What makes it worse is when one has settled into a comfortable routine where one post comes up every few days... and now i sit in front of the screen and wonder: what do i write???
It would be easy to make this a bitch-blog. But i do not aim to use this blog to create a false sense of superiority.
It would be easy to make it a record of mundane events in my daily routine. But i don't have such an interesting life. Do i write what is happening in my sucky, frustrating life? Or do i need to have such detailed documentation of it??
So far, i write when i feel like writing about things that i might have something to say about. So it's a diary...
But it's not a diary either, cos it's out for the whole world to see.
So what is this blog?
i tend to treat it as a make-believe opinion column in a make-believe newspaper with a circulation of 1. So does that make it personal? Or does the fact that 1696 people have read my posts make it public?
And therein lies the identity crisis. And the blogger's block. And this rambling post.
25.8.06
20.8.06
Pigs...
This week was quite bad for the cricketing world. First the bomb blasts in Sri Lanka with the subsequent refusal of the South Africans to play, and today the ball tampering controversy in England and Pakistan's refusal to play. And although both happened far away in completely different contexts, one can't help but think that when someone will write the history of the sport in a few years time, both incidents will be grouped under the chapter 'Racism'.
i'm not one of those who are quick to interpret any controversy as White v/s Coloured. But cricket's track record is too strong to be denied as proof. And invariably, inspite of having a Pakistani chief, the ICC seems to have a different set of rules for the White Gentleman.
Australia played the Ashes quite happily after the London train bombings. And if the Australian or the English team had actually tampered the ball, no umpire in the world would have so openly and brazenly penalised them without any explanation or proof. The South Africans complain about the 'dangerous' situation in SL, and the very same night party in a disco close to where the bombings happened. Everyone knows both Brett Lee and Muralitharan chuck the ball, but only one of them has his credibility questioned. Pakistan has a past history of ball tampering which is always taken as 'proof' against them, but when known sledger Glenn McGrath gets into an argument with a 'coloured' Ramnaresh Sarwan, it's the latter who gets banned for a few matches. Spinning tracks in India are an 'unfair advantage' while bouncy, pacy wickets in Australia are 'challenging playing conditions'. And there's much more which i cannot remember...
i do not particularly like the Pakistani cricket team, but i so respect what they did today. In this time and age, cricket's soul lies in the sub-continent; but in ther minds of the controlling body, it's still a White Man's Game.
i'm not one of those who are quick to interpret any controversy as White v/s Coloured. But cricket's track record is too strong to be denied as proof. And invariably, inspite of having a Pakistani chief, the ICC seems to have a different set of rules for the White Gentleman.
Australia played the Ashes quite happily after the London train bombings. And if the Australian or the English team had actually tampered the ball, no umpire in the world would have so openly and brazenly penalised them without any explanation or proof. The South Africans complain about the 'dangerous' situation in SL, and the very same night party in a disco close to where the bombings happened. Everyone knows both Brett Lee and Muralitharan chuck the ball, but only one of them has his credibility questioned. Pakistan has a past history of ball tampering which is always taken as 'proof' against them, but when known sledger Glenn McGrath gets into an argument with a 'coloured' Ramnaresh Sarwan, it's the latter who gets banned for a few matches. Spinning tracks in India are an 'unfair advantage' while bouncy, pacy wickets in Australia are 'challenging playing conditions'. And there's much more which i cannot remember...
i do not particularly like the Pakistani cricket team, but i so respect what they did today. In this time and age, cricket's soul lies in the sub-continent; but in ther minds of the controlling body, it's still a White Man's Game.
19.8.06
Ok fine!!!...
i can't believe i'm saying this, but still...
KANK WAS A DECENT MOVIE
(but now starts the fine print.. muhahahahahahhaahha...:
1) The trappings of a Karan Johar movie distract from what i feel is a good tight script.
2) Shahrukh Khan cannot act. Yet i sympathise with his character's attitude having been through many frustrating phases with similar reactions.
3) It's a little embarassing to watch Amitabh. But benefit of doubt. Maybe it's just my problem.
4) Why the contrived end?
5) Why can't such movies be based in India? Similar issues with Salaam Namaste as well. If you want to be bold, be bolder and set it in Mumbai, not in Manhattan.)
