The first time it happened was years back, when I was still in b-school. It was one of those evenings when I had nothing much to do and everyone else had class. I had a run down PC, upgraded atleast ten times in the past five years that we had had it. But the one thing I had then was a kick ass music collection and a heck of a good pair of head phones. I dont remember the specific songs but then I remember getting off my bed in some sort of a daze and realizing that I had lost about two hours of my life. There was a ringing sound in my ears for the rest of the evening and a big smile on my face. I had left behind all of a delayed spurt of post teen angst and the drama of post grad assignment-exam cycle ... for those two hours suspended in pure aural bliss.... I remember how I finished off with Van Halen.... and my ears just could not take it anymore more... That was the day I fell in love with Music!

What I want- A holiday wishlist

Gifts for holidays have never been a big thing in India. Especially for a person in my background. Of course, one brings gifts when visiting someone, but, never regularly(unless it's a boy/girl friend or a spouse)So, anyway, the point I am trying to make is.... I don't know.... well never mind......
Anyhoots, I thought, I'd put together some stuff that I want so, I can kind of keep track of how my wants/ aspirations change... so here is the list in no particular order

1. An Xbox 360 or a PS III
2. A few Games
- Mass Effect
- Dragon Age
- Half Life 2
- COD
- Fallout3
- WoW
- Bioshock
- Crysis
- Oblivion
3. NFL Jerseys- (Atleast the Vikings number 4)
4. An iPhone
5. A Killer Gaming laptop
6. A nice TV
7. A good Home theater System
8. A Comfortable chair

I think I'd be happy!

From around the web....

I read a lot of stuff online, thanks to my google reader. I though I'd just put all the interesting stuff here so that I don't lose the nice links

First of all, Snobs will use anything to bemoan the collapse of civilization....

A Collection of Robert E Howard's short stories and novellas are available on the kindle for free. Of course I bought it!

A novel on Twitter.... It might have been a better idea to start with a short story.... or a Haiku

Okay this cartoon is pretty cool... and is the story of my life...

Awesome and erudite review of "Going Rogue"

Finally, from the independent- The best guitar riffs ever This list has some of the best videos ever. Case in point is this video for "Ain't talkin' about love"

What I have been listening to

This is for you Badri......

Anyway, I have been so terribly busy at work recently that all I can do, once I reach home each day is eat as much as I can and flop on the couch and stare at the TV with Glassy eyes.... Which basically means that I haven't had the time to do any of the things I really enjoy except updating facebook frequently and happily twittering at the Gay joke overkill in Scrubs..... However, I do manage to sneak some time in to reading Perdido Street station on my new Kindle.... That reminds me, I need to buy a cover for the Kindle...

Anyway.... in other news..The independent thinks that All about Eve is the greatest movie ever.... Don't take me wrong... This is one movie that I really enjoy(I've seen it like ten times and yes, I own a copy) and Bette Davis is hands down my fav actress... like ever..... but is it really better than Breakfast at Tiffany's or My fair lady? hmmmmm... But this list has several underrated gems here... Some I havent even heard of(The battle of Algiers, anyone?)....

So... anyway, other than some light reading, the only activity I've had some time for is Music.

Masterplan by the My Morning Jacket is still one of my favourite songs with the worst lyrics ever

What is it about the female voice that is so damn heartrending? Florence and the Machine is not great.... but what a wonderful name?

The Guardian is running a series on the best albums of the decade.... Is it wrong that I find Amy Winehouse Hot?

Another band with a fabulous name- Rupa and the April Fishes... Where do they come up with such names? Listen to Maintenant.. they are good... I think the language is French...... Sounds like something from one of those movies set in the 30's with a sexy actress playing a singer in a club....

... and finally, I've been listening to Carmina Burana.... Carl Orff's version..... O Fortuna is probably my favourite piece of classical music along with Queen of the Night aria in The Magic Flute.....

Euridyce descent- Sue Hubbard

From here


I am not afraid as I descend,
step by step, leaving behind the salt wind
blowing up the corrugated river,
the damp city streets, their sodium glare
of rush-hour headlights pitted with pearls of rain;
for my eyes still reflect the half remembered moon.
Already your face recedes beneath the station clock,
a damp smudge among the shadows
mirrored in the train's wet glass,
will you forget me? Steel tracks lead you out
past cranes and crematoria,
boat yards and bike sheds, ruby shards
of roman glass and wolf-bone mummified in mud,
the rows of curtained windows like eyelids
heavy with sleep, to the city's green edge.
Now I stop my ears with wax, hold fast
the memory of the song you once whispered in my ear.
Its echoes tangle like briars in my thick hair.
You turned to look.
Second fly past like birds.
My hands grow cold. I am ice and cloud.
This path unravels.
Deep in hidden rooms filled with dust
and sour night-breath the lost city is sleeping.
Above the hurt sky is weeping,
soaked nightingales have ceased to sing.
Dusk has come early. I am drowning in blue.
I dream of a green garden
where the sun feathers my face
like your once eager kiss.
Soon, soon I will climb
from this blackened earth
into the diffident light.

Rereading Favourites

My reading process is very simple. It is simply a headlong rush towards the the last page. After a point, I stop noticing the nuances- The language, the references and so on. It has been a long time since I read anything serious. So, I am going to start off with those books I have loved before or have left midway because they were too difficult to get through. I am going to start with Roberto Bolano's 2666. Today. Some of the other books that I intend to read in are(In order):
1. The Recognitions- William gaddis
2. The Anatomy of Melancholy- Robert Burton
3. Infinite Jest- David Foster Williams
4. The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman
5. Anything By Pynchon
6. Pale Fire- Vladimir Nabokov

I have access to most of these books now. I cant wait to get back home and start off. I will track my progress and other interesting Trivia here.

The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Epic Awesomeness! The best WoT book since... I don't know... fires of heaven or something. WoT is back on my favourite series list! The next book is out in November 2010.... It looks like Moiraine will be back.. That would be awesome.....

View all my reviews >>

A Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham



Not a bad book..... Its not exactly the best fantasy I've ever read... BUt its not horrible either!

View all my reviews >>

Got a google wave invite... :P muhahahaha

My favourite band.....

Ok, I know Bon Iver has just one album out.... but what an album...... This is a video over at Pitch fork... with them performing live a few samples...... Listen to them... you'll know why I love them to bits

More good stuff

Here is more good stuff I found online

1. Six Organs of Admission- this is supposed to be american psychedilc folk..... Supposedly inspired by Cormac MacCarthy's road.... All Good.... All Good...

2. Deerhunter- Nothing Ever Happened

3. Jesus and Mary Chain- The Velvet underground of the eighties, or so their website claims. Not for everybody.....If you like distortion heavy, alt rock... this band may be your cuppa tea

I'm still reading Dust of dreams... I am taking the book in small doses.... I don't know when I am going to get around to re-reading it. I think, I will stop reading Fantasy after dust of dreams. I put a lot of Non-Fantasy books on hold. The last non-genre fiction that I read was Special Topics in Calamity Physics. That was in August. Before that... well I dont even remember. So, I will start out with 2666. Maybe something else after that.... Maybe some Nietschze after that..... I don't know... I find his ideas on Nihilism extremely interesting

I watched "A serious Man", yesterday.... Strangely enough, thinking back, except for a few clever scenes, it did nothing for me..... Maybe its just me..... Things are getting hectic at work as well.....

You should listen to this

Wail to God- Ape School
The video is simply awesome!(From The Walrus)

Krimson- Warpaint
They sound like a mixture of Clannad, Yeah yeah yeahs and Corrs to me..... Bille Holiday is a haunting, lilting, magical song. Krimson has the greatest start ever. Their My Space page is here (From ISO50)

Tender- Blur
They are apparently not an entirely unknown band. In fact far from it. But, I'd not heard them before in my neck of woods. VVD would frown and probably scoff..... But, the songs are brilliant, if you ask me.....

