I chanced upon this 'prayer' that I wrote a long time ago in my archive of stuff, and was amused by the fact that despite putting it to paper years ago, I've only just learned to internalize this and truly to put this philosophy to action. I only hope I can keep up the faith and positivity ;)
'Alhumdulillah'
The only certainty of life is death, don't spend your days in despair
Whatever happens, happens for the best; He only gives us what we can bear
Life is nothing but a test; just put your heart in your prayer
And then to Him leave all the rest; you'll find the answer was always there..
January 21, 2008
I Love The 80's (and 90s!)
Songs on iTunes right now:
What is Love - Haddaway
You Spin Me Round - Dead or Alive
Ice Ice Baby - Vanilla Ice
Rhythm is a Dancer - SNAP!
MT Megamix - Modern Talking
Total Eclispe of the Heart - Nikki French
What is Love - Haddaway
You Spin Me Round - Dead or Alive
Ice Ice Baby - Vanilla Ice
Rhythm is a Dancer - SNAP!
MT Megamix - Modern Talking
Total Eclispe of the Heart - Nikki French
What is love?
Baby don't hurt me..Don't hurt me..
No more..
(Are you boppin' your head to the right yet?)
Classic song, and a classic movie!
January 18, 2008
If Opposites Attract, Why Are Antonyms So Repulsive?
DISCLAIMER: I know some of you want to know how Hajj went for me. Rest assured I'm working on gathering my thoughts about Hajj and will post a looooooooooooong recap soon. It'll likely also be published in the Fall issue of my sister's magazine Faith of Life.
So, yesterday we went over to celebrate my nephew's 10th birthday. Well, he's not related to me by blood but he calls me Chachi and his parents are close friends of ours, so I think of them of as family really..
Anyhoo, his mom made an interesting observation: when you turn 10, you haven't finally hit double digits. You're not beginning to be 10.. you're actually finishing your 10th year, and the day after your 10th birthday, you're technically already 11, because you've finished living 10 years and now you've started your 11th year. So you're 11.
Isn't that whacked? Never thought about it that way.
In other news, I'm studying hard for my GRE exam which is scheduled for February 14th - yes, its my Valentine's Day gift to myself.
It's not going so well. I knew the math would be challenging since I haven't looked at the subject since.. hmm.. 1998. (Yes I managed to get through A'Levels and college without a single course in math.. miracles never cease.)
But the Verbal section is brutal - even for me! With my excellent grasp of the English language! Especially the exercises where you have to know the meanings of really obscure words and find their antonyms (opposites) in a list. Those are so bizarre. These are just a few of the words that threw me for a loop when I did my first practice set:
Opprobrium?
Diaphanous?
Abjure?
Foment?
Cupidity?
Clearly I needed help. So I popped into B&N and bought myself a box of Kaplan's 500 flash cards with "the hardest GRE words".. and I found..
Contumacious?
Dirge?
Bilk?
I mean, I do know about 80-90% of the words in the box (well I've only gotten from A through H) but sometimes you can't help wonder if this is a whole new language you're dealing with..
Readers are welcome to suggest their own meanings to the above words, but you must do so without looking at a dictionary first!
Happy Defining!
So, yesterday we went over to celebrate my nephew's 10th birthday. Well, he's not related to me by blood but he calls me Chachi and his parents are close friends of ours, so I think of them of as family really..
Anyhoo, his mom made an interesting observation: when you turn 10, you haven't finally hit double digits. You're not beginning to be 10.. you're actually finishing your 10th year, and the day after your 10th birthday, you're technically already 11, because you've finished living 10 years and now you've started your 11th year. So you're 11.
Isn't that whacked? Never thought about it that way.
In other news, I'm studying hard for my GRE exam which is scheduled for February 14th - yes, its my Valentine's Day gift to myself.
It's not going so well. I knew the math would be challenging since I haven't looked at the subject since.. hmm.. 1998. (Yes I managed to get through A'Levels and college without a single course in math.. miracles never cease.)
But the Verbal section is brutal - even for me! With my excellent grasp of the English language! Especially the exercises where you have to know the meanings of really obscure words and find their antonyms (opposites) in a list. Those are so bizarre. These are just a few of the words that threw me for a loop when I did my first practice set:
Opprobrium?
Diaphanous?
Abjure?
Foment?
Cupidity?
Clearly I needed help. So I popped into B&N and bought myself a box of Kaplan's 500 flash cards with "the hardest GRE words".. and I found..
Contumacious?
Dirge?
Bilk?
I mean, I do know about 80-90% of the words in the box (well I've only gotten from A through H) but sometimes you can't help wonder if this is a whole new language you're dealing with..
Readers are welcome to suggest their own meanings to the above words, but you must do so without looking at a dictionary first!
Happy Defining!
January 2, 2008
Happy 2008!
