Memento - Mindblowing!

Watched this amazing movie over the weekend – Memento.
It’s the original movie on which ‘Ghajini’ is based on….
It’s been 3 days since I finished watching the movie and I still can’t get over it….
It’s just so good! The storyline, plot, the way it’s been shot, and the acting!! All just brilliant!
It’s so so so so much better than the remakes…!
Do not miss this one… it’s a little complicated to understand but worth it all the same!
Brilliant – Mind-blowing – Fantastic is all that I can say..!!
What a movie!

150 things before I turn 30... it is a tough list but I will never say die!! :P

Flicked this again! But could not help it… it was too good to leave it there! :D
And also it helps in putting my life into perspective..! (yup… excuses excuses I know!)… :D

The ones in white and bold are the ones I have done… The ones in orange and bold are the ones I wish I do... and the ones in yellow and bold are the ones that i have done somewhat.. :P... forever an Indian ;)

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink (nopes… does buying a bottle for home count…?)

02. Swam with dolphins

03. Climbed a mountain (Climbed a hill to visit a temple on top..!)
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive

05. Been inside the Great Pyramid

06. Held a tarantula

07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone

08. Said “I love you” and meant it

09. Hugged a tree

10. Bungee jumped

11. Visited Paris

12. Watched a lightning storm at sea

13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise

14. Seen the Northern Lights

15. Gone to a huge sports game

16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa

17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables

18. Touched an iceberg

19. Slept under the stars

20. Changed a baby’s diaper

21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon

22. Watched a meteor shower

23. Gotten drunk on champagne

24. Given more than you can afford to charity

25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope

26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment

27. Had a food fight

28. Bet on a winning horse

29. Asked out a stranger

30. Had a snowball fight

31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can - but it was not enough!

32. Held a lamb

33. Seen a total eclipse

34. Ridden a roller coaster

35. Hit a home run

36. Danced like a fool and didn’t care who was looking

37. Adopted an accent for an entire day

38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment

39. Had two hard drives for your computer

40. Visited all Indian states

41. Taken care of someone who was drunk

42. Had amazing friends

43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country

44. Watched whales

45. Stolen a sign

46. Backpacked in Europe

47. Taken a road-trip

48. Gone rock climbing

49. Taken a midnight walk on the beach

50. Gone sky diving

51. Visited Ireland

52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love

53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them

54. Visited Japan

55. Milked a cow

56. Alphabetized your CDs

57. Pretended to be a superheroine

58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day

60. Played touch football

61. Gone scuba diving

62. Kissed in the rain

63. Played in the mud

64. Played in the rain

65. Gone to a drive-in theater

66. Visited the Great Wall of China

67. Started a business

68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken

69. Toured ancient sites - but could do more!!!!

70. Taken a martial arts class

71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight (dunno what this is :-s)

72. Gotten married (will do that this year!! :P)

73. Been in a movie

74. Crashed a party

75. Gotten divorced

76. Gone without food for 5 days

77. Made cookies from scratch

78. Won first prize in a costume contest

79. Ridden a gondola in Venice

80. Gotten a tattoo (wanna do this)

81. Rafted the Snake River

82. Been on a television news program as an "expert"

83. Gotten flowers for no reason

84. Performed on stage

85. Been to Las Vegas

86. Recorded music

87. Eaten shark

88. Kissed on the first date

89. Gone to Thailand

90. Bought a house

91. Been in a combat zone

92. Changed your hairstyle impulsively.

93. Been on a cruise ship

94. Spoken more than one language fluently

95. Performed in Rocky Horror

96. Raised children

97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour

98. Passed out cold

99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country

100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over (Sorta... Kinda..)

