the week in pictures

a 26 year old's advanced birthday 
gift to a 30 year old

Of course, Aai and KT think, we should give more age appropriate gifts. But then bro insisted and crossword was giving a 20% discount. Who would let go of a bargain on a gift ? :P\


Since then weekends, train travels have been scrabble-ed! And I am getting better at making a bunch of 30 year olds lose. sourly. bwahahaha.

The ganpati at home!

The better part of the week was spent in travelling and being creative. The ganpati at home gets a jazzy feel. Quite an achievement as we are pretty non-page-3 people! 

:D

I don't crack up at puneri paati jokes much, but this one found/spotted in Nagpur was hilarious! with its morbid tone and all!


P.S. In India, trucks, auto-rikshaw normally have some life gyaan giving messages painted at their back. This one here literally means - Money earned by dishonest means, comes out by tearing intestines.

Amazing tale!

Had a lot of fun judging a drawing competition for kids in our society. Some judge rain-checked, so I had to fill in her place. Also had triple the fun, reading this with a 9 year old cousin.


Neha I have finally read this most wonderful book! Am I part of the fellowship yet ? :)

So this was more or less my week. Full of shopping, meeting people, reading and eating great food!
Also took up a little home interiors project back at home. Will get to see its implementation during next visit!


Onto catching up all the un-read blogs NOW!


~nightflier

#SmallJoys

Came across this (above) tag on my twitter timeline and thought it would be great to make a post out of it!


# eating panipuris.
# Finding exact 10 rs or a dollar bill in pocket to buy five star/milkyway/ mars bar.
# Reading old letters.
# People watching.
# Parallel Universes.
# Tender coconut ice-cream.
# Calvin and hobbes.
# Buying (for myself)/gifting/watching flowers.
# Thinking of calling/pinging a friend and getting called/pinged by the same friend at the same moment.
# Madhuri dixit. (I caught a few scenes from beta yesterday)
# Learning any new language/words.
# cheap thrills (as mentioned by neha in her post. I had forgotten how joyful they are!)
# Getting up to see 15 unmoderated comments in blogger inbox.
# seeing updated blogs in my reading list and hurriedly devouring them all! (There was a time when KP was not as frequent in her blog updation as she is now :D)
# Clearing any angry birds level with a 3 star. without it also actually.
# Writing notes with gifts/greeting cards.
# Making greeting cards.
# Beating baba (dad) to the remote at 9 pm. [He wants to watch some bajirao serial and I want to watch Master Chef]
# Imagining filmy reactions to situations to spice them up.
# Sachin Tendulkar.
# Watching SRK romances.
# Wearing ironed clothes.
# Planting pranks on friends/aai.
# Watching chors like Kalmadi getting punished.
# Winning a game of solitaire/mine sweeper without any strategy
# Books.
# Writing blogposts.
# Aai trying to include my kitchen methods/short cuts/styles in her routine :D
# Beating myself to catch the bus. [Chicago days]
# Taking long walks on my own.
# Exploring neighbourhoods.
# Gossiping about random hostel-mates with kt, rinku, lee, prady, kp, rupali.
# Not letting go of  old clothes. [OK I do let go if they no longer fit me]
# Not saying 'I told you so'. Instead being SMUG about it. :D
# Running away from boring/nosy relatives/people.
# Shooing off a lizard after much deliberation and finding courage to do so.
# Forgetting the umbrella at home and getting wet later.
# Accidentally finding the iTouch to be fully charged in a long journey/boring lecture/session.
# Getting to know interesting people.
# Selective forgetfulness.


Oh My God! I can just go on adding stuff to this list and it will become never ending.
So must add this one 
# Trying to make such a list and finding out there are so many small things to be joyful about! :)


~nightflier

ramble ramble but dont gamble

P.S. ignore the title. I loved the rhyme though :P


So there are times, I mean phases in my weeks when I am literally blank. Its like time freezes and I get sucked into this blackhole where nothing happens. So I am going to ramble about whatever tiny eet-bits happen around my life these days.


* I watched scott pilgrim vs. the world. It is PURE AWESOMENESS. I am still laughing inside my head. OK giggling in mute (as a friend is asleep) in front of the laptop screen. You guys it is EPIC. Watch it. OK do I sound like a teenager now ? I may. But you can't ignore that its AWESOME!


