My Mama didn't raise no foo!

2010-08-18T07:04:00.000-07:00

There is great deal of marriage talk going about at my place. Here is my stand on the issue. Marriage should be an act of passion and not one out of convention. If I take the latter route, in a few months or years we would get tire of disagreeing with each other on what was more or less the same thing, would be inured to each other’s odd and perhaps disgusting ways, the way she bites her nails etc., and then we would sink into a placid and comfortable unhappiness, each still in a cocoon, but perhaps it would be unwise to be otherwise. And my once secret life would be entombed in a mind half-dead to an incarcerating world, and I would remember, with a sense of bemused embarrassment, and in epiphanic flashes, brought on by uncontrollable jolts to my memory. The restlessness of my mind seems to be the all important thing in the universe.

The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost

2010-07-14T06:50:00.000-07:00

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

In New Y000rk

2010-05-08T12:41:00.000-07:00

Currently, in New York for a couple of months. Click here for latest about New York blog.

Super Funny Indian Dance Video....

2009-12-04T04:19:00.000-08:00

This is the funniest wedding dance video I've seen in ages!! :-) Enjoy!!

The Phase

2009-06-06T18:41:00.000-07:00

is when I do everything well, when I follow time lines, accomplish tasks, I do everything to run away from the one thing that probably needs most of my attention, time and devotion. This just dawned on me as I continued to surprise myself with all the things that were getting done. To escape the ultimate, I am excelling with the trivialities. Note to self, run the other way, we live on a globe.

Nagins in Bollywood 101

2009-05-27T14:08:00.000-07:00

You know you are faced with a Nagin from bollywood if:

AMORPHOUS: It can assume any shape and form possible, (even a skeleton bride, 6:46)
major giveaway: if you catch it converting from human to snake or snake to human.. that pretty much seals the deal example
LIGHT COLORED EYES UPON OCCASION: When mad or excited or angry .. its eyes turn blue.. or gray.
BIN/PUNGI: If you play the bin anywhere around it, it will try to resist but will eventually give in by dancing, like so .. clickity , or this , more, you get the idea. Note the cobra like hand gesture... VERY important for a nagin dance.
RELIGIOUS: It hangs around Lord Shiva's idol.
AGILE: It can do anything! dodge bullets, withstand lightening, appear, disappear ... anything
MONOGAMOUS:It practices monogamy and loves to dance with it's companion, rolling around and slithering like movements, references : clickity clack
AVENGEFUL: If you kill its loved one ... particularly the naag it will avenge you. How does it know who killed the naag you ask? Simple! it sees the picture of the murdered in the dead naag's eyes, as explained here (1:37)
MANI: It knows where the mani is at.. now mani is the jewel that can supposedly make a snake charmer or sage or saint or saadhoo or just about anyone rich.. how you ask ? Well, since none of the idiots in any of the movies have found it .. it remains to be answered... all we know is that its really shiny and bright enough to make the night seem like day.
SNAKE BABIES: If you fall in love with one, your spawn are likely to become one. That's if you don't eat them.
AMRISH PURI: Nagin in bollywood movies usually has a contender who will play the bin and intice it and try to get the nagin to reveal the mani's location and that guy will most likely be Amrish Puri. Unfortunately, we don't have that luxury anymore, Jaani dushman (new one) is the last such movie that saw him in this character.

Not long ago, I sat down to revise my Nagin IQ by watching the great classic Nagina which is the single most popular Nagin movie. As a friend noticed my undivided attention toward the screen, he interjected with great curiosity as "Mai teri dushman (I'm your enemy)" played , amrish puri blowed and sri devi gyrated..

Friend: Whoa why is she dancing like that?
Moi: That's a popular dance buddy ...
Friend: Is she mad she doesn't have one?
Moi: doesn't have what?
Friend: No GINA
Moi speechless....

...

2009-03-08T23:33:00.000-07:00

Mom, I'm on my Period...

Oh no! Ok, don't touch my madi sari (a sari she wears to pray in). Do NOT touch or use these utensils in the kitchen. When you're in the pooja (prayer) room, don't go near any of the idols or the praying items. MOST important thing, make sure that you take a head bath on your 4th AND the 5th day of your period before you pray in front of god. You're not allowed to pray on the 1-4th days. Only started to allow to pray on the 5th day.

Uhhm, ok mom.

Why are you giving me that look? You're having it much easier that me. When I was growing, no one was even supposed to touch us at home. If someone touched me when I was on my period, even accidentally, they would have to take a bath IMMEDIATELY! We would be in a corner in the house, NO ONE outside the house was allowed to touch us also ok? The whole gully (street) would know when a girl was on her period.

Sigh.

Don't sigh! Where are your traditions? You have to respect god. You can't go in front of him when you're not pure.

Being on my period doesn't mean I'm impure mom. God knows when I'm on my period, so why these rules that don't make sense?

You don't know anything! It is not respectful to go in front of god when you're not pure.

Why the taboo around a woman's period? It's as natural as breathing, sleeping, eating. It's something every girl/woman goes through. In this day and age, why should a woman be feared if she is on her period? Why should poojas be stopped? In many current cases, why can she not be touched in the house she is currently residing in? Why can't I pray if I choose to in a temple?

My grandparents happen to be very orthodox. My first experience of having a period in India was.., a learning experience... We had plans to go to Tirupathi (a holy mecca sort of a place for Hindus). But since I got my period, I wasn't allowed to go. On top of that, it meant that my parents were still going and I had to stay back with my grandparents. Grandma made me sit in a corner in the house and at times, I was asked to leave the house for a bit while grandpa was praying. Having a presence of a girl on her period was impure. No one was allowed to touch me.

Scenario mentioned above with my mom is one of the many arguments that run in the house that I currently live in. Every month I get my gift from "God", mom freaks out. Makes SURE I take a head bath on the 4th 5th whatever day. And mom's right. She had it a lot harder when she was growing up. I tell myself that I'll try not to be the same way like my mom if I have kids. Maybe I'll be all the more liberal.

But again, why the taboo? A part of me is god-fearing as well. Is it bad karma to disrespect my parents and ancestors' rules? Would god punish me for going to the temple on my 'off' days? Breaking the barrier of having the freedom to go to the temple when I'm on my period seems to be just as hard of an ordeal like many of the other racial, economic, environmental problems that are going on in the world lately. It's hard to urge my mom and dad to change. It's hard to explain the formula of "women on her period = just women, not impure women".

Time shall tell on whether I'll have the courage to break this barrier if and when it comes to my daughter's first period.

Period.

Burning Man... this year )"( ???

2009-03-05T11:33:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I've heard a lot about Burning Man. Some people say it's artistic, spiritual, bonding, soul-searching sort of event... others describe it to be drugged out, naked people, too hot, sandstorms, crazy times... (don't know if this batch has ever been). So after a motivating speech from a co-worker, I have decided to give this thought and now I really want to go.. so much so that I have even started to think about what exactly will I be doing there and potential art work that I can create there... But before it's set in stone .. I need some accounts, experiences, suggestions, warnings all of that from people.. so if you got something that might impact my decision, comment! If I know you, mention if you'd be interested in going.. cuz one thing is for sure.. I am NOT going alone.. and I need a group ... BIG group.

WHAT A GIRL WANTS- THE POTENTIAL BRIDEGROOM CHRONICLES

2009-03-02T10:25:00.000-08:00

wise men hv said, "shaadi barbaadi hoti hai". nothing truer was ever said, especially wen it cums 2 d girl im abt to describe below...
she is a common frend of bra n i...obviously, shez a product f salwan...
SHE EARNS ONE LAKH RUPEES EVERY MONTH...D MOST IMP POINT...

nw to sm trivial details...
currently she weighs close to 150 kgs n has an ass d likes f a marshy swamp dat even shrek{ d ogre} wud b proud to reside in....though i may add dat she is fair n has a well carved face...add a few inches in height n subtract a few miles f d waistline, she surely wud b d heidi klum f rajinder nagar...

nehw...nw dis girl proposed 2 my frend...
he is handsm...not fat...earns well...
my frend n dis girl had bn frends for quite sm time nw n they had a "my best frends marriage" kinda super gay pact f gettin married if they didnt find ne1 else n all dat{ oops...sorry.. i gotta go vomit..}
whoooooa....m bk..

nw...here 4 ur kind perusal plz ladies n gentlemen....is d proposal....
nah...dats lame too...
wats super interesting n sublimely insightful r d conditionalities or prerequisites dat she put forward...
heres a sample-----
1...d guy Must Not hv more dan one sibling...
2...if he hs a sister, she shud b married...
3...if he hs a brothr, he shud b married too but nt stayin wid d guy...
4...post marriage, he shud leave his parents...
5...he shud nt hv a flat higher dan d second floor...

my frend hs since committed suicide...
please...TWO MINUTE KA MAUN...AATMA KI SHAANTI KE LIYE...

[ ACTOR P.O.V X ] Come watch MADHAVI naatak's next hindi play

2009-01-28T11:10:00.000-08:00

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

*** Discount period ends THURSDAY NIGHT ( Jan 29th) !!! ***

*** Both VIP and General seats will be assigned in the order tickets are purchased, so buy early to get the best seats. ***

*** Read the MADHAVI preview on Water, No Ice***

NAATAK
presents its 29th production

Bhisham Sahni's
MADHAVI
(Hindi)

Directed by Abhishek Das
Produced by Shubhra Prakash

SHOW TIMES
13th February, Friday 8 pm
14th February, Saturday 6 pm
15th February, Sunday 3 pm

Cubberley Theater
4000 Middlefield Rd , Palo Alto , CA 94303

TICKETS
Until Jan 29, General $15, VIP $25
After Jan 29, General $20, VIP $35
VIP tickets include preferential assigned seating and complimentary snacks.
Both VIP and General seats will be assigned in the order tickets are purchased, so buy early to get the best seats.
Children under 8 will not be admitted.
Buy online at www.naatak.com
Or email tickets@naatak. com
Or call Soumya, 408 425 2647

ABOUT THE PLAY
Madhavi recounts a tale from the Mahabharat. Munikumar Galav must
fulfill a promise made to his guru, while the sage Yayati must live up
to his reputation for generosity. Both achieve their ends through
Madhavi, who lives in these two worlds of male pride, blessed with the
ability to regain her youth at will, and the promise that she will
give birth to great kings.

ABOUT NAATAK
Naatak is a San Francisco Bay Area-based theater group dedicated to
producing creative and thought-provoking plays. Since its founding in
1995 by students at UC Berkeley and Stanford, Naatak has staged 28
productions in English, Hindi and Tamil. For more information, visit www.naatak.com.

Are we blind? Or just sick in our heads

2009-01-13T12:12:00.000-08:00

3 things I have heard in the news this week that have instilled frustration, angst, helplessness and confusion in my conscience.

1). Madoff gets temporary bail?
Seriously? The guy who single-handedly flushed a huge part of our financial stability down the toilet is getting bail? Why? We are bold enough to arrest people we have no proof of violating the law and we take them to a godforsaken place to torture them and turn their lives upside down and break them in a way they cannot be put back again... all to find out .. the person had nothing to do with the crime and Madoff get's bail?

2). Blagojevich is going to work everyday?
I guess they are waiting for when he will show up at the airport with a head scarf and a long beard and islamic outfit ... or when he will change his skin color to black and act shady with his homies at a train station .. before they arrest or accidently shoot him... till then those tapes about how he is about to sell Obama's senate seat ... to the highest bidder .....sorry not good enough.

3). Stop the rockets and Israel will stop.
Bush throughout Israel's occupation of Gaza has said .. it is upto Hamas to stop the conflict, they need to stop firing rockets. I am not one to figure out whose fault it really is... but by simple math and logic. Latest stats say

13 Israelis dead . 3 civillians 10 soldiers
919 Gazans dead... and counting.. there are children in these casualties...

Double ka meetha

2008-12-15T13:31:00.000-08:00

Is it really that bad that I don't know about "double ka meetha" ? After reading sepia's post on sweets I realized how much indian desserts have to offer and how little I know...
Let's see:

petha
laddoo (besan and motichoor)
barfi (kaaju and badaam)
rashogulla
sondesh
mishti doi
gulaab jamun
jalebi
kheer
soanpapdi
.
.
. OMG !!! gotta get some indian sweets .. what are the more obscure kinds?

The worst holiday ever!

2008-12-14T14:39:00.001-08:00

I am in Scotland now. I haven't been on a holiday in a year and a half and this was supposed to be great because it is my husband's birthday and we had a lot of great plans!

After having worked non-stop for months I was really looking forward to this vacation. This morning when we were leaving for the airport our suitcase got locked by mistake. It was a code lock and we had forgotten the code. Luckily we had a hammer and we broke the lock. Then we bought another lock and locked it again and left for the airport. On the air port after security check my husband realised he had lost his boarding pass and it also had out luggage identification tag. However, the airport authorities found it and gave it to us. Now, the flight was tiring as we hadn't slept in days because of the work load. I was soooo glad to land in Scotland. We went to the baggage claim... and guess what? Our bags were no where to be found. We went to the airport staff and we found that our baggage was left back in Birmingham. Actually, that's what they said but they weren't sure as they said it could be lost as well. Anyway, they said if its there it will be with us in three hours and they would call us. They dint! When I rang them all they could say was there is still no sign of your bags!

Its my husband's birthday in 2 hours and I am so depressed. I do not want to upset him but I can help it I am so pissed off and sad! :(

[ ACTOR P.O.V IX ] In the era of Slumdog

2008-11-27T03:31:00.000-08:00

Bollywood today is known to be more than just a name derived from the dubious contortion of it's western counterpart. Now inspiring western directors to take up projects in India with local talent, bollywood has begun to more than just carve a niche... it is breaking into the mainstream. Although bollywood actors have appeared in western films for 2 or more decades (e.g., Amrish Puri, Irfan Khan, Om Puri, etc) current bollywoodmania is a result of bollywood moving forward relying on its own talents. Recent Oscar nominations snagged by bollywood films such as Lagaan and Water, and daring launch of movies centered on the indian experience (Namesake) has caused audiences to look east and forced them to shake it to the addictive rhythms, yea literally, click here .
(Foreign actors seeking bollywood opportunities ?? no joke!)

What I have been recently part of, has proved to me that infact bollywood has arrived. I am currently helping out with production tasks, such as gathering costumes, props, assisting with puppet making and publicity for a production called "The Great Puppet Bollywood Extravaganza!" yep!! that's right.... bollywood with puppets and even better as it is an improv show! Improv a 2 hour bollywood musical by a cast of actors who have had a lot of homework comprising of watching bollywood movies, dance numbers, songs, common bollywood names.

I have been impressed by the research, which involved understanding the basic plot line of a bollywood movie, what always has to happen? what never happens? It meant field trips to the Naz Cinema to watch Sharukh khan shake it along with 20 supermodelish backup dancers, rehearsals included rigorous dance warmups, scene work, understanding the emotional range depicted by bollywood where the concept of subtext is thrown out the window.
Not to mention the puppets show off the crafty and innovative talent.

So if you cannot get enough of bollywood or have yet to be bitten by the bug ... what better experience than a cozy little theatre in San Francisco, next door to the Union Square.

Opening Night : Nov 28th 8pm.
facebook event link: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=34330403538

Obama: the town in japan

2008-10-29T23:03:00.000-07:00

I discussed my election time jitters with my japanese coworker, who attempted to pacify my anxiety by stating "don wolly ... obama orso town in japaa, bhen obama win plimaly... obama peopre sing and dalce ... obama!! obama!!"

he ain't lyin >> http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUST8454820080305

Bikram Yoga

2008-10-25T13:38:00.000-07:00

Like a friend mentioned... it's love-hate with Bikram. I was enthusiastic about the classes and then I learned all about its makers' desperation for building it up as McYoga... Then I was bothered.
Here's what I have liked and what makes me skeptical:

I do like the sweating, as a person who does not easily sweat, it's exhilirating to watch a puddle form around me.. gross I know. I let the heat seep in, here, more than once I have noticed the power of focus. I watch only my body in the mirror and I follow each movement closely, somehow doing that intently causes me to be in the asan. My mind does more work than my body. As though I have caused the mind to move the body.

Existing in that heat (110F) does not bother me but it does not keep me from constantly thinking about what is changing in my body physiologically? There is no freedom to change the routines, instructors must follow the book, each word.. "marriage of the heart and lungs", "opens up like a flower"... loses its effect very quickly. Now, some instructors can narrate well even while keeping the fast pace, while others are too rushed.

Currently, it's a drop-in state, would be super neat to see a research on how the body reacts to a workout like this. What happens inside? What happens long after?