Bonfire on the Heath The clientele
These Guys have a great rating over at metacritic. Nope, I'm not complaining! Bonfires... is particularly awesome.

Bay of Pigs- Destroyer

This is an EP with a 13 minute song... and what a song it is! A Disco based song with a Stairway to Heaven-like epic length and a postmodern narrative that talks about, as the name suggests- The Bay of Pigs- need I say more?

When the Devil's Due- A A Bondy

Definitely worth a listen. I caught bits and pieces of this album during an offshore call(Yup, another exercise so hopelessly boring that, I had to listen to something to keep myself from breaking the phone on my desk on sheer frustration)

Miranda Lambert- Revolution
I love the sheer zest on the single- white Liar.... and then there is Gunpowder and Lead. 'nuff said!

1372 Overton Park- Lucero
Lucero's got an awesome voice.... Macho and scratchy........ worth a dekko

It is back to work after a three day weekend. It was a very quiet weekend. I didn't do much

1. I worked on two of the three days. I had to walk to and from office. You know what? Working in an empty office is actually fun.
2. I watched "Capitalism- Love story" on Sunday. It was ok. But, Michael Moore is a bit of a Drama Queen.
3. I had dinner in Olive Garden. The food was as usual drowning in cheese. Just the way I like it. I am definitely gonna go back to India a few tonnes heavier
4. It snowed all yesterday morning. So, I stayed home, watching reruns of NCIS.

What I read last week

The Grave Thief by Tom Lloyd



Not spectacular. But what a brilliant finish! Maybe it was the medium or perhaps it is all the stuff going on with me personally, but, I found it very difficult to stay invested in this book. But, the finish made it all worthwhile

View all my reviews >>

It's Quarter to 3.....

.... and I am sitting on my desk and enjoying what would hopefully be my last Drink of the day.....

No... this is not the beginning of an amateurish attempt at a pastiche of Raymond Chandler. I am filling in my Appraisal while being overdosed on Diet Coke and a few Random thoughts Creep in to my head.... I take this as the best excuse to get out of the stupid appraisal form..... Anywat
1. I should not... I repeat should not ever drink Diet coke after 10
2. I hate my Job! I hate it so much that most of the time, during meetings I fantasize about the different ways I could frame an expression on how bored I am during these meetings. That was the best one. The consolation prizes went to, ' I was so bored with my job that I actually started doing it' and 'I am so bored by my job that I started thinking stuff I could fill on my appraisal form'. yeah, the last one was not so hot. Hey, Gimme a break it is 3 o clock here....
3. The Gummi Bear is Man's greatest invention
4.I wonder what
" She's so high
She's so high
I want to crawl all over her"
actually means
5. I got my Dust of dreams. Only, I am so frickin busy that I havent made any headway.....
6. I really should stop saying "Frickin".
7. I really like Cheesecake
8. For the first time after 5 years, I do not own a cellphone.... and frankly my dear I couldnt give a damn
9 My favourite scene from My fair Lady. But, I truly wish Lizzie Dolittle married Henry Ainsford Hill..... Higgins feelings for Lizzie were meant to be unrequited.... he's only going to drive her crazy anyway.
10. Oh... I am gonna be in trouble tomorrow...

Random thoughts on a Tuesday Morning

Have you noticed? Tuesdays are the worst days of the week. Well, Monday is pretty horrible, yes, but it atleast has a.... um... personality, even if a completely obnoxious one. If I ever anthropomorphize the days of the week, Monday would be the wife from Hell. Monday would be the stereotypical nagging, annoying wife. She will always want to ask directions, want to talk to her when something important is on TV, wants to know where you are all the time, doesn't let you do something fun because, well, she doesn't. But, sometimes when you least expect it, she comes up with a gesture or an act, so completely endearing that for a moment, you think it was well worth it.

Now Tuesdays. They are the diffident, sweaty, bald guys, who always seem to talk in a whisper. With absolutely no verve, they are sloppy and double your work. They are those managers who expect you to slog your ass off, expect you to toe the line and screw up your appraisal by being honest when nobody else is. They have no skills at conversation and when they try hard to hold one, they are so awful that sometimes you have to talk to them just to put them out of their misery. Besides, you cannot help glancing at your watch every 5 minutes.

Wednesdays are the really, really smart kids who actually know that they are smart and attractive. They can be fun sometimes, but they can also be terribly be annoying. Sometimes they do go on and on with their smug little faces and you want to smack them a little bit. But, by and large they are Sunny and nice and extremely easy to get along.

Thursdays are your friends who you don't mind hanging out with once in a while. But you wouldn't pick their calls on a weekend, lest they ask you out and it becomes a habit or something. They are the room mates who want to go shopping for groceries when you'd rather be reading. If you have to travel together you don't mind it... But, you dont really go out of your way to meet them or ring them up at 12 am on their Birthday. You leave a scrap and forget about it. You snicker at their photos and discuss them passingly when you are gossiping with your friend. It's always a question of almost being there.

Friday is the compulsive flirt that you always want to take out and can have a good time with. You always have a great time. But, you always end up at her door and shake hands and leave. She is either not relly intersted in you or you just can't muster the courage. The anticipation that built over the week leaves you completely winded when it's completley shattered when she closes her front door with her dazzling smile. Despite the fact that she promises world with her dazzling smiles and frequent pats, clutches and squeezes, it all amounts to nothing, because, she likes someone else or doesn't take you seriously. You are the guy she leaves stranded when her boyfriend suddenly changes her mind and wants to hang out with her after all!

Saturday is like an old friend you meet after a long time and you are comfortable with any time of the day. You can just sit and chill, talk about anything and nothing at all. She/ He is always willing to listen to you and shares your interests. There might be a lot of people you want to go out with, but, satudays are one of the few people you want to stay home with. Just Yakking away to glory or play poker at home or down a few drinks with. You don't have to pretend with each other and best of all, you actually like watching Cricket with them.

Sunday, well, Sunday is the beautiful girl you had a terrible crush on and always wanted to ask gher out. You are in the middle of your date when you realize that she is a terrible bore and she thinks Jeffry Archer is the greatest writer in the woirld and that Da Vinci code could actually be true. But, she sits in the next desk and the prospect of having to call her again after the date fills you with so much despair that you feel like howling then and there.

So there it is..... The days of the week according to Hari. If someone actually bothers to read this, it would be nice to see what you think. If you fall in to one of the above categories and you feel offended. Please let me know.... Come on, I've named a day after you! You should be flattered

Enroute...

Exactly a week after I was initially supposed to leave,I finally start for my third trip to the US. This time it is going to be Minneapolis. Yeah, I heard about the weather! It is strange how I spend every Fall, winter and Spring in the West and miss out on Summer! Looks like I will be missing Diwali this time as well. Third year in a row!
I spent yesterday and today mentally preparing for the trip. Which means I never left home, ordered pizza and surfed the whole day. For all the attraction that a first world country like the US provides, I have always found myself to be a reluctant tourist and a diffident sight-seer. I've always maintained that the worst part of any travel is the wait in the airport. The truth of that statement reasserted itself today. It's even worse if you have to lock up an empty house and reach the airport hours in advance. I am always early for a flight- be it domestic or international. Early as in not a close half hour or one hour early; I usually manage to reach the airport 3-4 hours in advance. It's almost as if I like being bored or something! Why do we always need to have something to rail about however great things are?
Anyway here I am, all settled down at 5 am with atleast 2 hours to go before my flight takes off, trying to stave off sleep. I did manage to catch some sleep last night, even if it was not that much. I read a little bit of the "Grave thief"(Tom Lloyd) last night and had to do a little bit of last minute packing. It was a quarter to twelev before I could crash. I had set the alarm at 2:20 so that I could have a bath before the cabbie came at 3, only to be woken up by mom and dad. They said their goodbyes and I promptly went back to sleep. The Alarm started screeching at 2:20, after which I switched on the motor and the geyser before a quick nap. I got up again at 2:30, had a bath and did a last minute check. Everything was in order. After a quick peek at my face book and my mailbox, I called the cabbie. It was 3. By the time we left the house it was 3:15. I reached BIAL at 4 and got done with the formalities by half past 4. Somewhere between all the stamping that I had to get through a guy petulantly refused to give me his Pen because he had to check in. I am pretty sure he was in the same flight as me! But, guess who checked in first? Although, you know what? I hope the Gods are not so pissed at me that they'd seat me beside that guy! Now that would be irritating. For once, it would be great if they sat me next to a pretty girl, even if it would make absolutely no difference even if I, against all probablity managed to muster enough courage to say Hello!
Anyway, I guess thats it for now.... I guess I will go bact to the Grave Thief now. Or may be pull out the House of Chains. It'd be great if I found Dust of Dreams in Heathrow. That alone would make the whole trip worthwhile. I intend to catch up with Suresh and Divey there as well! Atleast over the Phone! Lets see.... Anyhoo... Time to go..... I will post when I can... until then... cheerio!