* I am reading the girl with the dragon tattoo by Stieg Larsson. I am loving that one too! For once its a thriller not set in a regular American city. Its set in Sweden and is strangely mysterious. And is opening my eyes to how much abuse women all over the world undergo, despite the race, colour or ethnicity. I highly recommend.


* Even in Texas (Dallas actually, I don't know why I keep calling every texan city as Texas :D) I have stuck to my walk schedule. When things cool down late in the night, I set out for my daily walk of 1.5 miles around the soccer field of UTD. I have also got acquainted to the campus and can now venture out on my own. It still remains a stranger university for me. Go hawks!!!!!!


* I made some Indian style pasta today (wanted to make Neha style but there was no zuccini and basil at home :-/). And to mix things a bit, while cooking added some milk in the pasta to give it a rich creamy flavour. Did not go bad. Added julienne cut veggies (peppers,tomatoes,scallions,carrots,mushrooms), lots of garlic, sauted them for like 5 mins, and then added coriander powder and a little marinara sauce (I am not a huge fan) then sauted some more, added the pasta, some black pepper and some salt. Garnished with cilantro. Pretty decent for 6 people.


* I am socialising with random people these days. End up in unknown people's birthday parties (the midnight cake cutting ceremonies i.e.). Don't particularly like it, but then want to be remembered as the good jolly guest from the midwest. Its funny as I very politely wish the birthday person and then hide away in one corner. And that's why I would not like any strangers at my birthday parties. Because I as the birthday girl would never know much about their existence in my party. And stranger if you are reading this then dont mind at all to come over for my birthday anyways. We will do some small talk and you will get the cake too!


* We have tea + scrabble time nowadays. So around 6 pm when everyone starts coming back from work, we make tea and indulge in a game of scrabble. That's another thing that I am finding the iTouch to be of extreme use for. The other thing is reading. And the other other thing is music, sometimes.

* We also made gulaab jamuns the other day. I think I have become an expert at the art of making a good (consistent enough) dough and not letting them break while frying. iLike :)


* And then was talking with dad about the CWG the other day. I seriously don't understand if you are minting money, why not at least have the conscience to spend it properly first. What a shame!


* Also watched a french movie called Wild Grass (Les Herbes Folles). It is at times funny, sometimes weird and most of the times touching. I anyways like weird movies. So watch it if you do too. And remember whatever our age the wild grass inside us is never tamed. Completely. 


* There are times when I so want to be politically incorrect and blurt out stuff. But I am somehow practising self control and instead drafting such thoughts and writing them down. And on more than one occasions I have been thankful for the restraint I showed earlier by not thinking/shouting out aloud. Is it true that I am growing up with a split Calvin inside ?


~nightflier


P.S. oh just in case you wondered I am still pretty much jobless and looking for jobs.

a glimpse into my world

Now those who know me and read this blog, know how I got addicted to television. How it has become an integral part of my life here in the US. [most of it is attributed to not having to eat meals alone i.e. my work around for having some company ;) for those who dont know]


So anywhoo (this is something I picked up from Scrubs :P) point behind this post is nothing but praise some of the tv shows that I have come to love!


1. Sex and the city - Now before TV became such a huge part of my life, I always had my reasons for not watching this show. Its kind of obvious in the name itself. And I openly admit that I was judgemental about it. Until one of my close friends whose taste in such matters I consider of great importance, raved about it. Then my roomie, who is a smart, independent person herself also started going gaga about it. [there are only 2 ways you can make me watch/read a movie/serial/book - I should either love you too much or respect you too much to ignore ;)]
So without any clue I hurled myself into the world of the fabulous Carrie Bradshaw. Co-incidentally I was going through a low phase in life and used to miss life back home and friends like anything. So SATC gave me a reason to look forward to my meals and life, in a new way. Watching it was like hanging out with girls (friends) over drinks/coffee/breakfast and just be yourself. And the more I progressed into the show, I started realizing it was intelligent and deep. And despite being neurotic and sometimes stupid, I started relating with Carrie. Because of her obvious flaws (and love for shoes. I tend to judge people from their shoes only if I dont know them and need to form an opinion) and her need to be accepted the way she is. Its a huge revelation you know. To acknowledge ones own flaws and just being oneself. And deal with life your own way.
So for all this and the great company that I got during my meals, this show is one of all time favourites!
[I love all the girls in the show equally btw]
my favourite lines from the show - so many !!!!!