Vice presidential debate mind paralysis

2008-09-30T19:28:00.000-07:00

Or perhaps I should just say Presidential Elections 08' ... this time.. this whole process, campaigning and debating.. is all mind fuck for those of us who are searching for all the vital reasons to support a candidate.. rather than the redundant and useless qualities gathered by the majority of the media

I am eager about the vp debate tomorrow. Somewhere on the tubes (as Ted Stevens refers to the internet). I've come across many viewpoints about what is to be expected.... the common lot contains ,
Biden will make Palin cry like a baby and
then there was,
Palin had set herself with such low expectations that she will be phenomenal during the VP debates tomorrow....
and then
Biden is getting coaching on how not to be mean to Palin cuz that would upset women voters
Palin is weak cuz she actually supported one of Obama's viewpoints during Couric's interview about handling Pakistan

So I'm getting confused since what I'm gathering from all this is,
Biden is a mean guy who should focus on not being mean to Palin because she is a woman.
Palin should not support Obama's views because only he is entitled to have them.

The factors that have brought us this far in these campaigns and that will take these campaigns to the elections are entirely lost on me...It seems as though the American public manages to ride on a serious, practical thought process that does impact the country .. but only for a short while, and then as soon as we get closer to primaries or debates ... we resort to redundant comparisons and discussions about redundant qualities, tactics that these prospective leaders have or portray.

Isn't Palin and everyone else well versed with the notion that Biden can be quiet direct with his speech? Shouldn't she be prepared to handle it then? Why is it a topic of discussion? If this is a matter of concern for us then perhaps we should think of a debate between Palin and Hugo Chavez.

Why is it problematic that Palin seemed to have adopted a viewpoint that was originally laid out by Obama? Is it so that once Obama takes a position on a certain issue it is his alone? Wouldn't it be better to discuss HOW their reasons differ even though they take the same stance?

Please someone point me to the reasonable discussions that I hope are taking place somewhere on the tubes and not the useless chatter that hounds the media or perhaps is being promoted by some media outlets to cause this mega mind fuck

[ ACTOR P.O.V VIII ] My Rehearsal Rules

2008-09-17T12:32:00.000-07:00

The rehearsal process can become frustrating and Over the course of rehearsals for stage, I have found the following set of rules to be extra helpful. I make sure I remind myself of these each time I step into a rehearsal.

Respect people's time

Show up on time, that doesn't mean 30 mins after or 5 mins after, that means whatever time it takes you to get to the rehearsals and warm up and be ready to work at the time stated. I hate it when people stroll in while mouthing their excuses and waste more time justifying what happened.

Also, leave on time. Some people take advantage of people's time thinking "Oh I would go on all night with the rehearsal" too bad, you hopefully have a life. And when you succomb to such demands.. you are not following the schedule and you are giving out the message that it is ok to be unprepared till the last minute and by then we can just make up for everything we should have done by ridiculous rehearsal times. If you were suppose to leave by 10pm, you leave by 10pm. If things are really heating up, stuff's getting done, tell the stage manager or director at 9:30 or 9:45 that you are scheduled to leave at 10pm that way they will know how to coordinate. Bottom line, if you show up on time and leave on time you declare by that simple action that you mean business in terms of committment.

We've been given 2 ears and 1 mouth, use them in that ratio.

Listen more than talk. With a large ensemble it is important to follow this constantly. There is no way to emphasize this enough. Just do it.

Keep your suggestions and ideas to yourself during rehearsal.

Sometimes a director may have a lot on their plate, if they are performing as well, they might feel stalled in making observations quickly and providing sound creative input right at the moment. That doesn't mean actors and others start telling them what should be done and how something can be made better. Shut up people.. just let the person think for a second. If you feel something else should be considered try reaching them during a break or email them or call them.. but for God sakes don't interrupt them during rehearsal. Especially in dance, don't ever tell the choreographer how it is suppose to look.. trust me it's only gonna end up making you look like a jerk and not help the rehearsal at all. If you have to get the baby out then the least you can do is ask for permission to suggest or express your beliefs.

Do not tell another artist how to perform or initiate a conversation about what YOU think of their performance

When we rehearse, we are experimenting, we are artists are making ourselves vulnerable and trying out things that may make us look good or bad.. the last thing we want is another artist telling us why it didn't work or why it did. . unless you ask them.. their is no reason they should be vocalizing their opinions.. again, director is there for a reason.

Overall, rehearsal is suppose to be about more than just blocking and learning lines.. infact if you are gonna learn your lines during rehearsals might as well not bother... rehearsal is about discovery, about materializing your vision with bodies and actions. When I say vision, it is not the actor's vision.. no sorry... it is the director's vision.. I know that sounds kinda weird but seriously.. that's what the director is for.. if you as an actor have a vision discuss it with the director, ask for permission to show what you have in mind, if it involves changing other actors' blocking ask them for permission too. Now, in some skills rehearsal is just practice for example, stage combat if you don't know much about it, then you rehearse to perfect a routine. Sometimes in dance you rehearse to get something right together as a group. So rehearsals in different areas can mean different things. It's a good idea to discuss with the director what they want their rehearsals to be about. Do they want collaboration if yes, how? All this work prior to rehearsal will make it beneficial for all.

Geometrical analysis of Bollywood coupling

2008-08-17T23:21:00.000-07:00

Face it you have drawn it all in your head. It's time we drew it out and revisit the common combinations and explore the possibilities from here on.

Your basic line segment

i) BOY --------------------> GIRL
ii) BOY <------------------- GIRL Nothing to see here, simplified into: iii) BOY <---------------------> GIRL

Now, the next step

iv) GIRL----------->BOY--------->GIRL
v) BOY------------>GIRL--------->BOY

most commonly misrepresented as a "love triangle". To those who casually use that term.. I would like to remind them that a triangle is indeed closed. In which case, we would find ourself with

vii). GIRL <----> GIRL from iv)
or
viii). BOY <-----> BOY from v)

Here we find that adhering to the geometric properties of a triangle.. brings forth the homogeneous nature of this state. In such a case.. a homogeneous relationship is suggested, so by the book we should be exploring vii). and viii). Yet, bollywood has steered itself clear from these premises ... while the novice viewer leisurely goes about declaring any trio as a "love triangle" once again I repeat GET YOUR GEOMETRY RIGHT!!!

ix).

A common case that makes for many comedic flicks out there ... the arrows depicting a chase. Diagonal additions to this will be pointing to a future with homogeneous states.

An unexplored pattern would be the circle. Where the arrow begins and ends with the same subject, suggesting self-love or flicks that conclude with the protagonist finding satisfaction within themselves rather than in another individual. A pattern hardly seen in Bollywood...to its credit, not fully embraced in Hollywood either... after all Carrie Bradshaw does end up with Big following i).

Feel free to add onto other visible and unexplored patterns/shapes.

UPDATE (12:49 pm Aug 18) OK I take back whatever I said about Bollywood's reluctance of homogeneous territory, check it out > http://www.musicindiaonline.com/n/i/hindi/9972/

2008-08-04T16:59:00.002-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA!

[ ACTOR P.O.V VII ] Mataji and when I read 'Begone Godmen'

2008-06-22T23:50:00.000-07:00

It was the time when I found myself standing in the temple in a long queue with my mom holding a flask of milk. I should've been in school instead I was there at the temple on my mother's command.. we were to go feed the milk to Lord Ganesha's idol as it was discovered earlier in the day that Lord Ganesh has miraculously began drinking milk .. and not just the idols but even the ones in the lockets hanging from people's neck. It was the time when I happened to see a lot of a guy named "Chandraswami" on TV claiming to posses immortality, he would appear in a religious outfit and a staff with a crystal ball on it ... he would claim fortelling the future, people would speak of his powers of healing... Chandraswami is now facing several trials for many of the scams that follow such characters.

It was this time, less than a decade ago that I helped myself to "Begone Godmen" a book from my father's reading collection. Curious to reaffirm the fact that we were simply being fooled by such figures I was happy to find my sanity restored as I indulged in Abraham T. Kovoor's encounters of Godmen and Godwomen around India and Sri Lanka.

He who does not allow his miracles to be investigated is a crook,
he who does not have the courage to investigate a miracle is gullible,
and he who is prepared to believe without verification is a fool.
- Dr Abraham T. Kovoor -

Like a detective he solved each case of a 'ghosts', 'magic', 'miracle',etc. chapter after chapter, with use of logic and scientific explanations. Kovoor had seen it all, ghosts, saints, shamans, godmen, etc. A Yale graduate Kovoor continually challenged any ghosts and Godmen to deal with him, he was ready to go through any ordeal to show how logic and reasoning prevails.

Kovoor did more than just solve the mystery, when possible he dug deeper to find out what in the person's life brought them to this stage. This caught my attention more than the tactics that unraveled the tricks. Kovoor often discovered common themes in the psychosis of these figures, the presence of all kinds of abuse, physical, psychological and sexual.

These figures whose disciples painted them as entities as untainted as the purest drop of elixir, strongest as the vigor of lightening, compassionate with overflowing forgiveness and powers of healing all calamities in the common man, were in fact broken, lost, defeated and most troubled among their own followers, only they had learned to hide it well and succumb to deceit.

I am excited about an upcoming production by Naatak that has caused me to reminisce and revisit the revelations put forth by Kovoor.

'Mataji' is Naatak's telling of what lies behind the mask of one such demigod and what happens when the mask is removed in the most unexpected of circumstances. While one might laugh at the specific exaggerations the play presents as it dvelves into the capabilities and powers of it's heroine 'Mataji (mother)', many might find it ironical that often worse is believed and fabricated to create such charlatans in the real world. 'Mataji' examines where the demigod stand in dealings of their own human emotions and adversities. The play portrays desperation experienced by both, the forces that feed the so-called 'phenomenon' and masses that feel the need for the 'phenomenon'.

From the playwright Sujit Saraf:

Mataji, born on the banks of the Ganga, has a simple gift to offer to the
world: a loving hug. Over two decades, she has travelled to sixty-five
countries, hugging thousands of devotees in one sitting, sending them into
raptures through the transmission of pure bliss that accompanies her hugs.
Her followers on five continents regard her as Krishna incarnate. Then, on
her sixteenth visit to California, she confronts a devotee she cannot
satisfy. Through him, she discovers much about her powers, and the world
discovers much about her.

Related Stories :
Interview with playwright Sujit Saraf
When the hugging mother is confronted. Click here

For more information on the play:
====================================================================

MATAJI
A play in English
Written and directed by Sujit Saraf (http://www.sujitsaraf.com)
Produced by Sunil Ganu

SHOW TIMES AND LOCATIONS
Cubberley Theatre
4000 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto
July 26 - 3 pm
July 26 - 6:30 pm
July 27 - 5 pm
August 1 - 8 pm

NOHspace
2840 Mariposa Street, San Francisco
August 2 - 7 pm
August 3 - 3 pm
August 3 - 6 pm

Front Row Theatre
17011 Bollinger-Canyon Road, San Ramon
August 9, 2008 - 5 pm
August 9, 2008 - 8 pm

BUY TICKETS
Until July 11, $15 general, $25 VIP
>From July 12, $20 general, $35 VIP
VIP tickets include preferential seating and complimentary refreshments.

Buy online at www.naatak.com
Or email tickets@naatak.com
Or call Asheesh, 949 394 8776

PLEASE NOTE
Children under 8 will be admitted ONLY to the July 27 show.
Child-tickets ($5 off the general price) are required for children under
8, including infants.
There are no VIP tickets for children under 8.
People accompanied by children will be asked to sit in "exit-friendly"
assigned seats.
While this is not a children's play, it does not contain language or
content inappropriate for children.
Proceeds of Naatak benefit non-profit organizations such as Asha, India
Literacy program, America India foundation, etc.

Naatak is a registered 501c(3) or ganization. For more information, visit
www.naatak.com.

[ ACTOR P.O.V VI ] Musical Theatre Conservatory

2008-06-22T22:50:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is a new day. I can't sleep, I'm nervous yet eagerly waiting. For next few weeks I will be in class for something I love, something I am passionate about. Next few weeks are gonna kick my ass and I can't wait. It's the beginning of the Summer Music Theatre Conservatory http://musictheatreconservatory.org . Let's read from the site:

"The Music Theatre Conservatory is an intensive, professional program of classes, rehearsal, and performance experience, offering training in the three disciplines of Music Theater: Acting, Singing, and Dance. The program is an educational/professional development project of Notre Dame de Namur University, offering college credit through the Department of Music and Vocal Arts, and Broadway By the Bay, an all-producing Bay Area professional musical theatre company. The core faculty and visiting master teachers are all established professionals with extensive resumes as performers, directors, and educators."

I remember around March I believe it was I saw the ad in the theatre bay area magazine and I thought man it would be great to do this program, to train for musical theatre. At this point, I'm feeling quiet comfortable with acting in general. I want to branch out try out other aspects of theatre. At this point, stuff like stage combat, miming, physical theatre, kabuki , etc., are adventures I want to pursue. I want to see performance through different aspects. I also apply to the San Francisco Mime Troupe and I consider applying to the ACT summer conservatory.

So I saw the ad in March when we were full swing with nautanki , which by the way I'm very proud of because it was yet another form of theatre, different from a simple play. So I decided I would get vocal lessons to prepare for theaudition. I put an ad on craigslist went through at least 3 dozen replies and finally I picked a coach and I am not disappointed in fact I am very lucky for someone who has tasted the professional world and who know what they are talking about and most of all someone who I can trust. April began lessons and within 3 weeks was the audition, this involved picking two songs... get the sheet music, get the accompaniment, get your audition practice, get your audition outfit, shoes and what not.

Audition day came. We started with the dance audition I was ready in my outfit clearly there are people far more experienced than I am, I somehow get through the routine and then comes the singing part. Change into dress for singing, get your music, sing, perform your monologue and then comes the part that I did not expect to be hard but was infact quiet testing. The interview. The questions they throw at you while you stand their unarmed on stage. How old are you? Will you able to invest time? Why do you want to join this program? Have you studied performing arts? For every single one I have nothing extraordinary to offer. I sum up with saying , I want to learn and train the right way. I want to acquire skills to make myself a better performer. I can sing I know that but I have not had considerable amount of formal training. I need to refine my dance skills, I feel very comfortable with my acting skills, but it is parts that I'm struggling with is what I want to improve and that this the program that will guide me in the right direction. I had overheard the other hopefuls answer to questions with following endings "oh .. so you toured with that?", "...was that a professional production?" I knew I hadn't offered material in my resume that required questions of that caliber. But this was an audition for a training program, they knew that right?

Weeks go by, I am hanging out with a bunch of friends who I know through my computer science classes.... we are chilling with the game called rock band. I ask for the mic since I would like to be the singer. They have never heard me sing before. Friend number 1 is on bass Friend number 2 on drums and I am singing to Roxanne from The Police. To everyone's surprise I have never heard this song before, I butcher it, I don't sing .. I pretty much scream the song till my friends beg me to stop.. it was my attempt to get out any frustrations I had felt as I had not heard back from the conservatory. I heard back from the San Francisco Mime Troupe, I was selected for that one.. I couldn't confirm what if, music theatre conservatory got back to me ? I couldn't say no to that. I would love to be involved with the Mime Troupe and I will some day but for some reason waiting for the music conservatory seemed like an intuitive decision. I answer my friends' request by setting the mic down. My sister calls..she speaks of a certain envelope that has arrived, I ask of its size.. it's big.. means good right? She opens and tells me the good news... I jump in joy I tell my friends that I am in I got accepted... they repeatedly ask me. .. "wait you are going to be training for musical theatre?" After listening to me howl.. they refuse to believe any of this ... they pass it as a joke.. I for one I'm ecstatic beyond belief.

And then this is today 40 mins before midnight, the day before the program begins, I am too excited to sleep. I have arranged everything, leotards and dance shoes and tights and sheet music and I'm ready. I am nervous but I can't wait.. coming this far has meant a lot. I want to make the most of the days ahead. It would be ideal to record each day here.

You are pregnant, You are on the BART, why won't you sit when someone offers you a seat!!

2008-06-18T00:06:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's a long title. However, this is exactly what was going through my head 2 weeks ago during the tiring BART commute which used to be nap time for me before the BART started experiencing issues and Richmond trains were dropped from Fremont route. There was a mob of passengers standing in every coach, with dying hope of finding a seat. In the midst of this was a lady who was very visibly pregnant, she hops onto our coach and obviously a seated passenger begins to get up and offer her a seat, she refuses to sit.. huh? Another older lady does the same.. she refuses again with a smile.. I am baffled by this as we are being jerked around by the bumpy ride. I want to ask her.. what is the matter with you? It bothers me .. what is going on in her head? You may want to be strong and tough but you do realize there is baby in you.. a living being who is fragile , who is not going to benefit from the bumpy BART ride.

