Di's Diary

Thursday, October 30, 2008

WoW

I cannot believe I still managed to crack this web-blog open again!

Blog drive doesn't seem to have changed much. The only thing that looks different is the comment box - there seem to be profile pics on it now.

Hmmmm. I don't know what I want to say here... I have this weird feeling - like I've found a derelict broken down building - and it's all so familiar - have I been here before? I touch the wall, but ever so lightly, coz I don't want to disturb the wall's ecology. I want to run around - take a look at every room built in this stone, I want to sit in every chair again, and look from every window. But I'm hesitant to reclaim it. Is it still mine? After so long? Are my neighbours still here?

Gosh I'm so tired of cleaning. If I re-claim this building it's just one more place to keep up. But it's so familiar... what happens if...

Currently reading:
Under Her Spell: Roberto Rossellini in India
By Dileep Padgaonkar

Read Review

Di sparkled @ 08:15 pm
| (5) sparkles | | A diamond is forever |

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Busy doing...

a lot of stuff... Here's a brief list:

Read:

>> Come, My Beloved (Pearl S Buck)

I read The Good Earth years ago on Aditi's recommendation. I loved it. Turns out everyone's read it, and everyone loves it too... :)

So I picked up one of the 4-5 Bucks I picked up at "Blossom" last year in Bangalore. Come, My Beloved is my first Buck since The Good Earth. And I did like it a lot. A story of 4 generations... and how thinking changes over the generations. The story starts in the 1890s in America, and moves quickly to Pune, India! Besides getting an American perspective on the Indo-Brit struggles, the story of changing human nature is so beautifully depicted! We are all less open-minded, than we think. We have our limitations and no-one can deny it. The best we can hope to do, is atleast recognise ours, and accept them.

>> The Angry Wife (Pearl S Buck)

Pretty good book too - though not as compelling as the Good Earth. It ends on an unexpected note. I hope I never grow old! <shudder>

>> Of Human Bondage (Somerset W Maugham)

Will be reading this one for a long time to come. Started it about 2 months ago. After finishing 1/5th of the book, I abandoned it in favour of Pearl Bucks and a Jeffrey Archer. Easy reads those - not more than 3-4 days. But "Of Human Bondage" is different. Even literal bondage to the book, will not help you finish it in 3-4 days. If you're lucky - 3-4 weeks... I might just read this one for 3-4 months. <whew>

>> Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl (Anne Frank)

Of Human Bondage is too huge, to finish in one go. So at night, before going to bed, I read a few pages of the diary. This is another Aditi recommendation. In fact, she used to persuade me to read it way back in school - but I could never bring myself to read it. Isn't it serious invasion of privacy? I would hate it if people read all that I "poured out"!

>> It's Not About the Bike (Lance Armstrong)

Awesome book. Very inspiring. I think any cancer survivor would make an inspiring story - but Lance Armstrong - multiple winner of the Tour de France, just makes it a hundred times more so! I wonder if any of you have seen the film Dodgeball, starring Vince Vaughan and Ben Stiller. Armstrong appears for a minute and completely trashes the entire theme - such silly battles we fight!. If he could beat such odds, and still emerge with a smile on his face, why do we get caught up over imagined miseries? Life's good, life's short... Take a deep breath and smile about the good stuff! :)

Watched:

>> Savalee (Marathi)
>> Shrek 3
>> Jhoom Barabar Jhoom (as bad as Home Delivery)
>> Mungaru Male (Kannada SUPER-HIT!)
>> Cheeni Kum
>> Ek Chaalis Ki Last Local
>> Shootout at Lokhandwala
>> Bheja Fry
>> Spiderman 3
>> Little Miss Sunshine (Did I write about this one? Do watch it - AWESOME!)
>> The Pursuit of Happyness
>> The Namesake
>> Provoked

Missed:

>> Pirates 3 :(((
>> Tara Rum Pum (whew!)
>> Life in a Metro
>> Delhi Heights
>> Swami
>> Dharma
>> Ocean's 13

Coming Up:

>> Sivaji (yeah baby!)
>> Aapkaa Surrooor - The Movieee - The Real Love Storiee (what?! I'm curious about the cap okay!)

Well... that's a long enough post for one night. Will think of more "coming ups" soon... er or later :)

Currently listening to:
The Best Of Mukesh

Di sparkled @ 02:13 am
| (12) sparkles | | A diamond is forever |

Mukesh

What's in the air today, that I actually went looking for songs of Mukesh on my mp3 player?

Kal aur aayenge naghmon-ki
khilti kaliya chunnewale
Mujhse behtar kehnewale,
tumse behtar sunnewale
Kal koi mujhko yaad kare -
Kyon koi mujhko yaad kare?
Mashroof zamana mereliye,
Kyon waqt apna barbaad kare?

Haan yeh rasme, yeh kasmein sabhi toD ke,
Tu chali aa chunar pyaar ki odhake;
Haan yeh rasme yeh kasmein sabhi toD ke,
Tu chali aa chunar pyaar ki odhake;
Yaa chala-jaaunga mein yeh jag chhod-ke...

