Wisps of Whatever

Art of (Corporate) War

2009-01-18T02:18:00.000-08:00

If People like you, you are not doing something right.

~ Yours Truly

No Posts in 2008

2009-01-18T01:06:00.000-08:00

No Posts in 2008. Nada.

No one stopped the Celtics. Nash didn't get his first. Shaq didn't get his fifth. And did I mention I didn't write a single Post?

Well... 1st Comment gets a Coffee when I see you.

Funny Quote ?!?!?!?

2007-08-24T01:23:00.001-07:00

Stephen Fry - "I don't need you to remind me of my age. I have a bladder to do that for me."

grrrrrrrr. I am like Joey from Friends. I would like to believe that I have a deal with God...

God I hate Satire. Why God Why?

Colored Noise - Ancient gum

2007-08-22T12:33:00.000-07:00

Now here is something that you can let slip so that the folks around you look you with a new found respect (?!?!?!?)

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/08/20/ancientgum_arc.html?category=archaeology&guid=20070820151500

So may be Stride could claim that its one of their ridiculously long lasting Chewing gum.

Suns set in the Playoffs

2007-05-20T21:56:00.001-07:00

The Suns are out of the playoffs. Like Eddie Johnson, I am also hoping that the Spurs don't have an answer to Carlos Boozer. This was an unfortunate, unfair series for the Suns.

Robert Horry is sure to play another four games. I used to play Horry more than Samaki Walker (in the EA sports NBA 2001) because he made the big shot against the Kings. (used to be a Lakers fan). Now i don't think so.

Anyways... Poor Nash. There is only so much a man can do. He just didn't get the breaks. but then again, Its just Basket ball.

Unbelievable - Ads for the NBA Playoffs

2007-05-10T10:30:00.002-07:00

This is a refeshingly funny ad series for the NBA Playoffs. David Blaine of the Street Magic fame wants you to know the best kept secret in Sports History. The Entire NBA is rigged - with Arenas with Mirrors (to help Steve Nash pass to his team members without even looking), Players with Magnets so that the ball would be attracted to the Steel rims. The leverage that LeBron James gets from his team mates. But the Yao Ming piece was the best - Yao or Yaos? Hilarious.

LeBron Launches

When Ben wants more magnets...

Yao or Yaos?

Suns vs. Spurs - battle among the best

2007-05-08T01:21:00.001-07:00

The Spurs were trying to trump Suns in during the last leg of the Season. With Dallas way ahead, the spurs wanted to be at least the number 2 seed. They knew as well as the Suns that the two teams would be meeting in the Post Season and any advantage would be good advantage.

The Spurs couldn't. I think they were about two games apart when the Season got over.

But now, The spurs have wrenched the Home court advantage away from the Suns. The Suns will have to win in San Antonio to get through.

And it is up to the Suns to get it done.Like Nash said, I too believe that the Suns will have to give themselves the chance. May be 3 days was too big a break. Your mind believes at first - and Sure enough, Doubt creeps in. By the time you get on the floor, you just aren't sure. The Spurs have a great advantage with the type of image they have - They play grind ball and are pretty good at it. The Suns are the best Offensive team but not hot on Defense. The lack of Defense is seen as a weakness but the lack of Offense doesn't seem to be a bother.

The good news for the Suns is that they played and lost on their terms. Those things are bound to happen. Things could have been very different if some of the calls had gone the Suns' way. Or if Steve hadn't felt the need to closely guard Parker. I am getting a vibe from Steve that he wants to be more effective in Defense. Nash does get his bit done in the defensive end at times when it matters. I believe conscious efforts have much lesser returns than letting yourself get in the zone. Giving your body up for a hit in return for an Offensive foul needs you to be in the Zone. I think that conscious decisions are a split second slower.

The Suns should get out of their self-doubt. They should get out of the never ending debate - Is Defense better or is Offense better? If you concentrate of Defense, Will Offense take care of itself? Can the Spurs bring the time to a stand still? No they cannot.

Can the two time MVP, the future of the NBA, the two defensive specialists and the Brazilian blur turn things around? Sure they can.

Acquired Wisdom

2007-05-07T13:11:00.001-07:00

Winning covers up a multitude of sins

~ Phil Jackson (Lakers Head coach)

After Game 3 of Suns vs Lakers

2007-04-28T03:20:00.000-07:00

"They changed the defense up. Steve will solve the problem."

Mike D'Antoni

I like it....

California - No Sunshine

2007-04-27T17:39:00.001-07:00

I was on the Suns Website when the Lakers came back from a first quarter deficit of 17 to win the game. (Would have been ecstatic, if it was in 2001, when I used to be a lakers fan.)

You should have checked out the Flash Intro which read - SUNS - 3 Lakers - 0. Seems like the webguys got ahead of themselves. It now reads SUNS - 2 Lakers - 1. At least Amare gave himself some wiggle room by saying that the series will probably be over in 5. I am hoping that too.

It was a spirited effort and like Eddie Johnson said, it was a close game even after that. The Suns just need to remember that.

Acquired Wisdom

2007-04-13T08:49:00.001-07:00

If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten.

~Tony Robbins

Acquired wisdom

2007-03-31T03:04:00.000-07:00

Everyday one comes to know about so many who die but yet she carries on as though there is no end. He he... Yet he thinks he is somehow special and that the rules don't apply to him.

Everything that has a beginning will have an end. As in the Matrix. As like the Matrix. The only Matrix I hear about now is Shawn Marion btw....

So now... What's my point? Nothing really... Just this... Always... Always... Keep it real.

Sunday night blues

2007-03-18T20:05:00.000-07:00

Yet another Weekend has ended... Well it hasn't.. but the prospect of Monday prevents me from enjoying whats left of it.

I wasn't always like this. Monday was just another day. But then, during those times, Friday didn't seem special either. I have checked in to the Office at 10 AM friday and and checked out at 4 AM saturday and didn't regret it. Well I did regret that I was hand coding the huge list of functions from an excel for 3 straight hours when I could got it done in 30 minutes using textpad but I didn't regret that I have lost friday night alone in the Office and blown the entire saturday now that I would be down and out for at least 10 hours.

America did this to me. :-) Americans value their personal time. So I've been told. So I've seen. It wasn't long before I started doing the same. On Fridays, I regret if something keeps me from checking out around or before six. There was a pep in me on friday mornings. There was an absence of it too on Mondays. I guess in the end it all evens out.

There is just one problem. I only seem to enjoy Saturday. My Sunday goes in dreading the prospect of having to get up earlier than I would like.

I've got to break this. Aarthy tells me to live in the moment. I used to do that. Only it seems like I've forgotten all about it.

Its sucks to be a guy

2007-03-14T23:28:00.000-07:00

What Scares a Man? - Mysteries of the Sexes Explained on Yahoo! Health

It seems like the only thing that scares a woman is a cockroach. but guys... hmmmm

The article counts down to all scary stuff that men have to deal with. I got freaked out when I used to see all that long (chemically straightened) hair going down the drain. used to have counselling sessions with my brother just to prevent me from getting a hari cut.

Then Aarthy commented that I might look better with a neat hair cut and then - snip snip snip....

Acquired Wisdom

2007-03-13T03:38:00.000-07:00

There is no pain worse than not achieving a dream when it is your fault. If God did not want you to have it, that is one thing. But if you do not get what you desire because you are lazy, there is no pain worse than that.