And before i start sounding like a film critic, i will stop.
KANK WAS A DECENT MOVIE
(but now starts the fine print.. muhahahahahahhaahha...:
1) The trappings of a Karan Johar movie distract from what i feel is a good tight script.
2) Shahrukh Khan cannot act. Yet i sympathise with his character's attitude having been through many frustrating phases with similar reactions.
3) It's a little embarassing to watch Amitabh. But benefit of doubt. Maybe it's just my problem.
4) Why the contrived end?
5) Why can't such movies be based in India? Similar issues with Salaam Namaste as well. If you want to be bold, be bolder and set it in Mumbai, not in Manhattan.)
And before i start sounding like a film critic, i will stop.
14.8.06
Freedom...
A day when i can't go to site because i might die in a bomb explosion in a bus.
A day when i can't watch a movie in a theatre because there just might be a human bomb there.
A day when i can't drive on the roads peacefully because the cops will stop me at every checkpoint.
A day when the PM of this country tells us to be aware of terrorist threats.
A day when air traffic is slowed down because of increased security threats.
A day when a simple car accident could start communal riots.
A day of sitting at home and saying 'Saare Jahan Se Accha'.
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!
May next year's Independence Day be truly free of fear.
A day when i can't watch a movie in a theatre because there just might be a human bomb there.
A day when i can't drive on the roads peacefully because the cops will stop me at every checkpoint.
A day when the PM of this country tells us to be aware of terrorist threats.
A day when air traffic is slowed down because of increased security threats.
A day when a simple car accident could start communal riots.
A day of sitting at home and saying 'Saare Jahan Se Accha'.
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!
May next year's Independence Day be truly free of fear.
13.8.06
Speed post...
Why does a bad song get stuck in my head for weeks? And why do bad songs get played so often on the radio that i start liking them?
Do people who go abroad to study n say they'll come back ever do?
Why is Iago (or Langda Tyagi) the 'ideal villain'? Is it because he does nothing evil himself, but inspires the evil in others?
Why is orkut so addictive?
Why do we derive pleasure from criticising others just to make ourselves feel less inferior?
Who would you consider a closer friend? Someone who's been your classmate for 10 years or someone you've never seen but just chatted online with for 5 years?
Do businesses actually earn any profits when they offer 'ek pe ek free'?
Why does passion get replaced by anger and frustration so often in life?
Where do i get the answers to these questions?
Do people who go abroad to study n say they'll come back ever do?
Why is Iago (or Langda Tyagi) the 'ideal villain'? Is it because he does nothing evil himself, but inspires the evil in others?
Why is orkut so addictive?
Why do we derive pleasure from criticising others just to make ourselves feel less inferior?
Who would you consider a closer friend? Someone who's been your classmate for 10 years or someone you've never seen but just chatted online with for 5 years?
Do businesses actually earn any profits when they offer 'ek pe ek free'?
Why does passion get replaced by anger and frustration so often in life?
Where do i get the answers to these questions?
7.8.06
Touchy...
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!
A psychologist who seems modern by her attire complains to the cops that some artist is showing porn under the guise of art! All this in South Mumbai!!!!
And i thought only the VHP and Bajrang Dal had a problem with it...
And i feel sorry for her patients.. especially the ones with sexual issues.....
In a particular 'Seinfeld' episode, Jerry's funny Catholic dentist converts to Judaism. Shocking. But what seems worse to Jerry is that he suddenly starts cracking Jewish jokes. When asked, he says, "I'm a JEW now. I'm allowed to make Jewish jokes. It's our sense of humour that has brought us through 2000 years of hardship... Ok sorry 4000..."
Maybe all artists should join the RSS...
A psychologist who seems modern by her attire complains to the cops that some artist is showing porn under the guise of art! All this in South Mumbai!!!!
And i thought only the VHP and Bajrang Dal had a problem with it...
And i feel sorry for her patients.. especially the ones with sexual issues.....
In a particular 'Seinfeld' episode, Jerry's funny Catholic dentist converts to Judaism. Shocking. But what seems worse to Jerry is that he suddenly starts cracking Jewish jokes. When asked, he says, "I'm a JEW now. I'm allowed to make Jewish jokes. It's our sense of humour that has brought us through 2000 years of hardship... Ok sorry 4000..."