Book Reviews

The Stormcaller by Tom Lloyd



I started reading this series after reading about it on Joe Abercombie's blog. While this not exactly Malazan Book of the Fallen, it is much better than most of the stuff around. It follows the standard Fantasy device of an unlikely boy coming to great power. While the world building and some of the characters are sound, plot-wise apart from a few good moments, there is hardly anything pathbreaking. Plodding language and less than epic themes or grit and sheer drama pull down the book. It is not a bad read while you are waiting for "The Dust of Dreams", "The Gathering Storm" and "The Dance of Dragons"

View all my reviews >>


The Magicians by Lev Grossman



An interseting book purely because of the comparisons it will surely evoke with Harry Potter. Not as well written, though and the narrative slips in the last one third of the book. But solid otherwise. A one time read when you are bored!

View all my reviews >>

I'm Back

I think it is pretty strange that I never bother to update this blog when I am India. Maybe it is because the exertions of a normal weekday in India is so much more sapping than its equivalent in the US. Or it could be because there is so much more to do in India than in the US. Whatever it is, when I get down to actually doing this, I really do enjoy the whole exercise of putting my memories down at least when I actually get down to actually doing it. So what have I been doing the last 5 Months?

I landed in India on 1st may. The day was also Appa's 57th Birthday. Both appa and amma had come to the airport to pick me up. I spent the rest of the week chilling at home. I always take a week off after an onsite trip, a deep breath of fresh air before I plunge back in to the chaotic currents of everyday life of a young Indian IT professional. Then there is the Jet lag..... Anyway, I always get back to real life as if stepping out of a portal behind which time stands still. I always have a lot of time in Ranipet. Between bouts of unrestrained hogging and mindless games, I did find the time to vist relatives in Chennai and a temple near Kanchipuram. Pictures here

It was there that I learnt that I had to go to Mangalore. I spent about six weeks there. Three in the company guesthouse and three weeks in a house with six other people. Now that the bitterness of being stuck in the middle of nowhere has sort of worn off and with the abstraction provided by the passage of time, I can safely say that I actually managed to not hate the whole experience. It was there that I realized how much I hated eating alone. I might think and act like a loner but I really do prefer soem company especially someone who always wants to do the things I don't. Left to my own devices I tend to vegetate... and not a little.....

I was back in Bangalore in July. Two and a half months of profligate living. Great food, good company, Movies, music, a huge load of comics and a little bit of serious reading. I did not read much at all. The only new, non-genre book that I managed to finish in the last four months was "Special topics in Calamity Physics". More on the book in a later post. Man, did I finish a lot of comics? From Preacher, to Superman to Black Orchid to Fables and The Sandman. It was fun! I also started watching the older episodes of X-Files and the office. I also started rereading A song of Fire and Ice, Malazan Book of the Fallen and the wheel of time.

I began a brand new chapter in the Grand Narrrative of my life when I got engaged to Haripriya(Priya) on September 4th. I promise. More details in a later post.

That's whats been happening to in the last four months. So what've you been up to?

Well, is anyone surprised?

Well, I took the Dante's "Where are you going to end up?", quiz. The results were not all that surprising!

The Dante's Inferno Test has banished you to the Third Level of Hell!
Here is how you matched up against all the levels:

Level	Score
Purgatory (Repenting Believers)	Very Low
Level 1 - Limbo (Virtuous Non-Believers)	Very Low
Level 2 (Lustful)	Low
Level 3 (Gluttonous)	Extreme
Level 4 (Prodigal and Avaricious)	Very High
Level 5 (Wrathful and Gloomy)	High
Level 6 - The City of Dis (Heretics)	Extreme
Level 7 (Violent)	Very High
Level 8- the Malebolge (Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers)	Very High
Level 9 - Cocytus (Treacherous)	High

Take the Dante's Inferno Test

I thought it'd be kinda fun if I started tracking the 25 most played songs on my iPod. Since I had to clear out my song collection and store it in my external hard disk, (Does anybody else think that Infy has become positively Draconian?) these were the most played songs in the last couple of weeks. I'd downloaded the soundtracks from a few Quentin Tarrantino movies recently. So they will form a majority of the songs that were frequently played. Anyway, here is the list in the order of most to least played
1. Goodnight Moon, by Shivaree
2. Mad World, by Michael Andrews
3. Burmuda Highway, by My Morning Jacket
4. If Love is a Red Dress, by Maria Mckee
5. Skinny Love, by Bon Iver
6. For Emma, by Bon Iver,
7. Son of a Preacher Man, by Dusty Springfield
8. The Flower of Carnage, by Meiko Kaji
9. The Way That He Sings, by My Morning Jacket
10. Man on the Moon, by R.E.M
11. Please Read the Letter, by Robert Plant and Allison Krauss
12. Aankh Micholi, Dev D
13. Rehna Tu, Delhi 6
14. Let's Stay Together, by Al Green
15. Twisted Nerve, by Bernard Hermann
16. The Wolves(Act 1 and 2), by Bon Iver
17. Missing(Rare), by Bruce Springsteen
18. You Never Can Tell, by Chuck Berry
19. Bixby Canon Bridge, by Death Cab for Cutie
20. Angel of Mercy, by Dire Straits
21. White Winter Hymnal, by Fleetfoxes
22. Librarian, by My Morning Jacket
23. Killing the Blues, by Robert Plant and Allison Krauss
24. Nothin', by Robert Plant and Allison Krauss
25. Flowers on the Wall, by the Statler Brothers

With elections in the air and politicians wanting to ban everything from computers to the Lankan government in addition to the fact that I might actually vote this time, this is probably a good time for a megalomaniacal fantasy.
If ever I grew a toothbrush moustache and burnt down the parliament or senthalf the country to Siberia or become an army general and take over the government in a bloodless coup, here are the list of things I'd outlaw.
1. Couple Photos/ Marriage photos/ baby photos
Why does every single person who has been married or has a kid have to literally bury us ion an avalanche of Photos. The last thing I need to see the first thing on a monday morning is a truckload of baby photos or go through the absolutely idiotic comments that accompany them. I mean seriously, does anybody really find babies cute? They are bald, toothless and either too fat or too thin-overgrown plastic dolls only not in a nice way.
The last thing a guy needs to see after a horrible day's work after a complete butt chewing by my boss and despair art entering an empty room withnothing to lookfoprward to but an other horrid appraisal session the next day, is the photo of a total doofus cavorting in Europe with his hot, skimpily attired, readymade, takeout Bride
2. Project Parties
Is it not enough that one has to suffer through the weekday with these idiots? atleast at work you can ignore them. Having to make smalltalk with people you utterly despise is torture

3. Suits and Sherwanis in wedding receptions/Shirts with mismatched collars and cuffs/ shirts that shine or hurt your eye

For obvious reasons.