101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge

102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking with the windows open

103. Had plastic surgery

104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived

105. Wrote articles for a large publication

106. Lost over 100 pounds

107. Held someone while they were having a flashback

108. Piloted an airplane

109. Touched a stingray

110. Broken someone’s heart

111. Helped an animal give birth

112. Won money on a TV game show

113. Broken a bone (Nope... thank god for that! Hope it never happens!)

114. Gone on an African photo safari

115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears

116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol

117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild

118. Ridden a horse

119. Had major surgery (appendicitis is not that major is it?? :O)

120. Had a snake as a pet (No ways!)

121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon

122. Slept for 30 hours in a 48 hour period

123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. States

124. Visited all 7 continents

125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days

126. Eaten kangaroo meat

127. Eaten sushi

128. Had your picture in the newspaper

129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about

130. Gone back to school

131. Parasailed

132. Touched a cockroach

133. Eaten fried green tomatoes

134. Read The Iliad and The Odyssey

135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read

136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

137. Skipped all your school reunions :(

138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language

139. Been elected to public office

140. Written your own computer language

141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream

142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care

143. Built your own PC from parts

144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you

145. Had a booth at a street fair

146. Dyed your hair

147. Been a DJ

148. Shaved your head

149. Caused a car accident

150. Saved someone’s life

Okie that was quite a tag!

PS: I know that the title is a little cheesy... but hey what the hell! :P

Hold my hand and never let it go....

What is this feeling that courses through me…

When the phone does not ring at the expected time,

when I know I am about to talk to you,

when I see your number flashing on my phone,

when I see your eyes seek me out in the crowd,

when you put your hands around my shoulder,

when you hold me in a tight hug,

when my small palm fits into your broad hand,

when my head rests against your shoulder when we sit together,

when you title me with sweet endearments when we talk,

when you are concerned and patient to talk me through my anxiety and anger,

when you stay up even after midnight so that you can talk to me and tell me unfailingly how much you love me,

when my face perks up with a foolish, silly grin when you mollycoddle me and give into my demands,

when you smile and my heart jumps up two notches,

when you smile in that impish way of yours and the dimple lights up your cheeks…

I could go on and on and it would be never-ending…

I have never realized the true meaning of the word.

I have never known when I was in love; or whether I was in love.

I had always ascribed it to a feeling of comfort or a sense of belonging, stopping just at that.

Now I have many more attributes to credit it to, thanks to you….

I think all I want to say now is that…

HOLD MY HAND & NEVER LET IT GO….

Exam fever and related tensions....

Right! So this is the third time that I am thinking of starting to write a blog and then giving up.

This time I shall go ahead! (Yay for that!)

You know those small butterflies that flit around in your tummy before you give an exam… I got them today after a long time… and this time they were the size of dinosaurs! Giving an exam after the lure of easy money is definitely not that simple. And add to that the fact that you are giving an exam after the space of nearly 2 years makes it even more complicated. Ask people who have had to get back to studies after working for a while if you do not believe me!

Anyways, so I gave this certification exam today. It’s called ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library). Basically a certification that’s supposed to add value to your resume and your profile.

Good stuff I thought and I went ahead and registered for the same. Do you know how hard it is to get back to studies after a span of almost 2 years? It’s nerve-wracking! Trust me; I do not know what happened to me… I have never studied for an exam like this… not even for my Masters.

That sense of restlessness and unease was totally inexperienced so far. I spent the entire weekend studying for an objective paper that is supposed to be relatively easy. I do not know whether it was the fact that I was paying for the exam this time out of my hard-earned money or the fact that I would lose face in front of my colleagues (a couple of them gave it along with me) if I failed. I was so goddamn edgy! I was like a nervous wreck! Either ways, I studied like I would put the biggest nerd in the world to shame!! And the worst part was when I went to go over a paper with my colleagues who were giving the exam too… Killed my confidence and shredded it to bits! :-(

But anyways…

I passed! :-) …. The relief!

The sense of liberation!

It was all over-whelming!

And I am still in that euphoria! (Yay to me!!)

PS: apparently some people have weird ways of expressing their tensions... I was enlightened by my colleague on this... He said he goes rumbley-tumbley in the tummy when he gets tensed... And some others keep smiling away like they are mental...! While a few others... (this beats it!) they Sleep! I'd love that kind of a tension release! :P

East or West - Family is the best!