2. House MD - Medical detective drama and me! Quite inseparable! Plus Greg House is so wacky, whimsical, wicked, and at times philosophical and human that I am in love with him. Some of the cases are so intriguing and the underlying tensions in the team, House's manipulative strategies of differential diagnosis make it all the more engaging! Plus they dont show much intrusive medical procedure. Hence a safe meal time companion.
But what I dont write here, beyond the obvious, is how I House has had a profound impact on me. Specially the episode where House has to treat a brain cancer patient and how he is humbled at the end!
My favourite lines from the show - 'You can't always get what you want!' and many more


3. Big Bang Theory - I like nerdy stuff! And Sheldon Cooper you rock! For his priceless bazinga moments I can sit through some other mindless stuff. And I have seen quite a few comedy sitcoms. But BBT could make a place in my heart. May be because it is weird, they talk about science, physics and other geeky stuff :P


4. Castle - Beckett-Castle chemistry is the freshest stuff I have seen between 2 crime detectives since sherlcok holmes - watson. Well may be I exaggerate. But it is very likeable and funny. Plus Ric Castle's home is so fabulous and the kind of rich-kid-gone-spoilt stuff he engages in (read video games, laser tags etc) is super awesome! And I really like the very professional, no-nonsense, dedicated feel Beckett brings to the work place. Double thumbs up!


5. Glee - I know its ages past my age to watch high school dramas. But everyone in Glee is so godammitly talented, that I overcame my initial awkwardness of watching Glee. I love all the music, drama and theatrics in it. I always had this little dream of becoming a performer (only to realize later that I can't really handle all the attention one gets :P) and Glee lets me live it. Vicariously enough! ;)


So all in all I have a really high opinion of American Television now! It can accommodate so many tastes. Desi TV aisa kab banega ? :-/


~nightflier

Ramblings

1. The other day was talking to a friend and he started telling me how his mother gives my example as an ideal girl (in terms of independence) to his younger sister. Boy! If I was his sister I would have hated me. Seriously, when I was small and dad/mom used to tell me 'see him/her and see how independent/polite/nicely behaved/whatever they are!' I used to put those very people in my 'always-keep-safe-distance-with' list. It was an automated thing. With time I have managed to be in touch with most of them, but there are some who still secretly lie(or lay ?) there ;)


2. I refresh my facebook page almost every minute, to see how much people rock. And sometimes it does make me feel miserable, seeing how these people can put their entire daily life out there. I really admire these people. Is there any lower barrier for sucking ?


3. Have a new found love for walks. Started it after the DC trip (thanks to the amazing weather!). Fun walking as I call it, is therapeutic. Just my iPod, no running/walking shoes and taking random strolls at my will. This is the highest point of my otherwise boring routine life. And somehow the idea that I wont be here after 15 days, makes me sad :(
Anywho, better late than never. I hope to explore the Michigan lakeside more. And to anyone planning to visit the city, this place is a MUST visit! (only during May-August).


4. Have started watching LOST. To tell you the truth, I found it okay. I mean nothing great. Plus I think if you have watched a lot of tv then you get a hang of it all. Not that I am looking for something to think or ponder upon, but LOST doesnt exactly deserve the WOW ratings it gets! (totally my opinion)


5. And the desire or wish to go back to India is all the more strong now. I mean I should stop lying to myself or anyone, hence putting it here. I do have a job in hand, which looks promising for long term. But I am not happy. Not a bit. Now some friends/people will call me ungrateful or stupid (may be) but I seriously dont want to live here. So anyone who knows any openings in India, specially tech sector, please please please, let me know! (Especially in Mumbai or Pune :D) Thanks in advance!