~Will Smith

Kobe Bryant and his 161,000

2007-03-11T00:31:00.000-08:00

Just browsed through a message about Kobe having to sit out of a game because he punched a guy. It seems he had to forfeit $161,000 of his salary.

That is a lot lot more than what I make in a year... dang.

See I've always known it. The entertainment Industry has the best return for your time. And I guess I have to tap into it to make it big..

So now what's my calling? hmmmm I wonder....

Captain America is dead !!!

2007-03-08T13:18:00.000-08:00

Goodbye America Metro.co.uk

So now Marvel has decided to kill of Captain America. Impressive pencilling for that scene. Check out the link.

I've only seen Captian America and his shield in a Spider-man comics. I vaguely remember Peter Parker mentioning that Captain America has been around too long - And also Aunt May being very impressed with the super hero of her times.

I've never read Cappy's comics and so I am not really shocked. Kill Spidey. That'll do it. It seems there are active discussions happening all around the world (okay, the net) as to why Marvel did it. Some say it is to boost the sales. Some say it is to add to the dark element in the Comics world - to cater to the new generation of youngsters who might not prefer things that are always rosy and hence predictable.

Or may be Cappy is just too old.

The Night Gwen Stacy Died

2007-02-28T01:05:00.000-08:00

The Night Gwen Stacy Died - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gwen Stacy is Spidey's first true love. She was the girl who made Parker the geek with the beautiful chick. She loves Peter to the fullest and shows her undeterring trust even when all the facts show that the geek is also a pantywaist (One of the many nick names Peter Parker acquires) . Parker has to disappear for Spidey to appear and that doesn't do too well for his reputation. In the end (At least for Gwen) the same perfect characterization turned out to be reason why she had to be killed. It doesn't seem plausible for her to break up with Parker. What with all the love and affecttion - not to mention the trust, that simply was unthinkable. So then, why would they have to kill Gwen? Peter has been dating Gwendy way too long and a marriage was the next logical step. But the writers didn't want that to happen for they were afraid that it might age Spider Man too much, too soon anyway.

So, in the story arc that defined the end of the Silver age of Comics, the green goblin kidnaps Gwen and takes her to the GWB bridge. (I worked near by). Just when Spidey tried to save her, Goblin hits her and Gwen falls to a certain (Spidey wonders about this later) death. Spider man tries to catch her with his web and it does stick - to Gwen's leg. We also hear a fateful snap - which supposedly kills Gwen. Shocked me when I read this.

I guess it was very brave of the writers to do something like this. This has never happened before (with the exception of Ben Parker but that was needed anyway). Even when Lois dies in one of the Superman movies, Super man then spins the world in reverse (which also turns back time... Whadya know may be its possible :-)) and relives the climax again. Only this time he saves Lois. Then again, I do wish they didn't kill Gwen off.

I did read that in the future stories, there is a flashback about the time Gwen spent in England. In the flashback she has an affair with Norman Osborn (The green goblin) and gives birth to two children (Heaven forbid). I think this sort of storyline was unnecessary. To quote my Client Project Manager, the writers must have been on crack.

Anyways, Lets see if Gwendy gives a run for MJ's money in Spider-man 3.

Messed up :-(

2007-02-26T20:05:00.000-08:00

As though I didn't have enough already .... :-(

A friend sends a post looking for a male room-mate to all the company folks in Phoenix.

I send a casual reply (very vague, though) asking about him mentioning "male" and a question about whether he's planning to change the situation (living with guys) by getting married any time soon.

Oh did I mention it was very vague? And Oh Did I mention that replied to all accidentally?

Only Male ????? Not planning to diversify in the near future??????

Got a little heat and lot of chuckles due to this. I can do without this ... Damn.

And the Razzie winner is...

2007-02-25T11:27:00.000-08:00

And the Razzie winner is: 'Basic Instinct 2' - Los Angeles Times

I saw three of these movies. Can't believe I had to watch little man.

I kinda liked Lady in the water... But then again, I like most of the movies I take the pain to watch - to rent or to go to a theatre.. but it doesn't apply to Little man...

Google Apps, Office Live give small fry big upgrade

2007-02-25T11:13:00.000-08:00

Google Apps, Office Live give small fry big upgrade - Los Angeles Times

You know how it is... Web transfers are getting as fast as a hard drive read - okay, that's stretching it too far, but downloads now a days only take a few seconds. With this, I guess small businesses can also have the advantages of the big guys.

Ahem... Can I get a tax software in the next bunch?

One man's trash is another man's treasure

2007-02-25T02:53:00.000-08:00

I have always wondered why Sunil can't see the simple logic behind my arguments. Only now I realise that may be he was frustrated too, that he's unable to derail my one track mind so he could pump some sense to me. (Oh boy... those days were fun. You absolutely had nothing to do except perhaps the last month of the semester. The sweet joy of having to accomplish.... NOTHING... that's simply the best)

Anyways, I reckon, as men, we will always see what we want to see, believe what we want to believe, understand how we want to understand ( or give up at the first sighting of knowledge) and succeed or fail purely by chance... (he he.. a little luck is indeed required wouldn't you agree???)

When I was young, very young, I walked out of my house and when I looked at the parapet wall, I imagined myself to be a giant and that the parapet walls were sky scrapers. Over joyed by this revelation ?!?!? I ran to Navin's so that he could be in on this fun discovery!!!. After I finished explaining it to him, he was like, "So?" I couldn't then understand why he wasn't as excited as me. (I guess you don't understand why I was be excited in the first place eh?)

But now I've stopped trying, I don't remember the last time I recommended something. That could also be attributed to my poor memory but I do remember asking for recommendations - that too- all the time. "What would you like to have Sir?", "Well, I don't know. What would you recommend". You wouldn't believe that I actually asked this in Denny's (a diner but a chain of diners nevertheless. I wouldn't think somebody would ask for a recommendation in MC Donalds)

Well... I've gotta stop doing 4 AM posts. This one's neither here nor there :-(

Spider-man Obsession

2007-02-25T02:02:00.000-08:00

I have gone through four essential spiderman books in the last month. Yaey!!!! Each of them have about 40+ stories in 'em. Vaasikaravan kattayellathiumaa yenni kittu irrupaan???

Anyways, When I grew up, I used watch the spidey serial in Star plus - every thrusday. I used to find it very different from the others. Its a very interesting plot, the web slinger can help everyone else except of course - himself. He barely makes enough to get by. His love life thrives only by the incredible amount of trust from his girl friend. Makes you wish that he would at the very least let Gwen Stacy know why he has to run when there is a problem - for that's the only way Spiderman could save the day. Why can't he tell her, "Gwendy, You know that time when I didn't make it to the movies, Well, it took forever to say good bye to Doc Oc - The hand shakes take a while you know"

Because I didn't grow up reading the Spiderman comics and had only seen the cartoons, I didn't really know about Gwen Stacy until last month. I've always thought that MJ was always the one. It was strange to see that Parker and Gwedy are an item but by the time I got used to it, I found out from wikipedia that Gwen Stacy dies. That was a real shocker, She falls to her death (well sort of) from the George Washington Bridge (My Office used to be near that bridge) There is a whole literature about Gwendy's death. Anyways, thats for another post.

Did you know that Gwen Stacy appears in Spider Man 3? Well apparaently, she is the lab partner to Peter Parker. No points for guessing her fate though. I think. For Mary Jane is already the wall crawler's wife. But then again, Sam Raimi might twist it with all he's got and yeah, I've been wrong before.

and we lived happily ever after.