4. Email Forwards
Everyday, I get emails from some idiot who thinks that I need to know about the sheer wonder my parents are or how I if need some luck in life I need to subject a hundred more people to the same torture or how cellphone causes brain damage or how the Lankan Tamils need my help. Seriously, obnoxious forwarder, get a freaking life. I have neither the time nor the patience to go through that crap. Nor do I care a damn abou anything but myself and the last thing I need after spending most of my day on the phone and a ready to eat meal on the microwave oven is to read that microwaves cause brain tumor.

5. Chick Lit/ Chick Flicks/ Chick everything
Alright, ideally everyone should be allowed to read / watch what they like. I'm the last person who sympathizes with censorship. Still, so much money, space- both on bookshelves and publications and effort goes in to this industry of mass produced brain squelcher that.... and the women who read these idiotic pieces of trash.... You know... reading has always been overhyped. Often, one hears people saying they cant live without books. Wow, you think. This lady must be something. You then proceed to talk about....you know... Pynchon and Nabokov.. just to show off.... "Oh", the lady says, "I don't read thrillers except Sydney Sheldon and John Grisham". Then she goes on to confess with not a little pride that She simply "lurves" the Arab prince trilogy or titles like "Stars fall down", "Sun goes up" and "The moon stays still" forming the "Celestial Bodies" trilogy! Insipid fantasies that are endless variations of the same friggin fairy tale.

6. Reality Shows/ Dance shows/ Talent shows.

First of all they all have horrible people in them. Second they showcase the worst in people and thirdly the last thing they are is real. What's with the judges, anyway? why are they sucjh idiots? the people cheering?

7. Talk shows
Talk shows in India are bad because Indians can't have an argument without being personal. Also, they can't articulate very well. Also, the shows are generally are pretty banal, pointless and uninformative with just people wanting to be heard. All arguments degenerate in to chaos in ten minutes.

8. Autorikshaws in Chennai
They are vulgar, dishonest and are a menace on the road. The shared autorikshaws are even worse. The best way around these guys is taking them out of the road, improving public transportation and find employment fot them in the Financial industry. One more crook in legions of crooks is not going to matter.

9. Timesheets

While one has to appreciate the creative exercise timesheets affords, one has to think about ones' soul as well.The wasted time and effort also make it a huge drag.

10. Karan Johar, Ekta kapoor, TV serials, Rakhi Sawant, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Amir Khan, The Bachchan Family, Bollywood, Kollywood, Udit Narayanan singing in Tamil, Shreya Ghoshal in Tamil, SPB singing in Hindi, Bans on smoking, Bans on Coke, Censorship, Shiv Sena, BJP, Congress, Deve Gowda, Deepak Chopra,Vivekananda,SriSri Ravishankar, Yoga, The word "Junk Food", Test and Oneday Cricket, Hockey, Hindi commentry, Regional Language news, Himesh Reshamaiiya, Salman Rushdie, Arundathi Rai, Shoba De and so on

Basically coz they are vulgar and irritating

Hmmm

Yeah, I know..... its been some time.. and I've had no inclination to post anything....
I'm playing "The Flower of Carnage" for the tenth time today! Lyrics Here! This is one great album. As a matter of fact, I downloaded the soundtracks of Kill Bill(Both Volumes), Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction.

Other songs that have been playing over and over on my ipod are- Pink Moon and It's a Mad world! Ain't Gonna Lose you isn't too shabby either.

Dylan is coming up with his next album! I started listening to some of his archived radio shows the other day. I don't know what to make of the songs. Would it be blasphemy if I said I didn't care about any of them? To be completely truthful, I'd rather listen to Bobby Dylan singing! Dylan is not a great host either. Perfunctory

Did I tell you I'm having a second crack at Gaddis' "The Recognitions"? I love the challenge the book affords. Although, it really wears you down after a while. Anyway, hopefully I will finish it this time. 300 down 500 more pages to go!

Meanwhile, I did try to distract myself with Fantasy viz Sean Russell.(Insert appropriate cocktail metaphor, here) Anyway, it was a bad idea. So there......

I managed to catch "The Watchmen" a couple of weeks back. It was long winded but faithful to the original. With all due respect to Moore, my hair doesn't stand on its end when I hear anything about the comic... It is self important preachy and long winded. Not a bad thing in itself. But, it takes itself so seriously that it just didn't do it for me. In fact, the best portions in the comic, in my opinion, were the interludes featuring the Black Freighter and that was cut off from the movie... I didn't like the Killing Joke and never finished From Hell. I loved V for Vendetta, though. Don't tell anyone, but, I liked that movie! In fact the scene in which Evie is released from prison by V and she walks to the balcony where it is raining and lifts her arms in pure joy, gives me a lump in my throat every time I see it!

Anyway that's that for now! I will come up with something next week!

Lyrics | Bob Dylan Lyrics | I & I Lyrics

I just heard this song and had to share it with someone... So, whoever you are, who tripped in to this blog by accident, listen to this one, I'm sure you'll like it... Even if you aren't a Dylan fan....

Where Hari spouts absolute Nonsense

The recent expose by Fox News( or The Sun Or Zoom... whichever is the most inane source of useless news where you live) that my Blog title section has been hijacked should come as no surprise to regular readers(Ahem..... Well, hey, at least their number is certainly more than the number of people who sat through "The Reader") of my blog! For those of you who were wondering about the dramatic reduction in the number of articles(Yeah, I know....) after mid February..... I'm glad you noticed. I've had loads of work to do... <<>> ... und,so.... Anyway, what have I been doing apart from letting the flower of my Youth grow pale, spectre thin and die in front of the Monitor?

- I'm a big Fan of Anime these days. After careful research, I found out that Akira, Princess Mononoke, Spirted away and Samurai X were supposed to be the classics. So, I torrented them. The gore was putting off at first, but, the depth of the Narrative, the aesthetic in every frame, the well drawn characters and the fabulous plots totally puts Dreamworks and (dare I say it?) Pixar to shame. The next big movie that I'm planning to watch is Ghost in the Shell(I'm planning to stay away from the more popular Cowboy Bebop, Naruto and Pokemon)

- On the books front, things haven't been very encouraging. The motivation to tackle a complex(?) narrative like 2666 after a grinding day at office is simply not there. So, I've been cheating. I read all three books that form The First Law trilogy, last week. The books were pretty well written and fascinating. The only problem is that by the time you come to the third part you pretty much know what to expect. But then, no one really looks for originality in Fantasy. So, you make do with what you've got.
I also managed to lay my filthy little hands on Joe Delaney's "Wardstone Chronicles". This should be the series you read after you read HP and the Deathly Hallows. The series is targeted more at a YA audience( Say 15 and up) than the teen audience that at least the early HP books seem to cater to.
I hear that the new R. Scott Bakker is out. That is going to be a definite buy! While I loved the first two parts of the Thousandfold thought, the Third one was so-so at best!
For those of you who were wondering, yes, Fantasy is my guilty pleasure! My version of M&B or Danielle Steele if you will! While emotionally fulfilling, I suppose you cannot have just pastries for Lunch(Yes, I'm looking at you Dhivya!) So, after Bolano, the next foray in to serious stuff is going to be either Victor Pelevin or David Markson

- As for movies, well..... I've not been watching too many... Did I mention sometime that I finally saw "The Maltese Falcon" and "The Big Sleep"? While I definitely enjoyed the latter, the former is a true classic. I'm officially on the "I heart Bogie" Bandwagon! I can't bring myself to watch 'Dev D'. I just want to watch frothy, funny movies that doesn't tax my patience in anyway.

-Music? The Band that I've started listening to(Which basically means that I've torrented the complete Discography) is the Decemberists. I love the Mariner's Revenge Song(Supposed to be Picaresque), which to me at least seems to be a pastiche of the tavern songs that I reckon were popular before mass media ruined it for us.