After learning of my confusion as to why the lady would happily refuse to take a seat, one of my good friend responds "but may be she was not pregnant" .. . I think about this ... but there was a visible baby bump on her.. we argue about this .. after a set of back-and-forths my friend sends me a picture of her acquaintance who she thought was pregnant and even called her so... only to hear not so pleasant words in a reply... the acquaintance was not pregnant .. she clearly looked pregnant... I refused to believe this .. until I saw the picture.. my friend suggested I blog about this .. get an opinion or something ... according to her I can use the picture freely on the internets as the girl in it will never learn to use a computer....regardless I have blurred the face .... and the shoes ....and the handbag.. sometimes you can tell with the handbag and all..

Most perfect song in the world??

2008-06-05T21:38:00.000-07:00

Kabhi Kabhi mere dil mein... oops.. typo jee.. I mean, the song Kabhi Kabhi Aditi from Jaane to ya Jaane na can be deemed by me as the current most perfect song.

Everything about this song is great... When the singer goes 'haste haste haste...', oooh, sooo smooth.

I have a weird feeling that this was originally a Tamil song and the song was redone in Hindi (ex. Alaipayuthey --> Saathiya). True?

You listen to the song, and you just want to sway back and forth and back and forth. It's only 3:41 in length but is such bliss.. The last 41 seconds of the song are pretty much the same words being repeated in different variations and you just want to float. Every time I listen to the song, I feel like I'm sitting on a cloud and being lifted in the blueeee sky. cheesy eh? heckz yea!

One of my many favorite parts in the song is when the singer, Rashid Ali, goes 'everythinggg's gonna be ok'. The everythinggg's part has a Jamaican feel to it.. Download that song peeps. There's also some parts that has a ding-dong kind of a music. It's the cutest sounding thing.

Go Brown Go

2008-05-22T13:35:00.000-07:00

Wow. Check out this wonderful beta who must've made his parents proud...

Akshay Rajagopal from Nebraska, 11-year old, won the National Geographic Geography Championship. "As he blitzed the competition, his family looked on from the front of the auditorium at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington. He boned up for several months by studying geography DVDs and textbooks." More details here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080521/ap_on_re_us/geography_bee

My daddy, on the other hand, always told me to focus more on 'Maths'. Anyway, before I teeter into my self stories, congrats Akshay!.

Well, my eyes would not have drawn as much attention to the article if the boy in the picture wasn't brown, carrying that big beautiful check, looking ever so cute in the direction of perhaps his parents, and siblings...

In other news, b-check b-out b-this b-video: http://www.hulu.com/watch/1792/saturday-night-live-bush-twins

Would you Walk Away?

2008-05-19T23:22:00.000-07:00

Following incident happened over the weekend...

Couple of my friends and I went to a club/bar where a certain ethnic group were the majority in the crowd. My group of friends and I were probably the only ones that were not part of the majority ethnic group that was present at the club. Two of my friends stepped out for a bit, and while standing outside, they were called a very racial, derogatory term by a few people.

One of the friend's instant reaction was to punch that person in the face, but the other friend held back, calmed the friend down and both decided to leave the place immediately.

My question to you blogtopia is, would you also want to leave such a place immediately and walk away?

Or would you prove your point in another way, perhaps by sticking around to show that being labeled does not effect you. You paid for the service to enter the club, so don't you deserve to have a good time just like everyone else in there?

Would making a stand, not being phased out, and continuing to stay at the club make a stronger point? Or is walking away and avoiding other situations the answer?

Thanks.

Reason for a Lawsuit?

2008-05-14T14:40:00.001-07:00

I never usually drink soda but was very excited to see the Transformers being advertised on Pepsi bottles again. So I decided to buy one at the cafeteria at work. Looky at the bottle..

After drinking about a 1/3 of it, I noticed the expiration date. Looky now:

The image is fuzzy thanks to my cheap ass cell phone camera. But if you can decipher the above picture, you will notice that the Pepsi actually expired on October 10, 2007. ewww. It expired 7 months ago but the cafeteria still had it in the refrigerator along with other beverages and other Pepsi bottles with Transformer pics on them. ewww. Blasphemous! Should I sue the company for not changing its the bottles regularly?

Oh, and the pepsi tasted normal. At least to me it did. It was still carbonated and all, but ewww.

And the government was trying to get rid of them....

2008-05-12T14:22:00.001-07:00

click on image to read the full article

Related post : http://stopbywhenever.blogspot.com/2007/09/let-it-not-be-unnoticed.html

Multi-tasking a little too much

2008-05-01T12:25:00.000-07:00

Ah the stories I hear at work...

Co-worker came up to my desk and narrated the following:
She was on her way to the bathroom and came across another co-worker who was apparently having an intense convo on the phone. Little did he realize that while he continued walking, and talking on the phone, he started to unzip his pants before even entering the bathroom. He was apparently 'still 10 feet away from the bathroom door!' claims astonished co-worker.

She didn't want to disclose the name of this guy. Damn corporate ethics!

KHUDA KAY LIYE--- A MUST WATCH MOVIE

2008-04-14T09:40:00.000-07:00

khuda kay liye...meaning...4 d sake f god...
saw it yesterday...awsm movie...4 those who hvnt seen it, well ur missing smthng...

"wen ur in love wid a girl...its all heart, bt wen it cums 2 god....u reason"...........w/o a doubt d best line frm d movie....irrespectiv f dat dat a jackass fundamentalist, wid zilch knwlegde n who abhorrs music cos he wrongly perceives it 2 b anti-islamic, is sayin dat...

"kinne kinne jaana billo( allah ) de ghar..
asi bhi jaana billo(allah ) de ghar..."----its amazing dat a crude song metamorphs into divinity by replacing just a single linguistic thread...

reminds me f socrates...i think der4 i m...this movie defntly mks u think...
it questns ur ignorance...ur blind adherance...

furthrmr, cultures differ...interaction tks place.....assimilation happens...but stops short of integration....food for thot for NRIs n d like...

in case ur wondering as 2 y m i being so abstract n hv nt yet delved in2 d story, well dats cos i want u c it and decide 4 urself and personally, i dnt wanna b didactic here...

being an indian, der is smthng abt a scene dat i found offensive...
being a secular human being, d above becums even worse...
however, such historical inaccuracies notwithstandng....its commendabl dat such a movie came frm pakistan which is still battling on many corners...
hats off to mr mansoor....gr8 job sir..

finally.......i feel dat d partition was unjust to indians......v hv bn systematically robbed....god damn it.....women frm pakistan are just too beautiful......i dnt knw...im speechless...period!!!!!!!

Bollywood Tax Song

2008-04-11T09:34:00.000-07:00

Cuz I was bored and a friend on IM mentioned, he won't be able to par-tay cuz hez gotta do his taxes y0... I created this bollywood tax song to motivate people to do their taxes (would love to shoot a video of this ... bollywood ishtyle)

tax kar ... tax karke . reLAX kar
apne papers fAX kar
phir tera statue banega ... museum WAX par
ho ho ho TAX Karrrrrrrrrr
chahe jitne evite ayein ... sab ko AXE kar
sirfffffff TAX kar ho ho hoooooooooooooooooooooooo TAX kar
sun yeh gana .. karke volume MAX par
ho ho hoooooooo TAX kar hooooooo
ho ho ho hooo TAAAX karrrrrRRRRrrrRRRRRRRR

what-EVVVVVVVAAAAAAAAH

[ ACTOR P.O.V V ] The raw and the rehearsed

2008-04-09T11:32:00.000-07:00

Kinda late to post this and I wish I had written this before the actual performance. Anyhow. So last Friday I performed a piece in SF for a theatre group that auditions people by having them perform infront of a live audience. Yes that's right! I was given a script a few weeks back and told to memorize the lines and interpret it anyway I wish and come to the show and simply perform in front of live audience. I did exactly that, with a few blocking notes so I know where my reader is and I remain in the light.

What surprised me most was my reaction during the phone conversation with a company member on the phone... question posed... "are you up for it"? I said .. why the hell not? From that very moment I was excited about this.. the idea of all the things that could be done, that could be invented, that could go wrong... I was ready for the raw stage experience ... to be vulnerable.. to really tap into your craft.

I walk in the theatre, turns out there are many performances lined up for the night
More actors start to trickle in ... confident people, who upon learning of my purpose at the theatre that night respond "Oh you are the audtioneer... good luck!! you're gonna be great".
I am curious about how they have costumes on and more confident about what they are doing ... I find out that they have been rehearsing for weeks, it's just the first act , my act, that is not rehearsed, because I am auditioning ... of courseeeeeeeee!!! Why else would they be advertising all around town about their $15 show.. if all other acts were not rehearsed. and oh .. I'm up first!! ... Feels great to know that I'm opening with no rehearsal, only my lines and instinct and oh yea.. it's a comedic piece... not my forte but oh well... I cannot refuse that I am more excited than nervous... it's great to feel that I can do this.. how will it turn out to walk in on a stage and not know your every move.

People are getting ready, folding programs, going over their lines, everyone is helping out with getting the place ready, sound checks, tech stuff ......I didn't have my headshot like some other people so we all draw our faces (caricature) on a piece of paper and post it next to the professional headshots that other more responsible actors had produced. What better way to recognize me than by a cartoon version of moi... apparently there was a show happening next door, another theatre company. I have to write about their warm up... all performers are on stage before the show and are warming up with peculiar theatre warm ups that involve walking around the space, yelling and screaming and what not .. you know the good old .. theatre warm ups... but the one that really works for me is ... marching around screaming this

"DAMN SHIT MOTHERFUCKER, DAMN SHIT DAMN (2)...
SOME DAMN BITCH JUST STOLE MY MAN!!!
GOTTA FIND ANOTHER FUCKER
TO MAKE UP FOR THE OTHER FUCKER
DAMN SHIT MOTHERFUCKER DAMN SHIT DAMN"

continuously repeating that while walking in circles with increasing intensity really gets me ready for what's ahead... loved it!!! (piano fight.. don't sue me for revealing your warmup chant.. i love you guys)

Audience start walking in someone directs them to the correct door, I help with handing them a pencil and voting card... oh there is voting too..... The left door leads to the space where I'll be performing.

Show opens, I am relaxed, not nervous, I play with my gutt, it's exhilarating. It's comedy, so keep the pace, keep the flow, take chances, take risks... it lasted not more than 10 minutes but I'm happy I did it. My performance is followed by the rehearsed scenes written by local playwrights. Ranging from dramatically intense to hilarious.. each is very well written and performed. Each scene will be voted by the live audience and they shall pick two best ones to move on to the next round... performed next month perhaps, till they choose a winner, and that will be a play performed in full length.

All in all, this unique audition experience was a chance to reflect on my stage abilities. I have been told they are looking for actors for their upcoming round and will get back in touch with me if they have an opening for "rehearsed" pieces.

Company > http://www.pianofight.com/PianoFight.html
Production > http://www.pianofight.com/Theater/Entries/2008/3/30_ShortLived.html

?

2008-04-08T10:51:00.000-07:00

AP reports that the new born baby has two noses, two lips and now the child is being considered as a hindu goddess ... What do you guys think?

[ ACTOR P.O.V IV ] Believing in your craft

2008-03-24T07:55:00.000-07:00

This came up on the second night of our performance (Sultana Daku) we were praying and expressing our thoughts right before run, when an interesting point was made, people will have have different reactions based on their perceptions to what we offer on stage. We must not make hasty decisions, we must have faith in what we have worked on and believe in our craft. I think this is an important message for a show like ours where there is a certain way of doing things and it should be adhered to if we want to perform the art form the way it is meant to be. There are audiences that we have had and will have (March 29th show) , who are not familiar with true form of nautanki, who will be challenged and will react, but we must stay honest to what we have learned and portray it with artistic audacity. We cannot compromise the art for those who do not know about it. Who knows what they didn't necessarily agree with might cause them to learn more.

Pictures from the first two shows : Click Here
My previous post on Sultana Daku : Click Here

[ ACTOR P.O.V III ] Taking risks and exploring

2008-03-20T08:58:00.001-07:00

It's on yahoo today, in case you didn't notice (click here). Needless to say that this is a production full of lavish sets, costumes and amazing talent.

But why is this really exciting? Because it screams exploration, it shows artistic risks and melding and mixes brought together by an artist from bollywood which we wouldn't expect. This brings me back to my previous post about our upcoming production of Sultana Daku (only 1 day left... woo hoo) I had mentioned that us Indians do not focus on preservation, we are busy bragging about our culture. I would say that Padmavati proves that there are individuals who can change that, who have the resources, artistic ability and power to change that.
(tried finding a better image, but oh well.. and yes I know! the elephant image is all over the web)

Padmavati is heavily influenced by the music of India, more so than any of Roussel’s works. Where he doesn’t use actual Hindu melodies, he uses Hindu scales extensively; these scales use different melodic intervals than in the West. Notice the “oriental” effect of these scales in the enchantingly ethereal song of the brahmin, describing Padmavati’s beauty

Padmavati marked an abrupt change of Roussel’s style, away from typically French manners and civility and toward classical forms, rhythmic power, powerful emotions, and even occasionally, a very un-Gallic ferocity.
(click to listen). (source: click here)

We have substance in our art forms that must not be lost, Roussel saw it, he captured it and I'm glad to say that an Indian, Sanjay Leela Bhansali brought it to stage. This will show and hopefully cause our talent to take risks and explore, in this manner. Here we see an indian artist showing indian art on a western stage, challenging western audiences to another dimension of art.

We have conformed to adapt our art to the west, we continously struggle to fit in that group, which is also a risk but I think there needs to be a well-formed approach to that. Here with Padmavati we are bringing forth our story, I'm hoping we will see many other stories, that otherwise seem to fade away, from India come to the center stage in the west.

I hope I get to see it, it's gonna take some hoping because looks like it will only be traveling to Italy, Brazil and India after the run in Paris. How can they miss San Francisco... come on people!!!!!

Oh.. the phonetics..

2008-03-18T14:31:00.000-07:00

Is apple adopting monopolistic practices?

2008-03-18T12:12:00.001-07:00

Ever since Apple made the SDK announcement for the iPhone app development, I've been pretty excited, for it presents enormous opportunities for the developers to develop some ground breaking apps; mainly because of the embedded accelerometer. I was so excited that I downloaded the SDK the first day it was made available, alas I can install it on a mac only. I am now waiting to learn Objective C 2.0 (suffice to say, a language that I did not like from early days of my programming career), so that gives an idea of how much I had been looking forward to the SDK.

But what I have not been happy about was revenue sharing with apple. The way the whole structure is setup, first off you need to sign up for apple's developer program for which you've to pay $99 (for standard) to $299 (for enterprise). $99 could be or could not be a big deal, depending on your financial situations. But that's just the first step. If you don't want to sign up for the developer program, you can only test your applications on the iPhone simulator and not the actual handset. So once you develop your application, it goes through a certification process and gets put on itunes store. Fine enough! But then is the most interesting part: Apple wants to take away 30% of the revenues you generate from selling your application on itunes. And my question is WHY?

1. By developing new applications that are in demand, developers are increasing iPhone sales in the market (Much more profitable for Apple since each iPhone is sold twice it's production cost). iPhone is a platform and platform doesn't make a device popular with consumer but only developers. Applications make the device popular with the consumer.
2. All applications developed at a production cost. Developers have a certain profit goal in mind as well. But since they now have to give 30% to Apple, some of that revenue sharing is going to get transferred to the consumer, making the applications marginally more expensive than they should be.
3. A developer has an option to develop a "free" app. In which case, obviously, apple doesn't get 30% share. But then what does the developer (mostly independent, high school, college kids) who develop iPhone application for fun? Why should they pay $99 to apple? Why should they face the loss of $99 when they are just giving away their hard work, creativity for free?
4. On the contrary, distributing applications for mac's is free. Why? Perhaps because Apple wants to gain more market share in that area. After several decades, they have just been able to capture a miniscule sixteen percent of the market share. But only in eight months iPhone already has around 25% market share. Apple is definitely taking advantage of their position in the market. Think of a world where you would have to share revenues with Microsoft for distributing applications for windows.
5. Let's say I just want to write an app for MYSELF ONLY!! Okay, I finished the app but I can't install it on my iPhone unless I pay 99$ to apple because I can only test it in simulator without paying 99$.