Happy new year everyone! I'm back.. but I'm still deciding if it's good to be home ;)
More later.
More later.
December 1, 2007
November 28, 2007
November 20, 2007
Seasonal Affective Disorder?
No. This isn't S.A.D. I am officially sick of people. People suck. People have issues and you have to walk on eggshells and be careful around them, and you just can't be you and eventually you forget who you were in the first place before all this shit happened.
I am sick; sick of people who are weak and non-ballsy, and people who get hurt and offended, and people who defend these stupid sensitive people.
I am tired; of being surrounded by people in pain, of internalizing their suffering and trying to make a difference because I am a small measly human being and have no power over anything.
I am sick of all this negative energy, annoying people, mundane life and crappy weather. I am just really, really FED UP.
I am sick; sick of people who are weak and non-ballsy, and people who get hurt and offended, and people who defend these stupid sensitive people.
I am tired; of being surrounded by people in pain, of internalizing their suffering and trying to make a difference because I am a small measly human being and have no power over anything.
I am sick of all this negative energy, annoying people, mundane life and crappy weather. I am just really, really FED UP.
November 19, 2007
Existential Angst
Things happen. Usually for the best. But we are thankless creatures and we question our Maker. We ask: "Why? Why does it have to be this way?". Because sometimes things seem to happen for no reason at all. They baffle the mind and send us into deep confusion and despair as we struggle to find answers, to uncover the Truth.
Take for example, the following video.
Yes, SuperTed. I am sure you remember him. Many 4:15pm cartoon sequences on Ch. 33 began with episodes of this show. But to this date, I am unable to understand..
1) Why was SuperTed thrown away like a pile of rubbish? What was so wrong with him?
2) Why was there a Spotty Man flying around that night? Do they just circle the Earth at random?
3) If the establishment clearly thought there was something wrong with him, why did Spotty bring SuperTed to life and offer him redemption in the form of super powers? Is this meant to be some kind of parable to help geeky children believe they too can be rescued by a spotted alien from outer space?
You'll agree, these are deep questions. And, 20 years later, I am still searching for the answers.
Take for example, the following video.
Yes, SuperTed. I am sure you remember him. Many 4:15pm cartoon sequences on Ch. 33 began with episodes of this show. But to this date, I am unable to understand..
1) Why was SuperTed thrown away like a pile of rubbish? What was so wrong with him?
2) Why was there a Spotty Man flying around that night? Do they just circle the Earth at random?
3) If the establishment clearly thought there was something wrong with him, why did Spotty bring SuperTed to life and offer him redemption in the form of super powers? Is this meant to be some kind of parable to help geeky children believe they too can be rescued by a spotted alien from outer space?
You'll agree, these are deep questions. And, 20 years later, I am still searching for the answers.
November 16, 2007
Do you like it?
I was in the mood for a change on The Xinugeist.. and ideally looking for something in a raspberry palette since that's my favorite color nowadays.. like so...
But there wasn't anything in this exact shade so I opted for.. err.. polka dots. Hey at least it's fun! :)
But there wasn't anything in this exact shade so I opted for.. err.. polka dots. Hey at least it's fun! :)
Elegance Zameen Par
This lady never loses her magic. Looking forward to seeing her back on the big screen. And the color combination of this outfit is so amazing! Where do they come up with these designs from?
November 15, 2007
Communication 101
As a student of communication and rhetoric and as a professional negotiator, I am a keen observer of different communication styles, specifically the ways in which people communicate disagreement. Consider the following question:
You're having a heated debated with a friend about something you feel passionately about, but they hold the opposite point of view. You've just made an important point that you think should seal the deal, but your friend repeats it ("so you're saying...") in a way that shows they clearly did not 'get' it. Do you:
(a) Patiently say, "Well, you've got it somewhat right but that's not exactly what I mean" and try another tactic (an analogy or example) to make them understand;
(b) Snub them with a mildly sarcastic response that questions their intelligence and reaffirms your own, and then explain your point all over again;
(c) Throw your hands up in surrender and abandon the topic altogether.
Some people focus on dissonance in argument, i.e. they are aggressive and tend to spend more time debating differences of opinion to prove their point as superior. Your answer would be (b).
Others look to find resonance in shared, common ground so that they can reaffirm similarities in opinion and use that to leverage credibility for their point of view. Your answer would be (a).
Still others opt to avoid confrontation altogether and just acquiesce; nothing's important enough to get really riled up about. Your answer would be (c).
In truth, everyone in the world who has ever had an argument has employed each one of these three tactics, depending on the situation and goal. But in my personal experience, I feel that (a) always goes the longest way in getting the other person to understand what you want to say, while managing the negative fallout of a disagreement. Like my ex-boss used to say, "kill them with kindness".
I'm not sure I have a point to make about this right now, except that recently I have been frustrated by some "dissonators" in my life and I really wish they would spend some more time thinking about how they choose to communicate so that sharing the same space with them isn't a constant exercise in patience.