~nightflier :)

scattered thoughts

1. Came across this and started wondering, what disturbs me the most about Mumbai (the pathetic security issues apart). Its the mall culture! I remember a journey taken alone from Vasai to Thane in a shady MSRTC bus (guess it was 2007) and the only thing I noticed during that shaky, uneventful ride was the number of malls. Believe me, once the bus had hit the highway, every nook had one of those coupled with a multiplex here and there. If Mumbai is our answer (reply or whatever) as THE metropolis to the rest of the world, dont you think we are giving a made up one ? I mean do we even realize where all this consumerism wala culture is leading us ? Apart from the real estate guys and the owners of these brands getting benefited, guess we are just getting sucked into this blackhole to nowhere. I mean where is the Mumbai charm of seashores, sunshine, roadside thelas, small dingy hotels serving delicious food, crowd, locals.
No wonder the slumdoug dude (whats his name ?) ended up showing extremities in his film and got criticized. 


2. Bacchha log these days are growing up so fast (with due care not to sound like an old hag, do mark my words). I have a bunch of cousins as my facebook friends and the transformation they have undergone is tremendous! I for some reason, just travelled far and wide, and the growth factor isn't yet reflecting. Somehow :-/
tch tch..
Time to make the clan proud! Pass me the wig, will ya ?


3. Bubble wrap should be featured as the most un-harmful way of whiling away time. Have been popping bubbles for godknowshowlongnow! (did you realize that last word I made up has 5 o's and 3 w's strategically placed!!!!) To the inventor of bubble wrap and the grin every popped bubble brings to my face!


~nightflier

Mom special!

On a casual Jewel Osco visit, I found super fresh cilantro (kothimbir/sambar/coriander) judis neatly stacked. As any female would do, I quickly made my way to the aisle and smartly bought 2 of them. At the checkout I realized my secret (there you go!) resolution to not waste any food items, and my spirits sank (guess to my knees). 

A quick call to India, and aai told me to make Sambar wadis! (oh well, she was woken out of her deep slumber and she still managed to give me a detailed recipe as well :))

I made my own changes to the recipe (out of constraints) and voila!

Here's my recipe for low cal Sambar wadis!

1. All one needs is cilantro, washed, very well dried and finely chopped, some green peppers finely chopped, few raisins, few sesame (til) seeds, grated dried coconut, rai (mustard seeds), haldi, mirchi powder, salt.

2. To make the dough one needs some gram flour (besan) and maida as a binding agent (I did not have it, so I used wheat flour). I took both the flours 50-50. I put some hot oil (called as mohan) in the flour mixture and made the dough and set it aside.

3. The filling which was the cilantro/kothimbir sabji was made the usual way. Tadka of rai, green peppers, haldi, mirchi. And then the coconut, raisins and sesame seeds. And finally the cilantro and salt. Took me hardly 5 minutes. One can also add grated carrots and green peas. Makes it even more healthier.

4. Now I made small rotis of the dough and started filling them with the subji and shaped them like spring rolls (thats the traditional way). In the midst of all this, I forgot that I was almost out of cooking oil. Sheesh..

So I devised a work around (which my roomie had suggested earlier :P). I microwaved each wadi separately for a minute! And the results were awesome!

Here's a pic stating the same!

Do try them, if you happen to buy an extra bundle of cilantro like me. Otherwise also ;)

~nightflier

Lets play the music tag!

Reporting from ER@ Mercy hospital.

Dont worry guys, a friend has been admitted here for what seems like a case of Kikuchi disease after complaints of trouble swallowing and a real bad sore throat. The doctors are still unsure of her mysterious medical condition btw. So in between taking care of her (read boring her and the visiting docs, making fun of the docs, nurses and the staff in general) I decided to blog. (I know real real mean of me!). Yes, hospitals here have a pretty good bandwidth of wi-fi. Lets us stream shows, download homework assignments, and play farmville.

First, some funny facts about hospitals here. My friend with a bad throat problem has been given all kinds of tangy foods like orange juice, curds, pine apples, and anything else you can think of. Now back home, things like these are forbidden with a sore throat. Specially the mother clan will make sure that one gets only soups, hot teas, and dal-bhaat (rice and lentils) in an unwell condition. So what was to be avoided in India, is something not to be worried about in the US. Strange!

So coming back to the cause of my return to the fun world of blogging. Recently nishant tagged me for what sounds to be a fun tag.

this is how it goes .. List down 5 songs running through your mind / Playlist right now.