2007-02-23T00:24:00.000-08:00

The autofocus of the camera wouldn't work. It seems to have some diffiulty with the depth perception. But the again, this one ranks right up there in my favourites.

And yes... you can ignore the fact that I am wearing a sleeveless T without any real muscles.

MIS on my blogging

2007-02-22T02:48:00.000-08:00

Only 13 posts in the year 2006. pretty depressive he he....

well whadya know... There is actually a word like that.

I digress... but 2006 was a big year for me. Y'all know why??? I got hitched - right smack in the middle of 2006.

Anyways... I also found out another thing... My writing style has gone out of whack. Too many ???'s and ....s. :-( and now that I think of it - the frownies too. sagavaasa dhoasham...

To Do's and the stuff that actually gets done

2007-02-18T00:47:00.000-08:00

Only actionable to do's get done. The "go to gym"s only get pondered upon.

So.. This is what I am gonna do... 2 miles tomorrow (Well... its been a long while). The rest that I might get to do is bonus.

dang... I didn't reply to that email....

2007-02-04T00:21:00.000-08:00

“The ability to quickly process and synthesize information and turn it into actions is one of the most emergent skills of the professional world today,”

Well whatdya know??? I don't have this skill.... :-(

Beetiful song.........

2007-02-04T00:15:00.000-08:00

vizhiyil vizhi moadhi idaya kadavindru thiranthey
iravu pagalagi idhayam kiliyagi paranthathey
yaey kadhal nenjey
yaaroadu solvaen
vandhu pona thevathai
nenjai alli ponathai

'Let me know if I got the lyrics right............

Inflation and Interest

2007-01-21T02:43:00.000-08:00

Read an interesting insight in cnn money.

The interest on your savings could be eaten away by inflation.

So then, By spending now you are saving money :-)

For the 1st time, My mom and me share a birthday..

2006-10-12T02:11:00.000-07:00

So I was born in Oct 13th. My mom on Oct 14th. I am now in the US. My mom is in india :-( So on 14th morning, it would still be 13th night for me. So we will be celebrating our birthday's on the same day.. yaey!!!!

--
~It's better to regret something you have done, than to regret something you haven't done.~

musings

2006-10-12T02:06:00.000-07:00

I used to be pretty harsh with words when I was young. Not anymore. (I think) One particular night I was my abusive best and was pulling my cousin's leg pretty badly. Coincidentally, my dad was in his worst moods. He couldn't take his son being so mean. After I mouthed a rather foul abuse, he called me over and told me, "Before you dish out stuff like this, think for a second how you will take it." That changed me forever. I now only do onto others what I except to be done onto me.

But now I wonder. What if I was a person who could take any kinda trash talking and ignore it. I would still have been trashy.

And its 2:00 pm. If I didn't make any sense, cut me some slack. I know I would.

1000+

2006-08-17T01:07:00.000-07:00

Damn....... I wasn't even around when I crossed 1000 hits :-(

anyways. congratulations myself :-)

comment and you get a treat

2006-07-22T00:45:00.000-07:00

its been a while and i dont know who sees this junk any way.... drop a note and i'll treat yaa...

Then talk in English

2006-05-16T07:36:00.000-07:00

I was walking down FC Road. was looking for this hotel called Gangotri. Tried calling my girl to ask for directions but she didn't pick up. So I asked this Auto wallah, "Hotel Gangotri kahaan hai?". He started talking rapidly in Hindi which I couldn't understand. So I told him," Mujko (I am getting the feeling that this expression is wrong) Hindi bahooth thoda thoda aathaa hain" Then He said, "Then talk in English"

Pune Rants

2006-05-07T11:21:00.000-07:00

Yep... I am in Pune and the timing couldn't be worse. Aarthy was in Pune when I was going around and a few months back, she came back to good old Chennai. Irony eh?

To make things worse, My broken hindi isn't good enough and bus routes are all in Hindi (or is it Marathi? I wouldn't know. To me, its alphabets that have been hung for drying that make no real sense.)

The Rick guys' eyes seem lit up when they see me. (Thats what they call Auto itseems. Aarthy told me.) They have this weird sytem where if the meter shows 45, you would pay 30. It beats me how I was asked to pay 40 bucks when the meter showed 47. When I asked him, he rambled on in God knows what language.

The 9 0 clock bus wouldn't go to Deccan Gymkhana and the security won't speak English even though he would play with his m0bile and send sms.

A colleague shows his disbelief that there is actually a person who doesn't know Hindi. I thought I was done with that shit with Training. Well.... it wasn't to be.

There is sugar in Sambhar.

The only cool thing I saw was that there are quite a few women who are riding bikes.

Lotsa builders are trying to impress the "IT Sector" to invest. The ads are all over the place enroute to Hinjewadi. They range from funny (No... not by design) to amatuerish and cheap. The best one was "Give more space to your dear once" Was it supposed to mean something? Its really funny to see typos in large print.

Anyways, Pune isn't for me. not now anyway..... They have made me take the company bus :-(

Why I blogged and why I don't really care now...

2006-03-12T19:29:00.000-08:00

I think it was my brother who introduced the term 'Ego Search'. I could only think of another use to it. If I could look up myself, I could look up somebody else too.

I have tried in vain to relocate my estonian pen-friend. God knows what became of the four guinea pigs. and I think my american pen-friend now works for diesel.org. Anyways....

I've always thought I am really net savvy. If it is there on the net, I can find it. Took me weeks to find the go west mp3 with a dialup when I was 17 but I found it. Again - anyways....

So I had the name of a girl - Aarthy and weeks of free time. I scoured the entire orkut profiles (well some of it at least - that's just huge). I searched in google blogsearch.... Nothing.

Oh damn... I didn't try yahoo profiles.... let me do that.....

Yep did that too... Nothing.....

But on the net.... I found out that she won a gold coin for some academic achievement (I try not to register academic achievements in my mind - since I've never ever been able to do them.) I found out that she got a campus job in a company in Bangalore.

Thats when it struck me that if I am lookin up on someone, someone could look me up too - my web existance was pathetic. Just one whinny post in a message board that my visa application had been rejected time and again.

So I blogged. I've never ever cared enough to put my full name in ink but there are just too many vijays out there arent they. I should know. There were four Vijays in my College that it turned out such a way that no one was called Vijay - just the Initials...

Anyways, Vijayalaya's bathroom principles (btw. I have a theory about Bathroom thinking too - gained me lot of (okay some) fame in my College days) had to see the light of the day. My views on the purpose of life and why nothing really matters are now out there for you to read.

Then with the help of google analytics, I started looking for hits from the company she worked for. Nothing. But there were a few hits from Pune (or bombay I dont remember). (She was in Pune then). It was only a few weeks later I realised that hits were actually from Senthil who uses Hathway and they seem to route it from there.

It finally turned out such a way that Aarthy got to know about the blog only I after I told her. But then - No big deal. Things did work out fine.

And why I dont really care now? Because I've got the girl :-)

blank noise

2006-03-12T11:28:00.000-08:00

"That's your bus. Why aren't you taking it?", I asked.
"It is not crowded", he said with a know-what-I-mean smile.

He wasn't a friend. was just my classmate in 10th. This incident made me make a mental note to never associate with him.

For years I have heard indecent chaps tell me how they had 'scored' by copping a feel.

My cousin waited until we crossed the lights to tell me that a pedestrian bastard pinched her at the signal.

I have seen hungry desis (and a non-desis for that matter) prowling on the dance floors to prey on drunk girls.