That is all!
You're having a heated debated with a friend about something you feel passionately about, but they hold the opposite point of view. You've just made an important point that you think should seal the deal, but your friend repeats it ("so you're saying...") in a way that shows they clearly did not 'get' it. Do you:
(a) Patiently say, "Well, you've got it somewhat right but that's not exactly what I mean" and try another tactic (an analogy or example) to make them understand;
(b) Snub them with a mildly sarcastic response that questions their intelligence and reaffirms your own, and then explain your point all over again;
(c) Throw your hands up in surrender and abandon the topic altogether.
Some people focus on dissonance in argument, i.e. they are aggressive and tend to spend more time debating differences of opinion to prove their point as superior. Your answer would be (b).
Others look to find resonance in shared, common ground so that they can reaffirm similarities in opinion and use that to leverage credibility for their point of view. Your answer would be (a).
Still others opt to avoid confrontation altogether and just acquiesce; nothing's important enough to get really riled up about. Your answer would be (c).
In truth, everyone in the world who has ever had an argument has employed each one of these three tactics, depending on the situation and goal. But in my personal experience, I feel that (a) always goes the longest way in getting the other person to understand what you want to say, while managing the negative fallout of a disagreement. Like my ex-boss used to say, "kill them with kindness".
I'm not sure I have a point to make about this right now, except that recently I have been frustrated by some "dissonators" in my life and I really wish they would spend some more time thinking about how they choose to communicate so that sharing the same space with them isn't a constant exercise in patience.
That is all!
November 2, 2007
Injuries
Currently, I am hosting the following injuries:
1) Two holes in my left arm (and a rapidly spreading muscle ache) where I got my latest vaccination shots this morning, Tetanus and a Polio booster. Yes, it appears that my parents never bothered getting me all my necessary childhood shots and I had to get Polio, Hep A, and Hep B at age 25... and there is still some concern over doctored tests my mother made me submit to Northwestern to prove I had MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) resistance.
Moral of the story: if you're too young and naive to understand medicine, make sure your doctor is someone reliable, i.e. not your mom who desperately wants you to get into Northwestern and will put white-ink over test results and type over them if that's what it will take to get your visa.
2) 4 burns on my right arm: 3 are 1 cm sized burns from splattered oil that hit the top part of my hand, and the 4th one is the size of a quarter on the underside of my arm which I managed to get yesterday by accidentally hitting a sizzling hot oven door as I checked on my chicken parm (which I eventually overcooked to a crisp because I was busy nursing my mangled arm).
3) Pinky toes on both feet are still recovering from walking all day yesterday in boots that are only a year old but have clearly died since they poked/scratched my toes until they were sore.
4) Right big toe is in pain because the ingrown toe-nail is back and in-grown; will need to perform self-surgery and yank out half my toe-nail at some point this weekend.
Yes, today it's literally painful to be me.
1) Two holes in my left arm (and a rapidly spreading muscle ache) where I got my latest vaccination shots this morning, Tetanus and a Polio booster. Yes, it appears that my parents never bothered getting me all my necessary childhood shots and I had to get Polio, Hep A, and Hep B at age 25... and there is still some concern over doctored tests my mother made me submit to Northwestern to prove I had MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) resistance.
Moral of the story: if you're too young and naive to understand medicine, make sure your doctor is someone reliable, i.e. not your mom who desperately wants you to get into Northwestern and will put white-ink over test results and type over them if that's what it will take to get your visa.
2) 4 burns on my right arm: 3 are 1 cm sized burns from splattered oil that hit the top part of my hand, and the 4th one is the size of a quarter on the underside of my arm which I managed to get yesterday by accidentally hitting a sizzling hot oven door as I checked on my chicken parm (which I eventually overcooked to a crisp because I was busy nursing my mangled arm).
3) Pinky toes on both feet are still recovering from walking all day yesterday in boots that are only a year old but have clearly died since they poked/scratched my toes until they were sore.
4) Right big toe is in pain because the ingrown toe-nail is back and in-grown; will need to perform self-surgery and yank out half my toe-nail at some point this weekend.
Yes, today it's literally painful to be me.
November 1, 2007
October 30, 2007
Things On My Mind
1) However much she may have thought him to be so, why did JK Rowling have to out Dumbledore? Doesn't she realize the uncomfortable analogy of an old, sensitive man that plays a more-than-mentor role to a vulnerable, young boy in a crusade against evil? (I'm talking about the Catholic church people). Sure, he felt love was important and wore flamboyant purple robes in his youth. But he was a powerful wizard who accidentally killed his sister for God's sake - he's bound to be gentle and dress funny!
2) Hajj is only a few weeks away. Will God accept my penitence? Will I have the sabr to be able to fulfill the pilgrimage in a fashion that merits washing away all my sins and letting me emerge as a new-born baby? Yeah, you can tell I'm cracking under the pressure of self-expectation.