I see the fees for the developer program and the fact that every application has to go through the certification process and then through the iTunes store on 30% revenue sharing basis as a barrier to entry and hence I think Apple is adopting monopolistic behavior with the iPhone. What say you?

*UPDATE* : A friend sent me this news earlier this morning:

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200803132020DOWJONESDJONLINE001129_FORTUNE5.htm

I'm glad :)

FilmyFare.. Is it sad I enjoyed this awards show better than the Oscars?

2008-03-03T10:36:00.000-08:00

Worst Dressed
Deepika Padukone - yea we understand, you used to model so hence the stoic expressions, but lady learn to put on more faces and better dresses!

Bipasha Basu - uhm.. dont' like the hair and the dress is too 80s junior high school prom.

Gauri Khan - your husband wears better makeup and clothes than you do.

Vidya Balan - I had no idea you were from kerala.. Anyway, outfit was waay too orange.

Hrithik and Akshay - Do NOT like the low cut undershirts. Too cleaveagey...

Best Saris
Tabu, Kareena and Karishma Kapoor wore the prettiest sarees of the night. Gorgeous!

The bois
Kunal Kapoor looked HOT.
Rajpal Yadav should be considered host the next time around.

Speeches
Darsheel Zafary - awwwwwwww!
Kareena - Thank god you kept it short.
Rishi Kapoor - way too loud... Microphones are supposed to make you sound loud already.. No yelling required.

Highlights
Bout between SRK, Saif and Akshay Kumar - classic!
Darsheel Zafary's speech... awwwwwwww! he's such a cutie pie!
The na-real awards... nice..
Karan the queen Johar being pushed off the stage by the other hosts.. LOVED the harassment... heehee

WTF
What was up with showing Twinkle Khanna, Neetu Singh and Neetu Singh's daughter over and over and over and over again? Anytime these people smiled, the cameras would be ON them.

And to the two hosts - we get it.. your intentions were to be crude and rude while hosting, which you pulled off.. brava.. But did you have to mention again and again about your beloved intentions? Annoying!

Umm.. excuse me, but Deepika getting nominated for the Best Actress award was bullshit! Did the Filmfare judging/jury people NOT get the idea that this chick cannot act!

Shah Rukh winning the best actor award - NOOO! Darsheel, you so deserve it more... sniff

Ok, Aamir, we get it... You dont' accept awards and yes Indian Awards show do have questionable credibility... (hello.. deepika being nominated proves the false credibility)... BUT, come on.. Darsheel showed up and YOU SHOULD HAVE TOO. WTF Aamir? You show up for the Oscars in 2000 when Lagaan was nominated and ditch the Filmfare awards? Oscars are just as lame foo..

Hrithik - Why the angry face? You did not have a smile on throughout.. Come on, some of the jodha akbar jokes that the hosts made were funny! Laugh!

Wayyyy Too cheesy.. Yea we know it's Bollywood.. But come on!
Saif giving the best actress award to Kareena.

The towel scene - the hosts were pushing it..

Rishi Kapoor's achievement award - uhm.. I personally feel he's a bit too young for this award.. but whatev.. And your Thank You speech Rishi, - could've probably trimmed out about 1000 pounds of cheesiness. We know you love your wifey, and your kids, and your nieces, and your grandpa, dad, uncles, aunts...

Performances
Vivek Oberoi - Awesome! You were totally into it.. unlike Deepika..

Kareena - didn't like the showgirl outfit, but your mauja performance was pretty kick ass... Just gain some weight...

Himesh - oh Himesh... What was up with you having the pre-recorded singing playing in the background? It was good seeing you without your cap though for those few seconds.

Akshay Kumar - eh.. I've seen better performances by you..

Comments made by mother and father through the show
"Where is the indianness in any of these performances, speeches and movies?"

"She has all that money... Why is she so skinny?" - On Kareena's performance.

"Where's Amitabh? And the family?!"

"Oh so THAT'S how Himesh looks without his cap"

"Look, no Aamir and no film clips of Taare Zameen Par." "Look, no Aamir and no film clips of Taare Zameen Par." "Look, no Aamir and no film clips of Taare Zameen Par." "Look, no Aamir and no film clips of Taare Zameen Par." - God I get it!

Sigh! I LOVE BOLLYWOOD!

Ultimate Sadness

2008-02-29T12:50:00.000-08:00

So I read this story on engadget, one of my fav. blogs. Without further delay, here's the story:

<quote>

There's certainly been no shortage of sad stories involving Xboxes, but when it comes to attempts to get the console repaired, this latest tale from a gamer known only as Nathaniel might have to take the cake. As you can see above, his console (one of the first to hit the market) boasted a good deal of personalization, including signatures from folks at Bungie and the Xbox 360 team, and a spiffy illustration by Rooster Teeth Comics artist Luke McKay. As with many other Xbox users, however, Nathaniel's console eventually packed it in, and he was forced to send it to Microsoft for repairs. Needless to say, that's when things took a turn for the worse. Despite calling ahead of time and getting assurances that his prized console would be sent back intact, and including a letter reiterating how much the console meant to him, Microsoft apparently took it upon themselves to clean it as best they could before returning it, leaving only a few faint smudges of permanent marker to ensure that it was, in fact, the same Xbox. There's no word as to what Nathaniel plans to do next (other than weep), but given that Microsoft gave the royal treatment to someone that did nothing more than get a Zune tattoo, you'd think they could at least give the guy a few free points or something.

</quote>

Now how awfully sad it is that after all the efforts made by Nathan, Microsoft employees still did not see any sentimental value to this, erasing it all. I'd like you to think not in terms of XboX but perhaps consider your favorite sport or tv show or something. Now consider how important a shirt, piece of paper etc. etc. will be to you to have it signed by you idol in NFL or NBA and how would YOU feel to see it all destroyed by an outsider?

Lastly, I'd just add that if this was my console and got ruined like that by evil, cold, emotionless hands, I'd cry more than I cried for the one whose name shouldn't be said. Those who know her name, good, those who don't ... idk!! Yeah, i'd cry that much and hate microsoft more than I hate Sony and Yahoo combined.

Ok.. this is WTF Random!

2008-02-26T23:02:00.000-08:00

I go to work yesterday and see this e-mail from bossjee:

Guys,

I got the jury duty notification... I called in and they're asking me to show up to court. Will have to leave work around 12.

Thanks,
Boss

Whee.. Bossjee was not around yesterday.. yippee.. After work,.. I went home and heard this..

Daddy: Can you believe it!? I had to show up to court today for Jury Duty AND I have to show up TOMORROW too. And it has only been less than a year since we turned citizens. How come mummy and you didn't get called in yet???

I go to work today and talk to boss..

Me: How was jury duty boss?
Boss: (frustrated groan).. I have to show up today also.
Me: hmm.. Weird so does my dad... Did you go to the court in so and so city?
Boss: Yes. Such a pain in the ass jury duty is..

I go home after work and what do I hear:

Daddy: Deepa, I ran into your boss today at the court. We had a nice little conversation about you. He's a very tall man isn't he...

WTF Randomness! Boss and Daddy had to get called on the same day for the same case and for the same court... I have used a lot of "hanging out with coworkers and boss (even though I'm really hanging out with others)" excuses to my parents.. Hopefully the nice little conversations during jury duty won't expose my tiny harmless fibs.. :o)

Kutiya won the oscar

2008-02-24T19:23:00.000-08:00

Why would I say that? Cuz it sounded like it.. no I wouldn't have noticed that until my mom interjected right after the announcement

Announcer: "And the oscar goes to (Frenchis accent) Marion Coutillard/Kutiya"

Mom: "KYA!!! KUTIYA!!! WHAT!!"

At this point I realized I should have never asked her to switch to ABC even for the oscars.. she was doing fine with Zee TV :P

Congratulations to kutiya !!
She is an awesome actress no matter what.

*NOTE: Kutiya in hindi means female dog ... bitch

For other accounts of family members uttering obscenities .. click here

I LOVE Cashmere Mafia... ABC.. Do NOT cancel the show fools..

2008-02-22T23:27:00.000-08:00

People,

There is a fear out there amongst Cashmere Mafia fans that the show is going to be canceled. They have had 7 episodes so far and each one of them is OMG Effing amazing!

So I urge you readers... to go see the show online.. Just click righhhhhtttt here, yes this link..: http://dynamic.abc.go.com/streaming/landing?lid=ABCCOMGlobalMenu&lpos=FEP

Now isn't the show just wonderfull?

For the boys, no it is NOT a girly show... absolutely noT... So get your manhood together, and attempt to save this show... Lookie, pretty girlies in the show.. whee

And aah.. More pretty girlies... Well, actually, they're the same girlies, except in more sexy wear... Oh oh oh ... AND guys, icing on cake.. theres lesbians in the show....

Heartfelt argument (in case I have not yet convinced you to watch the show): Not only is this show witty, it is amongst the few good shows out there that people can relate too.. well, not too much, but the characters do a lot of drinking, wear excellent clothes, and work really really hard in real time work environments on the show... And no, Lipstick Jungle is not that great.. I've not seen that show yet, and I dont' care to... I watch Cashmere Mafia, and I will NOT deal with the change of not having new episodes of that show in my life...

So people, Watch the goddamn show online and SPAM ABC with hate mail indicating that you WILL WILL detest them if they cancel this precious precious show...

Thanks,

Don't go to the park ... in india .. if you are married

2008-02-14T13:51:00.000-08:00

You might have to live through the misery again and this time not with your family and relatives but with your very own, happy marriage assurers... your very own Bajrang Dal... read it all here

"If they were married for four months, why did they meet in a park, under a tree on Valentine's Day?" - Bajrang Dal

So.. once again if you are married you can't be found in a park under a tree on Valentine's day... now go tell the married people .... before Bajrang Dal finds them

Random Convo.. Haven't had one of these in a while... This is how I pass time at work...

2008-02-14T10:33:00.000-08:00

me: you're going to hollywood?
S: there is an audition for a bollywood thing
S: it's like a cattle call
me: excellent
me: i saw it on ur facebook that you're attending it
S: yea
me: obama seems to be doing well
S: yea ...
S: i just hope he can give specifics
S: in his speech
S: there is a lot of talk ... but then again they are politicians
me: exactly
me: well.. he's the lesser of two evils
me: i dont' want another bush-like person as a president
me: if that happens... CANADA
S: yep
S: I don't think McCain is a good choice
S: I actually think Huckabee might be better on War issues
S: but not ProLife stuff
me: mike peek-a-booo
S: yep
S: peekaboo
S: that's what I would call him
me: i like huckabee
S: if we ever debated
me: what,... you and peekaboo?
S: yea
S: debate about issues
S: i would be like... according to mike peekaboo
S: lol
S: and I'll get voted ..cuz it'll be cool
S: which one?
me: i umm... took a how creative are you test on facebook... and apparently, i'm a bucket of paint
S: you are a bucket of paint
me: thts' it
me: show's my creativity
S: well that
S: is creative
S: in a way .. cuz you've got paint
S: it's just in a bucket
me: it needs to be used
me: and since i'm not creative... it'll just stay there
S: lol
S: but it says you are .. lol
me: i dont' get it
S: is there a scale for that test
me: no idea
S: i see
me: maybe... my creativity is waiting to get out..
me: tht's what the bucket represents
me: couldn't see the details cuz facebook failed on me
S: yea
me: the send error report message popped up as soon as i saw the result..
me: and then IE closed..
S: it's a faulty app then
me: i love facebook quizzes

Seriously, I mean WTF Microsoft!!!

2008-02-12T21:57:00.001-08:00

[ ACTOR P.O.V II ] Sultana Daku

2008-02-11T08:56:00.000-08:00

I am currently taking part in a nautanki called Sultana Daku... now hold on a sec... for all Indians reading this... this nautanki is very different from the nautanki portrayed in Bollywood. I have to admit that I went into the auditions with a preconceived notion, thinking ...oh nautanki... funny stuff.. over dramatic / over comedic funny stuff....nope not at all... first off, you need to be able to sing.. and sing like.. up there sing ... like waaaay up there...and there are about 18 ways of singing ...at least in this production..behertabeel, sher, vaarta, qawwali , etc.. each time we have sat down for rehearsal, it has turned out to be more than just learning our parts and knowing what to do on stage.. it has been cultural enlightment. There are nuances and details and stories that are shared by the director who is well versed in nautanki... I was not aware that in my own family people had actually watched nautanki in villages and they had experiences that they reminisced when I talked about how I was in a nautanki... (generic reaction of some relatives in India : "Ok so you are in U.S. and you are performing nautanki, an indian folk art, there??") Being in this production has given me a chance to talk to my family about something new, something that I had no idea was a big part of their growing up, they have been telling me about stuff like.. how no one in the audience would know what nautanki was to be performed till the very last minute.. it was a suspense..and a nautanki would run all night so from 10pm all the way to 6am.. so how does that work? The script is only about 60 pages max.. so what happens is that sometimes the audience really like the way something is sung ... there are many encores.. a song is sung in many ways to please the crowd.. I picture it in my head and it's like..those scenes from Shakespeare in Love where the audience is as involved in the play on stage as the actors .. our nautanki in India was perhaps the same way... We may not have a globe theatre.. but it seems as though we did have the spirit and the enthusiam... there are many events and historical significances of nautanki that we discuss in rehearsal, and I am amazed to know that I didn't learn any of that in my indian history classes in india (1st std - 8th std). I am from a place where nautanki was and probably still is performed in its original form and my credibility of being from there was questioned when I was speechless during discussions... I felt deprived that I didn't know anything about all that ... but I'm glad that I am learning... I ended up asking my aunt in India and she talked about how my grandma had a whole nautanki memorized, somehow it occurs to me that all this should be preserved and kept alive... I hope I can do something about that...

Perspectives
I
So I'm also taking lessons for musical theatre singing and I told the teacher, that I'm in this Indian musical .. it's a nautanki..I told him to come check it out and then quickly I said.. um .. but it's in Hindi..you might not get the thing... we are passing out a synopsis or scene-by-scene summary... but you know it's in Hindi ... so you know... at this point my teacher tells me ... OH so it's like Opera...and I had an epiphany.....he carries on about how not even native italian speakers might understand the opera and what is specifically being said .. but it's about the performance and the singing and the soul of the whole performance... I have to say I was amazed at this interpretation ... it made me think of how... us Indians a lot of times brag about how ... we have so much culture and the west is deprived of a rich heritage like ours... and we brag and brag and brag ... but to no effect or any value ... because I have learned that the west has an enthusiasm and yearning to learn and adapt .. something I think we don't have... our nautanki director shared with us that a student from Berkeley, actually spent years with their family perfecting and learning this art... a foreigner, a westerner.. felt drawn to what we don't even recognize... we brag but in the end.. it's them who preserve and truly cherish...

II
For our rehearsals we were looking for musicians dholak and harmonium players... let me tell you.. for a nautanki you need to be somebody who is versatile as a musician who can read the movements and improvise and hit the beats at the right spot... a good foundation is required.. no questions asked... but there is more than that... you need to be present..so I emailed a few indian music institutions about how we are looking and perhaps you can join us... I received one particular reply that made me ... well let's just say .. think about many things.. It read something like this ... "We are very rigorous and serious in our classical training, please do not send us messages about such things.." Now... my first reaction was to invite them to our rehearsal so they could learn what rigorous and serious really means...my second reaction was... were they confused by "nautanki" did they think we were doing a cheap dance number (as Bollywood has made nautanki out to be) If they really are indian musicians there is no excuse for them to not know what real nautanki is ... I mean these people are claiming to know the music of India .. how can they not know nautanki... I have decided to invite them to rehearsal and then to the show and have them experience the rigorous and serious art that they obviously don't know anything about ...

Spin off!!!!
Ok, so our nautanki production poster had a footer showing the designers of the poster .. so I go to their page and started browsing and under portraitures..(I need a headshot soon :P).. I see none other than my co-blogger's pic !!! what the... life is so weirdly connected.

If you are around in the SF Bay Area, watch us!! tickets and info Pix from rehearsal

[ ACTOR P.O.V I ] Writing from an actor's P.O.V

2008-02-10T23:34:00.000-08:00

This blog shall take a turn ... not that we have had a perspective on our ramblings... but as of now.. I am going to be rambling about my experiences as an actor. Whenever I am involved in a theatre project I wish I could capture what I have learned in a written form.. this blog will be used for that very purpose..

Underdog v. Stewie... No wait... Here comes Charlie Brown!

2008-02-04T10:25:00.000-08:00

Yea yea... The game was exciting and everything, but the highlight for me during the superbowl was the following: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiMf5cCDy1I

Almost had a tear in my eye... sniff...