You know it’s at times like this that I love my family.

Just for the record, we are not one of those families who are used to PDA’s (for the people who do not know – Public Display of Affection). We only display our emotions and generally act like people from another era (read: who have not seen each other for ages even when we would have met each other only a few hours back!) when we are within the family. And that means just US! The Rajagriha and the SV Krishnamurthy families.

So the company that I work for is going through a trying phase (for people who are not aware check the business news). Actually we do not know what might happen. Anything can happen!

The two stalwarts from my family – my dad and my bro’ – both sent inspiring emails to cheer me up. Not that I am too worried. No one is actually. Well maybe some of them are… :-s… Anyways.

And these emails; even though I had seen them a hundred times before I still loved reading through them just because they had sent it.

Not to mention the smile that it brought on to my face! A huge one! :-)

I love my family! :-) :-) :-)

Long tag... So what???

So that one basically turned out to be a verrrryyyy long tag....

I don't care!

I loved doing it and it's open to everyone who is interested in doing it. I found it extremely insightful and interesting! :)

My First Tag This New Year!!!

Ten things I want to say to people right now:

1. I love you Appa for the small small things that you do for me and I really admire you for the person you are! You are my HERO :)

2. I love you Amma for putting up with me the way I am … I know I did not turn out to be the best daughter but well.. I did try! And I still am trying! :)

3. I Love You for not just who you are but also for the person that I am when I am with you :)

4. I know I do not tell this often enough; in fact bordering more on never; but I LOVE YOU a lot and you are the best bro’ anyone could ever have gotten!

5. I am glad I met you and that you are all of those things to me that I always wished for in a person.

6. I cannot be smiling and cheerful always. I have my off-days too. But when I tell you that I am just silent ‘coz I want to be silent and that there’s nothing wrong with me or my life I want you to just leave it at that and let me be.

7. I will kick your ass and I will kick it bad. If you think that I am short and puny and weak then you think wrong!

8. I am extremely sorry for having hurt you and I really did not think what I was doing before I did it.

9. I know you think I don’t hate you but I am extremely sorry to tell you this; I don’t just hate you; I despise, abhor, detest, loathe, and look down upon you. But at the same time I feel sorry for the person you are. You have no life! And you are a sorry excuse for a human being.

10. I hate you for what you have done to me and changed me forever from the way I was to the way I am now.

Nine things about myself

1. I am a happy-go-lucky person but I have my off-days too.

2. I will be nice to you if you are nice to me. Don’t take me for a pushover or for granted.

3. I am possessive about my family, friends and things that I own (strictly in that order!). That does not mean that I am selfish or stingy. As long as you handle my things with utmost care I will be an angel.

4. I am a very naughty person and I love playing pranks on people

5. I love dancing and it’s my passion.

6. I get annoyed and I work extra hard if I think that you are competing with me. I do not like competition. But at the same time I love challenges.

7. I hate the skin that forms on top of milk and I will always strain it out whether I am drinking milk, tea or coffee even if I am at someone else’s place.