3) Just 'cos the Red Sox won doesn't make Baseball a real sport. Four men running around in circles isn't sport. It's four men running around in circles.
4) Jab We Met was great.
5) My iPod mini has officially died. Considering getting an iPhone (more like, Sarwar is insisting I get one) but am reluctant to spend $399 and change to AT&T. Not that T-Mobile is out of this world, but I'm sort of used to it. Nyeh.
6) Blackberries are useless. Especially when they're too big to fit in the palm of your hand and you drop them all the time. And especially when your job is so useless, you don't even get much email.
7) Really need to get to grad school next year.
8) Or should I have a baby instead?
9) Or save up enough to put a downpayment on a house?
10) My friend Shereen met Shahrukh Khan in London for an interview for her magazine. We watched Jab We Met and lots of Zee TV this weekend. Told my dad that when he goes to Mumbai this time he better get me that movie contract we've been talking about for, hmm, 20 years. Sometimes Bollywood seems so close, like dreams could actually come true. And then you wake up on Monday morning and realize that the only thing you can look forward to on Monday night is a rubbishy episode of Heroes and a decent episode of Chuck.
2) Hajj is only a few weeks away. Will God accept my penitence? Will I have the sabr to be able to fulfill the pilgrimage in a fashion that merits washing away all my sins and letting me emerge as a new-born baby? Yeah, you can tell I'm cracking under the pressure of self-expectation.
3) Just 'cos the Red Sox won doesn't make Baseball a real sport. Four men running around in circles isn't sport. It's four men running around in circles.
4) Jab We Met was great.
5) My iPod mini has officially died. Considering getting an iPhone (more like, Sarwar is insisting I get one) but am reluctant to spend $399 and change to AT&T. Not that T-Mobile is out of this world, but I'm sort of used to it. Nyeh.
6) Blackberries are useless. Especially when they're too big to fit in the palm of your hand and you drop them all the time. And especially when your job is so useless, you don't even get much email.
7) Really need to get to grad school next year.
8) Or should I have a baby instead?
9) Or save up enough to put a downpayment on a house?
10) My friend Shereen met Shahrukh Khan in London for an interview for her magazine. We watched Jab We Met and lots of Zee TV this weekend. Told my dad that when he goes to Mumbai this time he better get me that movie contract we've been talking about for, hmm, 20 years. Sometimes Bollywood seems so close, like dreams could actually come true. And then you wake up on Monday morning and realize that the only thing you can look forward to on Monday night is a rubbishy episode of Heroes and a decent episode of Chuck.
October 28, 2007
October 7, 2007
*Uuunghhh*
...*struggles to pull herself out of the big black abyss of blog-updating laziness*
AAH.. THERE!
I am back!
For how long, do not know.. but after a kick in the butt from (who would have thought I'd ever have any) regular readers, I have decided enough is enough and it's time to kick-start the xinugeist.
As I look back on the big chunk of time that's just gone missing from my blog, I notice that basically I've not recorded my entire summer.
Some quick highlights:
-I turned 25. I know I know.. it's too young to be true. I don't feel 25.. I feel.. 27 at least. Possibly because all my friends are that age and I've had a roller coaster of a life that makes me feel so much older than most people around me. 25 year olds today aren't coming up on their third wedding anniversary and contemplating big life-changing decisions like buying houses and making babies. But I am. And that makes me old. *searches for that pesky grey hair as proof*
For my birthday, Sarwar and I had an action-packed weekend at Attitash Mountain in New Hampshire. Pix have been uploaded on Facebook for a while, so shall not replicate here. I never thought I'd enjoy racing up a mountain in a ski-lift and hurtling down a mountain (twice) on a sled! Sarwar is very happy because he thinks this is slow progress towards me being able to ride roller coasters and he has a chance of seeing the gates of a Six Flags again. Ha, ha buddy.. no chance.
-My in-laws visited for a couple of weeks. Sarwar's younger sister started grad school at MIT and his cousin joined UWMadison as a freshman. So there was a lot of shopping for bedding, shoe racks and notebooks. Made me nostalgic for the good ol' days *sniff*
-I began settling into my new job and seriously hating what I do for a living. So, inspired by my nostalgia for school, have begun contemplating a graduate course at Emerson College for a degree in Global Marketing Communication & Advertising. They have an open house in November I intend to go to. I think it's time to move from agency lip-service to client-side decision making, a la the career transition of Vishal Oberoi ;)
-Ramadan started, and is actually coming to a close next week so looking forward to Eid. For the first time in many years, we won't be spending Eid with my family in Toronto since our passports are gone for our Hajj visa. Let's see what Eid in Boston is going to be like. I'm excited because my mother-in-law got me lots of nice outfits from Dubai so at least I'll look good :)
-I became obsessed with Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2007 - Sangeet Ka Pratham Vishwa Yudh! We began watching the show when my mother-in-law came over, since she wanted to keep up with it and the only Indian channels we can get with our cable package are Zee TV and TV Asia, but we are completely hooked to it now.