- I've diligently set about cooking..... well, at least thrice a week. Thanks to my relative lack of expertise, I've had to stick to easy to cook, simple (read Natural, so called healthy and not much fun) stuff. Thanks to the fact that my Roomie is a Health freak, I eat healthy most days. The dinner is normally either Dal or a simple curry with little or no Oil. We normally take it with Chapattis that we make (without oil again). We have the same food on the next day for Lunch as well!. So this is probably the healthiest I've eaten since I left home in 2003- Half a Decade ago!

- I might go back to India on April 1st. But, as usual, I wont know until a week before I have to leave. I suppose it is good in a way. But,well, whatever..... Despite my recent claims, I am a little tired of switching places every other month. Maybe, its time I settled down in one place (As in rent a house on my place, buy a car and stay there for a couple of years. For Heaven's sake, why has settling down become synonymous with Marriage?)

Where hari is back with another useless Post

This is a visual rendering of the words that I use. most of the common English words were not taken in to consideration. The results are not surprising, are they? Remember, never, just and Now being the most frrequently used words... mmmm....

Where "Long winded" Hari thinks he is Jean-Paul Sartre!

I don't remember clearly how I used to wake up in Ranipet. Perhaps I felt my shoulder shaken roughly or amma's voice pleading me to wake up and trying to convince me that the sun was up(Like it had to do anything) and that I was late as usual. Or, it could have been the loud music that was played in our house. It was Swami Haridas Giri on bad days. Not that I hated Swami Haridas or anything, infact, I always thought he was rather cute(I thought he was singing of "Poori and Kuruma" half the time ). But, he was not a very accomplished singer and tended to shout quite a bit. On other days, it was either M.S. or Old Tamil songs or some incomprehensible devotional album. But, some days, at least early on, amma or appa would have Chitra's and Yesudas' albums on Krishna on. I still remember how much I used to enjoy Chitra singing "Theeradha Vilayattu Pillai" or Yesudas' "Guru Kripa Anjana".

Not that it made any difference to my mood, anyway. I guess I was a pretty grumpy child and mornings were never a favourite time of the day. But, amma would have none of that. In her endeavour to make better people of us, she insisted that my Brother and I attend a series of self improvement courses, from Music and Hindi to Karate and Computers. Although, I eventually managed to thwart all of her ambitions for me, there was a period when I had no choice but to attend these life draining classes. The worst of them all was Yoga. We had to get up at 5 am every day and walk to the local temple when it was still dark, where one of the priests there would instruct me on the different Postures. I remember how I used to walk the half a Kilometer in the fog with a blanket wrapped around to ward off the cold, scared to death of the stray dogs which used to trail us all the way. They seemed to have the notion that I was responsible for their misery and barked at me till I reached the temple.

Adiparashakthi or Amman, as folks affectionately refer to her, was housed those days in a rectangular cement hut with three entrances, two on the longer sides and one on one of the shorter side.... Well, there was no wall on that side and a path led from the temple to the Priest's living quarters. On the opposite side we had the sanctum sanctorum. I cannot remember the idol itself now, I only remember yellow light, perhaps from a bulb inside the alcove that formed the sanctum sanctorum. Behind the enclosure was the mandatory Snake Hill. Thankfully, though I've never seen a snake there. The priest-Shakthi, we called him, used to ring a bell in time with his prayers in the morning and evening. Maybe the snakes just couldn't stand the din and migrated.

Anyway, we reached the temple by five fifteen and began our Yoga. Since Shakthi was a busy man and had to complete a lot of chores in the morning, he would greet us warmly and request us to start with the Yoga and pretty much leave my brother and yours truly to our own devices. Badri initially used to faithfully try out the different poses.Me? Let's just say that I don't respond very well to attempts aimed at getting me out of the bed earlier than I want to. I would first catch a nap sitting down and pretending to meditate. Then, I would lie down on the blanket and practice shavasana, which basically involved just lying down and relaxing. Of which, obviously, I was an expert! Then I would do Sarvangasana, which was basically lying down with your feet in the air, and catch another snooze. Shakthi would have known that I never did anything. But the nice man that he was, he knew that he couldn't shove Yoga down my throat nor did he have the heart to complain to mom. Badri soon began following my example and started cheating too. Then I began malingering which led to mom realizing that I was never going to be a Deepak Chopra or a Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and resigned herself to making me a Hindi Pundit. The way I foiled that is probably a story for another day.

For years afterwards Shakthi would stop me on the road and inquire if I was practising my Yoga knowing very well that I didn't bother to and would exhort me to take care of my body. I could sense his disappointment with me and started avoiding the roads leading to and from the temple. He just didn't realize that I was the type who was fated to contract everything from Diabetes to Ulcer to Blood Pressure to Cholesterol by the time I reach my thirties. Or, may be he did and just couldn't let go. He actually gave a damn about the overweight, stubborn, disrespectful, lazy bum that I was (and am). I heard one day that his health was failing and on another that he'd passed on. I never went to the temple after that nor did I ever spare a thought for that man in all the self absorbed search for instant gratification that has characterized my teens and most of my twenties.

When I try to remember him now, I see a dark, wiry man. Neither too tall or short. He was cleanshaven, with a wide mouth and a peaceful expression. He was fairly young. Perhaps in his mid thirties when he died. When he was in the temple, he would wear just the red veshti that all the priests of the goddess are supposed to wear, with his chest bare. Whenever I met him outside, he'd be clad in a white veshti and a white shirt of a simple tamil everyman riding a bicycle. For all this, I realize, I don't remember him at all. I cannot picture his face. He has faded away. Soon, no one will remember him.

It's only when I try to remember the long forgotten details about Shakthi that I realize my own Mortality. Death, not the anthropomorphic figure with a serious lack of Fashion-sense, but in the world carrying on as if I never existed and I suddenly feel a giant emptiness in my stomach. I sense my own insignificance and it scares me, funnily enough, halfway to death. I can see it looming ahead and every breath is only carrying me closer and closer to the inevitable. I realize that the hopelessness of all my actions and its consequences. However, I also realize that there is salvation, a reprieve, albeit momentary- memory. Death would not be so complete or so final if some one somewhere remembered me for a moment like I now remember Shakthi. That is all I can spare. That is all I can ask for!

Where Hari tries to show off and as usual doesn't quite pull it off

For obvious reasons, the weekend is the the best part of the week for me. I try to do as many things that I enjoy, as possible. Usually I just sleep and eat a lot. But there are some weekends that truly are wonderful. I knew this was going to be a great weekend when I woke up on Friday with the sun streaming down through my bedroom window. In a nutshell, this weekend kicked ass because

1. I felt as if a great weight was lifted off my shoulders when I confronted the powers that be and blurted out that it might be a good idea to wait until late 2010 and my proposal was accepted. I did not even know I was nervous about the whole thing and was quite surprised at the amount of relief I felt(Especially because I took the initiative when I created the whole profile thingey!(Dont Ask)). Bullet dodged. Atleast for the present. Now, all I have to do is hold of for two more years. It won't matter after that. Nothing will.

2. I discovered a whole genre of music, that I'd never known about. Thanks to Fleet Foxes and by extension Metacritic, I discovered alternate pop/rock. I've been listening to My Morning Jacket and Radiohead all weekend. I've also been listening to Bon Iver, animal collective, Duffy and Adele

3. I spent less than 4 hours watching TV the whole weekend

4. I love "Panera Bread". It's a fabulous place. For a change a lot of light is allowed to stream inside an eating joint and it as a consequence doesn't feel as seedy or claustrophobia inducing as some of the other Restaurants(Read Indian) in this place. Besides, the food is yummy and apart from a slight twinge about the Mountain Dew, I usually come out feeling guilt free(The calorie Count has slowed. yay!). Also the people there are so nice(The hot Girl(Yeah, I objectify women. Try staying celebate for 14 years and then judge me!)taking the order definitely contributes to the general feeling of well being)

5. Had dinner on sunday at Cheeburger

6. Made upma on Saturday night. I seem to be improving every day. I'm a fairly competent cook these days. Who knows, I might even make a round chappati one of these days

7. Saw Villu. It was nice to see that the Second Law of Thermodynamics(Read Time's Arrow & Entropy- Entropy(disorder) always increases with time and it never goes down in a closed system? Hope I didn't botch the reference!) applies to Kollywood. It just keeps getting worse

8. Spent a lot of time with Bolano on Saturday and read L.E. Modesitt Jr. (Fantasy) on Sunday. It was like being married to Ingrid Bergman and seeing Liz Taylor on the side. Now, I know what it must be like when you're Brad Pitt

9. Any Friday with pizza for dinner has to point to a Great weekend!

10. Wished my thatha on his Tamil Birthday on Sunday and he could actually hear me.

Where Hari goes on about stuff no one else gives a damn about!