8. I have to read before I sleep. I cannot sleep unless I have read.

9. I like being with guys more than girls and that’s only because they are less complex than us.

Eight ways to win my heart

1. Give me my space and let me be the person I am

2. Encourage and motivate me without being sarcastic or pushy.

3. Take me on a long drive or a bike ride.

4. Listen to me ramble on and on and on abt anything and everything

5. Send me an SMS saying all romantic things.

6. Put your arm around my shoulder and let me sleep on your shoulder.

7. Let me lie down on your lap and read

8. Give me surprises that you know I’ll like…! (Fool-proof!)

Seven things that cross my mind a lot

1. Why do things have to change?

2. How the hell am I going to manage a family?

3. Why did I have to grow up?

4. Oh crap!

5. This too shall pass.

6. I hope nothing untoward happens

7. What the F**K?

Six things I wish I never did

1. Cut off my long hair when I was doing my graduation

2. Failed to soak in all the moments in my masters ‘coz I was busy doing something else.

3. Break someone’s heart

4. Lose touch with some people whom I swore I’d be friends for the rest of my life

5. Say something so blunt and sarcastic enough to watch that expression change on someone’s face

6. Tell lies to make things easier for myself

Five turn off's

1. Body-odor

2. Bad manners

3. Chauvinism

4. Eating like an uncouth barbarian

5. Smoking

Four turn on's

1. Hugs & the peck on the cheek when I am least expecting it.

2. Great attitude & Personality

3. Sensible, practical and brainy conversation filled with lots of anecdotes, trivia and humor.

4. Small surprises.

Three things I want before I die

1. Travel around the world

2. Have kids

3. Leave behind an impression with people that would make them smile (not laugh!) when they think of me.

Two smileys’ that describe me

1. :D

2. :P

One confession

1. There are times when I thought I was doing the right thing and have done things that have hurt people immensely. I just want to tell that I did not do them thinking that they would hurt anyone. I thought I could work it out and things would all be fine but I was mistaken. I am extremely sorry for what has happened.

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi

I watched this movie last night. A special treat for the first day of the year.

For the first time ever I could not wait for the movie to get over. And this after me being an ardent SRK fan.

I would rate the movie just OK. Some parts of the movie was great; no doubt. There’s an element of sympathy that is evoked every time the character of Surinder comes on screen. The antics of Raj are the same as seen in many other movies of SRK. But overall, it left me with a feeling of ‘Been there. Seen that.’ ….

Sadly this time the Aditya Chopra magic is missing.

The music is very nice… I liked almost all the songs and the title track is sung and depicted extremely well.

One thing rankles me though; How can a girl who is well-educated, speaks excellently well, is considered to be smart, can ride a bike as good as John Abraham still fail to recognize that the guy who is her dancing partner is her husband without a moustache!!!! Beats me.. It’s almost as if the director insulted the intelligence of the viewers.

A one-time watch if you ask me. And not more than once.

PS: The 'Phir Milenge' song is an extremely nice track but for the portrayal. I thought the director could have chosen each heroine right for that particular period and I felt only Rani looked good in that song. The rest of them looked like they had been miscast.

The New Year is here!!!

The first post after New Year.

New Years this time was a family affair. It was Kalyan’s family and me and Lokesh. Well, nothing like last year’s bash … last year’s haul was seriously good…

My boss took me shopping for his family saying he wanted to get them New Year’s gifts and took me to this watch shop. Overtime and on top of that shopping… Eurgh! I chose the most expensive watches there as revenge… he was not bothered. I chose a very beautiful silver raga watch for his “cousin sister” and imagine my surprise (!!) when he gifted it to me..! :P… Loved it..!

And Kalyan’s revenge on me and his wife for throwing him a surprise birthday bash was brillianto! I got a nice HUGE and I mean HUGE teddy bear from him..! It was almost as big as me… and the party was just too good!

This time though it was a lot less subdued… we just ended up talking and cracking stupid jokes at people..! But I made a smashing carrot salad which was I must say SLURP!! We burst crackers at 12… wished everyone at 12… called up other friends like crazy… and basically had a gr8 time… me and loku danced and there’s a nice video of it..! :P… came back home dead tired at 2 in the morning.. Crashed and then got up on New Year’s Day at 11. ‘T was FUN!
I liked this New Year’s too..! Not like last year but a lot better than I expected…! :-)

I so desperately wanted the last year to get over and was eagerly waiting for the NEW YEAR. Well.. Till now I dunno why… but I still expect it to be a lot better than last year again!
There are some things that I have targeted for the next few months which I so badly want to finish… some of them easy; some of them tough….

Let’s see…!!

And till then…

Wishing you all a Happy and Prosperous 2009….

Have fun! Live for the moment and have a blast!