New Car Smell

2008-01-07T12:04:00.001-08:00

Coworker bought this new car, and what's more exciting about a new car than the new car smell?

What's sad is that you know that the new car smell will slowly and surely fade away. Nothing that you do will replicate that exact smell. Sure Wal-mart and other car stores claim to have the new car smell fragrance for sale, but it's just NOT the same smell... :o(

One has to ask, do the car dealers and the 'actual' new car smell fragrance company have a deal amongst only themselves, or perhaps built up this conspiracy where no other folks can purchase the new car smell fragrance except for the car dealers?

January : The holiday hangover month

2008-01-02T12:06:00.000-08:00

Hello tout le monde!!

Well here it is .. the 2nd day of the new year already...hope you had a blast. So after all the craziness of November and December, all the holiday cheer and all the jingle bells and two months of being high on sugar and shopping here we are with January staring at us.. telling us.. you ain't getting none of that from me.. cuz I am the month that slaps you in the face and tells you to get your shit together. I shall watch you return those gifts, remove the decorations, dump the tree, I shall watch you make resolutions and fail at them before you even cross me. I shall drag your ass to work and watch the holiday cheer drain from your face...I'm tough, I'm January... now get your ass to work!!

Jab we WHAT!?!?!

2007-12-10T16:40:00.001-08:00

make up your mind!!!
...ahh .. the linguistic musings..

For those who do not understand hindi:
Jab We Met (the name of the movie) is suppose to mean "When we met"
however, when the exact letters are written in Hindi "Met" is phonetically translated as "Mate",
so the implied title "When we met" translates to "When we Mate"..
..so yea...

President(s)?

2007-12-05T11:21:00.000-08:00

Yesterday NPR (National Public Radio) featured a debate between the presidential candidates that took place in Iowa. Many important topics were discussed and the candidates tried their best to clearly state their position on various issues such as immigration, economy, war, foreign policy, etc. They also addressed questions such as "Can we please remove options for choosing other languages and messages like ' Para espanol oprima dos' from all the government services calls, since we are an English speaking nation, why should we be asked what language we speak." Yes, that was actually a question asked by some voter living in some small town ..hopefully.. who needs a history lesson desperately... obviously the candidates agreed that we are a diverse nation with many nationalities residing here therefore, government services calls will be provided in many languages that are popular here besides english. During the whole debate, there were moments when the candidates pointed fingers at one another, but in general there were times when they all seemed to bring solutions to the table that would work if they could create a best possible hybrid out of all that was proposed. I thought what about having more than one person as a president? What about having a group? I mean when a group will work together shouldn't it be less likely that they will make a mistake, as a group they should be able to give various perspectives and really inspect solutions proposed by others to see where the defects may be ? That's another thing instead of talking about what each candidate deems to be a solution, why don't they talk about how the solutions proposed by the others will or will not work, and what can be done to improve it. Afterall, don't we all want to see some of the major issues figured out and how can one person come up with solutions to all ?

Amazing...

2007-11-13T10:31:00.000-08:00

Try not to watch this video more than one time. Once the song gets stuck in your head, it's extremely difficult to tune out this great music.

To Boss,

2007-11-06T13:30:00.000-08:00

At present, I do not have the balls to tell you how exactly I feel about you. The closest thing that I will do for now, is pour out my frustrations via this blog in order to still maintain my sanity, so here goes...

Stop saying, "wow it's a pleasant surprise to see you hear so early" everytime I show up before 9.

Stop saying, "are you sure you can get this done?" If I tell you I'll get something done, I'll get something done.

Stop saying "got a hot date tonight?" everytime I plan on leaving early.

Stop saying, "wow i'm surprised you 'actually' took care of this..." sarcastically everytime I finish up a task.

Stop saying, "got plans this weekend as usual?" Yes boss, I will always have plans over the weekends and will do my BEST not to log into work to check e-mails like you do.

Stop looking at me like I am some kind of an idiot. Only selective people, handpicked by me have the authority to do so.

I like taking long lunches. And no, I do not like having lunch with the team, frankly because I think our team is pretty boring. I don't mind putting up with them at work, but I like having lunch as ME time.

Best Regards,
If only I can say all this to you in reality.

Another level of insane

2007-11-01T11:41:00.000-07:00

As many of you have noticed, when it comes to our cricket team losing matches, my sanity is compromised at all levels, for a quick overview of what happened last time ... do read this

Even though it's been a few weeks since Marion Jones admitted to doping, it took me some time to sketch up my initial thoughts about her situation and our cricket team..

wait !! there's MORE

Ranbir Kapoor drops the towel

2007-11-01T11:16:00.000-07:00

http://www.glamsham.com/movies/scoops/07/oct/29_shahrukh_khan_ranbir_kapoor_saawariya_heyy_babyy_100705.asp

Gone are the days when women shedding clothes for camera used to make news. Today, even men are not far behind, especially in 2007 when first the trio of Akshay Kumar, Fardeen Khan and Riteish Deshmukh did it for HEYY BABYY, followed by Shahrukh Khan in OM SHANTI OM and of course Salman Khan in each of his films.

Now add Ranbir Kapoor to the list who has featured topless in the song 'Jab Se Tere Nain' with just a towel wrapped around his waist. While his boyish charm is at full display in the song as he gets all mooney-eyed for the love of his life, Sonam, there are some naughty antics at display too which should have the women folk swooning.

This is not all as a shot in the song requires him to carelessly fall on the ground with his towel dropping on one side of the body, hence exposing a bountiful of the leggy Kapoor.

;) ;) ;)

This one takes the cake

2007-10-24T19:40:00.000-07:00

Last night Seepa and Dhubhra were involved in our usual IM convo...
this was the result

details here :

Seepa took amusement in watching old bollywood madhuri dance videos... not to mention Seepa is super excited about Madhuri's re-entry into bollywood... much details can be found in our conversation listed below.

(22:37:31) seepa: whts up?
(22:37:36) dhubhra: hello
(22:37:57) seepa: how was training?
(22:38:44) dhubhra: boring
(22:39:01) seepa: not surprised...
(22:39:14) dhubhra: yea it's sharepoint
(22:39:26) dhubhra: and I dealt with the uncooked eggplants
(22:39:34) dhubhra: what up
(22:39:39) dhubhra: howz it going with you?
(22:39:52) seepa: usual
(22:40:04) seepa: you should blog about the eggplants
(22:52:32) dhubhra: anyyyyyyyhow
(22:52:42) dhubhra: isn't this bizarre
(22:52:43) dhubhra: http://www.sepiamutiny.com/sepia/archives/004808.html#comments
(22:52:46) dhubhra: monkey attack!
(22:52:54) dhubhra: killed the mayor of delhi
(22:53:18) seepa: whoa
(22:53:29) dhubhra: yea
(22:56:31) seepa: dude the fires are just freaky
(22:56:33) seepa: down in san diego
(23:15:42) dhubhra: u there?
(23:15:47) seepa: yea
(23:15:55) seepa: madhuri dixit is coming in a new movie
(23:16:04) dhubhra: what?
(23:16:06) dhubhra: what are you saying
(23:16:19) dhubhra: she's got like 2 sons now? can you believe that
(23:16:25) seepa: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj1iGoolWEk
(23:16:29) seepa: check that video out
(23:16:33) dhubhra: maar daala
(23:16:35) seepa: i've seen it like 10 times already
(23:16:37) dhubhra: hoooooooooooooo
(23:16:37) seepa: she's sooooo good
(23:16:40) dhubhra: maar daala
(23:16:43) dhubhra: ho ho ho
(23:16:45) dhubhra: maar dalaaaaaaaaaaa
(23:16:49) dhubhra: haaaaaaaaaan
(23:16:52) dhubhra: maar daalaaaa
(23:16:56) seepa: :))
(23:17:35) dhubhra: watching video @-)
(23:17:47) seepa: doesn't she look good
(23:18:07) dhubhra: wait
(23:18:09) dhubhra: lemme see her
(23:18:12) dhubhra: wow
(23:18:15) dhubhra: pretty cool
(23:18:21) dhubhra: glad to see an actress in bollywood
(23:18:26) dhubhra: dancing around
(23:18:40) dhubhra: even after she is a mom
(23:18:51) dhubhra: cuz they usually don't do that ... and that used to piss me off
(23:19:00) dhubhra: why can't they shake it after they marry!!!
(23:19:07) dhubhra: sure
(23:19:43) seepa: just watch the last video i sent to you
(23:19:46) seepa: very wunderfulllll
(23:19:55) dhubhra: oh
(23:20:01) dhubhra: HECK YES ... I remember that from like
(23:20:04) dhubhra: back in the day
(23:20:13) dhubhra: she was blind in that one
(23:20:16) seepa: whoa
(23:20:22) seepa: i dont remember this movie at all
(23:20:26) seepa: never heard this song
(23:20:29) dhubhra: one after another
(23:20:47) dhubhra: i used to think she said "mai kuvari hoo"
(23:20:51) dhubhra: "oo o oo ooo "
(23:20:57) seepa: she doesn't look bling
(23:21:02) seepa: *blind
(23:21:02) seepa: =))
(23:21:02) seepa: kuvarai
(23:21:05) dhubhra: or wait ... wait ...
(23:21:12) dhubhra: that wouldn't make sense
(23:21:17) dhubhra: no I thought it as the same
(23:21:23) dhubhra: lol
(23:22:11) seepa: this is the ULTImate song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk-66Y3cT9c
(23:23:24) dhubhra: all the related videos in that last video you sent
(23:23:29) dhubhra: are like ... porno
(23:23:37) dhubhra: lol
(23:23:53) dhubhra: dang dhakh dhakh was such a famous song
(23:23:58) seepa: hhaa.. seriously
(23:24:00) dhubhra: no. 1 on philips top 10
(23:24:02) dhubhra: always
(23:24:05) seepa: she was scandalous yo
(23:24:17) dhubhra: i knoooowwww
(23:24:17) dhubhra: dang
(23:25:47) seepa: this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBJBepDOAFQ
(23:26:25) seepa: these songs are so ridiculous
(23:26:27) dhubhra: LOLz
(23:26:49) dhubhra: let's see who can find madhubala's pyar kiya to darna kya
(23:26:51) dhubhra: go!!
(23:26:58) dhubhra: LOL
(23:26:59) dhubhra: wait a minute
(23:27:06) dhubhra: he said "mohabbat ka bicchu "
(23:27:11) dhubhra: lolz
(23:27:12) seepa: another one for your viewing pleasure: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3YEa_KU0Yo
(23:27:21) dhubhra: "aisa dunk marta hai"
(23:27:23) dhubhra: dunk due
(23:27:25) dhubhra: *dunk
(23:27:27) dhubhra: LOL
(23:27:31) dhubhra: like a basketball dunk
(23:27:34) seepa: wait... who's saying all this?
(23:27:36) dhubhra: we could make a remix
(23:27:44) dhubhra: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBJBepDOAFQ
(23:27:49) dhubhra: listen to the dunk talk
(23:27:52) dhubhra: in the beginning
(23:29:41) seepa: she's a good dancer though
(23:29:43) dhubhra: did u hear it???
(23:29:48) seepa: yes yes
(23:29:50) dhubhra: mohabbat ka bichchu
(23:29:51) seepa: its not too clear
(23:29:55) dhubhra: aisa dunk marta hai
(23:29:58) dhubhra: i say we mix it
(23:30:03) dhubhra: dunk .. dunk dunk
(23:30:09) dhubhra: and then we show a slam dunk
(23:31:13) seepa: =))
(23:31:23) dhubhra: and we repeat it like a thousand times
(23:31:25) dhubhra: dunk dunk dunk
(23:31:28) seepa: she can't speak english all that well yo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_oC1D9N-Qc
(23:32:12) dhubhra: saw that one
(23:32:45) dhubhra: karan johar is a ...
(23:32:47) dhubhra: Omg
(23:32:52) dhubhra: i so don't wanna say the word
(23:32:55) seepa: yes yes
(23:32:57) seepa: the g work
(23:32:58) seepa: *word
(23:33:01) dhubhra: GAY
(23:33:02) dhubhra: SUPER GAY
(23:33:09) dhubhra: i wish there was a crown
(23:33:14) dhubhra: I could place it on his head
(23:33:51) dhubhra: dunk dunk dunk dunk
(23:34:02) seepa: like the ball hitting his head?
(23:34:06) dhubhra: lol
(23:34:11) dhubhra: and going into the basket
(23:35:15) seepa: OMG! : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjFc_U0UKbU&NR=1
(23:35:18) seepa: =))
(23:35:45) dhubhra: my laptop will crash if I see too many videos
(23:35:51) dhubhra: :(
(23:35:53) dhubhra: it's old
(23:35:56) seepa: oh
(23:36:00) dhubhra: srk and karan johar should go out
(23:36:08) dhubhra: and they should have a relationship
(23:36:22) dhubhra: that way srk will get the publicity of his life
(23:37:13) dhubhra: alright i need to get crowns made for karan johar and srk
(23:37:41) seepa: cuz they're queens?
(23:37:53) dhubhra: they are maha queens
(23:38:31) seepa: last one for the day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4knjC9WdbE
(23:38:40) dhubhra: i think queen elizabeth ... would be like "well... would you be so kind as to STOP your nonsense"
(23:39:06) seepa: hahaha
(23:39:08) dhubhra: wow
(23:39:14) dhubhra: you are going nutz on madhuri
(23:39:26) dhubhra: what do you want? do you have one of those outbursts to sing and dance
(23:39:27) dhubhra: all this?
(23:39:43) seepa: i do have an urge to be like her
(23:40:08) dhubhra: lol
(23:40:17) dhubhra: you might just start dancing
(23:40:22) dhubhra: all the way to my place or something
(23:40:33) dhubhra: with that "chane ke khet" step
(23:40:34) dhubhra: lol
(23:41:01) dhubhra: on that video listen to the 1:47
(23:41:06) seepa: argh
(23:41:08) dhubhra: i want you to sing that particular thing
(23:41:08) seepa: just closed it
(23:41:13) dhubhra: when you are on your way
(23:41:19) dhubhra: please listen to that segment
(23:41:27) seepa: send that link to me again
(23:41:34) seepa: dont feel like scrolling up the window to get the link
(23:41:37) dhubhra: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4knjC9WdbE 1.46
(23:41:40) dhubhra: to be exact
(23:41:42) dhubhra: 1:46
(23:41:50) dhubhra: please sing that when you are on your way
(23:42:12) seepa: tu tu tu tuuuu
(23:42:17) dhubhra: LOL
(23:42:19) dhubhra: LOL

.. But eventually we encountered the mother of them all as you can see from the title
There was silence after this ..

A-Choo

2007-10-24T15:37:00.000-07:00

My coworker should have written the following post, but she looked at me all weird when I requested for her to do so. Hence, I'll just write it on her behalf...

My coworker's friend wanted to go get a haircut. Coworker's friend (CF) went to a barbershop, got his hair washed and right when barber was about to start cutting CF's hair, barber sneezed really loud, phlegmy and snottily once into the air and once into his hands. Instead of washing hands, barber simply wipes hands on shirt and starts to cut CF's hair.

CF disgusted, but still wanting to be polite and not wanting to put barber on the spot says, "umm... can you wash hands and rewash my hair?".
Barber looks at him all funny, and goes, "why?"
CF says, "Just because... I'm very paranoid about my hair being clean.. ahem ahem.."

After the hair is washed, and cut, CF get's ready to pay the bill and sees that barber charged twice for washing the hair.
CF enraged goes, "Barber, I don't want to pay twice. I asked you to wash my hair again because you sneezed into the open around me, and then you sneezed into your hands and didn't wash your hands!"
Barber had the nerve to say, "but my hands were still clean even after i sneezed into them..."

ewww ewww ewww

[ACTOR P.O.V XI ] Things I struggle with

2007-10-11T08:59:00.000-07:00

I've taken up a lighting job. Basically it is running lights during a theatre show. The lights have been designed by the lighting designer and I click on buttons to go from cue to cue on the day of shows. I struggle with patience. In life, I sometimes make decisions in haste, later I wish I had waited to understand the situation better. This job has been therapeutic it has helped with the struggle. In simple words it is nothing more than clicking the keys to go to the next cue, monotonous, however, that's just the action. Everyday is different, you must watch the actors, keep your eyes open, you have to listen to every word. When the moment is right at that right pause, right at the sound of a scream or perhaps a stumble, a door slam or a gunshot you must go to cue. It's magic when it works and a horrible mistake when it fails. A mistake, that may cost the actor(s), the moment or even the show and all it takes is a hasty decision.

