do a full version of the song....;)

It is interesting to see these days....that there are so many artists u never heard of...but are truly touching or fascinating....
Thanks to youtube for all this opportunity...
Paolo Nutini is yet another artist with a fascinatingly smooth voice...women just die for him....fab voice, great boyish looks....(nah, i aint gay ;)

Life in a Blurrr......

2007-06-07T16:44:00.000-05:00

am still so thrilled...scared...shaken-up n amazed...with the Six Flag adventure....i really must blog ;)

Just been out to a local Six Flags last weekend...my very first roller coaster n thrill ride experience....

Roller coasters always looked fun on television...people sitting comfortably in comfy seats n rocking around a park screaming wildly...it definitely looked fun...wow wow....
Did some lil research to see what exciting rides were there....nice photos...looked interesting...

So finally I am out there with my friend nanju, excited n raring to go ride em rides...wohooo....
We look around and find a helluva ride....they call it Mr Freeze

....superfast roller coaster
screaming its way through space....dint really think about whether it was scary or anything....
After a pretty long wait in the queue....we get to the 'loading chamber'....when people are loaded in....and just fly out of the tunnel....and almost as fast...back in....looks like less than a minute...
Finally we are seated and all set to go....no fear...no real anticipation...just sitting back relaxed...
booom....the carriage flies out with a speed thats really unknown to me....going around in twists n turns with kinda supersonic speeds....and then baam.....90 degrees up a path...
And we hang there a coupla seconds....looking up into the blu blu sky...afraid to look down...;)
And then....bang....all the way back at the very same speed....I remem thinking that I'd probably go dizzy since I cant stand sitting forward and being driven in the opposite direction....
But before that thought settles in....the train/carriage is rocketing back....and you are safe n stable once again....in the tunnel where u started off....

As per the 6Flags site, this is "zero to 70 mph in about four seconds"....wow...I dint know...but man, was I scared.....I guess I was too stunned, scared n thrilled...to even screaam...

In our efforts to get back to 'normalcy', we decide to settle for something less 'Thrill"-ing....Thunder River....a fun ride on a big round boat bouncing around the waters

....and the spray of water....and a waterfall....it was fun with a interesting and big family....a cute lil gal who used to scream every now n then....just for the heck of it....a nice mom who got most of the dousing since she always ended up where all the water was spraying...;) I managed to get out 'too dry' ;)

Speaking of being dry....we were running around all clothed in jeans n stuff...with all the crowd doing shorts n lil shorts n stuff....we were so 'overdressed' ;)....so we decided to get a lil 'undressed' ;).....bermudas.....the weather was pretty n warm...

Time for the next thrill ride....Superman, Tower of Power....

more looong queues and waits n finally we hop on.....well, this is some 230 feet or so high tower...u sit down...get slowly pulled up to the top....its a helluva view up there...u can see all around so well...I take care not to look down for fear of getting scared ;)

And then, a few seconds of anticipation....damn, so scared n thinking 'I wanna get off'....another coupla seconds and you are hurtling down all the way super faast...u can feel all that adrenalin flow in....but before the fear really gets to you hard, you're landed...thank god for all that speed...I'd have died if the fall took longer ;)

I still wonder....too scary? Must say its once-in-a-lifetime experience...I can still mildly feel all the excitement and fear....and would probably do it again once a while...but man, i was so scared thrilled scared-out-of-wits....Six Flags rocks nyways!!!

aah...finally

2007-06-07T16:39:00.000-05:00

Finally my lazy hands decide to wake up a lil bit n blog...;)

Well, this blog's been online for quite some time...and...true to its name....twas still 'Big n Blank' ;)

Blogging is really something that I feel unsure of doing, the different person that I am...but I guess I might keep writing...let see....

whatever...its a start...woooohooooooo ;)