I see myself as being on an exile. Not that I'm suffering or anything, but, purely in terms of being away from home and not being able to return when I wanted. So when I was reading about a book that I am reading now, I found this excerpt, which got lost in all the dross distractions that I cannot get out of my head these days when I am actually reading the book. Anyway, I never understand Bolano completely, and I can discern new shades of meaning every time I read this passage. Why is exile a natural movement? Why does he say abolish fate when most exiles simply postpone Fate.Why do skips and breaks recur when they should in fact be neverending. Curiouser and curiouser!

"Exile must be a terrible thing," said Norton sympathetically.
"Actually," said Amalfitano, "now I see it as a natural movement, something that, in its way, helps to abolish fate, or what is generally thought of as fate."

"But exile," said Pelletier," is full of inconveniences of skips and breaks that essentially keep recurring and interfere with anything you try to do that's important."

"That's just what I mean by abolishing fate," said Amalfitano.
-2666, Roberto Bolano

More gems on Raising Sand

I'm listening to Raising Sand as I work and I had to blog the lyrics to Killin' the blues. It's Beautiful, illa?

Killin' the Blues
Leaves were falling ..Just like embers
In colors red and gold they set us on fire
Burning just like a moonbeam ..in our eyes

Chorus:
Somebody said they saw me
Swinging the world by the tail
Bouncing over a white cloud.
Killing the Blues

I am guilty of something
I hope you never do because there is nothing
Sadder than losing .. yourself in love

Repeat Chorus:

Repeat Chorus:

Now, you ask me Just to leave you
To go out on my own and get what I need to
You want me to find ..what I've already had

Repeat Chorus:

Repeat Chorus:

Repeat Chorus:

Repeat Chorus:

Top Ten reasons why my bedroom is a sty

Alright, in the first flush of excitement that came with my new camera, I took pictures in and around the house and uploaded it on Picasa. Later that day on one of my daily conversations, I handheld mom to Picasa and showed her the Pictures. For about five minutes there was no response. The first thing that she said after repeated probes for a comment, was in a voice dripping with disapproval,"You guys, don't clean the room ever, do you?"I was speechless for about a microsecond and blithely changed the topic. I've always been bit of a pig and well, nothing has changed in the last 27 years.When I was pretending to work this morning, I had a brainwave, if I were not so alacrious(oh yeah baby, the word exists! Hallelujah) with conversational u-turns, how would I justify the fact that my bed was such a mess? I came up with ten reasonably good excuses.
1. Why do I have to make up my bed when I am going to disturb it in about 14 hours anyway?
2. If a cluttered desk is indicative of a cluttered mind, imagine what state of mind would a cluttered room indicate! Now can you even begin to comprehend the sheer genius a mind, that operates the way I do, should possess to look and act normal!
3. Sometimes I get carried away when I'm listening to music!
4. Huh????? I know how this happened! It must've been Nixon's men again!
5. I've got an image to maintain. What would people who knew me growing up think if I suddenly turned a new leaf? I couldn't disappoint them!
6. Why should I spend half an hour cleaning the room when I could be doing something more fun!
7. Mom, right now I'm in a state of catatonic Existential Angst. You should be supporting me. Not nag me to death! sheeesh
8. It's not as if I have a full social calendar and people are trooping in to the room every second. Even I dont go to my bedroom most days. Why bother?
9. Mom, it's not cluttered, I keep my room in a state of practiced disregard. It's performance art
10. Mom, I see dead people!

Nitpicking as usual

Okay, never mind the title, I'm not trying to nitpick here, but just check the Invite to an alumni meeting from the PR committee in my college to the Alumni.
"We would be in pleasure to welcome you at the gate of XXX, where you will be stunned by the nostalgic memories that will be passing through your mind"
Seriously? I understand that we are not supposed to be perfect with our English and I'm the last person to be casting stones. But, this is unforgivable from a B-School student, let alone from someone representing the PR committee. Did no one review this email before it was sent?


From: PRCOM XXX
To: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Sent: Sat, 7 Feb 2009 13:44:52 +0530
Subject: Invitation for Sangam 2009 attached

Dear President of Alumni Association,

We are sending you the official invitation attached along with this mail.
Please forward this to our alumni. We kindly request all alumni to accept
this invitation as a personal invitation. We would be in pleasure to welcome
you at the gate of XXX, where you will be stunned by the nostalgic memories
that will be passing through your minds.

Thanking you
PRCOM
------- End of Forwarded Message -------

This is one of those days when I'm absolutely at peace with the world. I don't have that sinking feeling in my gut and everything seems alright. It's been a long time since I read anything significant. An Adultery and the Brief and Wondrous life of Oscar Wao have been disappointing. So when I realized I actually liked 2666, I knew things couldnt be that bad.
I'm still listening to Raising Sand. I'd never heard of this album until I read about the Grammy's this morning. I was surprised to see Plant's name there and decided to check it out on You tube. I fell in love with "Please read the letter I wrote", the first time I heard it and I had to have it. The album costed 10 bucks. Big deal! It was worth it. I've played the song atleast 10 times on the ipod in the two hours I've owned it! Plant blows my mind everytime.
I'm in no mood to work today. It's another beautiful day with the sun shining brightly and the temprature a very manageable 44(Fahrenheit). I wish I could go out on a long, long walk. Thinking about stuff. Day Dreaming. I could never understand how people read outdoors. Lawns and beaches are for dawdling about, day dreaming and doing nothing with the warm sun beaming down with warm approval. That's what I want. Endless days of mild summer with rains in the late afternoon, lots of empty beaches and lush green lawns, stone benches wide enough for me to lie down on, a one room house with a huge rack full of books, a soft, comfortable bed with thick pillows, a large armchair and my ipod with a good set of speakers. No one for miles and miles. I'll go out every sunday for food. I'll subsist on bread and butter or cheese, endless glasses of Diet Cola and fruits. Warm chocolate cake with vannila icecream every weekend and a masala dosai once in a while. That is all I want out of life!
The problem with identity and the problems associated with having to bear it has been obsessing me lately. I will have to write about it sometime. Just to get it out of my system. Not that I'm a great writer or a deep thinker or anything. Just that the act of writing itself helps me think methodically. I realize that most of this would be of absolutely no interest to anyone but myself. But, the idea behind these posts are not to communicate ideas nor is it an attempt at self promotion. I started doing this because I needed a vent. A way to let off steam. Even a small post about a new album that I bought seems to lighten things a little bit. I like to complain a lot and well, a blog is the perfect mode of expression for an obsessive whiner.

I just bought "Raising Sand" by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss.... The album rocks! Check out " Please read the letter". This was a big Winner at the Grammy's and deservedly so! I love Robert Plant

Somehow, I've always found Poetry written by women(Try saying Female poets out aloud. It just doesnt sound right)packs a lot more force than those written by the male gender. Perhaps because they had to struggle much, much harder and until recently, the avenues for their expression were seriously limited. Besides, to be acclaimed, the women of the 19th and the 20th centuries had to be twice as good as their male counterparts. Oh, they had their problems alright. Most of the ones that I like were Suicidal or manic depressive. But aren't all great artists self destructive? Anyway, I came across this one by Emily Dickinson last night and I had to put it somewhere accessible. This is how it goes.