So I sit with the script in my hands, show after show, following the actors, line after line or may be not with that very precision, because rarely things are that perfect. I must look ahead, I must prepare for what's coming all the while knowing there is a chance it may be different from the night before. A line spoken last night may not be uttered at all tonight. Anything is possible. I must learn from every mistake, and must keep alert with my eyes fixated on either the script or the stage that's opposite the light booth emitting a light blue shade in the dark theatre.

With each cue, I take a deep breath, I click the key and hope for magic. I struggle with patience. This job is therapeutic. I guess all I have to do with every decision I make is wait for the right moment, learn from the mistakes made in the past, take a deep breath, do what must be done and hope for magic, hope for the best.

Vegetarians and STEAK!

2007-10-05T16:14:00.000-07:00

So what were two Hindu vegetarians doing at a Steak House during their lunch hour?

Bolo Bolo...

Nothing! We would've been thinking out of our ASSES if we did end up going to a steak house... Hare Ram Ram! What did end up happening was as follows:

Dhubhra and I went to an all-shaakahari (vegetarian) Gujurati dhaba (fast-food place). We went to go get the napkins, plastic utensils and such. Now, the napkins were all turned upside down, and when we turned them over, instead of the shaakahari restaurant's name imprinted on the napkin, El Rancho SteakHouse (see image above) was seen.

Obviously, we couldn't hold back our laughter, and instantly clicked a pic of the napkin. And as part of a lame prank/joke, we show this pic to people we know and cheesily state, "Look Look... Both of us went to a steak house for lunch."

End of story... It's the weekend... I'm outta here.!

I see the funnies

2007-10-03T14:42:00.000-07:00

Came across this internship notice on craigslist... from a magazine that writes about pregnancy (don't sue us.. :D )...

"please email a résumé and a cover letter to the address above and include Pregnancy internship in the title of the email. In your letter, please describe why you are interested in this internship and why you’re the right fit for our team."

Seen any funnies lately? :P

Let it not be unnoticed

2007-09-26T15:49:00.000-07:00

I remember it was in a history class in high school that we were having a discussion about how we often overlook the importance or impact of events in the present. I don't remember the specifics, the history teacher had picked a day in the 20th century when a significant event had taken place, some government had been overthrown, however on the same day some country on the opposite side of the globe had tested a weapon or something...The former event was covered on a large scale and the latter, equally important or may be even more, went unnoticed at the moment these were occuring. I remembered this because of what happened in the last few days.

The Iranian leader spoke at an Ivy League college and on the other side of the world people protested the military over taking their government and oh yea! hal03 came out. Now for those of you who think that the last one mentioned can hardly be compared with the former two... you need to go check out the stats on how many brains are wired to that game as we speak... yes people this is the world you live in ... where at the same time all these unrelated events could be occurring....

Monks in Burma urged citizens to engage in a non-violent protest against the Burmese military, these monks besides their non violent stance are being attacked by the military and killed. It is difficult to get information out of Burma because military is cracking down on the journalists and fabricating figures of casuality to the outside world. I just heard a coverage on NPR over the radio that talked about how monks were actually being killed and arrested. It is a difficult time for the country, what I don't understand is what other countries are doing to help. Unfortunately, it seems India is not supporting the right side, what amazed me and my co-blogger friend was ... isn't India the country where Buddhism originated? Does anyone else know about what other countries are doing about this situation in Burma? Do let us know.

Going back to the Iranian leader, I do not support hatred or extremists, however I do support open dialogue. I think it makes sense to have leaders everywhere talk to people in different countries. That way we will know what they say, when they say it and to some degree be able to judge their character for ourself. That way we won't have CNN telling us what is important and what is not. Many people did not like him coming over here and talking, these are the people who confuse listening to the other side talk with supporting the other side. You are not supporting the opponent when you listen to them, you are only making yourself knowledgeable about who your opponent is.

their basic argument : "Oh, he's gonna come over here and spew hate"
my question: "do you think if we choose to not hear this from him, the hate will simply disappear ?"

Dialogue is important, communication is important and it is most important for leaders. No matter how much we all wish that this guy was not a leader the fact is that he is a leader, he is a leader of a country, a country next to the country where the young men and women of this country are fighting. Why in the world would you NOT want to know what this guy has to say ?

So, these two things happened in the last two days, but I'm sure a lot more happened that I didn't even hear of, a lot more happened that changed some lives somewhere out there, which we probably don't see now. Years from now these two events will be discussed and may be something else along with them something that we have conveniently overlooked..... Let us know if you felt something important went unnoticed.

...

2007-09-24T10:55:00.000-07:00

@Reshma

don't you love the way we publicize your blog :P

@Homies

you know we coo! right ? right ?

Dhamaal vs. Dhokha

2007-09-20T14:42:00.000-07:00

Saw two movies in the past few days that deserve some reflecting upon.

First is the so called funny flick Dhamaal. The movie turned out to be nothing but a mix of scenes from Road Trip/Johnny English/Mr.Bean The Movie/Mad Mad World/Rat Race. Sure, some of the toilet humor can definitely receive a chuckle or two, but overall, it's a blatant, blatant, blatant copy of some of the English Comedy movieS that I've seen a pathetic number of times. Most of the while, you're just comparing the desi scenes to the original ones. But hey, I was always a fan of slapstick comedy, so I didn't mind the silly and crude jokes. But the frame by frame duplicating of scenes from the originals were kind of annoying.

But the movie Dhokha on the other hand... (I think Dhokha means betrayal.) Anyway, GOOD movie. It is at the opposite end of the spectrum of genre in comparison to Dhamaal. Basic plot is about a Muslim police officer who is a resident of Mumbai. He's basically looked down upon and is segregated in the department after the Mumbai bomb blasts happen. And later, he gets notice that his wife (who is also Muslim) was a suicide bomber and was behind the blasts. The movie pretty much flows into her husband desperately trying to prove her innocence, and trying to break racial barriers. There are some scenes that definitely are powerful and not meant for all sorts of audiences. I had to fast forward through some of those scenes, since my heart just could not handle what was shown.

So in an industry that has put forth great creative movies this year such as Chak De, Ek Chalis ki Last Local, Awarapan, Life in a Metro, and now Dhokha..., I think that we should slowly move away from making silly duplicates of English/International movies.

That's all folks!

Hey y'all ... people from all these other countries...

2007-09-15T22:48:00.000-07:00

Sup, y0 c'est moi! Since I've added this thingy to the blog (above the sudoku puzzle on the right hand sidebar) that let's us see which countries our readers are reading this blog from...(that sentence structure is wack... ) and every other day i see some new country blinking... it's crazy... and pretty cool....so I wanna know who y'all are, and what y'all upto at India, U.K., Canada, UAE, South Korea, Costa Rica, Pakistan and Germany....so go ahead... say hi! and do so definitely before this thingy's trial version runs out :( available only till Sept 25 :(

OOh new game!!

2007-09-12T15:12:00.000-07:00

D and I came up with an awesome new game... and this is all thanks to Miss Teen South Carolina.. try it out it's loads of fun...

Here's what you do, you ask a sensible question that a paegent judge would ask and you have to answer it like Miss Teen South Carolina... so here it goes..

D : what do you think about the troops being taken out of iraq
Moi : I personally believe that troops to south africa and other places and such as ... the IRaq should not want... the us americans and should help the us americans and such as yea ...that's my belief
D: what do you think of the tsunami that occured in indonesia this morning?
Moi: i believe the us americans should ... help the indians and such as
D: umm.. what are your thoughts on the 17 candidates that are running for the presidential election?
Moi: i think there should be more dates for the election cuz the us americans need help with their president such as ... the bush who should get a date as well such as ...

I think I did pretty well... give it a try...ask me another one... or ... give your very own miss teen south carolinaish answer..

This post was inspired by ... must-see and original

An outing with Bossjee

2007-09-11T13:51:00.000-07:00

Boss and I decided to have lunch with a candidate that I just hired before the candidate joined our company. The candidate suggested that we go to an Indian Restaurant close to his current work.

Boss and I sit in my car and I'm driving. Touch Me... The song in Dhoom Two is playing in the background. Boss and I are intensely discussing work issues and then right at the very moment when both of us get silent...

The song on the car stereo goes "Touch me, don't touch me, come touch me, don't touch me... COME TOUCH ME SONIYAAAA!" Thanks Alisha.

Awkward... I want to turn off the radio but feel that if I DO turn it off now, Boss may think that I AM feeling awkward. Also, what if he never heard this song before and is enjoying it. Me changing the song would disrupt his enjoyment... Don't want to upset the boss.

Amidst my thoughts, Boss bursts out saying, "Did you know Bipasha Basu and John Abraham broke up?"

"What?! No Way!" Thankful that the awkwardness ended with discussion of mindless Bolly gossip. And OMG... Bipasha and John did break up.. Is it because she smooched with that other foreign soccer dude?

In other news..., Dhubhra just pointed out to me that conversations about Britney Spears's recent VMA performance are taking place at her work right now.. ho-hum. Britney, stop with the whatever it is that you do, which is considered as 'music' by some. You've made enough money for you, your kids, and several others to live comfortably. So take care of your two boys.

Wow.. just ... Wow

2007-09-05T10:26:00.000-07:00

Read This First

My reactions in the order of their occurence:

1. What?
2. Did another one of his buddies (Attorney General) resign or got fired?

3. Oh no... one of the democrats in congress must have asked a tough question ... um ... i don't know like ... what's the strategy for Iraq?

4. Wait a minute... you don't gotta cry if the Britishers are dropping out from war!

There there... hush now.. it's ok .. hardly a year left .. no need to fake it... we get it.. we're screwed ... now how about you wipe off your tears (I'm sure some of those idiots who voted for you, are already wasting their sympathies on you and before you know it... those poll ratings will show it ) and go cook up some other "justifications" for why we are where we are ... yea you go and do that.

For some reason... the following picture seemed appropriate for this entry... don't know why... just kinda ... you know ... made sense... what do you think?

Mr or Miss Clean

2007-08-27T13:46:00.001-07:00

So I was talking to a friend the other day. She seemed a bit down since she just broke up with her boyfriend. Conversation went something like so:

Me: How are you feeling?
Her: Ok I guess.
Me: Yea.. Break ups suck...
Her: Yea.. I shouldn't have wasted time on him
Me: Happens..
Her: Well.. at least I'm still clean..

Clean.. Hmm.. Nothing sexually 'drastic' happened between the two of them, and so she thinks of it as clean.

The word bothered me since this is an outlook a lot of Indian girls or girls in general have. If I have not done a certain things, I am clean... Are girls supposed to take pride if they are? What about those that do take 'drastic measures' and 'taint' themselves? Is 'tainted' the word to use to describe these type of girls now?

What are the mens's perspectives? Are girls looked at as clean or dirty depending on their past actions? What is the line between being clean and being dirty? Is this even a fair question to ask in the first place? I think not.. But obviously, my fellow friend and many others do seem to give a lot of unsignificant importance to staying a certain way.

Bhaarat Mahan

2007-08-27T10:41:00.000-07:00

Hey...I had some rather "Lovely" incidents during that transition from USA to India. Firstly, at the Barber's at New Park Mall. That lady was rather chatty..and seemed to think that I was an encyclopedia on India. (Heck! I've seen more of the US than India) :P
Then came the million dollar question: How much does a haircut cost in India?

Erk..my answer almost killed her. Rs. 20..so that's 40 cents! She looked like she was going to faint!

Then yeah, when I got back, a rickshaw waala who rides me from school to home quite frequently inquired where I'd been all these months..when I told him I was in the US, he wanted to know how much the "kiraaya" is for a rikshaw in the US. :/ erk erk erk erk

And uff!! Another one tells me...."Apna desh hi accha hai Udit ji, jo bhi keh lo. Wahan pata hai, ladke-ladke shaadi karte hain".

oho! erk. yes yes.

Apna Bhaarat Mahan. :P

Rehman Rocks

2007-08-21T15:08:00.001-07:00

So the following conversation took place a while ago between a friend and moi... enjoyee..

S: guess what

Me: quoi?

S: i was listening to some old rehman songs in my friends car
movies like hindustani
jeans

Me: did you listen to patti rap?

S: oh my god

Me: patti rap
patti rap

S: i so much feel like commitiing suicide on listening to the lyrics
i like all teh songs in tamil since i wont understand it
in hindi translation... hey bhagwan..

Me: tum ho gnaani
tum ho gnaani
mirzapur keyyyyy... tum ho gnaani

S: telephone dhoon main hasney walee

Me: melbourne mein machalne waali
zakir hussain tabla tu hai kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

S: who the f--k laughs like a cellphone ringtone?
angers me
some seriously uneducated scrwed up SOB (pardon my french) wrote this shiz and so much wanted to get inside the radio and squeeze that person's neck

Me: oh come on! they're good songs.. classics bhai
showroom mein
saajan tumhe kuch bhi chune na dungi

S: ur kidding right
tell me ur kidding

Me: omg! all the lyrics are coming back to me
patti rap!

S: and the typical sp bala wannabees singing these pathetic lyrics

Me: heyyy! SPB rocks..
50 KG tajmal meraa he
choona bhatti jhopad patti ragdam patti patti rap

S: you are a maestro
logging off now..

Me: k.. last words before you logging off..
latka laga diya humne
jhatka laga diya tumne... TADA...

Following the aim convo I went onto to musicindiaonline and listened to all such infamous Rehman songs. Hai re hai re hai rabba...

Ode to Marriage...yet again...

2007-08-07T13:07:00.000-07:00

(First, some background)
My 7 and a 1/2 year old cousin Pooja (pyaar se usko 'pooj' bulaati hoon) and I had the following convo recently...

Me: Pooj... Ask your parents to send you to California. We can go bike riding, I can take you guys to SF, we can go to the park...
Pooj: Yea... I'll ask them... But we're going to be going to India soon...
Me: Oh really... When are you guys planning on going?
Pooj: Oh umm.. really soon...
Me: Cool.. But when?
Pooj: Umm... for your marriage...
Me: AHAHHHAHAH...
Pooj: heehee..
Me: HAHHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHHA.. Pooja... can you PLEASE tell your parents that I'm not planning on getting married anytime soon.. and to hold off on going to India... HAHAHHHHAHHAHAHA

So I went through a couple of emotions after this conversation:
Anger: that my family had the nerve to think that I was getting married "really soon"... umm excuse me.. but where's the ladka?
Amused: that the 7-year old is looking forward to going to India for my (laughter) wedding..
Moody: here we go again.. I thought I escaped the whole marriage topic for a while.. It's like a tick.. that never leaves...

Baby Deliveries on TV

2007-08-05T07:57:00.000-07:00

I love baby deliveries on TV.. now as a result of the jetlag or my own inability to not sleep at the right time I somehow have started watching episodes of LOST online. I'm at the episode where the pregnant lady is about to have the baby and everything is going crazy... and I just realized that I truly enjoy watching baby deliveries on fictitious tv shows. I also would like to know where they get the actual babies from, the ones that are born... I remember the time Jane Seymour had a baby on TV, that was the "Medicine Woman" show and her husband had to deliver the baby in the middle of a desert or a field I think..I mean she was a doctor but dude she can't deliver her own baby.. no matter how good a doctor she is... she had to walk him through it... that's like cheating.. but oh well... Then there was Apocalypto, the movie where the lady had a baby while she was drowning... I mean it practically popped out... not kidding..and lo and behold I actually found the video on youTube, the last part is kinda disturbing.. so yea.. I still have to watch who delivers the baby in LOST, there are two guys and one lady with the pregnant lady, I wonder who it'll be...um so yea..that's about it... feel free to comment on any baby deliveries that have caught your attention on TV.

Snap... Crack... Ouch...

2007-07-31T16:49:00.000-07:00

Remember that previous company I used to work for about four months ago... Yea... the one that I was so eager to get out of..., it's being infested with "rats/mice". Yup... Who knew that a Fortune 500 company in the heart of the Silicon Valley would be a home for species other than humans...

Rach, my super cool best ex-coworker, mentioned to me last week that they saw "mice/rats" around work. She mentioned to me that the "mice/rats" were not as big as rats but not as small and cute as mice.... So anyway, she out traps... And... da da da dum... a "mice/rat" gets trapped... Don't get freaked out... but the pic is a bit gruesome... I actually had to cringe and turn away from my computer after I saw the pic...

Below are the reactions that I got so far after several people saw the pic:
"EWWW! That is pretty yucky!"
"Heh Heh Heh" evil laughter
"That's funny... though not for the rat ;)"
"Thanks for ruining my appetite..." (angry faced coworker)
"Rats??? no f#cking way!!!... like, animal rats"
"ew ew ew"

80s Obsession

2007-07-27T12:15:00.000-07:00

OMG! There's going to be another 80s partee this weekend yo! Excitement...