I normally dont have a 'songs' pattern. I am slightly dyslexic when it comes to listening to songs. One can find me listening to anything, from classical to rock. It is strictly mood based. And I normally pick up songs randomly. As far as my history goes, I have got introduced to really awesome songs long after they have been released/become legends. My friends and family to an extent, with varied taste of music are a major reason for whatever my music appetite is.

Mom had a thing for Marathi music (still has..one should listen to her going ga ga over sa-re-ga-ma-pa champs) and we practically grew up listening to the same tapes over and over again. A music system was a tape-recorder then. And her collection was on TDK tapes, I remember! Then at home my bro introduced me the videsi (english) music. Boyzone, backstreet boys (Nick Carter :P), MLTR, westlife, savage garden have been my teenage music crushes! Then I moved on to Bryan Adams. Lately beatles (thanks to last.fm radio) have been a great addition to my music food (And telling people that I listen to beatles also sounds supercool btw ;)). Then I remember my engineering roomie being a total lovey-dovey songs freak. Another friend at hostel (whom I think has a real good sense of music) introduced me to lots of jazz, gazals and random hindi pop stuff. Nowadays as far as Hindi music goes, I rely on new music releases and YouTube.

So after all this blabber (I hope at least one of you found it interesting :P), my random 5 songs are

1. rehna tu - delhi 6 - this song is awesome!

2. masakalli - delhi 6 - its tune just cheers me up. Have been listening to it for quite a few days now. I also make my patient (the one in the hospital and not the quality, duh!) friend listen to it at least once during my visit.

3. single ladies - beyonce - Me and my roomie have a new found dance instructor in the form of Beyonce. I know quite a tough dance form to practise with my agility! sigh..

And funnily I hum this song as 'I am a single lady'. That 'deciphering the english accent' disorder is rooted methinks! :-/

4. pachai nirame - alai payuthey (saathiya) - I was humming this tune (I say the tamil song cos I know the words were definitely 'not hindi'!) throughout the day. Btw pachai nirame means green leaves. I thought they LITERALLY translated tamil songs to hindi! (dont mind me, but I used to listen to tamil songs as a kid-courtesy neighbours, and they always used to tell me that the tamil lyrics are literally translated to hindi!)

5. kabhi kabhi aditi - jane tu ya jane na - again a song which cheers me up, these days! (Mind you, I am quite a cheerful person meself :P)

Thus, I am done listing my 5 random songs. It was a fun (not much thinking required) tag indeed. Thanks Nishant!

I am tagging all my readers :)

~nightflier

the book bug

Most of my friends do call me Hermione Granger. So a tag justifying this name tag !

Rules - take 15 minutes to list out 15 books that come to your mind, of course, the ones you have read (in no less than 15 minutes). Next, list out the reasons (take your time for this) what makes the book special. (I kinda modified the otherwise simple tag)

My list is as follows:

1. Partner - V.P.Kale - It's one of those books, for which I kept book-reading sessions for my non Marathi friends, during hostel days.

2. Harry Potter and the deathly hallows - J.K.Rowling - It is the only fiction book I carried to the USA. I still read some chapters before going to sleep.

3. There's a hippie on the highway - James Hadley Chase - One of the first thrillers I ever read.

4. The Fountainhead - This book had hypnotized me (Well, the writing style was supposed to do that). I would like to read it again.

5. Swami - Ranjit Desai - I read a marathi book almost after 2 years. So this book is special.

6. Eagle in the sky - Wilbur Smith - Love stories can't get any better :)

7. Yayaati - V.S.Khandekar - I always wanted to read award winning books. This is my first Dnyanpeeth award winner read.

8. To Kill a mocking bird - Harper Lee - Simple and moving. To the core. It's one of my favorites!

9. Lord of the rings (The fellowship of the ring) - JRR Tolkien - I have read this part of the epic 3 times now. :|

10. Life of Pi - Yann Martel - An astonishing tale of survival and life. I managed to lay my hands on the copy which had illustrations by Tomislav Torjanac.

11. Panchatantra - According to wiki there is no specific author, it's just a collection of verses. (and sadly I also dont remember). But these were my favorite bed-time stories.

12. Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - I was (still am) so much influenced by Mr. Holmes that as a kid I wanted to be a detective. :D

13. Mrityunjaya - Shivaji Sawant - One of the literary classics. I like history and mythology and this book epitomizes all that I love in a book.