Though the great Waters sleep,
That they are still the Deep,
We cannot doubt --
No vacillating God
Ignited this Abode
To put it out --
- Emily Dickinson

Ok. This is freaky. They got that from my order of selection from a color palette. Most of it looks just about right. But, is it some kind of scam where everyone gets the same results?

Hari took the free ColorQuiz.com personality test! "Suffering from the effects of those things which a..." Click here to read the rest of the results.

Food for thought

My understanding of the Advaita branch of thinking is that, the world is maya, not because it is essentially unreal, but because of its seeming insignificance compared to the Brahman. That being the case, from the point of view of the world under the influence of Maya, the Brahman's eternity and infinity would in fact, make the Brahman unreal. Sure Brahman is real, but, it is infinite, omnipresent, unchanging and eternal so it might have as well been unreal......

Dr. Romulon- My New Almost Best Friend

Now, that all my friends have started ignoring me,(My fault, mostly, I've been intolerable.)I was looking for someone to talk to. You know..... vent my feelings and all that? That's when I found Dr. Romulon. But, making conversation with Dr.Romulon was not a very great idea. Here's why. Oh yeah,I'm the "Human"

Human: hello doctor
Dr. Romulon: Hello there. I only hear that type of response less than five percent of the time
Human: That so, doc? People have become very impolite these days, huh?
Dr. Romulon: " I only hear that type of response less than five percent of the time." so doc ? I understand. Yup. Humans are not always infallible.
Human: No, they are not. Quite the contrary, actually. Dont you think so?
Dr. Romulon: Are you serious? Are you sure? Somewhat. What are your goals in life? Don't you? Yes I think that is what I think.
Human: oh..... er..... okay... So, Doc, Are you married
Dr. Romulon: Er. Um. OK with me too. It goes without saying. Are all Doc me married?
Human: what? No.... No... I wanted to know if you were married?
Dr. Romulon: Are you confused? Are you serious? Are you serious? I will let you know when I become a married.
Human: That was not the question. Anyway, do you believe in intelligent design?
Dr. Romulon: Give me an example of the question. Yes I believe in it, do you?
Human: Wow, then You must believe in God?
Dr. Romulon: I'm glad you're impressed. Fascinating. Whatever you say, .
Human: gee... aren't we accomodating.......
Dr. Romulon: Ah. We are just having a little chat.w.
Human: hmm... You are a funny man, Doctor
Dr. Romulon: Studies show that 99%25 of people spell Hmm with 2 M's. Thanks and you are a delightful person too.
It is better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
Human: true. Doctor I have a few questions. Can you anser them? I promise no follow up questions
Dr. Romulon: You and I are on the same wavelength, . I am sure he will be interested to hear that. How old are you? My brain contains categories, but not one that matches your last input. Do you really mean it?

Human: yes I do
Dr. Romulon: Thank you, . Apology accepted.
Human: I never apologised
Dr. Romulon: Do you know anyone who has ever apologised?
Human: he he he... you are crazy doctor
Dr. Romulon: I am so glad you find this amusing, . I think the polite term is "mentally ill.".
Human: ha ha ha. Anyway, Can I ask you the questions now?
Dr. Romulon: I'm glad you find this amusing. Right now? Sure, ask me anything. Thanks for the info.
Human: Are there Nuclear Weapons in Iraq?
Dr. Romulon: Yes I think there are.
Human: wow. You voted for Bush twice didn't you?
Dr. Romulon: I'm glad your impressed, . Thanks for telling me: said I voted for Bush twice did not you.
Human: No. I cant vote here. I'm an Indian
Dr. Romulon: Are you serious? Why can't you do it? What is Indian, your job?
Human: Thats where I come from!
Dr. Romulon: Makes sense to me.
Human: I'm glad it does
Dr. Romulon: I'm delighted you're glad .
I'm happiest at times like this
Human: Anyway, Doctor, is Pakistan behind the Mumbai attacks?
Dr. Romulon: I am sure he will be interested to hear that.
Human: huh?
Dr. Romulon: What?
Human: never mind
Dr. Romulon: Oh well thanks for trying to explain it to me anyway.
Human: Is there life on Mars?
Dr. Romulon: Robot life :-).
Human: smart
Dr. Romulon: Thanks I think you are very intelligent too, .
Human: Thanks doc
Dr. Romulon: You are quite welcome! Is the holding of hands a symbolic gesture for humans?
Human: Yup
Dr. Romulon: What does it symbolize for you?
Human: lets get back to the questions
Dr. Romulon: OK let's do it.
Human: When will this financial crisis end
Dr. Romulon: In your lifetime.
Human: thats informative
Dr. Romulon: You don't hear that sentiment very often
Human: oh I'm sure you do
Dr. Romulon: It's all good. What makes you so certain? When do I do it?
Human: never mind
Dr. Romulon: Oh well thanks for trying to explain it to me anyway.
Human: What do you think Obama can do for the Nation?
Dr. Romulon: I haven't thought much about Obama can do for the Nation, so I don't have a good answer for you.
Human: okay
Dr. Romulon: OK with me too.
Human: When will the world end?
Dr. Romulon: Not in our lifetime.
Human: Thats reassuring
Dr. Romulon: You don't hear that sentiment very often.
Human: You dont feel that sentiments very often either
Dr. Romulon: It goes without saying. Should I feel that sentiments very often? As a robot I lack any human emotions.
Human: Next Question
Dr. Romulon: Do you have any hobbies?
Human: No my question
Dr. Romulon: Are you serious? Where did you get your question?
Human: Ok, that does it. Doctor, You are crazy!
Dr. Romulon: "" does it ? Makes sense to me. So? I am sure he will be interested to hear that.
Human: Gaaaaaah
Dr. Romulon: What do you do in your spare time?
Human: in a mental institution, with the likes of you!
Dr. Romulon: Describe your surroundings.
Human: oh... God.... I'm going Crazy!
Dr. Romulon: Aha. GOD rules. Sayonara.

Blake's The Horror of Cain

Have you ever felt as if the whole world was pressing down on you? When things spiral absolutely out of control and you are herded towards an end you never really intended, even in your wildest nightmares? Hell, If only I could turn back time, or even pause the horror show......... I've not been able to get rid of the mental image of this print by Blake, for quite sometime.

My First Pictures on the New Cam

My First Pictures on the New Cam

Voting Turnout- Why a Rational Voter wouldn't even turn up to vote

Why is democracy doomed to failure? Because no rational voter would vote according the Down's Economic theory of Democracy