They played absolutely NO Paula Abdul the last 80s party I went to... What the fuck? Oh and didn't play A-Ha either... I mean come on!

BTW... for those of you who were not aware..., Dhubhra is currently in India at the moment... :(( Dhubhra... I miss our lunch hour rambles... I am forced to having lunch with my co-workers or bringing lunch from home! Bringing lunch from home isn't half as bad.. Mummy's been packing it all nice for me. Yesterday, she packed chutney, rice, and dal in a way where the three of them didn't get all mixed up and mushed...

BUT, Dhubhra is bringing back some Chocolate Eclairs and Perk Candy Bars pour moi... And did anyone ever notice that Cadbury there tastes like a million times better than the Cadbury here in the US...? I remember the Dairy Milk commercials that used to air in India.. They were so warm and emotional and happy...

Well, will keep everyone posted on what goes on at the 80s party... (touched for the very first time... like a vi-i-i-irgin...)

Training and Eggplants

2007-07-16T13:29:00.000-07:00

Bossjee wanted to put me through some training to build skills and blah. So I was really excited to go to training yesterday morning. Training is good due to the fact that everything is "company paid" and you get a free lunch... Turned out that the class was just a repetition of shit that I already know.

But... I did not lose spirit! Until lunch came along that is... The instructor allowed a mere 40 minute lunch. Bitch! She went off saying, "you guys don't need a whole hour of lunch do you? do you??" ugh!

I was super hungry and to add to that the only thing that was available for vegetarians was this nasty eggplant curry. See picture below. There are only specific ways to cook an eggplant and the thing that was served for lunch, was NOT the way to cook it.

At least they had some pretty awesome cookies. They were super warm and soft. So that kept me content.

Spiritual Fruits vs. Religious Nuts

2007-07-13T15:49:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I guess I should do the whole "blah-blah-blah it's been a while since I blah-blah-blah on this blog"... But screw it. Here. Tell me what you think of the following. July 12th, first time in history of the U.S., a Hindu (which is why I'd think you guys would be interested) delivered a morning invocation in Senate. A couple of Christian fanatics
rudely interrupted him and started talking sh!t. Well, let the link speak for itself... Here:

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/07/12/christian-right-disrupts-first-hindu-prayer-in-the-senate/

Random AIM convo

2007-07-13T14:42:00.000-07:00

S: i ate 2 rochers

me: bitch

me: where are mine?!

S: eheheheh

me: aaaahhhhh

me: now i'm craving them! x-(

me: don't EVER do that to me

S: dude i have urz..ill eat em too

S: ehehhe

S: sorry

me: aaaaaaaargh!

S: just wanted to let u know

me: thanks

me: torture!

me: agony!

S: omg woman chill ill get u some

me: our vending machines are crap here

S: hahaha

me: who needs pretzels

S: serious dude

S: vending machines with rochers

S: divineeee

me: omg! i would move into it

S: hhahah

No makeup, No TV, No cellphones, No toilet bowls...

2007-07-12T17:37:00.000-07:00

... for two nights and three days... and I survived... on top of it all, I survived without complaints or whines.

A bunch of us went camping in the most desolate yet beautiful area ever. See pic... aah.. beeeyouteefull isn't it?

Getting to our camping area was an ordeal. For someone that has never been backpacking or camping, I had absolutely no idea on what to expect. I was given the following advice, "Pack light." "Light" can have absolutely no meaning for someone that has a purse that weighs half her size. But somehow, I tried to cram in two nights and three days worth of clothing, food, and bare essentials into a single.. I repeat... single backpack. Yes yes... take a moment to be proud of me.

Back to getting to the camping area... We had to take a trail... The trail was about a 2.5-3 mile hike into this forest. See picture of a part of the trail.. Don't you LOVE the greenery? oohs and aahs everywhere...

So anyway, the group tried to leave as early as possible from civilization so that we would not have to hike the trail in the night time and avoid being attacked by bears... But fact of life readers... When you have a group more of than two... ok, more than three individuals..., it is near to impossible to have things happen according to plans... Throw a brown person into the group, and it IS impossible to have things go as planned. Hence, we ended up hiking the trail in the night time. And no.. No bears were sighted. Thank god! (But on the way back from camping, my friend thought he heard a rattle snake... Rattle snakes are only existent in the desert silly...) Each of us had mini headlights taped to our heads, which made us look like miners. Awesomeness at its best!

By the time we got to the camping site, it was around 10PM I think. Oh did I mention that I did not carry a watch during the trip. It was bliss! First thing I told my friends when we reached there was, "sniff sniff... I am soaking in the fact that I won't have to wake up to my cell phone alarm tomorrow"... aaahhhh blissssss...

The rest of the time was spent at the lake, hiking, drinking, more drinking, yapping, applying excessive sunscreen (yes yes, even I, the 'brown' one applied sunscreen), cooking, getting attacked by flies, shoveling a hole in the ground so that we can do our business, flick crawling ants from the tent... ooh, here's a pic of the tent...

Camping has told me taught me to appreciate the little things in life. Like..., combing your hair. How living in the wild without a comb can make your hair feel like plastic. And the comfort of bottled water. I had to pump water into bottles from the lake. It was a great task, but Dasani all the way baby! And the stars.... I have never seen so many fucking stars in my life. I could even see the hazy Milky Way spread across the sky. I was reminded of every song that had the something to do with stars while I watched them. You can be my lucky star...

oooh, which reminds me... I went to an 80s party a couple of weekends ago, which deserves another post... starlight... starbright!

Kumari

2007-06-24T09:41:00.000-07:00

It was one of those moments when I give up clicking through all the stations on the radio, when I have already heard the CD in the player enough times and my only resort is the NPR channel, which believe it or not has saved me from listening to a lot of senseless music and brought me stories I couldn't have come across if I spent a whole week at a bookstore. This particular story caught me with awe. This is the story of Kumaris. The NPR segment talked about the Nepalese living child Goddess who was visiting America to attend film festivals featuring a short film made on her lifestyle as a Kumari and many others like her. Kumaris are believed to be Goddess living in the body of a girl child who has all 32 signs determined by the Nepalese tradition. Kumaris as young as the age of 6 are taken to the "Kumari Ghar", with the will of their family where they will spend another 5 - 6 years being worshipped. I giggled as I heard the part where the Kumari visits an American elementary school and is faced with remarks such as "wow, i never met a goddess before", the kids watch her make up and stature in awe as she reciprocates the same, they are foreign to her, a Kumari's life is spent in isolation where she is worshiped by priests, her own parents (that I think is super cool) and many others who want her blessings to prosper. Her feet must not touch the ground, she must not be injured, one of the students asks the lady accompanying Kumari, "will she always remain a Goddess?" the answer is no, the Goddess shall leave this young girl at the age of 12, a gentle way of presenting the answer that hides within it the idea that once the girl reaches puberty she will no longer be inhabited with Goddess. This is when my budding excitement for this interesting ritual dies.

It's not odd to hear things like.. oh you shouldn't go to the temple when you are going through THAT time, back in the day one of my friends told me about her mother's explanation that when you go through THAT time you are dirty and you shouldn't visit God when you are dirty, it's disrespectful.

Back to Kumari, so what exactly happens when you have spent about 6 years being treated like a Goddess and suddenly one day your bodily change causes you to be sent back to your home, with your family who don't know you anymore, you are expected to carry on a normal life, your childhood has passed while you have hardly had a normal one, you have never been to school but you must now catch up, it gets better, once a Kumari you may never be married as you can be a danger to the life of the guy married to you.... great isn't it..and what do the family members have to say to all this..ofcourse they are privileged to have their daughter be a Kumari. They must follow the societal rule, which takes higher precedence than law in such communities.

Now what would be the case if it was a child boy God ? Would he forever be a God since he doesn't become impure? Would he be prohibited to marry? I bet there would be line of families waiting to have their daughters blessed by the God. Here's an interesting video about an ex-Kumari and her struggle to adjust back to normal life click here to watch it , some do not buy into this cultural ritual and call upon the human rights violation since it is never a choice left to the child to be part of this ritual read here

What thinkst thou?

The next Sanjaya Malakar???

2007-06-20T21:19:00.000-07:00

Um first of all WTF?

Personally i think its an act. Who says "I am perrfaarming on the Ballywood movie like eh dancing .... i can vin yif yeveryone loww my dence" ?

For the two people reading this who haven't seen it ... Here's the original.

My bump my bump my bump... Check it out...

2007-06-13T17:49:00.000-07:00

Last night..., I bumped my head into a wall. Yes yes... It was a total Coyote/Road Runner replicated moment. I was trying to get away from some..."thing" and I rammed my head into a wall. And yes. It hurt like shit and I was almost teary eyed. So the rest of my evening was spent putting ice on the bump that formed on my forehead. Oh the agony of random things sprouting out of your face! argh...

About an hour or so later mummy and daddy came home. Mummy laughed hysterically at my klutziness while daddy looked at my bump thinking "what else is new..." Mummy applied Iodex (yes yes... that Indian Miracle Cure product that seems to solve almost any bodily pain) onto the bump.

Today, the bump is still existent. It is flatter and less redder than what it was yesterday. I have named it Bumpee. Everytime I cringe my forehead the bump hurts. But other than that, we seem to get along ok. Coworkers looked at me weird though... Tra la la...

Some UTube Stuff worth sharing

2007-06-07T12:18:00.000-07:00

BanHammer falls on Hitler

Now some geeky stuff

Last but not the least

Go Comment Now!!!

miss pronoun C A shuns

2007-06-01T14:20:00.000-07:00

Have you ever found yourself engrossed in communication so intensely that often your words get mixed up .. no I'm not talking about how the accent that I think I might not have becomes suddenly apparent in a conversation....
I am talking about the time when the accent you can't possibly have becomes apparent in a conversation... how can this be.. here's an example of what happened at lunch today:

Note: S and D are indian.. which is different very different from Japanese.. they cannot possibly have a japanese accent.. but looks like D can...

(in the middle of a political conversation..)

S: Yea I wonder what these new presidential candidates have to propose about all these issues.
D: I dont' know dude.. I guess we won't know until next years erection.
S: The what?
D: I meant election !!! election !!!
S: Wow...you just sounded like you had a japanese accent... next presidentiar erection..
D: lolz
S: something is wrong with that sentence, reminds me of monica lewinsky, afterall, she is responsible for one of those.. you know presidentiar erections.
D: Gives a whole new meaning to those phrases commonly used during erections.. "Bush is only a few votes behind in Iowa and inches away from winning the erection"
S: Yea.. we should stop.

2007-05-31T10:57:00.000-07:00

Your votes:

Booing Miss USA was justified

Miss Universe wheeeeeeeeeeeee

2007-05-29T13:39:00.001-07:00

So Miss Universe was on last night. Did you watch? Did you? Did you? No???? Why? Cause you think it’s lame and derogatory to women? Or because its against your culture? You’re freakin insane! It is one of THE most entertaining shows ever!!!

I thrive on the clichéd speeches and the fake heart holding and the pretend confusion [read - stalling for time] while the translator is translating. I’ve watched these pageants since I was a kid; even before Rai and Sen won. It's also a fabulous way to discover new countries you never knew existed. Turks & Caicos – Really?

Also if you're lucky you might get to see someone trip. You wait with baited breath. It’s impossible you think, for all the 77 of them to make it across that super shiny floor in those high high heels and humongous dresses. Last night however was like winning the lottery. Miss USA didn’t just trip, she landed on her ass. It was the most hilarious thing I’ve ever seen. The crowd laughed and then booed when she was put through to the next round [sympathy vote? or maybe it was because every effing judge was an actor from some American TV show].

In the end Japan won the crown and i thought she completely deserved to win mostly becauase of her amazing ability to walk the way she did [Also because she was completely nuts.. but in a good way. She giggled and made strange faces but not like in a fake pageanty way] She did this amazing dance/walk thing during the swimsuit round while everyone else including Miss India walked like Zombies. [Seriously Pooja Gupta moved like a Zombie the whole time and then she suddenly turned around with this seductive look. It was absoulutely hilarious. It reminded me of the Zoolander look.] I’ll forgive her though since she was so pretty. And pretty people deserve another chance…you know like Paris Hilton. Free Paris Hilton! Free Paris Hilton!

Ooh also this year the National Costume round was wayyyyyyyyy more over the top than it normally is. It was like a Drag Show with wings and flowers and trees and rainbows. Remember this guy from America’s Got Talent? I swear I spotted him in the middle. And then again at the end.

Miss India unfortunately didn’t make it to the final 5 and we very sadly missed out on her public speaking skills. No, not because she speaks wonderfully and would have taken the crown but because she talks like a 12 year old. The final 5 didn’t disappoint though inspite of the fact that no one mentioned Princess Diana or Mother Theresa. Also what was with the Donald Trump booing? Not that I minded or anything but he owns the bloody thing!

whattosay...

2007-05-25T14:01:00.000-07:00

thereseemstobeagreattrendlatelywhenitcomestowritingwithoutspacesinbetweenwords
especiallyinblogsandothersimilarsocialwebsites
whenitcomestopeopledescribingtheirlifestylesprofileshabitsandothersuchongoings...
thebasicpunctuationintheenglishgrammarisnotbeingtakenintoproperconsideration

stopthistrendplease
itisnoteasyontheeye

thankyouverymuch

Halo 3 Madness

2007-05-10T16:28:00.000-07:00

So like everyday, I got to work at 11 AM (yeah pretty late for coming to work but oh well) and my first hour, hour and a half is dedicated for reading the news from my "Personalized Google" homepage. The blogs include /. (nerdy way to say slashdot), 360 Fanboy, Engadget and betanews.com. Moving forward. The first blog title I notice on my homepage "Halo 3 pre-orders top 4 million?" and I was like "whoa! already?". The game comes out in November and I have been waiting for it since November 2004 (the moment I finished Halo 2). The numbers are ridiculously crazy but I have little room to doubt it, since the hype about Halo 3 is just enormously crazy. In December last year Bungie, (creators of Halo), aired a 60 second commercial for Halo 3, during Monday night footbal. Not surprisingly, I left work early that day (at 5.30) just so I could watch the commercial in all its HD glory (I wasn't the only one so crazy about it). It was just one time commerical that will never be aired on national tv ever again. And just after the commercial was aired, my first reaction was "That's it?" and then I went online and swarmed by IMs people bitching about how short the commercial was, which is pretty ironic considering Bungie probably paid like a few million dollars to air that commercial. But the point is that almost everyone I know, who owns a Xbox, has been waiting for this game to come out for ages. The day after the commercial was aired, Joystiq, another popular blog, had a video breakdown/analysis of that 1 minute commercial that ran for SEVENTEEN minutes. Yes, a frame-by-frame breakdown. Every single detail, from a comet to the bubble shield to the master Brute was ripped apart and analyzed and assumptions were made on what the story would be like. Seeing that kind of craze about a game is just incredible. If the numbers are real, then we are talking about almost about 300 million dollar sale on the first day the game comes out, beating even the best of the best Hollywood movie. But then you can find a party pooper in every good thing and in the above mentioned post, the party pooper is Kiggle. Read the post and read the comment number 13. And also read the reaction to his comment. The reaction is even more funny (just shows how loyal people are towards the Halo franchise, that they don't want to listen to anyone bitch about this game). Even though his speculations sound reasonable, I have my own reasons, mainly the hype I just talked about, to believe that the numbers are most likely real. And last but not the least, I didn't want to be left behind from this party so I pre-ordered my collector's edition from costco.com after lunch.

If any of you reading the blog wants to join the Halo 3 party when it comes out or want to be part of the Halo 3 beta, let me know. You can join the beta party starting May 16th for three weeks. And if anyone owns a 360 and playing Rainbow Six: Vegas or Crackdown currently, then send me a friend invite on Xbox Live @ the gamertag "sp4rt4n029" and I'll teach ya how to kick some puny ass in those game ;)

Until my next post, take care!!

Tagged

2007-05-08T13:36:00.000-07:00

Ok... so we've been tagged by Pri, for which we feel truly honored... We really do! So here are random factos about Seepa and Dhubhra...

1. Why the names Seepa and Dhubhra you ask... Our original names are in 'fact' Deepa and Shubhra... and we just decided to switch the first letters in our names. What fun!