14. Ek hota carver - Veena Gavankar - One of the awesomely inspiring books I have read during my school days.

15. Love story - Eric Segal - If you ask me the one book which made me cry like a child, it's this one. I liked it's sequel too.

I am tagging every book lover (if you have a blog or don't, doesn't matter), who would like to refresh old memories.

~nightflier :)

Joblessness

Recently I was tagged on facebook for some random thing. That reminded me its a good time to post these tags on my blog, since my blog needs some interesting posts, desperately! (Read Reuters recently came to me telling that how pathetically updated my blog is!)

So here are the rules - post this list on your blog replacing my answers with yours.

Tag people to do the same thing.

If I did not tag YOU, it's because I don't want to know more about YOU! :P
So I tag everyone interested in an interesting blog-post :)

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
No. Surprisingly dad conjured it up! :S


2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
Last saturday, after I had a small fight with one of my friends, whom I was meeting after an year :(

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
Now or when I was in school ? My handwriting NOW depresses me. But I have heard stories that earlier my teachers used to ask mom for assistance.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Chicken. Considering its the ONLY type of meat I eat.

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
Isn't there a legal age bar for this one ? YOU are not supposed to ask such questions to kids!!

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
But(t) obvious!! You don't find such creatively funny individuals everywhere!!??

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM?
Refer 6 above. (And I am not doing any management degree!)

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
huh... is that a metaphor ??

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
Tell me when and where!!!! wheeeeeeee......

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
Kelloggs 'original' corn flakes.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Yes. It's good for the shoes' health, I have heard.

12. THIS IS A FREE ONE, PUT ANYTHING:
NOTHING.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
Dinshaws - Roasted almond, Kavre - any sundae, Dove - unconditional chocolate

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
girls - footwear, guys - eyes, hair, kids - their parents!!

15. RED OR PINK?
Orange :P

16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
I get bored pretty soon :|

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
Its situational. Right now I am missing myself.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THIS LIST?
I will respect you anyways! :)

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
Too personal :P blushes PINK ;)

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
wind chimes in my room.

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
Blue.

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Methi ki subji, thecha, mere desh ki khushbooooooo :P

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
My bro.

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
NA :P

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
Tennis, beach volleyball.

27. HAIR COLOR?
Black

28. EYE COLOR?
Dark Brown

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
I have no wish to turn into Amir Khan from Ghajini.

30. FAVORITE FOOD?
Paani Puri, barbequed chicken, salads, varan bhaat (lentils and rice) :)

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
MOVIES !!! big time!!!

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
Love-Aaj-Kal

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
Refer answer to question 19.

34. SUMMER OR WINTER?
Winter :)

35. HUGS OR KISSES?
Right now hugs :)

36. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
Yayaati by V. S. Khandekar and World is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
I don't use one.

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT?
House - Season 4 - episode 14.

42. FAVORITE SOUND(S).
The sound of onions getting fried. Waterfalls.

43. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FLOWER?
white roses/gerberas/carnesians (how do u spell this ?? :|)/gladiolus/lilys/orchids/nishigandha

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
USA (Chicago)

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
I can watch n low class (equivalent to himesh bhai's) movies without getting bored and still find each one uniquely different.

46 WHERE WERE U BORN?
Nagpur

47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK?
Yours , if you are interested in answering :P

~nightflier

Parody no. 1

I know all of us have watched and enjoyed this movie :D

I love this parody. It is awesomely wonderful. The kids and actors (Sridevi and Anil Kapoor) must have had so much fun. It kinda looks evident. 

I particularly love the part when Anil Kapoor joins the gang of brats and sings 'lafda hai ye kya mujhko batana' and uses his hat as a dafli and finally the kawwali. Damn funny and awesome!! Kudos to Laxmikant Pyarelaal, Javed Akhtar and Shekhar Kapur for a super refreshing sequence and movie.

Enjoy people !!!

And don't miss Sridevi's antics. I think she is one of the finest female actors we have, who can carry off comedy so effortlessly.

~nightflier

kadhi tari vedyagat vagayala have ..

Describes my state of mind :D

I have been to one of their shows and shooting of the show is strictly prohibited!

Wonder who dared shoot this. Nonetheless, good for us :)

I found the kavita vachan with acting concept really novel and refreshing. Also listen closely to those strings in the background.