During the very few times I take a bus, I try to secure myself really strongly so that I am not even misunderstood as someone who is trying to get some. I try to antisipate the bus' next move so as to remain in my own zone.

And in Joeys, I made my resolve to never enter the disc again as a stag. and that's not only because its depressing.

I would hate it to be thought of as one. that's why. I find it so wrong and disgusting. If you are like me, you fear it too. You are worried that there is nothing that is really there to distinguish between you and the groper. You are angry that you might be eyed suspiciously because of the pincher.

I wonder how the sense of what is right could be lost on so many of them. I just want tell the roadside romeos this one thing. If you are not gonna stop because it's not right, at least stop it coz its just not cool.

Do read more on http://www.blanknoiseproject.blogspot.com/ to find out just how fucked up our men are (makes me sick when I see that I have addressed these jerks as our men) and get a look into what the women feel.

And yeah... spread it around.....

Simplicity

2006-02-23T23:03:00.000-08:00

If you are like me... you will like things to be simple. You'll strive to make things simple. You'll try to keep things simple.....

2006-02-04T12:42:00.000-08:00

Don't really know where we are.

I don't remember many times when my brother and me had the same shirts. I really didn't have an opinion about it but I remember that my bro was totally against it. Didn't want people to realize that we were related, I guess. We usually get (when we were very very young) to get the same shirt and half pants stitched for marriages and stuff. (Okay I am generalizing here. I only remember the one time when we wore shirts with similar designs. Must have probably been the case. I don't really remember)

Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony. (Too much Matrix - I know). We got to share the same wardrobe (Most of the dress shirts, T shirts and formals anyway) once I caught up with him (Annoav... Athellam andha kaalam :-)) for sometime before he got hitched and I got packed away. On a few days, you had to reserve a T-shirt if you really wanted to wear it. I looted most of the stuff though. Only left the shirts my anni had bought :-)...God knows how he managed until he restocked.

All the very best...

2006-01-28T04:34:00.001-08:00

Technically - since I haven't slept yet, Today is still a Friday...

Today was the last day of work with us as a team for a few of my friends...

Dhiraj - My partner in crime... a die hard basketball fan. Thanks to him I got to see my first NBA game. A really decent chap. drives a cool Mustang. Lives it up. Go Nets...

Nilanjana - Calfornia girl. Optimistic. Quite level headed, I think. Turned out to be very friendly... not quite what I expected. But then again, I never quite make a good first impression... can't really expect that from others. Bengali.... The Bijay thing was quite funny.

Amitesh - 'Uh Okay' with his trade mark head shake. A wannabe Don Juan De Marco... again, I think. May be he is indeed the real Don Juan. The Ladies man.....

Palak - Pokerman.... Can always turn to him for another perspective. Very good Negotiator. Very funny. I expect him to make it big... Let me save his mobile no someplace else ...

Dharshan - The man. Cool as a cucumber. Resourceful. Management Material. Funny. Let me save his mobile no someplace else too....

2006-01-23T23:26:00.000-08:00

Another first... Caught my first NBA game. It was good. except that the Nets lost to the Jazz... Since Kobe scored 82 yesterday, I am thinking I'll catch the Lakers game. That game is bound to be good....

Johnny வேலைகாரி

2006-01-08T02:35:00.000-08:00

Most of my friends would've heard me say this - 'மச்சான், Johnny வேலைகாரி மாதிரி இருக்காதடா'. Unni Mary (I think) who played that role of the servant in 'Johnny' did a very good job acting out that human tendency to try get the best bang for the buck and wondering for more than what it is worth whether its the best they could get. In Rajni's words, One'a vida onnu better'avae theriyum - for her - and that too - always.

We all want that - To get more than what we deserve but I would think that we have done our best if we keep that to ourselves. And I've always found that things even out... If I do seek to get more than I deserve and end up getting that, I end up paying the balance in some other currency - usually that currency isn't quantitatively measurable....

So I guess it makes it worth the while if we live in the 'now', be in the 'know' and keep it simple.

All right!!! my download's done and I can shut the laptop down :-) btw... Did I make any sense?

2005-12-30T05:49:00.000-08:00

Naamakal.... I think I was disappointed that I couldn't go to Tipu's fort.... Anyways... Looks like I had mastered the smoldering look back then itself... No? You don't think so? Okay so bite me...

F.R.I.E.N.D.S

2005-12-26T23:54:00.000-08:00

I know the FRIENDS been done for quite a while but I just saw season 9 and cut me a little slack will yaa?
So I was thinking... If I get to pick my F.R.I.E.N.D.S who wud they be?
This no way categorizes my friends. I have just written who is sitcom worthy. All of these guys are recognized by most who are around as very funny.
Dont hate me for not listing the Rachels & Monicas and Phoebes (well I have never cared for her) Just introduce me to a few.
Nandhaa - Chandler
Prabhu - Chandler
Pondy - Chandler
Venkatesh - Chandler (but has Joey's luck with the Ladies :-))
Odd how I find only sarcastic, clever humour as funny....
I can identify myself with Ross but I don't want to...

2005-12-26T02:38:00.000-08:00

How ironic it turns out to be is that the simple things in life that you cherish creates a much bigger heartburn when they elude you. எங்கம்மா பண்ண தோசை, தக்காளி சட்னி இருந்தா, இன்னிகெல்லாம் சாப்பிடுவேன். It turns out that I would have to eat cornflakes and cold milk for breakfast out of a 'made in china' bowl tomorrow.

I am not complaining though. I know that one can't have'em all - not all the time at least.

Acquired Humour

2005-12-14T14:48:00.000-08:00

"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by."
- Douglas Adams

Art of (Corporate) War - 1

2005-12-14T14:42:00.000-08:00

All Power is assumed and is enjoyed until challenged. Nothing ever is bestowed.

And should that Power be proven when challenged, one would do well to
assume even more power.

Dont sell something that's already sold

2005-12-13T15:27:00.000-08:00

I am going through a manual of a tool. I assume that the writer would
know that for me to be reading the manual, the tool would have already
been bought. Nope. It's normal to have a Features heading where you
would modestly point out the various features that have been added to
make your life simpler. But this manual would harp about the tool's
robustness and versatility even when it is trying to help you
understand how it works with an example. Its kinda proving to be a
turn off.

I had given a presentation about an ETL tool's architecture to the
Client's Middle Management. In the introduction, I sought to explain
why it is worth the buy despite its steep pricing (In retrospect, I
needn't have said that. I don't know why I did that. I had read about
that somewhere.) The Client side technical lead for the project would
later tell me – 'They have already bought the tool. They don't need
you to tell them that it's costly. The stuff about database
connectivity – That's good'

So dont sell something that is already sold. Makes me wonder if it was
a mistake in the first place.

Acquired Wisdom

2005-12-13T15:07:00.000-08:00

The principal mark of genius is not perfection but originality, the opening of new frontiers.

Chinnapulla Chithappa

2005-12-13T14:52:00.000-08:00

Viji? Vijayalakshmi? Vijaya? Vijayashanthi?

Enga annan avanga ponnuku enna paeru vekka poaraangantu theriyalae....

Third Time Lucky? - A google ego search

2005-12-07T02:05:00.000-08:00

i applied to the university of Texas at Dallas for studying MS Comp. Engineering and was admitted last fall (2002). But my visa application was rejected - twice. I got the 214(B) rejection the second time and I am guessing that if I am to get a visa again, I would have to get some kind of an aid from the university. Am I right?
I am applying again this spring. I have already applied to the University of Kansas.I am planning on applying to SUNY Buffalo, Michigan state
university and RIT.
My question is how good is my chance for an aid? Also how good are the chances for aid in spring?

My GRE - 2130 (800-Q, 760-A, 570-V)
Toefl - 277
Acads 71.50
_________________
Vijayalaya chola Kosalaraman

This is the only page that returns my name on a google ego search. I wouldn't know if there are other pages because most of the pages that are returned describe Vijayalaya Chola the King. Anyway, I wasn't lucky the third time around either. But things have changed for the better - I hope - With the way stuff happens in your life, you never know. An oppurtunity might prevent you from an even bigger oppurtunity, but then again, it might take you away from a place where you might make a mistake. it might also take you to a place where you might make a mistake.Anyways, we try to do the best swerving that we can in the strong current that is life.

I digress. I am about to travel again to the US. To Salt Lake City. My desire to live in New York, Boston or LA is still eluding me. Let's see.

--
~It's better to regret something you have done, than to regret something you haven't done.~

Another 1st - A castpost

2005-12-01T15:46:00.000-08:00

தமிழ் வாழ்க

2005-12-01T13:38:00.000-08:00

I had bought this FM transmitter in Kentucky but now I wanted to exchange it for a better one. So I go to the walmart's customer support division. There was this friendly american who helped with the entire stuff. As we were finishing up our business, he asks me.
"Where are you from?''
"India''
"India. I've been to India. Where in India?"
"Its the southern part of India. Tamilnadu. would you know?" (I thought he must have been one of those hare rama guys and wouldn't come down south.)
''I was in Chennai for 2 years"
"Wow !!!, if you were in Chennai for 2 years you must know some thamizh"
"கொஞ்சம் கொஞ்சம்"
"Wow... this is great..."
"but I usually stick to எனக்கு தமிழ் புரியவில்லை.."
"Ha ha ha.. Still this is great"
"Its good to see you Sir. Have a nice weekend"
"Thanks you too. bye"

MGR'ta அம்மா புடிக்கும்னு சொன்னா (J இல்ல - அவங்க அவங்க அம்மா) அவருக்கு அவுங்கல புடிச்சிரும்னு சொல்வாங்க. ஏன்ட்ட தமிழ் புடிக்கும்னு சொன்னா போதும். அய்யா flat.

Back in time....

2005-11-29T07:52:00.000-08:00

That's my brother & me. Then we used to play tennis - about 5 hours a day. That should explain the tan. That was my first red shirt and I guess it was my last though I have a red pant now...

Swaminathan

2005-11-29T07:16:00.000-08:00

From the corner room in the SCSVMV hostel, (actually there were no corners, the hostel was a huge cylinder... but still) there would be a single speaker blaring 'Thakka thayaa thayaa thakka thayya thayyaa' and you would know that Swami is home.

Swami was my roomate during our 3rd semester. He fell in love with electronics when he was in the first year and was soon assembling 20-20 amplifiers for many of the guys... The only downside was that soon most of the rooms started broadcasting music. More telugu songs than Thamizh. We soon settled that by setting up our own SDK459 - 150 PMPO amplifier - with 2 woofers and tweeters and all. This made our room a popular hang out place whenever a AR Rahman audio was released.

If you needed anything and you needed it now, Swami was the guy. God knows why he had the need to go to the town everyday. Anyway, there would be a regular request for kuska from the Dharka (God forbid!!! it was Periyavaa's college !!!), Pens, Xeroxes and what not. He was really an enterprising character.

He was a great room mate. Took me to the hospital when I was down with fever. He did get chucked out of the hostel due to the Junior - Senior incident but he said he had nothing to do with it and I believe him. (Thank god I had a alibi - was in Bangalore then, else I would have been chucked out too... The damn thing happened in my room.)

Enna Onney onnu... En cycle'a Kuberan veetlaenthu eduthutu vanthirukalaam... :-)

My email signatures... This post has been a draft way too long

2005-11-26T13:23:00.000-08:00

It's better to regret something you have done, than to regret something you haven't done.

~Dont know where I found but it made so much sense to me. The Vijayalayan Juggernaut (he he) has missed much by not acting. cinema illa maa (acting means doing)

Few nuggets of the might'a beens..

I ought to have partnered with CM Saravanan for the Tennis doubles in my sixth. We would still won. (I did win - with a partner with whom I had nothing common) but still ... I was da best that year... ( I won the singles) we could have still made it happen. Nothing would a been different... at least for me... but still... damn it.

another signature of mine

Life’s battles don’t always go / To the stronger or faster man; / But soon or late the man who wins / Is the one who thinks he can.

Success !!! (No this ain't a Devar film first dialogue)

2005-11-24T14:06:00.000-08:00

I believe that all of those people who succeed realize something... something that is really simple and profound...
That anything is possible. No wait... not any damn thing... just that what they want is possible. That it isn’t an achievement when you actually get it done. And that there is nothing to cheer about that too...
That it is just an everyday happening. For miracles happen once in a while. They are way too random to bank on. Achievers don't and can't believe in miracles. Its just that they look like miracle workers to the others...

Provided u know that u want it - Not badly (no sir,it doesn't quite work that way.), provided u want it and you believe that its possible you will get it done...

Return to Innocence...

2005-11-23T11:01:00.000-08:00

Took this when I was in 4th or 5th. I used to like this picture for this made me look tall (at least I thought so then. Now I don't). My brother took this pic. I think he was kneeling down or something. That thing on my head is a real thing. Its a cap. I haven't filled that spot with white colour... Now why would I do that?

This house is in Coimbatore. Its the DIG's bungalow. The Garage on the side has a black line drawn in the wall. That used to be our marker for a tennis net. We used to do our wall-practice there. What's amazing is that that line is still there!

I had a Wilson-Select then. I remember calling it Wilson (Yeah The Castaway guys stole that piece from me :-))... Damn it... Now that I have written it, I remember naming my raquet as Wilsel (weird name eh). I used to think that it adds character to the thing and hence gives it a bit of life. I used to call my cycle 'Black Panther'. (Swami atha engayo adagu vachitaan. I think he lost it but I still chide him saying this.) My bike was christened as 'The Voyager' (borrowed from Wild Wild West). I later changed it to "The Nomad". finally settled with 'Trinity'.

Scouting - Montfort days...

2005-11-23T10:53:00.000-08:00

The scout was very important for me in Age of Empires. I can't stand all that blackness in the map. In C&C, the humvee used to clear things up. They aren't powerful but then Knowledge is Power. Or rather, Inparamasion is velth
I was a scout when I was in the 7th Std (I think). It was a lot of fun. We once went camping in the woods of Yercaud. We were the Silver Foxes (I suggested that name and it stuck.) and were alotted a tent downstream of a small stream. Up stream there was this tree which had grown across the stream. They had tied a rope from it and the boys used to play Tarzan. Often they used to lose their slippers and would shout 'SILVER FOX' We would try to catch the slippers downstream. More often than not, the slippers would not make it till where we waited. It was not until the next day we realised that our stream was only a distributory and a larger one ran further. After that we used to run there to fetch the slippers. We retrived quite a few (Damn, now that I think about it, this makes us a retriever - not a fox. :-( )
I hoped that we would get a medal of honour or something... we didn't.

It aint over until its over

2005-11-21T12:34:00.000-08:00

It was a typical chennai summer - Hot and dehydrating. I had my mains - first round match that day. I and gone in ahead of time. This was the 2nd tournament in the long line of tennis tournaments that were planned for that summer. The first one had been in Coimbatore. I lost in the pre-quater finals. It was an okay effort. I was hoping that I'll do much better here. To think that I lost the pre-quaterfinals to my friend Avinash - he trains at the same place as I do. Usually I win, at least thats how I remember it. But I have lost to him in tournaments both the times we played. It wasn't fair the second time though. He heckled me through out the game to win. Even his mom started rooting for me that day. But that's a story for another day. I was hoping that I wouldn't be pitted againt some big hitting 'serve and volleyer'. I hate those kinds. Avinash wasn't one of those but I lost to him all the same. but like I said, that was a story for another time.
I went down to the notice board to find out whom I was slotted against. There's always a notice board at these places. But you never find them during the other days when there is just practice. Now that I have written down the above lines, I realise that all the places where there were tennis courts had always been Colleges and rich schools. There shouldn't be any shortage for the notice boards in a school. Anyway, I quickly looked for my name somewhere in the middle of the list. The first name in the list will be the 1st seed. The last name will be the second seed. The seeds are spaced out so that no body gets an unfair advantage simply because he was lucky during the lots. I wasn't both and so I should be finding my name somewhere in the middle. It would have been bad if my name was second or the penultimate one - I would then have to play the top seeds rightaway. I spotted my name in the middle alright but heart gave mild thump when I found out my opponent. Narendran - Did I tell you about the Coimbatore Tournament in which I was the Pre-quaterfinalist? Well He won that Tournament. He didn't have enough points to be seeded 1 or 2 - not yet. We had watched him play - Avinash, me and the other guys. He was pretty good, very confident and smooth. I had then appreciated the fact that his movements were indeed very fluid.
I was now worried that he might be a little too fluid for me. Never verbalise your appreciation for another player. You never know when you'll be playing him. If it had been Avinash who had told me that Narendran's game was fluid, I could smirk at him and tell him that that's what he thinks and that may be he ought think about improving his self esteem a little bit. But you can't say that to yourself can you? No. You know you. You are you. Now all you remember is that his game is fluid. Its a scary thought - when you imagine a tennis player moving like mercury and hitting the ball hard at you. for that matter, dont apppreciate your colleague either. He is probably in the same peer group. I have a story for that too. did I ever tell you about this Nandhaa guy? Oh well. Probably I'll never tell this one. Slowly I found my way back to the makeshift stadium. Sure enough Narendran was standing there. Vijay?, he asked.
'Yes', I nodded. We settled down for some idle chit chat before we could get ourselves a court allocated.
Success hadn't gotten to him. He was a really nice guy. That makes it harder for you to hate the guy and play with a little more resolve. Not that it will help though. The last time I played with a big shot, the guy was too cocky. I hated the very guts of the person and I was determined to prove him wrong. I decided to teach him a lesson. But it didn't turn out that way. I lost. I ended up teaching myself a lesson. All that matters is how good you play. There is no Background Music in real life. There could be though if you run it in your own mind or if you are particularly good at mimicking dead animals - or the sound of wood hitting their taut skin for that matter. But dont let yourself be caught humming 'tada tada tantantadan tan tadan tan" It could be pretty embarassing. trust me on this one. Coming to think about it, There is no slow motion either but I digress.
Soon, a court cleared up and we started our warming up. I was feeling okay - the shots were coming out well but the fact that I envied his all round game clouded my confidence. I had a killer forehand and a neat reflex but thats about it. My poor second serves and weak backhands would somehow have to get better in the next 5 minutes for me to win this game. But I told myself. Buckle up. I have read enough Zig Ziglers and other one line morale boosters to tell myself this. [bass boost ON]"It aint over until its over". If you think you can or you can't,[dramatic pause] You are always right.[Bass boost Off]. It beats me why henry Ford never thought that he can beat the Japanese. Surely, Narendran should have some chinks in his armour. Its upto me to find that. I wished that he had a weak forehand. I can hit cross court forehand winners all day.
It was a best of 17 game. The one who wins 9 goes forward leaving the other to lick his wounds. I lost the toss and Narendran elected to serve. I got to pick a side and I picked one never really having a reason for the same. The 1st game was over before it started. Nope. No such luck. His forehand was accurate. Coming to think of that , I've never really seen anyone with a weak forehand. We switched sides and I got ready to serve. Traditionally, a player is expected to hold his serve. I too expected that but thanks to my lame second serve, I didn't really have an edge.
Before I knew it narendran was serving 2-0 and made it 3-0. Two more games later I was resigned to my fate - 0-5 and serving. Soon this massacre will be over. I had to find excuses for my coach and my dad. My dad never really asked and had said this when I tried to explain my loss in a smaller match, "The one who wins doen't have to give any explanations. The one who loses- no one listens to their explanations anyway." Still, I was thinking about excuses. I decided that I'll atleast make it respectable. If I hold my serves from now, I can lose 4-9. respectable. That is easier to explain.
Narendran broke my serve and then held his serve. I was serving 0-7 and facing a white wash. It couldn't be worse. A weariness came over me. I wanted it to end. I lost that game. Narendran was serving for the set 8-0. Four more points to his name and the match is over.
15-0
15 all
30-15
40-15
One more point and my misery will end. I was ready for it. Just then a strange thing happened. The refree, a kid who probably plays for that club, decided that his work there was done and he got down from the chair- The chair was on another table. Sure, I had already lost but I didn't like it when the referee too shared my feelings. He could have waited to add another slash against Narendran's column in the scoring sheet and could have then got down. No Sir he wants to save time.
I wasn't going to give him that pleasure of getting back to the shade. Not so soon. I decided that I'll delay him as much as I can. I decided that Narendran can win a point but I'll never give him one. He served for the match I returned it with a soft lob - Not to high. Just safe enough and right around the no man's land. He whacked it to the net.
40-30.
deuce.
Advantage Vijayalaaya. They never get my name right but I usually let that pass.
Game Vijayalaaya. 1-8.
Well What do you know? It isn't a white wash afterall. Vijayalaaya has a game to his name.
The referee was still standing near his chair when we changed sides. Surely he expected this anomaly to be corrected in the next game.
8-2
3-8
When we changed sides, I noticed that the referee has resigned to his fate and climbed back to vantage point.
8-4
5-8
The kid couldn't take it any longer and he called for a replacement. Another kid, probably plays for the same club took his place. But now I was playing to win. The momentum was with me.
8-6
7-8
We challenged each point and one point was taking particularly a long time to end. Narendran couldn't cover the court during the rally at a particular point and he lobbed to gain some time. What resulted then was the ugliest gameplay that I've ever executed. For me lobs are dangerous. I am not too good with them but I still try to smash it away because that's whaat i;m meant to do. I have 50:50 results with them. 50:50 isnt good this time. Not with what I had resolved to do. I lobbed the ball back. I have seen it being done when I was much younger and was playing with self made tennis palyers in my boarding school. You would get killed if a coach ever sees it. Narendran wouldn't stoop so low and he attempted to finsh the point and he did- onlt he hit it in the net. My brother would later tell me that my dad was disgusted with that gameplay.
I equalled Narendran and both of were one game away from the match. I broke his serve and won the match 9-8. Only god knows how many match points I saved to win that game.
This is my best memory of my tennis playing days and I still hold it dear as a sign which tells me that I can accomplish anything if I give my best - for whatever reason. That's totally another matter.
My next match was wit Boaz - an agressive player. He was impressed with my last game. Heck I was impressed with my last game. I thought I'll be able to beat him - that things have changed. Vijay has arrived!!!
He killed me. Thrashed me in straight sets.
I no longer play tennis. A dislocated shoulder and a broken ankle took care of that. To give Narendran his due credit, he was still playing the last time I checked and I even saw his photo in Hindu - he was holding a shield next to an attractive girl. He must have won the Men's Title and she must have probably won the women's title.
But I have that one game where I battled against the best and got better of him - even if it was for the wrong resons. That match changed me. It was lot of things for me. It proved that I am a winner in my own right and gave me hope in all my endeavours. It helped me take up any challenge head on and say "Yes I can".

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

2005-11-18T10:05:00.000-08:00

After reading my post about Harry Potter, one of the many readers who flock my blog (Okay I know of only two who read my blog) pointed that the post was of ikuaaaarf quality. I will try to explain what ikuaaaarf means later with audio possibly (Memento must still be lying somewhere). (For now, it is the transliteration of the sound that is generated when one is trying to collect his/her spittle.) So I’ll cover that up with this….

Anyways, about Harry Potter, I had seen a Harry Potter book lying in my home about 4-5 years ago. I couldn’t go past the initial muggle days of Harry Potter and hence discarded the book. Years later in Cincinnati, when I experienced my very first Yard sale, I saw the second Harry Potter book being sold for a quarter. I did my math quickly and decided that it was a good buy even if I was in India. So I bought it.

Those were boring times. We hadn’t setup our TV or Internet yet. My laptop hadn’t arrived. So I had to rely on books for increasing the entertainment quotient in my life. Anyway, once I picked it up, I found that it was one of those un-put-downable books. Immediately after the finishing the first book, I had to scurry for the 1st one. That was the time when the Potter mania was picking up yet again since it was just a few weeks before the Half blood prince would be released. I read one Harry potter book every 3 days and was done with all the five before a couple of weeks to the release of the sixth book.

Then I joined the millions who were anxiously waiting for the Half blood prince. Like many others, I reread the five to be ready for the sixth installment. (Okay others wanted to get up to speed. I just couldn’t get enough). I wished the if I had seen the book after the Half blood prince was released, I wouldn’t have had to wait for a few weeks. Although the sixth book was laden with one too many snogging episodes, it was a very good read. After reading that I started wishing that I had discovered the series after the entire series had been written. Damn. Now I’ll have wait for a year… But on the bright side, I get to watch the movies in the big screen instead of catching them on DVDs.

Now I was behind the others in terms of having watched the movies. The Covington library had all the DVDs and I checked them all out. While the movies were good, I couldn’t help but think that they were moving at a faster pace capturing only the important moments so as to be able to complete the movie in a reasonable duration. But still what was shot was shot beautifully. It did justice to the novel.

The action sequences in Goblet of Fire are just too many. I guess it is impossible to show them all. I was hoping to see the quidditch world cup and was disappointed not to see it. I guess people who see the movie without having read the book might find that the movie is very good.

I heard that that the producers were contemplating making the movie as two parts and decided against it. I think they should have tried it. For like the other Potter movies, The Goblet of Fire has also been beautifully picturised (whatever part of the novel they decided to shoot) and it would have been just brilliant if the entire novel had made it into the movie.

Ps. I find that picturised is not in answers.com. I also find that the only pages that seem to have them are all Indian sites. Strange…

Crossroads.....

2005-11-16T06:51:00.000-08:00

Chanced upon my old Thoughts.doc. I had typed really wise sayings....

Here's a nugget.

When in doubt
Take a time out
When there is no time
have no doubt.

He he... Never really followed that.

Now just why did I type Crossroads? I had typed out a huge chunk about Cross roads in my thoughts.doc (the doc had been created years ago...) can't seem to remember it now. The stuff is in my laptop.

Anyways.. The only lasting feeling was that I wrote better when I knew I was the only one who will be reading. That might well be the case now too but you don't really know that do you?

Back in Time .... Retrowear even then...

2005-11-15T12:40:00.000-08:00

15. Cool pic. I am wearing the suit my dad had worn during his wedding reception. I am standing like that to show the flair of the bell bottom. Oru shoe potirukalaam. Hmm... Hindsight...

Back in Time...

2005-11-15T12:39:00.000-08:00

15. That's my cousin Karthee with me. Appellam watch katra pazhakam irunthuchu... ippa illa. That was a casio. cool watch. Karthee athukappuram T-shirt pottu naan paakavae illa. Ippa avannuku rendu moonu vaangi vechirukaen. Podraanaantu paakanum.

Back in time....

2005-11-15T12:34:00.000-08:00

I must have been 17 then. I was kinda learning to ride a bike. This was taken in Tower Block, Kilpauk. The bike is a Suzuki Samurai - TN-01-K-0369. Nice bike. I have done about 70 Km/hour in the Bangalore highways then. I used to think that was a big deal. I learned much later that others have done better than that in the city itself.

Ippa ellam bike'a raise pannavae bayama irruku :-( I raise my pulsar to about 80 and then I have visions of screaching tires (Vinayagaaa...) Venaam... better left unsaid.... anyways... after that I am back to about 60 (and this is in the ECR)

What makes one tick off?

2005-11-15T12:02:00.000-08:00

God bless the architect who designed the break room and the rest room along the same corridor. It really increases the odds of listening to all that small (read crap) talk... God I am going to scream if I get to listen to that trash one more time.

So the 'beached' while going to get relieved calls out to the Benched - 'Vaazhvu thaan' (or something to that effect) as the benched (me... duh) is trying to get revived with a cup of tea. At that instant, I thought of a better use for my tea than to drink it.

What ticked me off? I have seen people handle it so well. Nandha always has some clever stuff to throw back. Vineeth too... mostly they are half ass replies. but you'll know that he has taken no damage in the whole matter. I am witty (nambunga) but that's when I'm balanced. It helps if you can keep your cool... That kinda separates the .... (he he) cool ones from the not so cool ones... (ennaa theory... ikkkkuaaaarf :-)

So may be I won't scream when 'I am so working my ass off when you are having fun' comes up with another remark (just remark, not clever'). May be I'll just get Nandhaa to come up with something first thing tomorrow....

Hibernating

2005-11-09T21:01:00.000-08:00

Been on bench for a month now. I must have slept more than that polar bear which tucked itself in for the winter (its polar bears that hibernate right?). It feels so cool inside my head now... he he.

I do wish that I'll be put into something. So that I am back in the productive mode. Might not be blogging that much and could end up slogging more than I want to but atleast I'll feel like I am earning my salary....

I wish something turns up today...

Suttachu Suttachu

2005-11-08T11:55:00.000-08:00

If you love MGR, or hate him (though I don’t see how), this is a must read. The book chronicles the 1967 attempted murder of MGR.
With my limited knowledge about Courtroom brawls by watching ‘The practice’ and an endless stream of ‘Sattam .....’ movies, I was able to think of at least a dozen places where I could have screamed ‘Objection - Irrelevant’. MGR was asked questions like Is Actor X younger than you? Aren’t there other young heroes who can act as ‘Kadhal Kadhaanaayagargal’- a direct dig at MGR’s age and his choice of films. I can imagine the wrath the defense counsel and the papers which published these news then must have faced.
As for me, I am die hard fan of Puratchi Thalivar. When I was recuperating from an ankle fracture, I kinda celebrated a MGR Film festival.All my cousins and my brother wanted no part of it and I did it alone. Used to watch one MGR movie every night. Did it hoping that I could learn something from it - The formula for success in life. I don’t really know if I learned anything though. Didn’t jot them down then. I do hope something got stuck at a subconsicious level.
We also did a Jackie chan film festival thing. This time around I had my cousins and my brother :-). Learned a lot of lessons from that too. Focus on your strength and give it your best. And ... oh yeah... Work real hard. But that’s kinda given. And Hard work is... Hard and so I haven’t really been able use that tip :-).
This is my fav qoute from Jackie. "Don’t try to be Jackie chan. There can only be one Jackie chan. Learn computers instead."