The judges were initially annoying but Himesh has grown on me, with his predictable litany of compliments for good performances ("Superb. Mindblowing. Fantastic. Outstanding") and I actually do miss Bappi Lahiri's silly comments now that he's off the show since nobody from his gharana survived the voting (for example: "Slow and steady.. *smile*.. and the winning.")
The crowd is really lame - lots of beqabu aunties with flabby, wobbly arms.. hyper-active kids busting out of their clothes.. taxi-driver type men with a little too much enthusiasm for the male contestants.
But it's the contestants that make it all worth it. Some of them are like seasoned pros, it's such a treat to listen to them. The competition is now down to three finalists and I'm conflicted about who to root for: Amanat, the cute and phenomenally talented/versatile 19 year old from Faisalabad, or Aneek (or as Himesh calls him, Onnik) the 18 year old Sonu Nigam-sound alike from Kolkata.
The third contestant is Raja Hasan from (would you believe it) 'Raja'sthan -- so while my ethnic loyalties do lie there, and the whole fricken country is voting for him, I am not particuarly impressed because his vocal range is limited to Sukhwinder Singh and A R Rahman primal-scream songs.
Sarwar has graciously offered to let me use his company-paid Blackberry for all the international text message votes I intend to send before October 13th once I've decided who to support. It will likely be Amanat since he's a bit of the underdog, what with being Pakistani and all. Plus he looks like my sister's ex bf and I generally pity him because he's had to resort to a lot of religious and cultural compromises (touching guru's feet, wearing puja-ka-teeka on forehead) to get as far as he has with the Indian audience.
If Junaid Sheikh, the hunky Karachiite, or Musarrat Abbas, the next Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan from Lahore, hadn't been eliminated earlier on I'd be voting for them - but alas, I'll have to make do with watching their videos over and over.
Here are videos of a couple of my favorite performances on the show this year (not at all a full and comprehensive list, because those would be too many to post!)...
Amanat Ali Khan: Yeh Hausla (Dor)
Amanat Ali Khan: Parda Hai Parda (Amar Akbar Anthony)
Amanat Ali Khan: Mitwa (Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna)
Aneek Dhar: In Dinon Dil Mera (Life In A Metro)
Aneek Dhar: Main Agar Kahoon (Om Shanti Om) -- my favorite song right now.
Junaid Sheikh: Ishq Di Galli (Kacche Dhaage)
Musarrat Abbas: Tere Bin Nahin Lagda (NFAK)
Harpreet Deol: Soni De Nakhre (Partner) -- my favorite song of the summer.
Phenomenal, na?
Yesterday, Sarwar said to me: "You know, I think I'm way more into Sa Re Ga Ma than I ever was into American Idol." I'm like, well duh! This *is* your culture after all, plus its harder to sing Laaga Chunari Mein Daag than Wind Beneath My Wings.
In other news, I am quite looking forward to this fall, looks like a bunch of good movies will be releasing: Saawariya, Om Shanti Om, Laaga Chunari Mein Daag, and I admit - I want to watch Jab We Met 'cos I'm a Shahid fan!! *ducks to avoid Vishal's flying sheep*
Speaking of Om Shanti Om, I'm just shocked and appalled by SRK's new abs. He's too hot to be 43 and father of two and imaginary son to millions of moms around the world. Tsk tsk. Why isn't the police issuing arrest warrants for his conscious display of his abs as public indecency instead of chasing Shilpa Shetty around the world for being unwillingly kissed by idiotic Richard Gere?
Alright, much more to say but my laptop battery is dying and dishes are festering in the sink begging to be scrubbed. I hope this has satisfied everyone who complained the xinugeist was dead - because it most certainly isn't. Just as TV shows were gone for summer hiatus (oh yes, must blog about those as well), I was on break as well. But, as Arnie famously said, I am baaack.
AAH.. THERE!
I am back!
For how long, do not know.. but after a kick in the butt from (who would have thought I'd ever have any) regular readers, I have decided enough is enough and it's time to kick-start the xinugeist.
As I look back on the big chunk of time that's just gone missing from my blog, I notice that basically I've not recorded my entire summer.
Some quick highlights:
-I turned 25. I know I know.. it's too young to be true. I don't feel 25.. I feel.. 27 at least. Possibly because all my friends are that age and I've had a roller coaster of a life that makes me feel so much older than most people around me. 25 year olds today aren't coming up on their third wedding anniversary and contemplating big life-changing decisions like buying houses and making babies. But I am. And that makes me old. *searches for that pesky grey hair as proof*
For my birthday, Sarwar and I had an action-packed weekend at Attitash Mountain in New Hampshire. Pix have been uploaded on Facebook for a while, so shall not replicate here. I never thought I'd enjoy racing up a mountain in a ski-lift and hurtling down a mountain (twice) on a sled! Sarwar is very happy because he thinks this is slow progress towards me being able to ride roller coasters and he has a chance of seeing the gates of a Six Flags again. Ha, ha buddy.. no chance.