Enjoy :)

~nightflier

self discovery !!

Life is all about self discovery and stupid co-incidences. So they say!!

I just realized that my first and last name have only one alphabet in common. And co-incidentally it starts and ends with that "same" alphabet !!

And the Oscar for the most original and moving discovery goes to, of course ME !!

One glorious day..oops night !

Have a good one, you all :)

nightflier!

favorite quotes

Well its been many days since I wrote "some"thing (except for copied songs and terror attacks and laments). So here's something I have been trying to pen down for a long while now. Again this is a collection of what other people say. A bunch of quotes may be. But I loved them. Anyways, here's the list of my favorite quotes.

The Terminator : I will be back. - terminator 2 judgement day (the conviction in the words makes you trust even the terminator)

Howard Roark : Most people build as they live as a matter of routine and senseless accident. But a few understand that a building is a great symbol. We live in our minds and existence is the attempt to bring that life into physical reality to state it in gesture and form. For the man who understand this, a house he owns is a statement of his life. If he does not build when he has the means, its because his life has not been what he wanted. - The Fountainhead

Howard Roark : But I don't think of you. - The Fountainhead (says this to Ellsworth Toohey)

Calvin : Nothing spoils fun like finding out, it builds character. - Calvin (love that sarcastic undertone)

Louis Vuitton ad - Can there be a greater journey than love ? (the ad features andre agassi and my fav steffi graf :))

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore : To the well organized mind death is but the next great adventure. - harry potter and the sorcerer's stone

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore : It is our choices, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities - harry potter and the chamber of secrets (this quote also appears in book 4, some words here and there)

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore : Indifference and neglect often do much more damage than outright dislike. - harry potter and the order of the phoenix

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore : Youth can not know how age thinks and feels. But old men are guilty if they forget what it was to be young. - harry potter and the order of the phoenix

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore : People find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong than being right. - harry potter and the half blood prince

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore : It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live. - harry potter and the sorcerer's stone

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore : In fact being rather cleverer than most men, my mistakes tend to be correspondingly huger. - harry potter and the half blood prince

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore : Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all, those who live without love. - harry potter and the deathly hallows

well, again, it seems I have no life. Only dumbledore!! But these books and rand's writing have been great influences and motivators for me. I will keep adding stuff to this post. I can be a bit lazy on Sunday mornings :)

till then,

wish you all a merry x'mas !!

may the stars watch upon you.

my cartoon character match!!

What do you do when you are bored ?
come on I will give u hints...
1. you have been studying for looooong (1.5 hrs, with my concentration that's long!!)
2. you are an ex-IT professional
3. you have plenty of unread mails in your INBOX (this one stands out, don't disappoint me!!)

well, considering you all did not pay proper attention in your physics classes in school, i give it to you.

YOU CHECK FORWARDS !!!!

I came across this cute forward, when i was shamelessly deleting unread mails (with due respect to the senders, who thoughtfully mail you the same forward a zillion times), as part of my create some space in my unlimited gmail-box drive, which said, 'check your cartoon character match' !!
The over curious kid in me loves doing such stuff, so i answered the stupid quiz to get this result..

I resemble,

Pingu
You are the classic person that everyone loves. You are the best friend that anyone could ever have and never want to loose. You never cause harm to anyone and they would never not understand your feelings. Life is a journey it's funny and calm for the most part. Stay away from traitors and jealous people then you will be stress-free.

I am happy (not because of the description, my friends know 'what-a-friend' i am :D), because watching Pingu was my favorite pastime in summers. They used to show it on DD only during summers. Aah, childhood.. what a bliss..
So now, new thing on the veryyy long to do list, search for Pingu online !!

If you want that xls drop me a mail with a 100$ cheque !! What, for taking you back to those wonderful childhood days, thats too less a price !! :)

have a great day ahead,
PING-U :D

P.S. Lavender is my favorite color these days !

Long weekend saga ....

Statutory warning : Its nothing much to do hence posted kind of post !! so dont blame me if u get bored !!