Jiss jagah yaad teri satane lage,
Jiss jagah yaad teri satane lage...
Uss jagah ek pal bhi theherna nahi!

Di sparkled @ 01:52 am
| (1) sparkle | | A diamond is forever |

Saturday, May 12, 2007

Blog Things

Some stuff I learnt about myself a very long time ago. Funnn! ;)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If Your Life Was a Movie, What Genre Would It Be?

The Movie Of Your Life Is A Cult Classic

Quirky, offbeat, and even a little campy - your life appeals to a select few.
But if someone's obsessed with you, look out! Your fans are downright freaky.

Your best movie matches: Office Space, Showgirls, The Big Lebowski

If Your Life Was a Movie, What Genre Would It Be?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What Pattern Is Your Brain?

Your Brain's Pattern

You have a dreamy mind, full of fancy and fantasy.
You have the ability to stay forever entertained with your thoughts.
People may say you're hard to read, but that's because you're so internally focused.
But when you do share what you're thinking, people are impressed with your imagination.

What Pattern Is Your Brain?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Who's Your Celebrity Style Twin?

Your Celebrity Style Twin is Paris Hilton

Sassy, sexy, and totally hot!

Who's Your Celebrity Style Twin?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What Kind of Chocolate Are You?

You are Milk Chocolate

A total dreamer, you spend most of your time with your head in the clouds.
You often think of the future, and you are always working toward your ideal life.
Also nostelgic, you rarely forget a meaningful moment... even those from long ago.

What Kind of Chocolate Are You?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What Color Nail Polish Best Fits You?

Your Nail Polish Color is Purple

How you're unique: You are artistic and expressive

Why your style rocks: You pay special attention to color and fabrics

What this color says about you: "I'm creative and know how to take care of myself"

What Color Nail Polish Best Fits You?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What Element Are You?

Your Element is Wood

Your power colors: green and brown

Your energy: generative

Your season: spring

Like a tree, you are always growing and changing.
And while your life is dynamic, you are firmly grounded.
You have high morals and great confidence in yourself and others.
You have a wide set of interests, and you make for intersting company.

What Element Are You?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What Language Should You Learn?

You Should Learn French

C'est super! You appreciate the finer things in life... wine, art, cheese, love affairs.
You are definitely a Parisian at heart. You just need your tongue to catch up...

What Language Should You Learn?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Could You Pass 8th Grade Math?

You Passed 8th Grade Math

Congratulations, you got 10/10 correct!

Could You Pass 8th Grade Math?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At What Price Would You Sell Out?

On Average, You Would Sell Out For

$1,071,814

At What Price Would You Sell Out?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What Temperament Are You?

You Have a Phlegmatic Temperament

Mild mannered and laid back, you take life at a slow pace.
You are very consistent - both in emotions and actions.
You tend to absorb set backs easily. You are cool and collected.

It is difficult to offend you. You can remain composed and unemotional.
You are a great friend and lover. You don't demand much of others.
While you are quiet, you have a subtle wit that your friends know well.

At your worst, you are lazy and unwilling to work at anything.
You often get stuck in a rut, without aspirations or dreams.
You can get too dependent on others, setting yourself up for abandonment.

What Temperment Are You?

Currently reading:
It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life
By Lance Armstrong

Di sparkled @ 01:07 am
| (6) sparkles | | A diamond is forever |

Thursday, May 03, 2007

Ummaaaaaaah!

The amount of work I've been doing in the recent past is spoken for by the fact that the very sluggish Pune Times had "breaking news" for me... Can't believe I've fallen so far behind the times! Anyway, the news item that really made me jump with joy was this one.

For those who don't like links: Vishal Bharadwaj is casting Hrithik and Uma Thurman in his next movie. Wooo-hooooooo! Hrithik and Uma - aa-ha! Perfect!

Currently reading:
Come, My Beloved
By Pearl S. Buck

Di sparkled @ 09:52 pm
| (5) sparkles | | A diamond is forever |

Saturday, April 28, 2007

Nazar Laagi Raja...

Heard a great song on Radio today, 101 FM (Bole toh Akashwaani!)
Brought back some childhood memories - I used to listen to the radio all-too often then, and used to love such folksy tracks. Enough said; time to BAJAO!

~*~*~*~*~*~

Najar laagi raaja, tore bangale par
Najar laagi raaja, tore bangale par…

Jo main hoti raaja, banake koyaliyaa
Jo main hoti raaja, banake koyaliyaa
Kuhuk rehati raaja, tore bangale par
Najar laagi raaja, tore bangale par…

Jo main hoti raaja, kaari badariyaa
Jo main hoti raaja, kaari badariyaa
Baras rehati raaja, tore bangale par
Najar laagi raaja, tore bangale par…

Jo main hoti raaja, belaa-chameliyaa
Jo main hoti raaja, belaa-chameliyaa
Lipatt rehati raaja, tore bangale par
Najar laagi raaja, tore bangale par…

Jo main hoti raaja, teri dulhaniyaa
Jo main hoti raaja, teri dulhaniyaa
Matak rehati raaja, tore bangale par
Najar laagi raaja, tore bangale par…

Najar laagi raaja, tore bangale par
Najar laagi raaja, tore bangale par…

~*~*~*~*~*~

(PS: Yeah, I found new fonts! Whee!!)

Currently listening to:
Namastey London

Di sparkled @ 01:46 am
| (5) sparkles | | A diamond is forever |

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Rain, finally!

Currently listening to:
The Jewel Thief

Di sparkled @ 12:19 am
| (6) sparkles | | A diamond is forever |

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Take Lite!

A dude who knows me very well for more than 6 years now, Ani, spent 2 hours on the phone with me a few months back. His agenda was to convince me that I did not like KANK, coz I took the movie too personally... He almost won. Almost.

Tonight I watched a movie, that not only showed an extra-marital affair, but it depicted one that panned generations. He is 60. She is 18 (or 16, if you'd much rather believe the movie poster)... Nothing more to the tale really, but my point is, I think the movie was quite good.

Image Courtesy: Nishabd

For some reason (read James, Shiva, Vastushastra, ..., n) I had started to lose faith in RGV. So my expectations were really low, this time around. I started this post comparing his film with KJo's so I think you might've guessed just how low my expectations were... but even so...

Another benchmark of RGV's downslide are his heroines. Antara was never half as good as Urmila. And Nisha was nowhere in Antara's league. Jiah in Nishabd, is wayyyy past Nisha. I'm not saying she's perfect. But after *the* Nisha, she's more than just a huge relief - she's a revelation, a potential star.

And guess what, I really liked the song... Not Rozana silly! Everyone liked Rozana. But I liked "Take Lite" too... It starts a little wannabe, a little unsure... But as it picks pace, it gets racy, and as irreverential as Jiya, the movie character. Jaisi hoon, hai waisi hoon, darna kyon? Take Lite!

Currently listening to:
Come Fly With Me (CD & DVD)
By Michael Bublé

Di sparkled @ 11:16 pm
| (7) sparkles | | A diamond is forever |

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

My Latin Love...

There's something about Spaniards that is oh-so-totally-hot! I see most men nod in agreement as images of JLo and Shakira start flooding their minds! I am of course talking about hunks like ~~Enrique~~ Ricky Martin! And then have you seen Hrithik in the advertisement for ParleG's Milano range of biscuits? Quite a picture there!

Oh Man – he make me wanna speak Spanish! :))

Hips Don't Lie
~ Shakira Ft Wyclef Jean

Wyclef

I never really knew that she could dance like this
She makes a man wanna speak Spanish
Como se llama (si), bonita (si),
mi casa (si, Shakira Shakira), su casa

Shakira, Shakira

Shakira

Oh baby when you talk like that
You make a woman go mad
So be wise, and keep on
Reading the signs of my body

And I'm on tonight
You know my hips don't lie
And I'm starting to feel it's right!
All the attraction, the tension
Don't you see baby, this is perfection?

Wyclef

Hey Girl, I can see your body moving!
And it's driving me crazy
And I didn't have the slightest idea
Until I saw you dancing...

And when you walk up on the dance floor
Nobody cannot ignore the way you move your body, girl!
And everything so unexpected - the way you right and left it...
So you can keep on shaking it!

I never really knew that she could dance like this
She makes a man wanna speak Spanish
Como se llama (si), bonita (si),
mi casa (si, Shakira Shakira), su casa

Shakira, Shakira!!

Currently listening to:
Close to My Heart Jagjit Singh

Di sparkled @ 11:13 pm
| (8) sparkles | | A diamond is forever |

Friday, February 02, 2007

Well, Hello Country Bumpkin

Country Bumpkin
~ Cal Smith

He walked into the bar and parked his lanky frame upon a tall barstool
And with a long soft Southern drawl said
"I'll just have a glass of anything that's cool"
A barroom girl with hard and knowing eyes slowly looked him up and down
And she thought "I wonder how on earth
That country bumpkin found his way to town"

She said "Hello, country bumpkin
How's the frost out on the pumpkin?
I've seen some sights but, man, you're somethin'
Where'd ya come from, country bumpkin?"

It was just a short year later in a bed of joy-filled tears yet death-like pain
Into this wondrous world of many wonders one more wonder came
That same woman's face was wrapped up
In a raptured look of love and tenderness
As she marveled at the soft and warm and cuddly boy-child feeding at her breast

And she said "Hello, country bumpkin
Fresh as frost out on the pumpkin
I've seen some sights but, babe, you're somethin'
Mamma loves her country bumpkin"

Forty years of hard work later in a simple, quiet and peaceful country place
The heavy hand of time had not erased
The raptured wonder from the woman's face
She was lying on her deathbed knowing fully well her race was nearly run
But she softly smiled and looked into the sad eyes of her husband and her son

And she said "So long, country bumpkin
The frost is gone now from on the pumpkin
I've seen some sights and life's been somethin'
See you later, country bumpkin"

She said "So long, country bumpkin
The frost is gone now from on the pumpkin
I've seen some sights and life's been somethin'"

Currently listening to:
More ABBA Gold: More ABBA Hits
By ABBA

Di sparkled @ 10:53 pm
| (3) sparkles | | A diamond is forever |