-My in-laws visited for a couple of weeks. Sarwar's younger sister started grad school at MIT and his cousin joined UWMadison as a freshman. So there was a lot of shopping for bedding, shoe racks and notebooks. Made me nostalgic for the good ol' days *sniff*
-I began settling into my new job and seriously hating what I do for a living. So, inspired by my nostalgia for school, have begun contemplating a graduate course at Emerson College for a degree in Global Marketing Communication & Advertising. They have an open house in November I intend to go to. I think it's time to move from agency lip-service to client-side decision making, a la the career transition of Vishal Oberoi ;)
-Ramadan started, and is actually coming to a close next week so looking forward to Eid. For the first time in many years, we won't be spending Eid with my family in Toronto since our passports are gone for our Hajj visa. Let's see what Eid in Boston is going to be like. I'm excited because my mother-in-law got me lots of nice outfits from Dubai so at least I'll look good :)
-I became obsessed with Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2007 - Sangeet Ka Pratham Vishwa Yudh! We began watching the show when my mother-in-law came over, since she wanted to keep up with it and the only Indian channels we can get with our cable package are Zee TV and TV Asia, but we are completely hooked to it now.
The judges were initially annoying but Himesh has grown on me, with his predictable litany of compliments for good performances ("Superb. Mindblowing. Fantastic. Outstanding") and I actually do miss Bappi Lahiri's silly comments now that he's off the show since nobody from his gharana survived the voting (for example: "Slow and steady.. *smile*.. and the winning.")
The crowd is really lame - lots of beqabu aunties with flabby, wobbly arms.. hyper-active kids busting out of their clothes.. taxi-driver type men with a little too much enthusiasm for the male contestants.
But it's the contestants that make it all worth it. Some of them are like seasoned pros, it's such a treat to listen to them. The competition is now down to three finalists and I'm conflicted about who to root for: Amanat, the cute and phenomenally talented/versatile 19 year old from Faisalabad, or Aneek (or as Himesh calls him, Onnik) the 18 year old Sonu Nigam-sound alike from Kolkata.
The third contestant is Raja Hasan from (would you believe it) 'Raja'sthan -- so while my ethnic loyalties do lie there, and the whole fricken country is voting for him, I am not particuarly impressed because his vocal range is limited to Sukhwinder Singh and A R Rahman primal-scream songs.
Sarwar has graciously offered to let me use his company-paid Blackberry for all the international text message votes I intend to send before October 13th once I've decided who to support. It will likely be Amanat since he's a bit of the underdog, what with being Pakistani and all. Plus he looks like my sister's ex bf and I generally pity him because he's had to resort to a lot of religious and cultural compromises (touching guru's feet, wearing puja-ka-teeka on forehead) to get as far as he has with the Indian audience.
If Junaid Sheikh, the hunky Karachiite, or Musarrat Abbas, the next Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan from Lahore, hadn't been eliminated earlier on I'd be voting for them - but alas, I'll have to make do with watching their videos over and over.
Here are videos of a couple of my favorite performances on the show this year (not at all a full and comprehensive list, because those would be too many to post!)...
Amanat Ali Khan: Yeh Hausla (Dor)
Amanat Ali Khan: Parda Hai Parda (Amar Akbar Anthony)
Amanat Ali Khan: Mitwa (Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna)
Aneek Dhar: In Dinon Dil Mera (Life In A Metro)
Aneek Dhar: Main Agar Kahoon (Om Shanti Om) -- my favorite song right now.
Junaid Sheikh: Ishq Di Galli (Kacche Dhaage)
Musarrat Abbas: Tere Bin Nahin Lagda (NFAK)
Harpreet Deol: Soni De Nakhre (Partner) -- my favorite song of the summer.
Phenomenal, na?
Yesterday, Sarwar said to me: "You know, I think I'm way more into Sa Re Ga Ma than I ever was into American Idol." I'm like, well duh! This *is* your culture after all, plus its harder to sing Laaga Chunari Mein Daag than Wind Beneath My Wings.
In other news, I am quite looking forward to this fall, looks like a bunch of good movies will be releasing: Saawariya, Om Shanti Om, Laaga Chunari Mein Daag, and I admit - I want to watch Jab We Met 'cos I'm a Shahid fan!! *ducks to avoid Vishal's flying sheep*
Speaking of Om Shanti Om, I'm just shocked and appalled by SRK's new abs. He's too hot to be 43 and father of two and imaginary son to millions of moms around the world. Tsk tsk. Why isn't the police issuing arrest warrants for his conscious display of his abs as public indecency instead of chasing Shilpa Shetty around the world for being unwillingly kissed by idiotic Richard Gere?