The things which were lined up for me during this weekend :

1. Play badminton everyday. But dint know that, labor day means a holiday for the students who manage sports center as well ! So all weekend long, they kept the Keating Sports Center closed, for our dismay >.<

2. Visit the Desi market, Devon street, and get all the indian groceries. But they delivered, my laptop (will come back to it in a while) the same day and i had every reason in the world to get distracted and postpone my trip :D Well we did go there, just that could not get all the stuff ! And i quite dint like the place. It was good to see all the indians, pakistani, bangladeshi, arab families around. But i felt suffocated there. The place made me homesick and i longed to go back home.To be with people i loved, cared for. Hold on, this is really becoming a sad, depressing saga. Fullstop ! discussion ends here !

3. Meet a undergraduate ke days ki friend. Guess i still dont know how to communicate so could not contact the friend, even with an at&t phone : Hope she catches the message i left on her voicemail :( But do they record 15 minute long messages ?? I was trying to give her a detailed route to my place, u know : kidding !!! Bhagwaan help this techno gavaar !! :D

4. Study for the power electronics course and bruch up basics. Moreover do some simulations on matlab for the hi-fi power systems assignment ! i love to talk in jargon.. Dont get worked up, i love not to follow myself, hence dint even open a book/matlab :D Pehle amreekan long weekend pe kaun pagal padhai karta hai :P Not me at least, u nerd !!

Instead i did these extremely fruitful and productive things to keep that lil piece called brain sedated !!

1. Watched rock on!! :) :) dont know where they play hindi movies here and moreover cant afford :D, so saw it online. Good movie. Specially Farhan Akhtar !! No review from my side, just these lines

Aankhon mein jiske koi to khwaab ho..
khush hai wahi jo thoda betaab hai..
zindagi mein koi aarazoo kijiye..
phir dekhiye !!!!!

Hothon pe jiske koi to geet hai..
wo haare bhi to uski hi jeet hai..
dil mein jo geet hai, gunguna lijiye..
phir dekhiye !!!!!

Enjoy :)
the singer of this song is damn good. haunting melody :)

2. Now I am a proud owner of a dell inspiron 1525. Actually i wanted to buy a HP/compaq, after SRK's (he is claimed to be a technology freak!!) endorsements, i think twas the one for me!! But after a long research and a lot of hard work (on my gizmo geek friend's part, of course :D ) i bought this one! Its midnight blue and looks very hot! My new love!!! Though i am not that possessive about it, i still hope its love :D
I have worked on personal computers till date, so having my own lappy is a new experience. Imagine, how well i can customize this one !! aah :) The computer is personal again!! wonder why dell guys dont have a tagline :D
I still dont have a secure internet connection, so not able to make full use of it. But this new baby, has made life happy happy :) :)

3. I bought a potted plant, finally :) :) its a pothos or moneyplant in apna india :) got it really cheap..of course, it should not be a thought, but yaha har kadam pe paiso ke baare mein sochna padta hai :D more on the mere-haath-yaha-bandhe-huye-hai saga in some other post! I have named it maniii (a cheap metaphor, i know :)). So maniii (twinkles in my eyes) is my 2nd love after the 1525 (my lappy, duh!!!).. and i dont blush when talking about him, hope thats love too !! :D

4. My biggest mistake on this happily-ever-after weekend!! i saw bachna ae haseeno :
Lesson learnt, Yashraj movies are not even worth a pirated version watch these days !! I dont believe Bipasha Basu was wearing those skimpy clothes to look so stupid and totally unmodern!! And that small town girl song was crap!! deepika padukone was too a perfect modern girl..i mean in the end she does say yes..so itne attitude ka kya faayda ?? and ranbir kapoor looked like a dud..ekdum lackluster performance..where is the kid we saw in sawariya ?? the only believable person was minisha lamba, cos of her character 'mahi'.. Anyways, why m i making the mistake bigger by writing a full fledged critisism bout this stupid movie !! :- :-

So in this way i spent my long weekend..instead of utilising it for brushing up basics and studying, i did the totally opposite thing, as every student does in his hay days :)
But i have really good excuses to give myself..so the geek in me will hopefully shut up !! :D

Now its time for the long stroll along the beach (lake yaar).. Yane time to put the thinking cap on and plan something fruitful for the next long weekend !!
Its in October sometime.. socho socho..
and lemme know if u have anything special in mind !!

till then,keep that geeky guy in control :D