Formula to success in Acting

2005-11-01T12:09:00.000-08:00

Just saw the movie Sivakasi- 1st day 1st show. We see an energetic Vijay in yet another movie with his celebrating life attitude. He plays the role of an young man who works hard, plays even harder. But that hasn't gone old - not yet. Asin is beautiful and refreshing. The movie lets you laugh out loud in a couple of places.

That's about the movie.... What really makes me wonder is the various formulae for success each actor cooks up. Vijay used to rely on remakes of successful telugu hits. (It gave me a lot of pain when I had to argue with my Telugu friends... and my brother. Yes. I like Vijay. May be its namesake but then again may be it isn't. I am not a die hard fan of Vijayakanth. But that really isn't the point now is it?... Vijay has now settled to a rhthym where he would play this handsome, funny young man who is always right. The movie will have to have atleast 3 fast songs where he would display his litheness. He doesn't have to prove anything to anybody by taking up tougher roles or one that would require a different get up (from the one he has now gradually evolved to. I guess he doesn't feel the need to project himself as one who wants to act for the sake of acting either. I think Vijay has grown into a Star and is not just an actor anymore...

Vikram feels the need to do/show a lot efforts in preparation for a role. He as to make himself suffer for every other role. He is qouted to have said that the poster is all one needs to identify the movie - for he would look different in each film.

Surya likes to experiment too. The roles have to be different. The looks I guess are usually the same.

I guess Ajith is still looking for his techinique.

So here we have it. Vikram works hard for each movie. He strives to play / portray a character as realistic as possible. Surya concentrates in finding new kinds of roles to play. Vijay has arrived at one minimum guarantee character and will make the story morph around him...

What I arrive at is that everyone have been conditioned by their past hits and misses, their influences in life. Its a simple Carrot and Stick Theory. Vikram came back from the dead with 'Sethu' in which he had starve for a few months to play the seconf half of the movie. No wonder he believes in playing the character to the fullest.

Surya's hits have been from movies which where different from the usual.

I guess Vijay has decided to let Vikram and Surya fight for Kamal's place in Tamil Film Industry and vie for Rajini's place instead.

Whatever he is trying, its working. Let me see if I could use a few of these theories in my life too...

Me @ the Desi Destination

2005-10-30T23:00:00.000-08:00

There is a running joke in the onsite community at the US that you would get to meet your long forgotten relatives if you visit Niagara on a long weekend. Personally, I would say that it would be the case anywhere on a long weekend. Went to Chicago during the Independence day and I saw small kids running around in Sears towers shouting in Thamizh. We didn't go to Niagara on a Long weekend thankfully. I barely made it to the falls before I had to fly back to India the first time. Thanks to Vineeth (& his tendency to play Calvin Ball) and his S1 IS, I guess - This is me @ the DD.
btw... We did see the whole of Niagara - From Canada

Memento

2005-10-29T16:10:00.000-07:00

I don't intend to make this blog a review station of any sort but I have to say this. I saw Ghajini and was all oohs and aahs about Surya's acting. Sure it was very good. Surya V.2 is definetely cool and talented but some how I think he could have played the character with the short term memory loss much like in the original from which the plot was borrowed - Memento. (btw, this is no spoiler, Ghajini starts with a doctor explaining this medical condition and in Memento the guy says, "I have this condition" about a few hundred thousand times and gets chided by the whoever listening that they have heard it lotsa times already.)

Guy Pierce is this guy who can only remember about 15 mins. He sees the satirical humour of his situation and is able to smile about it. The last vivid recollection that he has is his wife being raped and murdered and he lives for revenge but is not too grim because of it. He had played the role exceptionally well.

And the movie, how I wish we could try something as radical as in this movie. The entire movie runs backwards, as a series of flashbacks. By that we are in the same shoe as the lead - not really knowing the reasons for the various notes that he had written and tatooed on himself. IMDB users have rated it as 8.5. I've never voted for any movie... until now...

This is a real cool movie.... again... I haven't said anything you wouldn't know in 15 minutes of watching the movie.

What makes us tick?

2005-10-26T12:16:00.000-07:00

What is it that makes people get on with stuff day in and day out? What are we after? What is the purpose of life? What is it that we hope to achieve by living out our lives? If we aren't aware of the very reason of our existence, why are we so stuck u with the word 'WHY'? - the question designed to seek the reason? Should we even try to wonder? I dont know but I'll do it anyway...
My theory is that everyone is designed to seek happiness. We seek happiness. Some of us would bear unhappiness for a while to achive bigger happiness. Some of us will want to hold on to what happiness they have and might never see more happiness. What is happiness? For some, its a big bank balance. For some its being famous.
Well this is going nowhere... If we are designed to seek happiness, then why so? beats me.
May be we are never meant to understand the purpose of our existence.
Well anyways... I am content with what I am... well most of the times... Guess I should be happy with that. he he... I just said that I am happy with my level of happiness...

LIFE IS a SINE WAVE

2005-10-25T12:00:00.000-07:00

I coined this... Well I thought so. When I google now I find that cafepress.com is selling t-shirts with the one-liner for $18. I am getting myself one of those next time around. When I googled again to get the exact website name, I find that the price is actually $19 (18.99 - Human tendency that - to truncate). I also found that they sell boxer shorts ($16.99) with a neat diagram.

Anyways, I've always believed that I thought that thing up. I still do. used to tell that to my college friends when they flunked. That a trough really brings out the ebb. A nice thought that...

I used to be full of it when I was younger - dishing out self-confidence monologues to anyone who would care to listen. And they did. For most of them were baffled with my successes at my College. he he. Not that I was a topper or anything... I was gifted with an above average performance but consistent a la Dravid. But what used to baffle people was that no body catches me reading. (No body catches me work either but that somehow isn't ... well.... working out well for me.) Anyways, I guess they thought that I got through okay with my undergraduate studies with sheer wishful thinking - and wanted to learn the trick.

I am much wiser now... Yes sir/Madam (now that just corny isnt it?)... Discussions with yourself about the capabilities of the wonder that is man is like a meeting with the Oracle - "What was said was for you and for you alone" It doesn't really make sense or it doesn't really stands to be of any use. I keep it to myself.

The real truth is that I am unbelievably intelligent than all the lesser mortals I come across everyday. hehe. or its just that I believe that I am the most intelligent person living or dead. I hope you catch my drift. for I am the last person who would be rude. I am a libran you know... I digress. Like I said, All I am saying is that I am confident about myself. I just know that I could afford to think that I am intelligent. For if I am right, no harm done. If I am wrong, well, No real harm done anyway. For even acknowledged scholars have been wrong. Stuff worked fine even when the whole world thought that the earth was flat.

So I am intelligent. I can get the stuff done. So whats my problem now? Thats for another day.... All this stuff doesn't really describe the title does it? Oh well, if you would like, keep the title as "The mind is a monkey". But then again, that's a title for another day.