2. Dhubhra and I also like to combine words and we often utter malapropisms. The other day, instead of saying Downtown Mountain View, Dhubhra said "Mounttown Downtainview"... bwaahahaaahahhahaahhah! man! That always cracks me up. Examples of combining words can be (Hotmail + Yahoo = Hohoo) for instance.

3. The way Dhubhra and I met for the first time is an epic story and deserves an entire post for itself. But to shorten the version, apples (the fruit) brought us together and that sacred fruit has kept us binded as friends.

4. Dhubhra and I were roommates on campus. One random day, she wanted to start her own business. (That's great I thought. Earn money for the BOTH of us.) Then I learnt that she wanted to iron other people's clothes. What were the prices you charged Dhubhra? $1 for pants, $0.50 for shirts, and no ironing of personals. Obviously the business did not last too long since I refused to take part in it. Actually, I not only refused to take part in it, I made sure the business was not successful. (conniving laughter)

5. Dhubhra and I were classmates in high school, classmates in college, roommates in college, coworkers after college. Guess one of us always manages to 'tag' along with the other.

6. Last year, Shubhra and I fell off the sky together. Don't be alarmed. We went sky diving and it was one of the most awesomest experiences ever!

7. Shubhra and I always end up wearing the same colored clothing without any prior coordination. And I mean, we don't just match the usual colors such as Black or Grey and stuff. We wear random colors such as dark purple, sky blue and so forth.

So there you go people. Our seven random facts. We will be tagging The Brown Savage and Purple Haze now. Hey... Purple and Brown... are you two EVER going to blog again? sheez!

Its BOUT time!!!

2007-04-28T01:37:00.000-07:00

Did you hear? oh yea...i've been telling people bout this for a long time now, and its finally happening. Not only it'll help India's economy, but it'll also provide entertainment (<--wrong spelling, haha) for people in India.
I should tell you what i am talking bout now, huh?
I am talking bout a theme park based on BOLLYWOOD! yes i said it. Similar to Universal Studios...i'll stop talking so u can read the posted
article courtesy of YAHOO!

ENJOY!

Feeling Sheepish?? But... why doesn't it bark??

2007-04-27T17:10:00.000-07:00

A fellow blogger came across the following article to which we applaud him for... (applause! taaliyan!)

To sum up the article, it simbly states that a company in the UK sold off some poor sheep disguised as poodles to the rich and famous in Japan. Apparently a top actress in Japan, Maiko Kawakami, bought a pseudo-poodle for oh some hundred pounds or so, paraded it around Japan, but then got the news that the newly bought pet was in fact a mere old sheep. Maiko, will you continue to keep the sheep as a pet? Inspite of the fact that your sheepoodle does not bark or eat doggie food?

Oh the horror! What have companies stooped down to? Or is it just a brilliant strategy? (smiling smugly and tapping my fingers like Mr. Burns - think Simpsons readers) Using the Japanese's lack of knowledge on dogs became a successful venture for the sheep selling company since over a 1000 sheep were sold.

Now, I've been to the highlands and farmlands in some parts of the UK and truly, you do see more sheep than humans. Oh my lord! (Shocked face) ...

Are the sheep finally taking over? Is this a companywide scheme to get rid of the conquering mindset of... dun dun dun... the SHEEP? And what a perfect little way to get rid of those horrid animals by selling them to the other countries?

All I'm saying is, Beware of the sheep and counting them in your sleep... :-S

A totally (_?_) post

2007-04-25T17:17:00.000-07:00

We all know those cute little computer symbols called "emoticons," where:
:) means a smile and
>:( is a frown. etc.

Well, how about some "ASSICONS?"
Here goes:

(_!_) a regular ass

(__!__) a fat ass

(!) a tight ass

(_*_) a sore ass

{_!_} a swishy ass

(_o_) an ass that's been around

(_x_) kiss my ass

(_X_) leave my ass alone

(_zzz_) a tired ass

(_E=mc2_) a smart ass

(_$_) Money coming out of his ass

(_?_) Dumb Ass

-- No Comments --

Kundali doesn't match

2007-04-25T15:49:00.000-07:00

Interesting events seem to be happening pretty frequently this year for moi and Dhubhra, but the following incident by far takes the cake.

Before I start stating the story readers, here's some background. Last year, without my knowing, my parents started scoping out for eligible men in order to get me married. I decided to put it to a stop by telling them to not look for ladke. I thought I had made my point, but then, the following happened.

Last Saturday my mummyjee and pappajee were waiting eagerly for me to get home. See, my parents are usually eager for me to get home for only the following reasons: to clean my room, stuff me with food, or to talk about my matrimonial status.

I go to their bedroom and my mom then says,

*************************************************************************
"Sit down. We need to talk to you."
"Mom, I think I know where this is going", says I.
"Just listen to me please." says mommy.
"I guess..." sighed I.
"Well, this is what happened. See your aunt was at this one temple (In India) and she ran into a couple. Three of them started talking and the couple started talking about how they need to get their son married... Your aunt being your aunt started asking more questions about the huduga (boy)."
"Mom... get to the point" says I almost losing my patience, while wondering what might be playing on TV.
"Well, the huduga's mom stated that there was this one girl that they were really interested and everything. But the girl's family ended up not showing any interest. The girl's astrological signs would've been a perfect match for their son."
"LOUD SIGH," sighed I.
"Deepa, pay attention! Then your aunt asked for details on that girl..."
"What girl?"
"That girl that they were interested in. And lo and behold... the couple was talking about you. They knew your name and your astrological sign" says my mom in a shocking yet suspenseful manner. "
"Great" says I.
"Apparently the couple was really interested in looking into our family further. Listen, I would like to look into this more too. The guy's in Boston Deepa."
"Fine... Look into it.. Do whatever. Can I go now?" says I.
************************************************************************

On Monday, I relate this story to Dhubhra during lunch and Dhubhra goes,

"Your mom should look into it. This is a SIGN. Can we ask for a bigger sign?!"
I continued eating my ravioli not paying too much attention.
"I'm calling your mother. You should meet this guy." yelps Dhubhra.
"Well, I guess it can be taken as a sign. I mean, of all the temples in india, my aunt just HAD to run into that one couple and they just HAPPENED to be the dude's parents that MY parents are interested in too."
"Exactly..." nodded Dhubhra.

So Dhubhra calls my mom, beaming with happiness that this was a cosmic/supernatural way of telling us that the guy in Boston was meant for moi. The conversation with my mom and Dhubhra went something like so...

*******************************************************************************
Dhubhra: "Hi Aunty."
Aunty: "Hi Shubhra."
Dhubhra: "Aunty... isn't it amazing how Deepa's aunt ran into that one family at the temple?"
Aunty: "Huh? Kya (what)?"
Dhubhra: "Aunty... that one family that's interested in Deepa and want to get to know her more..."
Aunty: "Ohhhh....... that! That Deepa tells EVERYTHING to you! But, that guy is not going to work."
Dhubhra: "Uh, why?"
Aunty: "The kundali doesn't match."
*******************************************************************************

Shubhra's hopes and dreams were then shattered, which inspired her to compose the following song. The video for the song will be made soon readers.

KUNDALI DOESN'T MATCH
Why why why
tell me why you get ma hopes high, why
mommy you said you knew best
got me thinkin about you
I thought you had the right signs
mommy said you was gonna be mine
you was cute, you were hot
I started to believe you was a good catch
and then mommy said KUNDALI DOESN'T MATCH
--- rap beats ---
kundali doesn't match y0 kundali doesn't match
you could've been a good catch
but oh well.. kundali doesn't match
now I be alone in ma room cryin, lock myself up, turned the latch
but what for when... kundali doesn't match
i swear if you found another, don't blame me if your love I snatch
yes I would do that..
but not anymore now that... kundali doesn't match
I thought we could make it, I thought my heart and yours would attach
but I can't believe this... now that kundali doesn't match
--at this point.. the rap beats are playing but the rapper is talking to the camera--
hey y0.. look.. I know they be tellin us over and over again
and I know y'all think that this be a mismatch
but I think we can work it out
I think we need a rematch
(we have a look at the guy and then the rapper has an epiphany)
nah it's cool... shoot! thank GOD! KUNDALI DOESN'T MATCH
peace out y0!

- Deepa and Dhubhra

Yet another mind blowing conversation...

2007-04-23T16:08:00.000-07:00

...Another important conversation took place on IM while at work a couple of days ago... enjoy.

me: i'm done with my boba drink.... well, almost done... only 6 boba pearls left...

me: 4 left

Dhubhra: geez

Dhubhra: still drinking it?

me: 1 left...

Dhubhra: I would've been done by the time you dropped me off

Dhubhra: sigh

me: all gone... :((

Burning Crusade

2007-04-21T15:00:00.000-07:00

Haven't posted in awhile (sorry, Shubhra)... the user interface isn't very user-friendly, imo. I couldn't figure out how to post a new topic from the main page -_-.

Anyways, does anyone play WoW/Burning Crusade? For those that don't, I can provide free 10-day trial accounts :). However, it will involve a lot of time to download (a few days)/install (about half an hour or so). I'm planning on picking it up again after I graduate (sometime in June) and creating a new character from scratch. That will make it nearly a year w/out WoW for me since I quit last year :O. It's too addicting! I would post some screenshots, but unfortunately, the ones I took in the past kind of suck.

Dedication

2007-04-18T17:51:00.000-07:00

To the Virginia Technical University members

We deeply regret the loss and pain that all of you have experienced.

We graduated from a university not so long ago. And as recent grads, we always look back on our campus lives and think of many significant moments that made us appreciate our college life.

Events such as getting to our dorm room for the first time, making friends, listening to our professors scare us about how we are now in the real world, graduations and so forth have shaped our lives. College was a place where time, thought, opportunity, freedom were limitless. Universities are temples where we are actually truly allowed to and given an opportunity to seize the day.

There are a lot of things to be learnt from this recent experience. Inspite of the huge loss, we still hope that students from V.Tech and other college goers around the world can make the most of their years in their respective universities. We wish you all the best in these difficult times.

Best,
Us.

Did we and Are we learning from all of this?

2007-04-18T13:20:00.000-07:00

The tragedy at Virginia Tech has left us dumbfounded and many of us are hardly able to comprehend the events that lead to this calamity. Once again I am led to be cynical, thanks to the media... 3:40 pm I get an alert from MSN messenger (not my choice of messenger, sadly that's what people at work use :( ) and as I click on the link I see in front of me, (I will not provide the link first of all, I can assume many of you already saw the article), well what can you say?? They got their coverage they got the documents sent to them by the killer discussing his issues and his videos and pictures about how effed up his mind is. Of course! let's run a front cover story on the mofo that just killed 32 people, and leave a little link somewhere in the 2 page article about the profiles of the people who died. Two pages so we can all see the mofo posing with guns and know what his issues were, and not a paragraph on the front cover about who these innocent victims were. I guess I am wrong in thinking it's a little more important to focus on how the ones who are wounded are doing or what those people who got shot were all about... but no
let's celebrate the shooter, the darker story. What will we learn from it? How will it make things better? Should people now be wary of loners? of Asians? How can you say that someone who wants recognition after being in a similar state of mind as this killer will not pull off something like this to get it? This made me read that article written by Marilyn Manson, and before you criticize me for mentioning his name here, you might want to give this a read Better than reading about the killer So here's a chance let's talk about the ones who have passed, and about what we can do to help.

-Shubhra

Losing my virginity

2007-04-17T06:40:00.000-07:00

No, this is not that kind of post, thank you.

I was feeling pleasantly flattered when I saw the message here asking me to blog for the guys here. I also remembered the groucho marx quote and smiled smugly to myself - after all this was the first time i had got an invite from someone i didn't know to blog for them.

This is it, i thought, the book deals, the lecture tours, the movies and the awards will follow. Lets not forget the royalties! heaps and heaps of royalties. even the illegitimate children of my dog can afford to take it easy and live a life of luxury. Aaah, life will be so sweet.

So then I asked the powers that be 'why me', which is when my conspiracy mindset kicked in.

There is some evil afoot here, a childhood wasted on Robert Ludlums (among many others things) teaches you certains things. You develop an instinct for smelling out conspiracies. Of course, sometimes you have to hit your head on one before you notice it, but what the heck we are not infallible.

And once i discover this evil conspiracy, masterminded by a monstrous megalomaniac, and defeat the powers of darkness - i will become a hero.

And then i will write a book.

And from there will follow the book deals, the lecture tours, the movies and the awards. And lets not forget the royalties! heaps and heaps of royalties. even the illegitimate grand children of my driver's dog can afford to take it easy and live a life of luxury. And life will be sweet again.

So bear with me as I hang around here and figure what's going on. We will talk about the last mile problem between mars and venus next

ps: Feel free to leave some clues in the comments if you know anything about this conspiracy(Enid Blyton and the Five Find Outers have taught me that clues are very important!)

Nothing Surprises Me Anymore

2007-04-09T16:54:00.000-07:00

So when it comes to that time of the month... Yes, to menfolk that are reading this post... This post is about periods... Go ahead... I'll give you a couple of seconds to Log off. Or Turn off the system. Or Close the window. Cringe and Turn away in disgust. We understand... ~sigh~

See, a lot of women are just as disgusted when it comes to period. We usually have an inkling on when it's going to happen. We dread going to the restroom and making sure the period is here or not. We get signs such as cramps, back aches, lack of taste, severe mood swings, surprisingly increased strength. And to make things weirder, Always added this line to their maxi pads: Have a Happy Period.. And the wordings are written in a dreamy font that it takes you to a peaceful place... like a beach perhaps, or a shoe store. NOT!

Picture this... You're in a cramped restroom. Maybe the one at work, or at a movie theatre.. wherever. And you're trying to make the most of your space to remove the pad and attach it on. While unwrapping it... you hear the tear noise and what do you see? A thin film of paper wishing you a Happy Period!... ~longer sigh~

Do they even know what they're wishing to? When they say a Have a Happy Period, they are saying Have a Happy yelling at the world, hating the opposite sex, feeling pain down there, running to restroom due to increased water! Thanks for the regards Always! Gosh... is the maxi pad industry being ruled by men too? See, I'm not angry at Always's Marketing for trying. But I leave it to this: Is there ever such a thing as a HAPPY period?

See, this would FO SHO make me more happier. Instead of i-TV, apple should totally endorse the i-pad! Listen to your faves while on your period... tra lala... Don't you LOVE MadTV?

WTF is this?

2007-04-04T19:57:00.001-07:00

**Please view the following trailer before reading this post**

Lo and behold… Here comes an exciting movie where a small town girl hits it big when a fashion guru thinks she has that exotic look. Girl innocently agrees to wear skimpy clothes and model around. Girl then falls in love with a guy who does not wish to take her for granted. Wow! Originality at its best… NOT!

Shubhra pointed me to the following trailer last night. All I have to say is: WTF is this about? Americanizing Shelley? What’s next? Indianizing Jennifer into Janaki? (Shubhra’s words.. not mine). Or Indian Born Ignorant Desi comes to a foreign country looking for opportunity, gets dissaPOOPointed? WTF?

Now, we have just HAD it with stereotypes। Upon watching the trailer, you will notice a few things। First the accent। FAKE! And not to mention annoying। Then come the stereotypes of the parents. Super traditional mummyjee and pappajee worrying about the aging of their daughter's youth. Moving on, there’s stereotypes about Indians living in America (ahem... what BCD again?). This is all just from the trailer people. Pukable!

Seems like Punjab is now located on top of the Himalayas.

"I'll go play with the goats." Who says that? Not to mention the pink fluorescent turban... I mean, that has not existed since Amitabh Bachan's comeback in Namak Halaal, which was not that fluorescent.

Oh, and note to everyone: girls do wear skirts in India. Just ask the sabzi wali (k! may be not her..) that comes by our house everyday to sell vegetables

. And what is so acceptable about Shelley when she is 'americanized'. Is this the trendy new word for assimilation?

All in all, if a movie is made (comedy, drama, thriller, whatever) in a direction where progress in society is a possibility, then we can welcome it with open arms. Fortunately, such movies have been made mind you. But we see movies such as this, that embrace typical stereotypes, and that makes us wonder, how far are we from a world where every race is defined entirely based on a particular trait:
Girls dress only traditionally in India and they need to be married before a certain age.
All homes in India have goats. We milk them and we play with them.
All Indians conform to corporate world by joining Information Technology..., or else they are doctors.

By looking at the trailer we obviously can't make out if shelley will turn back to Shalini. We are hoping (crossing our fingers and toes) that Shelley/Shalini will actually have the brains to realize that hollywoodizing yourself might not make the world into perfection. So there you have it, another attempt of throwing shit on the ceiling and seeing what sticks.
What the trailer did to our moods: