and where were we?
oh yes...random scribblings over the last few months, courtesy developments on the professional front, the cold weather, no coffee and sheer laziness.
Gearing up to get back to academics is challenging. One, lethargy has already crept into your system and getting rid of it is..well...:), besides u are now officially one with the mundane, driven by the monday-to-work and thank- god-its-friday-routine. The last time I checked, routines are difficult to break, especially ones which make you ease into, like the one mentioned above.
Me? breaking routines is fun..not sticking to them is hell yeah!! I am so looking forward to coming back to academia..long hours, lots of coffee, online movies, no end in sight..blissful.
Moving the gaming scenario to the idiot box, courtesy a new playstation 2,when people have graduated to playstation 3 and the addictive Wii. I am not there yet. PC games still rock.
Miles we went before we ate...
This is an account of one of those sunday afternoons.
An afternoon when we drove 50 miles to eat..
The place..Dosa temple..
Strictly south indian..No meat..:)
They had idlis, vadas and the ubiquitous dosas..
coupled with sambar, rasam and vegetable kurma..
Bisibelebaths and biryanis were there.
hell yeah..Three varieties of desserts made me swear!
(I suck at rhyme)
We did go to the Lakshmi temple..
An apt pretext it served
But it was actually at the other "temple"..our palates grooved.
They say..
being vegetarian in this country is more of a bane than a boon.
They..
could be wrong, they could be right.
but hey who cares..
as long as theres heavy traffic
between the mouth and the gut.
An afternoon when we drove 50 miles to eat..
The place..Dosa temple..
Strictly south indian..No meat..:)
They had idlis, vadas and the ubiquitous dosas..
coupled with sambar, rasam and vegetable kurma..
Bisibelebaths and biryanis were there.
hell yeah..Three varieties of desserts made me swear!
(I suck at rhyme)
We did go to the Lakshmi temple..
An apt pretext it served
But it was actually at the other "temple"..our palates grooved.
They say..
being vegetarian in this country is more of a bane than a boon.
They..
could be wrong, they could be right.
but hey who cares..
as long as theres heavy traffic
between the mouth and the gut.
Friday Features..
3 Pm coffee time and I was at the cafeteria initiating the process of ingesting caffiene in my blood stream, so as to successfully while away more time at work. Ray, the genial teller looks at me and my coffee and asks me "How Indian are you?". I dint know whether it had anything to do with the size of the coffee cup, but I managed to respond "Very". He then asks me "What do call a Nanny in India?". "Ayah" was my response. He smiles at me and says "it fits" and before I could jump to any conclusion , he fills the blanks of the crossword. I got my coffee on the house.
Chak De Script Execution!!
The horrible indulgences contributive to a successful day wasted leave you high and dry. Saturday was spent watching movies, I managed to see Half Nelson, the DVD was lying around for a very long time.
Half Nelson is the story about an idealistic high school teacher in the Bronx, whose unorthodox ways of teaching 8th grade history inspires his students to think outside the box, rather than succumb to the conventional mores. His personal battles with drug addiction, and the subsequent discovery of the issue by a student leads to him striking an unconventional friendship with her. The film explores the relationship between these individuals, one, whose idealism head butts against stark reality, and the other whose circumstances make her choose the easier way out. A very performance driven show, engrossing albeit a little lethargic at times.
Another movie I wanted to watch was Chak De India, due to various reasons. Firstly, it was a sports movie, and we dont make those kind of movies in India. Lagaan was a fine effort, but it was more of using the game to settle personal conflicts, rather than focusing on the game itself. This movie concentrated on women's hockey, had Shahrukh Khan, in one of his unconventional avatars ala Swades and Paheli, and was helmed by a director whose previous work was great cinema. I was skeptical about the commercial viability of the product due to the very reasons mentioned above, but I was pleasantly suprised and wrong.
Beyond good performances, astute direction and skilled editing, the real winner is the execution of the script. The script itself is cliched, with the underdog team rising like the proverbial phoenix from the ashes, ably guided by a mentor who battles his own personal demons. Here we have Kabir Khan, whose failure to net a critical goal in an India- Pakistan final, leads to bribery allegations and accusations of being a traitor. He leaves the game and the world he knows for 7 years only to return to coach the womens national team to win the world championships. What makes his approach different is the fact that he does not do this to reinstate his image or as a personal vendetta. All he does is to emphasize the fact of playing as one team, transcending physical, regional and emotional boundaries, even if it involves a lot of stand-offs, altercations and rebellion. He wins, and in the process reclaims everything that has been taken away from him.
The script touches upon sensitive issues without being preachy, and at the same time doesnt trivialize them either. The story did have its own iota of stereotypes like the chauvinistic federation officials, arrogant boyfriends et al but they are just minor aberrations to an otherwise deftly executed script. Also, nobody knew or cared what the protagonist did during his 7 year oblivion nor was there time for unwarranted sidetracks, thereby not straying from the linear path chartered by the script.
I honestly believe that only a good script can salvage pride for a movie, as no amount of quality performance, able direction or star power can make a good movie into something that will stand the test of time. Purists might feel that the whole purpose of entertainment is not justified in the process, and thats where script execution steps in. The whole world loves a story well told!!
Half Nelson is the story about an idealistic high school teacher in the Bronx, whose unorthodox ways of teaching 8th grade history inspires his students to think outside the box, rather than succumb to the conventional mores. His personal battles with drug addiction, and the subsequent discovery of the issue by a student leads to him striking an unconventional friendship with her. The film explores the relationship between these individuals, one, whose idealism head butts against stark reality, and the other whose circumstances make her choose the easier way out. A very performance driven show, engrossing albeit a little lethargic at times.Another movie I wanted to watch was Chak De India, due to various reasons. Firstly, it was a sports movie, and we dont make those kind of movies in India. Lagaan was a fine effort, but it was more of using the game to settle personal conflicts, rather than focusing on the game itself. This movie concentrated on women's hockey, had Shahrukh Khan, in one of his unconventional avatars ala Swades and Paheli, and was helmed by a director whose previous work was great cinema. I was skeptical about the commercial viability of the product due to the very reasons mentioned above, but I was pleasantly suprised and wrong.
Beyond good performances, astute direction and skilled editing, the real winner is the execution of the script. The script itself is cliched, with the underdog team rising like the proverbial phoenix from the ashes, ably guided by a mentor who battles his own personal demons. Here we have Kabir Khan, whose failure to net a critical goal in an India- Pakistan final, leads to bribery allegations and accusations of being a traitor. He leaves the game and the world he knows for 7 years only to return to coach the womens national team to win the world championships. What makes his approach different is the fact that he does not do this to reinstate his image or as a personal vendetta. All he does is to emphasize the fact of playing as one team, transcending physical, regional and emotional boundaries, even if it involves a lot of stand-offs, altercations and rebellion. He wins, and in the process reclaims everything that has been taken away from him.
The script touches upon sensitive issues without being preachy, and at the same time doesnt trivialize them either. The story did have its own iota of stereotypes like the chauvinistic federation officials, arrogant boyfriends et al but they are just minor aberrations to an otherwise deftly executed script. Also, nobody knew or cared what the protagonist did during his 7 year oblivion nor was there time for unwarranted sidetracks, thereby not straying from the linear path chartered by the script.
I honestly believe that only a good script can salvage pride for a movie, as no amount of quality performance, able direction or star power can make a good movie into something that will stand the test of time. Purists might feel that the whole purpose of entertainment is not justified in the process, and thats where script execution steps in. The whole world loves a story well told!!
Haikus, History and Alliterations
Somebody said keep the thoughts flowing....
I have been wanting to dig up some of my older writings (pre zeitgeist days) and put them up here. Working with the editorial board of the college magazine in third year was a lot of fun. We made a great team, shared great rapport and in the end, the magazine was worth the effort, thanks to all the meetings, the late evenings at the Press, followed by chai and bun masala at Timmys. Unfortunately, since 2002 was a bygone era, I do not have virtual copies of what I contributed, and my copy of the magazine is at home.
Some of the cruder concoctions of my cranium-ancient and amateurish attempts at Western Haiku ( replacing the 17 syllables with words)..go ahead, Laugh your guts out.
A busy day at its best.
No time to stare leave alone stop.
and then she had to smile.
Never would I have thought
I will meet her time and again
Maybe I should stop thinking.
Suave, steadfast and sure
She steals the show as she soars
Alliterations are amazing as always.
Hoping that history doesn't repeat itself,
Reminsicing Ratatouille:
Django: You Can't Change History
Remy: Change is History, Dad.
I have been wanting to dig up some of my older writings (pre zeitgeist days) and put them up here. Working with the editorial board of the college magazine in third year was a lot of fun. We made a great team, shared great rapport and in the end, the magazine was worth the effort, thanks to all the meetings, the late evenings at the Press, followed by chai and bun masala at Timmys. Unfortunately, since 2002 was a bygone era, I do not have virtual copies of what I contributed, and my copy of the magazine is at home.
Some of the cruder concoctions of my cranium-ancient and amateurish attempts at Western Haiku ( replacing the 17 syllables with words)..go ahead, Laugh your guts out.
A busy day at its best.
No time to stare leave alone stop.
and then she had to smile.
Never would I have thought
I will meet her time and again
Maybe I should stop thinking.
Suave, steadfast and sure
She steals the show as she soars
Alliterations are amazing as always.
Hoping that history doesn't repeat itself,
Reminsicing Ratatouille:
Django: You Can't Change History
Remy: Change is History, Dad.
Hope'n
When I was small, Dad used to frequently travel around the country on work. The morning of his arrival was a mini carnival for M and me, anticipating gifts and goodies from his sojourns. Our earliest memories were him getting us fairy tale books (I still have them, bound and
treasured). Coimbatore trips brought back soan papdis, om podis and books. Calcutta meant
Rosgollas, Mistidhois and Mithais. Bhavnagar or Surat augured lots of attire for us. We grew up, dad travelled less and the excitement fizzled.
When I moved on from Ruston, I left behind a lot of my stuff to ease out burdensome travel as I
did an impromptu roadtrip across the country. I did get part of it a little while later, but it
was not until this week, thanks to that lovable woman, was I able to get the reminder. I honestly
forgot what I had left behind, vague memories of some books and clothes were hovering around but that was it.I have the bag in front of me, and a motley thought of curiosity, inquisitiveness and excitement blends in my head.
My flutes, My roller blades, My music-thank god. CDs, MP3,s and a lot of wacky junk I deem hearable. I was grinning from ear to ear. A lot of my books including an amazing transalation of the thirukkural I had picked up from the Chennai Book fair in Jan'06. A small statuete of Vinayaga and the Ashoka pillar, carved in wood along with a bronze OM figurine, bought at Sundari Silks in T Nagar. My Coudroy worker pants, which was incidentally the first piece of clothing I bought in this country..and it still fits. I have stories for each and everything I found in that bag.
As I pored into my bag and pondered, anticipation doesnt always hurt. The fact that I was unaware of what was in store, made me enjoy the moment even more. Tiny things trigger memories, some unwarranted albeit enjoyable. The best part is when thoughts concatenate, leading you through various backalleys of your mind. You're lost, its all good.
For some wierd reason, I have been humming U2's Beautiful Day since morning,
What you don't have you don't need it now
What you don't know you can feel it somehow
treasured). Coimbatore trips brought back soan papdis, om podis and books. Calcutta meant
Rosgollas, Mistidhois and Mithais. Bhavnagar or Surat augured lots of attire for us. We grew up, dad travelled less and the excitement fizzled.
When I moved on from Ruston, I left behind a lot of my stuff to ease out burdensome travel as I
did an impromptu roadtrip across the country. I did get part of it a little while later, but it
was not until this week, thanks to that lovable woman, was I able to get the reminder. I honestly
forgot what I had left behind, vague memories of some books and clothes were hovering around but that was it.I have the bag in front of me, and a motley thought of curiosity, inquisitiveness and excitement blends in my head.
My flutes, My roller blades, My music-thank god. CDs, MP3,s and a lot of wacky junk I deem hearable. I was grinning from ear to ear. A lot of my books including an amazing transalation of the thirukkural I had picked up from the Chennai Book fair in Jan'06. A small statuete of Vinayaga and the Ashoka pillar, carved in wood along with a bronze OM figurine, bought at Sundari Silks in T Nagar. My Coudroy worker pants, which was incidentally the first piece of clothing I bought in this country..and it still fits. I have stories for each and everything I found in that bag.
As I pored into my bag and pondered, anticipation doesnt always hurt. The fact that I was unaware of what was in store, made me enjoy the moment even more. Tiny things trigger memories, some unwarranted albeit enjoyable. The best part is when thoughts concatenate, leading you through various backalleys of your mind. You're lost, its all good.
For some wierd reason, I have been humming U2's Beautiful Day since morning,
What you don't have you don't need it now
What you don't know you can feel it somehow
More NYC Moments..
NYC is a shutter bug's delight. I am slowly falling prey to this city's scape's.
More captures on a busy Saturday and a warm Sunday.
More captures on a busy Saturday and a warm Sunday.
Three
I am walking. Its hot. Its very hot. I miss you.
Thanks to you,
I have made it to where I am supposed to be.
I have also made it to where I am not supposed to be, but wanted to be.
I have made it to places where I had to be.
Places that I havent been in 2 years were seen twice in a day.
End point, which was 2 and a half kilometers away, was just 2.5 kms.
The girl’s hostel never felt closer, the temple @ 7:30 PM a must everyday.
Kudremukh via Karkala, Mangalore on NH 17, Agumbe, turtle bay, Maravanthe, Hanging Bridge and Peacock Point…Manipal and Karnataka at the flick of my wrist.
My steed, My bike in shining armor, my splendor..You will be loved.
They call me...
Bond.
Shane Bond
Couldnt resist putting this one up.
Arguably one of the best of his kind. a rare yet resplendent kind. Long live fast bowling
Shane Bond
Couldnt resist putting this one up.
Arguably one of the best of his kind. a rare yet resplendent kind. Long live fast bowling
Aarabhi and Lord Shiva's Ornaments
The current song on my lips is vizhiyil un Vizhiyil from Kireedam (excuse moi for the regionalistic turn), this displaces Sahana and Kumaari (from Sivaji and Anniyan respectively) from the top of my favorite hum-worthy tunes.
Kumaari is a class act, Shankar Mahadevan, Harris Jayraj,Veena and the Mridangam create aural bliss. I did a little homework on this, and it turns out that this song is an amalgam of Aarabhi, Suddha Saveri and Saama raagams ( Since decoding the raaga involves a lot of intense hearing and speculations, there may be diverse opinions on this).
Aarabhi is the janya raaga of Sankarabaranam-Janya Raagas being derived from the fundamental set of 72 melkarta raagas. Aarabhi’s been around for a long time, dating back to 7th century AD.Sankarabaranam, which is considered the king of all raagams. The naatu swara saahityams, which are the ABC’s of carnatic music was composed in this raaga by Muthuswami Dikshithar.
Sankarabaranam means ornaments of Lord Shiva (Shankar-Lord Shiva and Aabaranam-Ornaments). The seven Swaras are featured in the seven ornaments of Lord ShivaSa-Sarpa (Snake)
Ri-RudrakshaGa– Ganga (The river Ganges which emerges from Lord Shiva’s head)
Ma-mriga (the tiger skin on which he sits)Pa– Pushpa (flower)
Da-Damuru or the udukkai (Lord Shiva’s instrument)
Ni-Nisakara ( The crescent moon)
Westward ahoy, the endearing “Doe a Deer..” from the Sound of Music is based on Sankarabaranam.
Potterheads alert!!
They have been spotted since July 22nd. You see them everywhere, Parks, bus stops, cafes, the trains, even staircases and rest rooms haven't been spared!!
Males and Females exhibit evident and similar characteristics, head down, nose buried in between 752 pages of a certain yellow jacketed book about the travails of a boy wizard. They show utter disregard to life in their vicinity and cling on to their books as if the world was to end that instant, if they remembered to lift their head and breathe.
Picture this..
5: 30 PM, a crowded compartment on the orange line..people clinging on to save their lives..Potterhead makes her entrance..3 bags in tow..one hand grabs the railing..the other hand fishes out HP 7, causing painful contact with innocent civilians hanging out beside her...disdaining eyecontact later, Potterhead gets into business.
12: 30 PM..lunch at work..bespectacled potterhead walking down the stairs, doing what he does best..not realizing that there only a finite flight...tumble and a fall later, potterhead is still in shape, book in hand.
Little did an unemployed mother in Edinburgh who commenced writing in December 2004 know that she would eventually change the course of the literary world. J.K. Rowling, during the same journey, You have created monsters.
Disclaimer: This wasnt to berate HP or HP fans around the world, JK Rowling has envisioned and presented a fantastic world to us. Enjoy the books and ensure you do not cause inconvenience to other denizens on this planet.
Males and Females exhibit evident and similar characteristics, head down, nose buried in between 752 pages of a certain yellow jacketed book about the travails of a boy wizard. They show utter disregard to life in their vicinity and cling on to their books as if the world was to end that instant, if they remembered to lift their head and breathe.
Picture this..
5: 30 PM, a crowded compartment on the orange line..people clinging on to save their lives..Potterhead makes her entrance..3 bags in tow..one hand grabs the railing..the other hand fishes out HP 7, causing painful contact with innocent civilians hanging out beside her...disdaining eyecontact later, Potterhead gets into business.
12: 30 PM..lunch at work..bespectacled potterhead walking down the stairs, doing what he does best..not realizing that there only a finite flight...tumble and a fall later, potterhead is still in shape, book in hand.
Little did an unemployed mother in Edinburgh who commenced writing in December 2004 know that she would eventually change the course of the literary world. J.K. Rowling, during the same journey, You have created monsters.
Disclaimer: This wasnt to berate HP or HP fans around the world, JK Rowling has envisioned and presented a fantastic world to us. Enjoy the books and ensure you do not cause inconvenience to other denizens on this planet.
mindspeak
Invigorating is not the word, theres something beyond that which transpires when people speak their mind and share their thoughts.
My lethargy has always dominated in not expanding them into discussions, but not any more.
Keep me vitalized comrades.
My lethargy has always dominated in not expanding them into discussions, but not any more.
Keep me vitalized comrades.
Scrubisms
Life is Scary. Get used to it.
There are no magical fixes. Its all upto you.
So, get off the keiser, get out of here and start working.
Nothing in this world thats worth having, comes easy.
-Bob Kelso,
" My Boss's Free Haircut"
Scrubs Season 4
There are no magical fixes. Its all upto you.
So, get off the keiser, get out of here and start working.
Nothing in this world thats worth having, comes easy.
-Bob Kelso,
" My Boss's Free Haircut"
Scrubs Season 4
Scrubs Season 7
In your face…John Dorian and the rest of the staff of Sacred Heart are back for a final season. Scrubs season 7 starts on the 18th of October, part of the comedy thursday’s line up along with My Name is Earl, The Office and 30 Rock.
Resuming my celebration of the one of the most hilarious shows ever made, random Scrubisms will be tossed in good measure.
The X-ray shown in the title sequence was hung backwards for most of the seasons 1–5. The reason behind it being that the then-interns were relatively inexperienced and clueless, which was eventually revealed to be a fib by Zach Braff, who admitted the error to be unintentional. The error was finally rectified by Dr. Kim Briggs ( Elizabeth Banks), the Urologist J.D dates ( My Urologist, Season 5, Episode 23) , who steps into the credits and turns the X-ray around saying “ Thats backwards, Its been bugging me for years”.
Cinema Overdoso?
I have subjected myself to a lot of movies this year. The convenience of having a theater 10 minutes from home furthered the cause. I normally dont review the movies I watch, the music I hear or the books I read as there are a lot of people who are doing that, and performing a great job as well. However, the thought of compiling a list of some of the better movies I have seen over the last few months has always been hovering around, partly due to the reason that I know many who have been missing out on quite a few of them. I just hope that a few words could make them a little aware.
Here’s my best of the bunch.
1) Ratatouille
Pixar have always had my respect among animation studios for quite sometime. Their channel of story telling, which appeals to both kids and the kids in adults respecitvely, incorporate a time tested approach. What makes them stand out are the novel charecterizations and a small sense of genuinity which makes viewers relate to them. Add to that, as-real-as-it-gets animations, brilliant wit and a great voice cast makes them movies lipsmacking, which is exactly the word to describe this tale of an ambitious rodent who takes Paris’s culinary world by storm.2) Ocean’s Thirteen
I thought Ocean’s 11 was a blast, the sequel was Ho-Hum. The boys finally wrapped it up with a worthy third outing. Great acting, a breezy narrative proved the major plusses. My favorite moment? Clooney and Pitt getting teary eyed over Oprah.
3) Cheeni Kum
Sarcasm found two hours of screen time, and we had a blast. Watch it for Amitabh and Tabu’s performances and some good music.4) 1408
One of the scariest movies I have seen. More than whats going on the screen, the anticipation of whats going to happen creeps you further.5) Live Free or Die Hard
Yippee-Ki-Yay! Need I say more. Bruce Willis, balder, bitter and brittle kicks terrorist butt fourth time around.
6) Spiderman 3
Wasnt comparable to its predecessors but did salvage some pride on its own.
Of Opinions, Winks and Sense
I intend to be a little more opinionistic from now on and would love to contribute writing which burgeon healthy argument and amalgamate innovative views. So if you take a minute to read what I have written, take another 30 seconds to tell me about it. It could be bouquets or brick bats, either ways I will fire on all cylinders to make you spend more than a minute the next time you drop by. Also, I perceive this beyond just a space to write whats on top of my head. Remember the zeitgeist?
Random Rambles of the day...
Non verbal communication has become such an interspersed part of our lives. Throughout a working day, smiles, winks and nods contribute a lot to the way we navigate it. Much as we love one of these thrown our way, lets be generous in paying it forward.
My 2 cents on the most hyped product on screen this year, the one thats been on all the channels for the last two months and on the minds of movie watching tamilians for the last 2 years. Watch it if the boss means the world to you, its not worth a visit to the theater expecting more, considering the abundance of talent. I learnt it the hard way. Oh you thought I was talking about the iPhone? Now, thats another evening well spent.
A brave soul happened to express HER 2 cents and what a revolution it created..More than a 1000 comments from en iniya tamil makkal. Lectures, advice, dhamkis and death threats. Way to go. Each comment exhaustive than the previous one, I felt like that history exams in high school were just doodles.
Every one has a right to his or her opinion and chooses to express it. Say your thought on the movie or the writing, refrain from putting an individual down. If you think all of this would make him or her change their mind, its the equivalent of heading down an unlit one way street with no clue whats ahead.
The lady fights back..A lone hobbit against a multiplying army of orcs..in splendid style. Catch the action here.
Random Rambles of the day...
Non verbal communication has become such an interspersed part of our lives. Throughout a working day, smiles, winks and nods contribute a lot to the way we navigate it. Much as we love one of these thrown our way, lets be generous in paying it forward.
My 2 cents on the most hyped product on screen this year, the one thats been on all the channels for the last two months and on the minds of movie watching tamilians for the last 2 years. Watch it if the boss means the world to you, its not worth a visit to the theater expecting more, considering the abundance of talent. I learnt it the hard way. Oh you thought I was talking about the iPhone? Now, thats another evening well spent.
A brave soul happened to express HER 2 cents and what a revolution it created..More than a 1000 comments from en iniya tamil makkal. Lectures, advice, dhamkis and death threats. Way to go. Each comment exhaustive than the previous one, I felt like that history exams in high school were just doodles.
Every one has a right to his or her opinion and chooses to express it. Say your thought on the movie or the writing, refrain from putting an individual down. If you think all of this would make him or her change their mind, its the equivalent of heading down an unlit one way street with no clue whats ahead.
The lady fights back..A lone hobbit against a multiplying army of orcs..in splendid style. Catch the action here.
Progress in Healthcare
Julio Frenk, the former health minister of Mexico asserted that healthcare is a right and not a commodity or privelege during his commencement address at the Harvard School of Public Health.
" The premise that all human lives have the same value and that health systems must represent instances where everybody, regardless of gender, race, national origin, or socio economic status, must recieve similar treatment for similar needs"
Eventhough the power of science has reached a pinnacle, millions of people die unneccessarily from preventable and treatable diseases. A lot of countries have rural communities without doctors, while urban communities are prevalent in the same country with unemployed physicians. Developing countries recieve large amounts of funds for aid, but these funds are rendered ineffective due to the migration of the intellectual capital. Healthcare is so expensive, that it could impoverish people at the same health is important in the fight against poverty. Frenk felt that these issues could be addressed by developing evidence based policies and transforming ideals into "bases" for coherent action.
" The premise that all human lives have the same value and that health systems must represent instances where everybody, regardless of gender, race, national origin, or socio economic status, must recieve similar treatment for similar needs"
Eventhough the power of science has reached a pinnacle, millions of people die unneccessarily from preventable and treatable diseases. A lot of countries have rural communities without doctors, while urban communities are prevalent in the same country with unemployed physicians. Developing countries recieve large amounts of funds for aid, but these funds are rendered ineffective due to the migration of the intellectual capital. Healthcare is so expensive, that it could impoverish people at the same health is important in the fight against poverty. Frenk felt that these issues could be addressed by developing evidence based policies and transforming ideals into "bases" for coherent action.
Quotients
Breaks are rejuvenating. Even self imposed ones. Enough said.
Harvard recently had its graduation ceremony, with the likes of Bill Gates and Bill Clinton gracing the occasion. The dean of the faculty of medicine, Dr. Joseph Martin stepped down after 10 years of service, with a class day address titled "Leading by Listening", where he described 6 qualities of leadership which form the crux of a doctor-patient interaction. The ability to communicate well would determine by large one's gift of healing.
These qualities, referred as quotients by Dr. Martin reflected on his own guiding principles as a leader of HMS.
IQ, "the ability to innovate, to think outside the box, and to construct new and novel scenarios". This being said , he added that intelligence alone does not contribute to good leadership. "Individual brilliance may result in earth-shaking concepts and Nobel Prizes, but of leaders we expect more".
EQ, " The ability to listen and to discern beneath the surface what the other person is really saying. EQ induces curiousity and temerity to understand an alternate perspective, which includes wanting to learn from an other in order to put right one's own views and impressions. EQ is learning to lead by listening and observation".
on a lighter aspect, comes HQ (humor quotient), " which encompasses the ability to use self-deprecation to accomplish an end, to exude a sense of lightness of being and charisma, of good cheer and hope. It is the ability to detoxify a situation by humor or self-effacement, to know how to relax the tension with a comment, a story or a well-told joke. It is the ability to bounce back after an untoward event".
the fourth Q was the CQ (the contentment quotient), " The ability to view things for the best possible outcome-Its the glass half full, not half empty-Optimism not pessimism. It is to feel good about oneself and the role one plays. It balances good will and good cheer with an appropriate balance of anxiety to set things on course and to toe the line towards an end".
Dr. Martin's quotient no: 5 was GQ (generosity quotient). "In many ways, a singularity of leadership success is epitomized in the term 'vicarious living'. Simply put, it is the joy and satisfaction that comes by watching the success of others. In an organizational setting or an effective office practice, it implies freely giving credit where credit is due, recognizing that ' there is no end to what can be accomplished if one does not care who gets the credit'. Another aspect of the GQ is to forgive and forget."
Finally quotient no: 6 was the WQ (wisdom quotient) " The ability to sum things up, to look at a set of circumstances and know when to act, to know when the vectors are aligned to take the next step towards the end game. It includes the ability to understand and know when to apply Machiavellian principles to reach a good end for the circumstances. But WQ applies the principles of fairness, of reaching the decision that is the best for the most, characterized by equity and equality when possible. Wisdom is sound judgement, a great skill in clinical medicine."
Dr. Martin concluded his speech by saying that all the above mentioned qualities of intelligence, emotional connectivity, good humor, happiness, generosity and sound judgement can be enhanced by good listening and that these quotients, which need not be quantifiable as traits would form a framework to guide one through life.
Harvard recently had its graduation ceremony, with the likes of Bill Gates and Bill Clinton gracing the occasion. The dean of the faculty of medicine, Dr. Joseph Martin stepped down after 10 years of service, with a class day address titled "Leading by Listening", where he described 6 qualities of leadership which form the crux of a doctor-patient interaction. The ability to communicate well would determine by large one's gift of healing.
These qualities, referred as quotients by Dr. Martin reflected on his own guiding principles as a leader of HMS.
IQ, "the ability to innovate, to think outside the box, and to construct new and novel scenarios". This being said , he added that intelligence alone does not contribute to good leadership. "Individual brilliance may result in earth-shaking concepts and Nobel Prizes, but of leaders we expect more".
EQ, " The ability to listen and to discern beneath the surface what the other person is really saying. EQ induces curiousity and temerity to understand an alternate perspective, which includes wanting to learn from an other in order to put right one's own views and impressions. EQ is learning to lead by listening and observation".
on a lighter aspect, comes HQ (humor quotient), " which encompasses the ability to use self-deprecation to accomplish an end, to exude a sense of lightness of being and charisma, of good cheer and hope. It is the ability to detoxify a situation by humor or self-effacement, to know how to relax the tension with a comment, a story or a well-told joke. It is the ability to bounce back after an untoward event".
the fourth Q was the CQ (the contentment quotient), " The ability to view things for the best possible outcome-Its the glass half full, not half empty-Optimism not pessimism. It is to feel good about oneself and the role one plays. It balances good will and good cheer with an appropriate balance of anxiety to set things on course and to toe the line towards an end".
Dr. Martin's quotient no: 5 was GQ (generosity quotient). "In many ways, a singularity of leadership success is epitomized in the term 'vicarious living'. Simply put, it is the joy and satisfaction that comes by watching the success of others. In an organizational setting or an effective office practice, it implies freely giving credit where credit is due, recognizing that ' there is no end to what can be accomplished if one does not care who gets the credit'. Another aspect of the GQ is to forgive and forget."
Finally quotient no: 6 was the WQ (wisdom quotient) " The ability to sum things up, to look at a set of circumstances and know when to act, to know when the vectors are aligned to take the next step towards the end game. It includes the ability to understand and know when to apply Machiavellian principles to reach a good end for the circumstances. But WQ applies the principles of fairness, of reaching the decision that is the best for the most, characterized by equity and equality when possible. Wisdom is sound judgement, a great skill in clinical medicine."
Dr. Martin concluded his speech by saying that all the above mentioned qualities of intelligence, emotional connectivity, good humor, happiness, generosity and sound judgement can be enhanced by good listening and that these quotients, which need not be quantifiable as traits would form a framework to guide one through life.
Local Delights
Driving on the US 40 E looking to pick some coffee, we were left behind with nothing in sight. After driving through the streets of Uniontown, PA, we stumbled upon this quaint little coffee shop called Yum Yum Cafe. Previously, when we had stopped by a gas station to find directions to a Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts, we were directed to this place, which was a popular local coffee joint.
I am a big fan of anything thats local, may it be coffee shops, restaurants, sports teams and people. Being part of the local flavor bring rejuvenates me, the history and legends inspiring, their enthusiasm contagious and their pride dignified. Being in a country where regional sport is worshipped beyond anything else, don't ever get me started on that.
Coming back to Yum Yum, which stayed true to its name- We loved that place. Some of the best coffees in the world is brewed over there. If anyones does pass by Uniontown, PA, this is where you should head, rather than the ubiquitous Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts.
P.S: Adi, Vandu, AT, Abhi n me comprise the we.
Coming back to Yum Yum, which stayed true to its name- We loved that place. Some of the best coffees in the world is brewed over there. If anyones does pass by Uniontown, PA, this is where you should head, rather than the ubiquitous Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts.
P.S: Adi, Vandu, AT, Abhi n me comprise the we.
New Yank City
oh and I will visit it more oft
en.
May be?
I sense a familar sign of digression.I hope I will be able to make complete justice to what I think and keep my thoughts and words miscible to make eventual sense.
of webs and tears..
Spiderman 3 opened last week to mixed reviews. It looks like the critics have unanimously agreed to the fact that this movie is the weakest of the trilogy. The box office speaks otherwise
Now that the mania has eased out a bit, heres my 2 cents. The critical and public response to the third installment has been see-sawing. People either loved it or lumped it. NG lost all respect for the spidey franchaise and I am not sure whether GK slept through the movie or walked out of the theatre.
I have a moderate opinion on the flick. On the minuses, the plot was a bit shallow, the characters underdeveloped and a very disengaging story line. The special effects and the action sequences were obviously spectacular. Harry Osborne had more to do this time and his character was one of the better written parts.
The reason why NS and I felt this movie did not go well with the critics was that there was too much male melodrama involved in it. The main theme of the movie was about forgiveness. All the main characters in the movie, including spiderman have caused grief and hurt to others. The realization hits some of them early and some of them late. Naturally, the tears flow. So we have Spidey, Sandman, Harry Osborne and MJ (thats a no brainer) draining their tear glands in tandem. This was a sore point to a lot of people who might have perceived their superhero to be Leonidas's clone, bellowing his gut out. Unfortunately, Peter Parker just happens to be another kid next door.
Now that the mania has eased out a bit, heres my 2 cents. The critical and public response to the third installment has been see-sawing. People either loved it or lumped it. NG lost all respect for the spidey franchaise and I am not sure whether GK slept through the movie or walked out of the theatre.
I have a moderate opinion on the flick. On the minuses, the plot was a bit shallow, the characters underdeveloped and a very disengaging story line. The special effects and the action sequences were obviously spectacular. Harry Osborne had more to do this time and his character was one of the better written parts.
The reason why NS and I felt this movie did not go well with the critics was that there was too much male melodrama involved in it. The main theme of the movie was about forgiveness. All the main characters in the movie, including spiderman have caused grief and hurt to others. The realization hits some of them early and some of them late. Naturally, the tears flow. So we have Spidey, Sandman, Harry Osborne and MJ (thats a no brainer) draining their tear glands in tandem. This was a sore point to a lot of people who might have perceived their superhero to be Leonidas's clone, bellowing his gut out. Unfortunately, Peter Parker just happens to be another kid next door.
More Spidey Trivia...
Tobey Maguire almost missed becoming part of Spiderman 2 when a debilitating injury to his back while filming Sea Biscuit caused him to pull out. Even though Maguire was signed for a 3 film contract at the beginning of spider-man, Sony was forced to reconsider a new lead for spiderman-2. They zeroed down on Jake Gyllenhal for the part and even commenced negotiations with him. However Maguire recovered and was able to shoot for Seabiscuit and then for spider-man 2, as a result of which the shoot was postponed to commence from April 2003 instead of Jan 2003.
Also, Spider-man 2 was initally called The Amazing Spider-man, from the title of the comic the story was based upon.
Kids will be Kids
Today was bring your kids to work day. On the T this morning, this dapper executive got his 2-3 year old kid in tow. The kid was suprisingly well behaved for the fact that he actually sat down on a seat, said please and thank you and listened to his father. I was amazed since a week ago, I was subject to an incident where an identical kid ran amock in the train. At one of the stops, a visually challenged gentleman got into the train along with his dog. When the executive and the kid got ready to get off at the State Street train stop, the kid looks at the dog, steals a furtive glance around the room to ensure there were no witnesses, takes two steps to step on the dogs tail and bolts out of the train!!
Certain things never change.
Certain things never change.
Spidey Trivia..
Here's some Spidey trivia, Considering I just cant seem to get enough of Peter Parker, his arachnid alter-ego and the world he knows.
The spiderman franchaise is directed by Sam Raimi, whose monumental claim to fame is having directed the cult classics Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2 and Evil Dead 3. Even though Raimi directed some other movies like "for the love of the game", "the quick and the dead" and "the gift", he is still remembered for the horror movie franchaise. Evil Dead brings another name to our minds, the prosthetic chainsaw wielding, saw gun toting protagonist Ash Williams-one of the most celebrated icons of horror movies, played to perfection by B movie cult star Bruce Campbell.
Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi are childhood friends and go a long way. In fact, Bruce Campbell was one of the executive producers of Evil Dead. In both the spiderman movies, Bruce Campbell has important cameos which help propel the story forward.
In Spiderman, when Peter Parker decides to make use of his newly acquired powers to participate in a wrestling match, he christens himself as the human spider. Bruce Campbell plays the role of the announcer, who calls his name too lame and introduces Peter as the Amazing Spiderman.
In Spiderman 2, Bruce Campbell plays the role of a snooty usher named Dylan Reid who refuses to let Peter to watch Mary Jane's performance and criticizes his appearance, thereby causing a rift in their relationship. Bruce was proud of this role stating that he was the only villain who thwarted spidey and got away with it.
It looks like Bruce Campbell has another important cameo in Spiderman 3, Lets see what he comes up with this time.
The spiderman franchaise is directed by Sam Raimi, whose monumental claim to fame is having directed the cult classics Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2 and Evil Dead 3. Even though Raimi directed some other movies like "for the love of the game", "the quick and the dead" and "the gift", he is still remembered for the horror movie franchaise. Evil Dead brings another name to our minds, the prosthetic chainsaw wielding, saw gun toting protagonist Ash Williams-one of the most celebrated icons of horror movies, played to perfection by B movie cult star Bruce Campbell.
Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi are childhood friends and go a long way. In fact, Bruce Campbell was one of the executive producers of Evil Dead. In both the spiderman movies, Bruce Campbell has important cameos which help propel the story forward.
In Spiderman, when Peter Parker decides to make use of his newly acquired powers to participate in a wrestling match, he christens himself as the human spider. Bruce Campbell plays the role of the announcer, who calls his name too lame and introduces Peter as the Amazing Spiderman.
In Spiderman 2, Bruce Campbell plays the role of a snooty usher named Dylan Reid who refuses to let Peter to watch Mary Jane's performance and criticizes his appearance, thereby causing a rift in their relationship. Bruce was proud of this role stating that he was the only villain who thwarted spidey and got away with it.
It looks like Bruce Campbell has another important cameo in Spiderman 3, Lets see what he comes up with this time.
How to Save a Life
This song by the Denver, Colorado based band The Fray gained popularity due to it being featured on Grey's Anatomy's soundtrack and in episode no: 20 of season 5 of Scrubs, My Lunch. This episode of Scrubs is the second highest rated episode on tv.com, and is based on the true story of 4 patients who died of contracting rabies after recieving organ transplants from an infected patient.
This song was composed as a result of the lead singer Isaac Slade's experience as a mentor in a camp for troubled teens. The song was based on the unsuccessful efforts of all the counselors to reach out and help a troubled musician kid. His family approached the situation in the negative, by threatening not to talk to the kid until he gets out of his rut. All the kid needed was someone to talk to and lean on. The song itself describes the efforts made by an adult to confront a troubled teen.
How to save a life was unique in the fact that it was one of the very few songs to have 3 music videos made for it. The response generated by this song prompted its producers to create a website, where the song was opened for different interpretations. The viewers were welcomed to submit music videos that they had made for this song. (www.howtosavealife.com)
This song was composed as a result of the lead singer Isaac Slade's experience as a mentor in a camp for troubled teens. The song was based on the unsuccessful efforts of all the counselors to reach out and help a troubled musician kid. His family approached the situation in the negative, by threatening not to talk to the kid until he gets out of his rut. All the kid needed was someone to talk to and lean on. The song itself describes the efforts made by an adult to confront a troubled teen.
How to save a life was unique in the fact that it was one of the very few songs to have 3 music videos made for it. The response generated by this song prompted its producers to create a website, where the song was opened for different interpretations. The viewers were welcomed to submit music videos that they had made for this song. (www.howtosavealife.com)
Cogito EGO Sum?
How good is ego?
A healthy dose is always worth it. It makes you trust yourself to do what you want and in the way you want it.
With too much ego, you could end up losing things which you wished you still had.
With the right amount, Nothing is going to stop you.
Believing that you are one of the best to do what you do certainly helps.
Signing off with lines inspired from the movie Ghajini-
Theres a thin line between self confidence and vanity, I CAN DO IT is confidence, ONLY I CAN DO IT is pride.
A healthy dose is always worth it. It makes you trust yourself to do what you want and in the way you want it.
With too much ego, you could end up losing things which you wished you still had.
With the right amount, Nothing is going to stop you.
Believing that you are one of the best to do what you do certainly helps.
Signing off with lines inspired from the movie Ghajini-
Theres a thin line between self confidence and vanity, I CAN DO IT is confidence, ONLY I CAN DO IT is pride.
On a Day Like Today..
Glimpses of a fragrant spring evening..
warmth, sunglasses, miniskirts, beautiful women, frappuchinos, people, music, shadows, more beautiful women,conversations, shopping bags, light, joggers, ipods, flip-flops, backpacks, free-style, tourists,artists, point and shoot cameras, smiles, cheer and a lot more beautiful women.
My evening? one cuppa mocha in hand, feet treading Beacon and Newbury St and a song on my lips.
warmth, sunglasses, miniskirts, beautiful women, frappuchinos, people, music, shadows, more beautiful women,conversations, shopping bags, light, joggers, ipods, flip-flops, backpacks, free-style, tourists,artists, point and shoot cameras, smiles, cheer and a lot more beautiful women.
My evening? one cuppa mocha in hand, feet treading Beacon and Newbury St and a song on my lips.
The Lion Sleeps Tonight
The Song:
The lion sleeps tonight was first recorded by Solomon Linda and his groups the evening birds in 1939., and eventually came to the attention of American Folk group Pete Seegers and the Weavers. Their version of the song was recorded with "Wimoweh" instead of the original chorus of " uyimbube" which means the lion is sleeping in Zulu.
Ever since the songs topped the charts and upteen covers have been made, the most notable being in the soundtrack of Disney's The Lion King.
The song actually refers to an old South African legend, about their last king, Chaka the mighty lion who did not die when the Europeans took over their country. He simply went to sleep and will wake up some day.
The Video:
In 1979, with the hiring of Dr. Ed Catmull, the graphics group division of Lucas Films corp was formed. This small company was purchased in 1986 by a certain Mr. Steve Jobs. The company then progressed to make high end computers for medical applications whichevidently not very successful. This company struck a deal with Walt Disney Pictures to produce full length animated motion pictures in 1991, the first of which was Toy Story. The rest, as they say is History.
Presenting the first complete video made by Pixar Animation studios, The Lion Sleeps Tonight..
And this one from Friends when Ross meets his Star pet monkey...
The lion sleeps tonight was first recorded by Solomon Linda and his groups the evening birds in 1939., and eventually came to the attention of American Folk group Pete Seegers and the Weavers. Their version of the song was recorded with "Wimoweh" instead of the original chorus of " uyimbube" which means the lion is sleeping in Zulu.
Ever since the songs topped the charts and upteen covers have been made, the most notable being in the soundtrack of Disney's The Lion King.
The song actually refers to an old South African legend, about their last king, Chaka the mighty lion who did not die when the Europeans took over their country. He simply went to sleep and will wake up some day.
The Video:
In 1979, with the hiring of Dr. Ed Catmull, the graphics group division of Lucas Films corp was formed. This small company was purchased in 1986 by a certain Mr. Steve Jobs. The company then progressed to make high end computers for medical applications whichevidently not very successful. This company struck a deal with Walt Disney Pictures to produce full length animated motion pictures in 1991, the first of which was Toy Story. The rest, as they say is History.
Presenting the first complete video made by Pixar Animation studios, The Lion Sleeps Tonight..
And this one from Friends when Ross meets his Star pet monkey...
Twenty Five Before 25
25 things I have done before 25...
01) Dunked 12 cups of coffee a day
02) Air guitared at a big music concert
03) Watched reruns of favorite TV shows
04) Played a musical instrument
05) Walked a beautiful girl home..more than once
06) Prayed with all my heart
07) Stayed awake throughout the night
08) Regretted things I have said
09) Said and meant sorry
10) Motorcycled my way in college
11) Kept a French Beard
12) Gained a few extra pounds
13) Bunked lectures to watch Cricket
14) Footboarded on Pallavan buses
15) Cheated in exams
16) Given advice for free
17) Felt that samosas were god's way of telling us how much he loved us
18) Played tennis ball cricket on weekends
19) Waded through waist deep water to get to school
20) Played and still love playing video games
21) Kept in touch with people who matter
22) Watched superstar's movie first day first show
23) Not act my age
24) Cook like a caveman
25) Understood that everything happens for a reason
01) Dunked 12 cups of coffee a day
02) Air guitared at a big music concert
03) Watched reruns of favorite TV shows
04) Played a musical instrument
05) Walked a beautiful girl home..more than once
06) Prayed with all my heart
07) Stayed awake throughout the night
08) Regretted things I have said
09) Said and meant sorry
10) Motorcycled my way in college
11) Kept a French Beard
12) Gained a few extra pounds
13) Bunked lectures to watch Cricket
14) Footboarded on Pallavan buses
15) Cheated in exams
16) Given advice for free
17) Felt that samosas were god's way of telling us how much he loved us
18) Played tennis ball cricket on weekends
19) Waded through waist deep water to get to school
20) Played and still love playing video games
21) Kept in touch with people who matter
22) Watched superstar's movie first day first show
23) Not act my age
24) Cook like a caveman
25) Understood that everything happens for a reason
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Bruxism
I have bruxism. Bruxism is defined by the medical dictionary as the habitual involuntary grinding or clenching of the teeth, especially during sleep. It is caused by the activation of the reflex chewing activity controlled by the reflex nerve pathways and the brain. During sleep, the brain control is lost but the chewing activity is present which causes the teeth to grind against each other (wikipedia). Bruxism normally occurs The biting force which is the pressure exerted when the teeth clench is six times more during the nights. Bruxism is attributed a variety of causes which include misalignment of teeth, improper diet and most importantly high anxiety and stress. Common symptoms include sore facial muscles, damage to teeth, TMJ problems, toothache and painful sensitivity.
The symptoms started at around midnight on a monday when I started having uncontrollable pain in my incisors and molars. I attributed it to my inconsistent oral care and met my dentist the following day after making it through the night with Tylenol and Ibuprofen. He checked my teeth for any signs of nerve damage or decay, two potential causes for pain but did not find any. He then noticed that the upper surfaces of my incisors were ridged and my teeth showed signs of wear, and then things fell in place.
The reason why I am writing about this is because I want everyone to be aware of such a condition. All of us go through stress at some point of time, and issues like bruxism are added baggage. I was unfortunate to have been identified with it at a very later stage, as a) It happens when you sleep and b) nobody sleeps next to me to be disturbed by the grinding and let me know about it. Its in our hands to keep ourselves aware of conditions such as these. If you notice
symptoms like dull headaches, sore and tired facial muscles, earaches, sensitive teeth, and locking, popping, and clicking of the jaw and damage to tissues of the inner lips and cheek, and you have been leading a stress filled lifestyle, its probably a good time to talk to your dentist.
So whoever reads this, please make sure to pass it on to your friends and ask them to do the same. Just like prevention is better than cure, awareness is better than regret.
The symptoms started at around midnight on a monday when I started having uncontrollable pain in my incisors and molars. I attributed it to my inconsistent oral care and met my dentist the following day after making it through the night with Tylenol and Ibuprofen. He checked my teeth for any signs of nerve damage or decay, two potential causes for pain but did not find any. He then noticed that the upper surfaces of my incisors were ridged and my teeth showed signs of wear, and then things fell in place.
The reason why I am writing about this is because I want everyone to be aware of such a condition. All of us go through stress at some point of time, and issues like bruxism are added baggage. I was unfortunate to have been identified with it at a very later stage, as a) It happens when you sleep and b) nobody sleeps next to me to be disturbed by the grinding and let me know about it. Its in our hands to keep ourselves aware of conditions such as these. If you notice
symptoms like dull headaches, sore and tired facial muscles, earaches, sensitive teeth, and locking, popping, and clicking of the jaw and damage to tissues of the inner lips and cheek, and you have been leading a stress filled lifestyle, its probably a good time to talk to your dentist.
So whoever reads this, please make sure to pass it on to your friends and ask them to do the same. Just like prevention is better than cure, awareness is better than regret.
Touching a Note..
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Even though I appreciate movies and music more than just listening to it, and have a musical persona to my side, I have never reviewed music and movies. Its probably because I feel that I am not qualified to do so or simply do not have the knack to do so.
Recently two of my absolutely favorite composers released back to back albums..the first being Vishal-Shekhar, two of the most talented musicians out there. Right from their debut movie, Jhankaar beats till date..these guys have their uniqueness in most of their songs which is extremely refreshing and innovative. The other composer needs no introduction, the Mozart of Madras- AR Rahman.
Vishals earlier album Honeymoon travels Pvt. Limited was an ensemble set of music, Right from the extremely addictive, creatively composed and brilliantly sung Sajnaji vari, vari to the hindspanic tango song, that album was path breaking (speaking of sajnaji vari vari-Its got an amazing video as well, KK Menon's dance is worth its wait). They follow it up with the next production from the sarkars of Bollywood, Yashraj film's Ta ra rum pum, which stars Rani Mukerji and Saif Ali Khan. I was really curious to hear the soundtrack of this album, firstly because Vishal and Shekhar were back in action and secondly, their previous effort for this production house was not that bad. I was never so wrong..In my opinion, this is probably one of their most pedestrian efforts to date. The Cliches never stop, u have this happy family song, these 2 romantic duets, a back-to-your-feet-and-have-a-go motivation song and of course the punjabi numbers. Its this tune of been there heard that and disappointment which is heard repeatedly.
Similarly, Rahmans Sivaji was out last week, and i was excited to hear his sounds since I felt that after a lackluster 2006, where his best efforts were only Rang de Basanti and parts of Guru, he made a fantastic comeback with Pray for me Brother. For those who haven't heard it, its vintage Rahman back in the good old days. Minimal instrumentation, awesome voice control-the music, lyrics and vocals blend in such a way, that you are spellbound..listen to it using headphones and you will know what I am talking about. The instrumental version stands out on its own, especially the mridangam bit towards the end..it brought back memories of andhimandharai and Pavithra, some of Rahmans unsung works of wonder.
and now we have Sivaji, with all the hype surrounding it ever since its procreation, one did expect a good album, within commercial restraints due to the unanimous reason-Rajni. I know I will be making a lot of enemies here, but the album is sort of a letdown.
Though Rehman had to deal with the pressure, I felt that he could have justified himself better. The Vaaji, Vaaji song starts of well actually and amalgams a blend of middle eastern, hindustani and oriental tunes-the song generates a wierd feeling of deja vu.
The pick of the lot is the dulcet Sahana. However there are two words which brings back terrible memories-Udit Narayan. I feel that Udit Narayan should be allowed to sing songs with simple wordings, laced with ample english and hindi interspersion. However, we have him singing pure tamil. In the middle of the song, he goes into orgasmic overboard with "pookal", "Bhoomi" and "Vaanam". The results are heavenly. Chinmayee does a great job as usual, She is Rahman's Brahmastra.
Its saddening to see talented composers succumb to commercial constraints. It affects their credibility, confidence and skill. I feel a composer should be given a relatively free hand in doing what they do best. It would enable them to work from the heart.
Happy Listening.
Loud and Clear
To cut a long story short, The lack of inspiration rather than the lack of time was one of the reasons why I haven't had a chance to update this space frequently. Most of my time also was spent sorting out some professional issues, which was time well spent.
After a lot of contemplation, I upgraded to the new Ipod Shuffle-not much of an upgrade, as I had a shuf
fle earlier as well-the 1st generation 512 MB version, which has been discontinued. My initial choices were the Creative Zen V plus, which is a solid 2GB player, with video playback and voice recording. However, once you have an ipod, it sort of serves as a benchmark for other players and I returned it back. I considered the Nano, which is a winner in its own way, but realized that my love affair with clumsiness is going to play villain here. Besides, I really dont care to see the song details, and I have my computer to watch my photos and videos.
One of the primary reasons I invested in this player, apart from the fact that I love to damage my eardrums in a slow and synchronous fashion is that it helps me a lot in my commute.Despite living in a city which boasts of one of the best mass transit systems in the world, more often than not, trains moving downtown during peak hours are limited in service. One has to put up with overcrowding, irritation and displeasure quite a bit. A lot of people make use of such opportunities to cement relationships,slurp coffee, share ringtones and making their private lives public. My music shuts me out and I am so glad. This ain't a rant but I feel that theres a time and a place for everything. The utter lack of consideration for a fellow commuter's sanity further contributes to the show. I know that I cant ask people to lower their decibel levels or tell them that I really do not care about how their "boo" can kiss for hours. All I can do, is just press play..
La Vita e Bella gente..
P.S:
I really like the new shuffle, its compact, the headphones are designed more ergonomically and the lengths reduced a bit, no more USB charging and above all..its so apple..:)
After a lot of contemplation, I upgraded to the new Ipod Shuffle-not much of an upgrade, as I had a shuf
fle earlier as well-the 1st generation 512 MB version, which has been discontinued. My initial choices were the Creative Zen V plus, which is a solid 2GB player, with video playback and voice recording. However, once you have an ipod, it sort of serves as a benchmark for other players and I returned it back. I considered the Nano, which is a winner in its own way, but realized that my love affair with clumsiness is going to play villain here. Besides, I really dont care to see the song details, and I have my computer to watch my photos and videos.One of the primary reasons I invested in this player, apart from the fact that I love to damage my eardrums in a slow and synchronous fashion is that it helps me a lot in my commute.Despite living in a city which boasts of one of the best mass transit systems in the world, more often than not, trains moving downtown during peak hours are limited in service. One has to put up with overcrowding, irritation and displeasure quite a bit. A lot of people make use of such opportunities to cement relationships,slurp coffee, share ringtones and making their private lives public. My music shuts me out and I am so glad. This ain't a rant but I feel that theres a time and a place for everything. The utter lack of consideration for a fellow commuter's sanity further contributes to the show. I know that I cant ask people to lower their decibel levels or tell them that I really do not care about how their "boo" can kiss for hours. All I can do, is just press play..
La Vita e Bella gente..
P.S:
I really like the new shuffle, its compact, the headphones are designed more ergonomically and the lengths reduced a bit, no more USB charging and above all..its so apple..:)
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Signs from Above
Recently, LIFE magazine posted an article on some of the most interesting church signs across the country. Some of them inspire a chuckle, some are candid but all of them work towards the same purpose.
Keep the faith y'all
" Keep using my name and I will make rush hour longer"-God (Selkirk, NY)
" Looking for a lifeguard? Ours walks on water" (Statesville, NC)
"Walmart isnt the only saving place in town"(Nashville, TN)
"Swallow your Pride. It contains no calories" (Bridgeton, MO)
"Heaven is a cool place" (Trumbull,CT)
"Give up your troubles to god, He's up all night anyways" (Stewartsville, NJ)
and heres my fave
"Dont wait for six strong men to take you to church" (San Diego, CA)
Keep the faith y'all
Its Scary..
One of the sureshot symptoms of addictive joblessness is when you start listening to each and every song on your computer hard-drive. On a lazy saturday, that was precisely my plan of fruitful action. This particular song caught my ears, tinkered with my mind and made me do things I did not want to be caught doing today..retrospecting, introspecting, speculating and in general, thinking.
25 is a scary age man.A fourth of my life just whizzed by along with 16 years of schooling, 2 degrees and a year on an insipid profession. Its an eerie thought of disbelief.
So many things have happened so fast. Mom's cooking now become a thing of the past and cooking for yourself is trendsetting. Being dropped at school has transitioned to walking to college and commuting to work. I have moved from people making decisions for me to being consulted on to make decisions and eventually making decisions for myself and others. I dont know whether this wind of change is for the better or the worse. Better-because it makes you responsible.Worse-because you are responsible.
Anyways, to cut a long story short, change is growth. Sometimes, things take a while to change making us anticipative. Most of the times, change is so fleeting that it catches us short of our breath. Either way, it is upto us to make the most of what change brings.
Without further ado, may I present "100 years" by Five for Fighting.
I'm 15 for a moment
Caught in between 10 and 20
And I'm just dreaming
Counting the ways to where you are
I'm 22 for a moment
She feels better than ever
And we're on fire
Making our way back from Mars
15 there's still time for you
Time to buy and time to lose
15, there's never a wish better than this
When you only got 100 years to live
I'm 33 for a moment
Still the man, but you see I'm a they
A kid on the way
A family on my mind
I'm 45 for a moment
The sea is high
And I'm heading into a crisis
Chasing the years of my lifeHalf time goes by
Suddenly you're wise
Another blink of an eye
67 is gone
The sun is getting high
We're moving on...
I'm 99 for a moment
Dying for just another moment
And I'm just dreaming
Counting the ways to where you are
Scrubisms 5
The original Scrubs title sequence..
This video was aired only for 3 episodes of season 2- an extended version of the title accomodating the likes of the janitor as well. However, due to fan consternation and studio pressure, this video was removed and replaced with the shorter one, still opening the show to date.
and the actual theme song itself,
I am no superman by Lazlo Bane
This video was aired only for 3 episodes of season 2- an extended version of the title accomodating the likes of the janitor as well. However, due to fan consternation and studio pressure, this video was removed and replaced with the shorter one, still opening the show to date.
and the actual theme song itself,
I am no superman by Lazlo Bane
Coffee Conversations...
Coffee is a great bonding agent. Discoveries, friendships, opinions and hell has been made across that cup of caffeine. I am proud to admit I am a big fan of coffee, a tad overindulgent infact, and millions will raise their mugs in admitting the same.
AL and I caught up last evening after a long time. He's an MD, a plastic surgeon passed out of JHU and UCSF respectively. We work together occasionally. Random conversations about the weather channeled towards scientific research and his work ( Disclaimer: Some of the facts stated are directly from conversational ditties, the authenticity of them will soon be verified. They were taken for granted because they were from a highly qualified individual). AL is here on a 2 year resident fellowship to study the effect of specific genes in the cause and effect of atherosclerosis (clogging of the blood vessels due to fat accumulation). He then gets back to UCSF as a resident fellow. He was telling me about his addiction towards research-which according to him is like gambling. When you win some, You play more..when you lose some, ou play more to make up for the loss and win some. His only regret after getting back to the emergency, is that he would be putting in 84 hrs of work every week as opposed to the 60 he does now. Why? a simple example- Sewing back a cut hand will take 14 hours to rejoin 3 blood vessels, 5 nerves, tendons, ligaments and muscles. Then, theres the risk of internal clotting, which would involve repeating the entire procedure. As part of his future plans, he wanted to do a sub speciality in pediatric craniofacial surgery. In infants born with deformed head shapes, it is actually possible to split the skill which spreads out, and parts can be cut and rearranged. wow!!Conversations drifted to alcohol and drug rehabilitation- something I am really passionate about. AL opines rehabilitation is of two types-One following any addiction, another before it. I concur with him.
Needless to say, I savored those 20 minutes after 5 and my coffee ofcourse!!
Bussy Days
I thought of this post on an impromptu early morning bus trip to New York last week, and it finally materialized on my notepad. Much as I tried to catch some sleep during the monotonous 4 hour journey, I couldn't help thinking about the influx of public transportation in my 24 year journey so far.
My earliest recollection of buses was when dad took M and me to check out the buses at Sanskrit college after dinner. I still remember the 12Bs, 45Bs, the 12s and the occasional 41 series at the bend. School was closer to home and we did not bank on buses to get us there. We walked and then eventually graduated to cycles. I used buses to get everywhere in town and was a master of most of the cities bus routes. 21 went all the way from Parry's to Mandaveli, 29C all the way from Perambur to Adayar, 12G from Anna Square to KK nagar, 12B from Foreshore estate to Vadapalani and 1 from thriruvotriyur to thiruvanmiyur. We used to take the express buses from Broadway to Vellore, the equivalent of a Boston-New York journey. The buses stopped enroute for breaks, and we made use of opportunity to have "Elaneer" on hot summer days. These point to point buses were outrageously fast, but had limited stops on the way. I remember travelling in UP, Haryana and Rajasthan in their famous tourist buses.
Manipal was bus haven. The trains used to go all the way to Mangalore and Manipal was an hour away from there. It was on the notoriously famous Mangalore-Manipal buses on NH17 that I used to reach college. These buses had their fifteen minutes of fame on the highway by travelling at unimaginable speeds. There have been many an accident on NH-17 courtesy these buses but the need for speed flourishes. An alternative way to reach Chennai was by taking the buses to bangalore and take the train from there.
In the US, my college was in a place where public transport wasnt necessary. I traveled from Chicago to Lexington in DEC 2004 which was my first long distance bus trip. That trip was a blast ( I have blogged about it earlier). After relocating to Boston, Buses were my staple mode of commutation till late.
My trips to New York have been courtesy the Fungwah buses, these buses are a boon to students and the like who want to get to New York fast and without burning a hole in your pocket. The tickets costs you 15 bucks and you are in NYC in 4 hours. Buses leave every hour and they are invariably filled.
As I look back, how much ever I love to bike or drive, my first crush is always public transport. I have met interesting people, debated on contemporary issues, made friends and in general, had great times during my bus and train travels. Madras, Manipal, New Orleans, Boston, Chicago or Vellore, nothing beats a good ole bus ride!
May the trips keep rolling.
mimes and sketches
played dumbcharades and pictionary with some ubercool people this evening. After a very very long time. Lots of competition and loads of fun.
I miss quizzing.
I miss quizzing.
One Step Closer
This wednesday evening was spent watching a reality show called Dirty Dancing on TV. The premise of this show is that 6 couples performing diverse dance routines compete to win a dance contract. There were salsa, tango, cha-cha, hip-hop, pop and ballroom dancing on stage.The male is a professional dancer who has to choose his partner out of three contestants. In the hip-hop category, the ladies had to put up with the obnoxiousness of this guy, who was self absorbed, pungent and racist. One of the contestants actually wanted to leave the show but held on for the love of the dance. When she actually won, she told him onstage that training with him made her lose respect for the dance and walked out. Despite losing out on a chance in the finals, she sure won a lot of respect.
Shahrocks Primetime
The much anticipated revival of kaun banega crorepati with more moolah at stake, and most importantly a new helmsman. Shahrukh Khan takes over from where Amitabh Bachchan left. Amitabh reclaimed his lost glory and won the hearts of millions of indians all around the world, being the accessibly affable superhost of this show. Shahrukh has huge shoes to fill. At a time when his moves seem to be taking Bachchan head on, comparisions and opinions are flowing in by the dozen.
I checked out the first 15-20 odd minutes courtesy youtube and I loved it. Heres why shahrukh hits the ball out of the ground.
Right from his early days till date, Shahrukh's forte is his charisma, energy and his uncanny ability to banter forever, with repartees thrown in good measure. It is exactly these which he brought in with him on the sets. Pour liberal measure of warmth and spontaneity, I am sure he brought smiles on everyones face with his introduction lines about not speaking pure hindi and when he asked the contestants wife to " wish him all the best and say I love you".SRKs enthusiam and geniality provides the perfect alternative to Amitabhs restraint.The only sore point was the shoddily made, kindergarden music video. Whats up with the blings and whites a-la Abhishek Bachchan bluffmaster mode? The english and hindi soliloquies...Namak Halaal/Velaikkaran anyone? and SRK did mention mere angane mein tumhara kya kaam hai.
give the guy his due..stop drawing comparisions and lets enjoy the show for what it is..Big B, SRK or whoever.
P.s: on a personal note, the new Don was a very well made film by its own might.
IF.
I remembered Rudyard Kipling's famous poem this morning on my way to work. I heard it for the first time during the teacher's farewell for my seniors, when my principal recited it on stage. Elegant, inspiring and plain wonderful, I love this poem. In fact, I had a poster of it on my wall for more than 5 years and quoted it in many an autograph book.
If
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!
Rudyard Kipling
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scrubisms
" In Med school they warn you about the sacrifices you need to
make, I guess it means different things to different people, like
giving up something you want now, for something you really want your
whole life "
Scrubs, Zach Braff- I am hooked!!
make, I guess it means different things to different people, like
giving up something you want now, for something you really want your
whole life "
Scrubs, Zach Braff- I am hooked!!
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Performancing
Heres my first post using the performancing firefox, a full featured blog editor for the Mozilla browser and am I impressed..:)
Now I dont need to log into my account everytime to write a post, all I need to do is press f8 and lo! this editor screen pops up. Once when I am done, I click publish and the post is automatically uploaded to your website ( obviously we should update the url and the login details)
You can store multiple blog sites and enable 1 click publishing for each of them.
Heres to performancing!!
Now I dont need to log into my account everytime to write a post, all I need to do is press f8 and lo! this editor screen pops up. Once when I am done, I click publish and the post is automatically uploaded to your website ( obviously we should update the url and the login details)
You can store multiple blog sites and enable 1 click publishing for each of them.
Heres to performancing!!
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Sit or be Seated
This evening I offered my seat to a lady who politely declined it.
The gentleman next to me got up and offered his seat to her, she politely declined it as well.
He caught her arm, turned her around and made her sit.
Whoever said Chivalry was dead, look again. Its alive, kicking and ready to grab you by the throat.
The gentleman next to me got up and offered his seat to her, she politely declined it as well.
He caught her arm, turned her around and made her sit.
Whoever said Chivalry was dead, look again. Its alive, kicking and ready to grab you by the throat.
INDIA POISED
INDIA POISED
India Poised- The Times of India's ode, on our 60th year of independence to the other India, the India which is ready to take on the world. A very interesting campaign, encompassing the varied facets of the media to get the message across. The website had an interesting appeal to it. I particularly savored the RK Laxman's TOI cartoons and Jug and Ninan's musings. The India Anthem as it is called is recited by the inimitable Amitabh Bachchan. Here's the text of it, and the video plays on the site.
Swe and I were discussing this couple of evenings back and the only thing in our minds was Why Amitabh Bachchan? . Its true that he is the numero uno of our film industry, a performer par excellence. Isnt it time we realize we are overplaying him? The guy is everywhere, right from promoting suitings, cars, pens and what not. Nowadays there are updates about his walk routines, temple visits and the like.
When I see Amitabh Bachchan take centerstage, the first thing that came to my mind was whether we will be able to appreciate and relate to someone else ? If so, would it be the same? Is it because of the fact that he has won the hearts of millions, we tend to cling to him? Are we scared to let go, because we fear the same impact would not be achieved?
Nevertheless, a very interesting and an inspirational campaign.Dont forget to get your indiapoised badges!!
India Poised- The Times of India's ode, on our 60th year of independence to the other India, the India which is ready to take on the world. A very interesting campaign, encompassing the varied facets of the media to get the message across. The website had an interesting appeal to it. I particularly savored the RK Laxman's TOI cartoons and Jug and Ninan's musings. The India Anthem as it is called is recited by the inimitable Amitabh Bachchan. Here's the text of it, and the video plays on the site.
There are two Indias in this country.
One India is straining at the leash, eager to spring forth and live up to all the adjectives that the world has been showering recently upon us. The other India is the leash.
One India says give me a chance and I'll prove myself. The other India says prove yourself first and maybe then you'll have a chance.
One India lives in the optimism of our hearts. The other India lurks in the skepticism of our minds.
One India wants. The other India hopes. One India leads. The other India follows.
But conversions are on the rise. With each passing day more and more people from the other India have been coming over to this side. And quietly, while the world is not looking, a pulsating, dynamic new India is emerging.
An India whose faith in success is far greater than its fear of failure. An India that no longer boycotts foreign-made goods but buys out the companies that make them instead.
History, they say, is a bad motorist. It rarely ever signals its intentions when it's taking a turn.
This is that rarely-ever moment. History is turning a page.
For over half a century, our nation has sprung, stumbled, run, fallen, rolled over, got up and dusted herself and cantered, sometimes lurched on. But today, as we begin our 60th year as a free nation, the ride has brought us to the edge of time's great precipice.
And one India - a tiny little voice at the back of the head - is looking down at the bottom of the ravine and hesitating.
The other India is looking up at the sky and saying it's time to fly.
INDIA POISED
Our time is now
Swe and I were discussing this couple of evenings back and the only thing in our minds was Why Amitabh Bachchan? . Its true that he is the numero uno of our film industry, a performer par excellence. Isnt it time we realize we are overplaying him? The guy is everywhere, right from promoting suitings, cars, pens and what not. Nowadays there are updates about his walk routines, temple visits and the like.
When I see Amitabh Bachchan take centerstage, the first thing that came to my mind was whether we will be able to appreciate and relate to someone else ? If so, would it be the same? Is it because of the fact that he has won the hearts of millions, we tend to cling to him? Are we scared to let go, because we fear the same impact would not be achieved?
Nevertheless, a very interesting and an inspirational campaign.Dont forget to get your indiapoised badges!!
Introspectively Retrospect
What a year its been, having its own shares of highs and lows, plusses and minuses, hits and misses, hellos and farewells. On a personal note, 2006 brought its share of enthusiasms and tribulations. I became a degree wiser, moved north east, working harder and enjoying it. Though the year started off on the wrong foot, things transitioned to a smoother directive and I hope its stays that way.
In retrospect, time exudes change, which keeps you going. Over the years, change has shaped my perception, thoughts and action. Change brings realization, which provides suitable experience for further change and the cycle goes on.2006 has been one such year and I hope the following years would be the same too.
Over the last year, I have made concious efforts to reconnect with people who matter the most and continue to do so. It may not be for knowing what their weekend plans are, but for consistent support, apprisal, opinions and criticism. At the same time, I require and respect my space and know that others do too. I have realised that keeping the final goal in sight, and savoring the steps towards it makes it worth the effort. Perfection isnt the zenith, striving towards it is. In addition, I have reaffirmed the importance of concurrent opinions in any relationship.
I have realized the importance of adequate rest.I have caught up on a lot of reading and honing my writing skills. I have walked miles and reaping the benefits of fitness and good health. I've volunteered and will continue doing so. I picked up my tennis from where it was and taking it further. I am meeting enterprising people by the day and seeking inspiration. Lifes looking up.
This year, I want to strike a more definitive balance betweeen liking what you do and doing what you like. I want to be a little more cynical,detached, practical, focused, diligent and smarter. My confidence, sense of humor, motivation and spirit is getting the much needed tinkering. Looks like I want a lot..true and I am working my ass off towards getting it. Did I forget to mention I turn 25 this year?
An awesome year ahead and pray everyone makes the most of it.
In retrospect, time exudes change, which keeps you going. Over the years, change has shaped my perception, thoughts and action. Change brings realization, which provides suitable experience for further change and the cycle goes on.2006 has been one such year and I hope the following years would be the same too.
Over the last year, I have made concious efforts to reconnect with people who matter the most and continue to do so. It may not be for knowing what their weekend plans are, but for consistent support, apprisal, opinions and criticism. At the same time, I require and respect my space and know that others do too. I have realised that keeping the final goal in sight, and savoring the steps towards it makes it worth the effort. Perfection isnt the zenith, striving towards it is. In addition, I have reaffirmed the importance of concurrent opinions in any relationship.
I have realized the importance of adequate rest.I have caught up on a lot of reading and honing my writing skills. I have walked miles and reaping the benefits of fitness and good health. I've volunteered and will continue doing so. I picked up my tennis from where it was and taking it further. I am meeting enterprising people by the day and seeking inspiration. Lifes looking up.
This year, I want to strike a more definitive balance betweeen liking what you do and doing what you like. I want to be a little more cynical,detached, practical, focused, diligent and smarter. My confidence, sense of humor, motivation and spirit is getting the much needed tinkering. Looks like I want a lot..true and I am working my ass off towards getting it. Did I forget to mention I turn 25 this year?
An awesome year ahead and pray everyone makes the most of it.
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