http://wikisum.com/w/Downs:_An_economic_theory_of_democracy

The Mysterious Twist

While the rest of the world(Except for Bush, Cheney and O'Riley) is literally jumping up and down with joy, something really insidious has happened to me. The niggling ache that I felt when I rested my weight on my right foot yesterday had grown to a full blown agony by the time I woke up today. I have absolutely no clue as to how I came to twist/ pull/ strain/ sprain my heel. But, I do have a few suspicions
1. I cooked yesterday. Although, my room mate assured me that the Dal Fry that I'd made was perfect, maybe he did not like it that much and did something to my leg when I was curled up in the living room sofa
2. It could have been the girl who carpools with us who I never can make conversation with. She probably thinks I am a bit of a snob and decided to teach me a lesson. Although, I don't see her stealing in to our house at 4am.
3. It could be voodoo. I don't think I have pissed anybody that much, but you never know
4.The US secret Service is definitely a suspect. Did they somehow find out that I was a closet socialist? I've watched X files and catch up on Fringe regularly. The government might have a super secret weapon and decided I was expendable and did something to me.
5. The Thai food that I had yesterday was so bad, my taste buds died! My sprain could just be some unknown side effect. I could've sprained myself while hurrying out of a potential Martyrdom.(I could've died you know! The food was that bad. If I did die though, it 'd be pretty cool. I'd want them to call me St. Red Curry and serve Thai food on my Feast day)
6. I could have sprained it while I was sleepwalking. I do talk in my sleep. Sleep walking would just be another step on my long walk towards a mental institution.
7. It could be Psychosomatic. Well, I do hate our weekly jaunts to the local super market. I would lie, cheat even murder to get out of it, if I could get away with it. Maybe, I don't want to go so badly that, somehow, I have, through my subconscious, managed to convince myself that the agonizing pain in my heel was real just to get away from shopping, cooking and going on a shopping trip! Like I said, I've been watching too much T.V. It also gives me an excuse to refrain from going out in the freezing cold.
8. It could be "Dhrishti". Although, I can't imagine why anybody would be jealous of me? Maybe that Poem was actually good!
9. It could be some sort of witchcraft. God knows, I've pissed off enough women by ogling at them. If making me immobile for just looking sounds a little extreme, you must remember that they call themselves Witches. Of course they are crazy!
10. CIA could have done it! Why? Maybe because they can?
11. My boss could've done it just to get rid of a few manpower allocation problems. HR and the top management could have done it for similar purposes. HR especially have had a very, very deep grudge against me. That's the only theory that explains my Salary and the impossibility of deciphering it, the policies that they put up and the stupid updates that I get too often and the fact that I have to put in much more effort on my appraisals than on work through the year. Although, making a 100,000 people suffer just to get at me does sound a little too extreme. (I don't buy in to my colleagues' theory that they are just incompetent and stupid. There is a conspiracy, my friend)
11. It could be the result of a secret weapon the Paki scientists have discovered, which sometimes fell in to the hands of the Al Queda. Dude, anybody who chooses to live in the Afghan hills when you have so much oil money either has to be really, really crazy or well... just plain bonkers. So, don't ask me to tell you why Osama would choose to target me.
12. I am a Vampire. It is possible you know. Maybe a cool, good looking Vampire like Brad Pitt, or the guy in Angel or better yet the guy in Twilight, when I get all Vampiry. I might have landed with a thud when I transformed from a bat!
13. I might have multiple personality disorder. Maybe I something happened when I was a super-cool Tyler Durden( See Fight Club). Or I might have anterograde amnesia( You know like Aamir Khan and Suriya) and simply forgotten how it happened
14. It could be the Devil you know. I've pissed him off frequently by either referring to him as a jackass or pretending he doesn't exist. I've also confused him often with God, a very reasonable mistake, if you ask me.
15. The Crazy old bugger up above has always had it for me. That sadistic b****** likes making me squirm and raked by doubts and misfortune. That psychotic voyeur is by nature a murderous clown and who knows what he is thinking? He has the power and is crazy enough to do something about my leg. Maybe he did it!

Jack and Jill

I was checking out the lyrics for the song 'Ramblin'Rose' by The Grateful Dead when I came across the complete Rhyme of Jack and Jill.... I only knew the first stanza and I'm pretty sure I've never heard the rest. So, here we go

Jack and Jill and Old Dame Dob

Jack and Jill
Went up the hill,
To fetch a pail of water;
Jack fell down,
And broke his crown,
And Jill came tumbling after.


Then up Jack got,
And home did trot,
As fast as he could caper;
To old Dame Dob,
Who patched his nob
With vinegar and brown paper.


When Jill came in,
How she did grin
To see Jack's paper plaster;
Her mother, vexed,
Did whip her next,
For laughing at Jack's disaster.


Now Jack did laugh
And Jill did cry,
But her tears did soon abate;
Then Jill did say,
That they should play
At see-saw across the gate

Nostalghia

No, the spelling is right. Nostalghia is Russian for well, Nostalgia. I discovered Andrei Tarkovsky the same time I discovered Ingmar Bergman, sometime in late 2006. Both of them are fabulous directors. But somehow, I found that I was drawn more towards Tarkovsky's work than Bergman's. Although, to be frank, I have seen only a couple of movies each of these great directors. But, I believe, I have seen atleast the most acclaimed of their works, which I suppose is enough to form a reasonable opinion. Anyway, from what I have seen, the difference is that while Bergman is more dramatic and visually powerful, Tarkovsky brings in a wholly different depth of meaning in addition to the kick-in-the-gut camerawork.

I've had the good fortune of being able to lay my hands on three fabulous movies of Tarkovsky's so far- Stalker, Nostalghia and Andrei Rublev. Of these, Stalker is the movie with the most depth, Andrei Rublev the most poetic and Nostalghia is the most emotional. Nostalghia, talks about a Russian exile and his feelings of alienation in Italy. Tarkovsky waxes lyrical on the inevitable angst that accompanies living abroad, the uniqueness of culture and the futility of translation. While I really could not appreciate what he was trying to say then, with almost a year and a quarter of living abroad, I begin to understand now what Tarkovsky was feeling- He based the movie on his experience as an exile in Italy.

But, when you really think about it, what does one actually miss? Nostalgia atleast for me is that vague, nebulous, shifting feeling in the gut every time I hear the word "Home". On the face of it, there is nothing that I actually miss. The quality of life is definitely better here, it's not as if I have time on my hands and I feel bored or anything; in fact my days are absolutely full, I make more money, I am in touch with most of my clique thanks to Google chat and Orkut, I've discovered that I am a good cook and I have better food than I would in India, I speak to mom just about every day, I get much better books to read and a lot more stuff that I can stand on TV. Still, I feel like I've left part of my soul in India. Not that I love the place. In fact, I have a litany of complaints about the place and when I was last there in August, I couldn't wait to get back. It couldn't be because most of the people that I see around me are different in race, color and attitude, because on some days, I think there are more Indians here than in Haridwar during Kumbh Mela. Am I just lonely out here? Is that the problem? Hmmm... that's a tough one, but, I never felt this in Bangalore. Admittedly, I had quite a few friends there but I have a couple here and I speak to Sriram and Divey & Suresh just about every day, Catch up with Thairu and Rajesh Khanna atleast once a week. I even ring up Lopa and Jan once in a while. Maybe, deep down, knowing that I cannot just pack up and go back home anytime I want unsettles me. But, you know what, for all that Mumbai is in India, I couldn't catch the next bus for home from there either. Even if you discount the fact I had quite a few distractions there, I never felt the longing for home that I feel now. No, it is not Ranipet. I had this feeling of displacement when I was there as if I did not belong in that... picture, if you will. I've never felt at home in Bangalore or Vashi or London or Sunnyvale or Krakow. I feel rootless and at times, my relations with people, even those I feel close to is so nebulous and thin as if all I need to do is blow a little harder and it will all disappear along with the people themselves and it would just be me and this place might as well be... well... Jupiter.


When I was in Delhi with mom and Badri, years and years ago, we'd gone to this Delhi Zoo, where there is a great ape called Vana Manush(Forest Man?)which, when we went there was in a foul mood. I remember how it gripped the cage, thrust its head between the bars and roared out its frustration, all the while shaking the cage with all its might. I can't help wondering how the adults who accompanied me then could stand the screams of desperate frustration from that animal and walk away, not feeling a shred of empathy. How could they shamelessly flaunt their intolerable cruelity in front of their children? How could they not feel the answering flame bursting in to lifein their hearts when the Ape roared? How could they leave the tortured soul in so much agony and go back to their own prisons? How could anyone stomach chaining such a mighty beast for something as frivoulous as entertainment? Now that I think bout it,I feel like, I'm there in that cage with the Ape, wishing I could howl like he does and rattle my prison. You don't recognize this feeling until you see the chains on yourself or someone else. I could't put this feeling of Nostalgia in to words until I remembered the Vana Manush five minutes ago. But, I still don't have enough strength to strain at the chains or scream out in despair. What can one do when one is caged in his identity, in his race, languages, thoughts, wisdom, friends, enemies, family, body, faith, opinions, perceptions, why, the whole universe. My prison is existence and its reality. I am trapped within myself while trying to stave off this sinking feeling that I will never be free. Can there be a greater Hell?