Maybe all artists should join the RSS...
6.8.06
Rain Rain Come Again...
MHADA and the South-West Monsoon Winds bring to you,
For the First Time Ever In Mumbai,
LEARN SWIMMING AT HOME!!!!!
NO NEED FOR SWIMMING POOL, LIFEGUARDS ETC.
All you need is:
1) a MHADA constructed building
2) a room facing the southwest direction (for vaastu compliance)
3) rubber floats and swimming trunks
We take responsibility for making sure you get sufficient depth of water!
All in the comfort of your own home!!!
Hurry! Only 2 months for the monsoon to end!
We do not take responsibilty if you ceiling collapses and injures you. Depth of water may be subject to vagaries of monsoon.
For the First Time Ever In Mumbai,
LEARN SWIMMING AT HOME!!!!!
NO NEED FOR SWIMMING POOL, LIFEGUARDS ETC.
All you need is:
1) a MHADA constructed building
2) a room facing the southwest direction (for vaastu compliance)
3) rubber floats and swimming trunks
We take responsibility for making sure you get sufficient depth of water!
All in the comfort of your own home!!!
Hurry! Only 2 months for the monsoon to end!
We do not take responsibilty if you ceiling collapses and injures you. Depth of water may be subject to vagaries of monsoon.
1.8.06
Karan Johar...
My favourite billboard is one that stands right outside my bedroom window. Very useful, especially when the computer misbehaves or the world wide wait gets longer. Today, it shows me a poster for Karan Johar's latest magnum opus, 'Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna'. Studded with the most saleable stars in Bollywood, it attempts (or so i've heard) to recreate 'Closer' but with an 'Indian' heart. 'Closer' portrays the extra-marital affair in the grey, vague territory it lies in. Is it about lust, longing, love or just revenge? And from KANK's trailers, i know it's a totally sappy Karan Johar melodrama about (i quote from the poster) 'A Love... That Broke All Relationships'. Sob Sob. Clap Clap. Good tagline.
i'm expecting a truly bad movie. For one, it has Shahrukh Khan spreading his arms out to violins in the background like he's done in 300 million scenes before this movie. It has Amitabh Bachchan getting credit as if he's the hero of the movie. Karan wants to be in 'Amit uncle's' good books. He gets to say lines like 'Love and death creep up when you least expect it.' And i'm sure there's a loooooong unneccessary role for him complete with dance sequence because 'he's soooo cute even at this age!!!' (puke) And it has the requisite Disco-with-Bhartiya-Dil song. And the slick promos with brown leaves floating all around. And foreign locations with all their sanitised glassiness. And the list goes on. And it won't matter if it's a bad movie. All the critics will shower their praises on him and then call and say 'When will you read my script?', YashRaj films will declare it a hit within a weekend. All theatres, all shows will be KANK KANK KANK...(sounds like a rooster with a stone stuck in his throat) Ugh.
Why can't he stop making movies when all of them look the same??
Oh, they're changing the poster now. Wow! It's Mallika Sherawat and Rahul Bose in a movie together!!!! Now i don't know whether to watch it or leave it...
i'm expecting a truly bad movie. For one, it has Shahrukh Khan spreading his arms out to violins in the background like he's done in 300 million scenes before this movie. It has Amitabh Bachchan getting credit as if he's the hero of the movie. Karan wants to be in 'Amit uncle's' good books. He gets to say lines like 'Love and death creep up when you least expect it.' And i'm sure there's a loooooong unneccessary role for him complete with dance sequence because 'he's soooo cute even at this age!!!' (puke) And it has the requisite Disco-with-Bhartiya-Dil song. And the slick promos with brown leaves floating all around. And foreign locations with all their sanitised glassiness. And the list goes on. And it won't matter if it's a bad movie. All the critics will shower their praises on him and then call and say 'When will you read my script?', YashRaj films will declare it a hit within a weekend. All theatres, all shows will be KANK KANK KANK...(sounds like a rooster with a stone stuck in his throat) Ugh.
Why can't he stop making movies when all of them look the same??
Oh, they're changing the poster now. Wow! It's Mallika Sherawat and Rahul Bose in a movie together!!!! Now i don't know whether to watch it or leave it...
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