Alright, much more to say but my laptop battery is dying and dishes are festering in the sink begging to be scrubbed. I hope this has satisfied everyone who complained the xinugeist was dead - because it most certainly isn't. Just as TV shows were gone for summer hiatus (oh yes, must blog about those as well), I was on break as well. But, as Arnie famously said, I am baaack.
September 5, 2007
July 31, 2007
The Summer of George!
No, it's not really, unless you count watching endless hours of Seinfeld on Tivo 'cos nothing good is on TV (accidental episodes of Age of Love and America's Got Talent don't count!) as being the Summer of George.
No, it's certainly been a summer of busy-ness.
What with employment, Harry Potter 7, Sarwar's birthday, planning for Hajj, a 10 day/30 hour evening intensive course in Classical Arabic, chores, watching seasons 6 and 7 of the West Wing on DVD (it seems much better on DVD that it did when I watched it on live TV), my upcoming birthday weekend plans, and my in-laws arriving next week for a month - it certainly has turned into a hectic summer.
But still, cannot complain; 'tis better that sitting around and pulling my hair out due to sheer boredom.
Oh, and before I forget, Happy 27th Birthday, Harry and Neville. It's been 10 years since the final battle, hope "all is well" :)
No, it's certainly been a summer of busy-ness.
What with employment, Harry Potter 7, Sarwar's birthday, planning for Hajj, a 10 day/30 hour evening intensive course in Classical Arabic, chores, watching seasons 6 and 7 of the West Wing on DVD (it seems much better on DVD that it did when I watched it on live TV), my upcoming birthday weekend plans, and my in-laws arriving next week for a month - it certainly has turned into a hectic summer.
But still, cannot complain; 'tis better that sitting around and pulling my hair out due to sheer boredom.
Oh, and before I forget, Happy 27th Birthday, Harry and Neville. It's been 10 years since the final battle, hope "all is well" :)
July 25, 2007
Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows
So, it finally came. July 21, 2007. The end of the road.
Harvard Square was packed at the midnight release. Lots of people dressed up in Harry Potter garb, standing in line after the evening's concert in "Hogwarts Square".
It took me three days to finish it but I finally did do it on Monday.
I'm sad that it's over; it's like graduation - after all that time, it's all over. You can't believe there's life after this. And it's anti-climactic.
Yes, I must admit book was a little disappointing. Of course it was great fun in general, and engrossing and exciting, as all Harry Potter books are, but I had hoped JKR would have written it differently.
At least 100 pages could have been shaved off the beginning, the pages and pages of desperate wandering were repetitive. But perhaps that was the point.
There were too many un-original themes in this one: the locket casting evil-ness on the wearer (a la The One Ring), Ron pulling out the sword and breaking the locket (a la Excalibur).. and the radio and Lee's program (did anyone else see the influences of the Alan Johnston hostage crisis and how having a small stereo with the BBC helped him survive?).
I was disappointed in the lack of Snape, the lack of drama with which she described the final fall of Voldemort, and the mushy chapter '19 Years Later'. I'm glad she did an epilogue, but I would have preferred it to be less story-like, and more like the ending titles of a movie.
Speaking of which, I think this is the first book that I think she wrote for the screen rather than for the reader. Too much emphasis on the visuals, and not enough back-story or thinking process. No one will be able to complain that the 7th film isn't true to the book since this one is made to order for Hollywood.
The King's Cross chapter was frustrating for me; not enough answers, too much additional, unnecessary mystery. Though I was glad to see Dumbledore again.
I wish she had made Harry master of the Deathly Hallows and had him use that to conquer Voldemort. It was such a great tale, it would have made an extremely dramatic "see how I crush you" sort of ending.
And finally, my biggest beef - the ending. I re-read the ending three times but I'm still confused about what happened.
When Voldemort hit Harry with the Killing Curse in the Forbidden Forest, he killed off the Horcrux part of himself but not Harry's soul, because Voldemort shared Harry's blood and his mother's protection so while Voldemort lives, Harry must too.
The second time around Voldemort hit Harry with the Killing Curse, Harry disarmed him of the Elder Wand, and because he was the true owner of it, the wand refused to attack him, and the curse rebounded on Voldemort, finally killing him because all the Horcruxes were now destroyed.
This much I get.
But then this raises many questions:
Why did the Elder Wand succeed in attacking Harry the first time around? Yes, it killed the Voldemort part of his soul, but it still did hit him.
Why did the protection of Lily's curse not work in Voldemort's favor when his curse rebounded?
And if the blood connection protected Harry the first time, when Voldemort died why didn't Harry die with him?
Too many holes here.
Also, Harry being a Horcrux was the most ridiculous cop-out ever. Splitting your soul is dark magic, it can't just happen like that without you knowing, without an incantantion. Transference of Parseltongue and a window into Voldemort's mind is one thing, but making him a Horcux? Enough Harry Potter fans debunked this theory months ago.
Of all the people who died, I felt worst for Hedwig - maybe because she was the first casualty - and Dobby, the poor thing. Snape was expected, Mad-Eye didn't hurt so much since we don't really know him so well, Lupin and Tonks were also somewhat inevitable given the narrative power of killing off all 4 Hogwarts best friends and leaving Harry as godfather. And Fred's death was shocking but at least George is still around to make them laugh right?
I'm sad that Sirius actually is dead, I really thought he'd make a comeback.
At least we got the answer to why the Bloody Baron is bloody, although the random inclusion of the Grey Lady seemed like a quick-fix since we've never heard of her before.
All in all, it wasn't the most satisfying ending, and lots of it was predictable and expected (see previous blog posts for questions that were answered!), but I still love this series and am so sad to realize that it's all over.
Farewell, Harry Potter. You will be missed.
Harvard Square was packed at the midnight release. Lots of people dressed up in Harry Potter garb, standing in line after the evening's concert in "Hogwarts Square".
It took me three days to finish it but I finally did do it on Monday.
I'm sad that it's over; it's like graduation - after all that time, it's all over. You can't believe there's life after this. And it's anti-climactic.
Yes, I must admit book was a little disappointing. Of course it was great fun in general, and engrossing and exciting, as all Harry Potter books are, but I had hoped JKR would have written it differently.
At least 100 pages could have been shaved off the beginning, the pages and pages of desperate wandering were repetitive. But perhaps that was the point.
There were too many un-original themes in this one: the locket casting evil-ness on the wearer (a la The One Ring), Ron pulling out the sword and breaking the locket (a la Excalibur).. and the radio and Lee's program (did anyone else see the influences of the Alan Johnston hostage crisis and how having a small stereo with the BBC helped him survive?).
I was disappointed in the lack of Snape, the lack of drama with which she described the final fall of Voldemort, and the mushy chapter '19 Years Later'. I'm glad she did an epilogue, but I would have preferred it to be less story-like, and more like the ending titles of a movie.
Speaking of which, I think this is the first book that I think she wrote for the screen rather than for the reader. Too much emphasis on the visuals, and not enough back-story or thinking process. No one will be able to complain that the 7th film isn't true to the book since this one is made to order for Hollywood.
The King's Cross chapter was frustrating for me; not enough answers, too much additional, unnecessary mystery. Though I was glad to see Dumbledore again.
I wish she had made Harry master of the Deathly Hallows and had him use that to conquer Voldemort. It was such a great tale, it would have made an extremely dramatic "see how I crush you" sort of ending.
And finally, my biggest beef - the ending. I re-read the ending three times but I'm still confused about what happened.
When Voldemort hit Harry with the Killing Curse in the Forbidden Forest, he killed off the Horcrux part of himself but not Harry's soul, because Voldemort shared Harry's blood and his mother's protection so while Voldemort lives, Harry must too.
The second time around Voldemort hit Harry with the Killing Curse, Harry disarmed him of the Elder Wand, and because he was the true owner of it, the wand refused to attack him, and the curse rebounded on Voldemort, finally killing him because all the Horcruxes were now destroyed.
This much I get.
But then this raises many questions:
Why did the Elder Wand succeed in attacking Harry the first time around? Yes, it killed the Voldemort part of his soul, but it still did hit him.
Why did the protection of Lily's curse not work in Voldemort's favor when his curse rebounded?
And if the blood connection protected Harry the first time, when Voldemort died why didn't Harry die with him?
Too many holes here.
Also, Harry being a Horcrux was the most ridiculous cop-out ever. Splitting your soul is dark magic, it can't just happen like that without you knowing, without an incantantion. Transference of Parseltongue and a window into Voldemort's mind is one thing, but making him a Horcux? Enough Harry Potter fans debunked this theory months ago.
Of all the people who died, I felt worst for Hedwig - maybe because she was the first casualty - and Dobby, the poor thing. Snape was expected, Mad-Eye didn't hurt so much since we don't really know him so well, Lupin and Tonks were also somewhat inevitable given the narrative power of killing off all 4 Hogwarts best friends and leaving Harry as godfather. And Fred's death was shocking but at least George is still around to make them laugh right?
I'm sad that Sirius actually is dead, I really thought he'd make a comeback.
At least we got the answer to why the Bloody Baron is bloody, although the random inclusion of the Grey Lady seemed like a quick-fix since we've never heard of her before.
All in all, it wasn't the most satisfying ending, and lots of it was predictable and expected (see previous blog posts for questions that were answered!), but I still love this series and am so sad to realize that it's all over.
Farewell, Harry Potter. You will be missed.
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