tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24725278211995956692024-03-05T14:52:09.985-08:00The Ginglyform ClubOpinionated about everythingAditihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08313613390926059832noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472527821199595669.post-58513259463800820162014-06-23T00:08:00.003-07:002014-06-23T00:09:07.075-07:00A million thanks!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I published an article on yahoo tumblr blog, and my blog stats have really spiked since then. The article has been shared and "like"d beyond my wildest imagination. It's so encouraging and exciting for me :)<br />
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Thank you all those who have dropped by to check out my blog! Do say hello in the comments!<br />
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( Here's the article, <a href="http://yralindia.tumblr.com/post/88263269753/pregnancy-other-crazy-adventures-a-webcomic">http://yralindia.tumblr.com/post/88263269753/pregnancy-other-crazy-adventures-a-webcomic</a> )<br />
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Aditihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08313613390926059832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472527821199595669.post-89360343640277584622014-06-22T23:59:00.000-07:002014-06-23T00:00:27.454-07:00S**t hairdressers say<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I really dislike going to beauty parlours. The ladies there end up saying things which make me feel terrible about my skin and hair and generally everything. Plus, I have no patience for facials and pedicures and manicures. I cannot bring myself to relax. But these days, I have started realizing I <em>need </em>to relax, I am too tense, too high-strung, and too nervous. Ah, good feelings all :)<br />
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In the meantime, here's a comic I did a few days back. My scanner is suffering an illness so you get a crappy phone pic.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimgFXNCQJ-H_HbGJh8BTej9NkHl0yy0E0UoSy_w3LOsWXI8YO4agVp4HT2Wg-Pcgw7adoX-4iBtO_kuDfgrRfzlXqZAtpzsLdKMyKMHogEmMmjjEjkZUWTpnSddfFWINUpO17uUA63d0Fn/s1600/WP_002856.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimgFXNCQJ-H_HbGJh8BTej9NkHl0yy0E0UoSy_w3LOsWXI8YO4agVp4HT2Wg-Pcgw7adoX-4iBtO_kuDfgrRfzlXqZAtpzsLdKMyKMHogEmMmjjEjkZUWTpnSddfFWINUpO17uUA63d0Fn/s1600/WP_002856.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Aditihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08313613390926059832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472527821199595669.post-25673440618051339982014-06-01T05:12:00.000-07:002014-06-09T05:13:32.523-07:00Comfort food<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQHhcVDYrx-vJMhL463i62EeXTjYAIXMKa6LVGgM0ExWSnTLN9w3lPwiZVwsMCzHHJd15-oBU0UG4QdsbbqU2Wpf6tCGu5pbZOR5Nr4yaKRl8KEoegOh8Lsmh7f9Kxjsy_rCOno70ssZz/s1600/comic0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQHhcVDYrx-vJMhL463i62EeXTjYAIXMKa6LVGgM0ExWSnTLN9w3lPwiZVwsMCzHHJd15-oBU0UG4QdsbbqU2Wpf6tCGu5pbZOR5Nr4yaKRl8KEoegOh8Lsmh7f9Kxjsy_rCOno70ssZz/s1600/comic0001.jpg" height="640" width="482" /> </a></div>
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Its wonderful weather in Bangalore and it makes me think of home-made food. </div>
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Aditihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08313613390926059832noreply@blogger.com0Bangalore, Karnataka, India12.9715987 77.59456269999998312.4764182 76.949115699999979 13.4667792 78.240009699999987tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472527821199595669.post-37415797503071278892014-04-16T18:00:00.000-07:002014-06-09T05:16:23.675-07:00English as a foreign language<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXpL-B4xDXjLuArrUShZfhZCWh4UXETUvsXVGVTcLUL9_yEXMeAeA2pgmpepGU-zfiB__RxGm27W3ZGd21z0EyqQBtydyWsLZhI65xyyN5jFXN9yhAw5vbtyOXF1TMMrIwUIHwLM5fupjd/s1600/comic0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXpL-B4xDXjLuArrUShZfhZCWh4UXETUvsXVGVTcLUL9_yEXMeAeA2pgmpepGU-zfiB__RxGm27W3ZGd21z0EyqQBtydyWsLZhI65xyyN5jFXN9yhAw5vbtyOXF1TMMrIwUIHwLM5fupjd/s1600/comic0002.jpg" height="640" width="464" /> </a></div>
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Dunno if the n00bs are just trying to be funny .</div>
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Aditihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08313613390926059832noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472527821199595669.post-59044078588952052282013-03-12T04:13:00.000-07:002013-03-12T04:13:25.095-07:00#21: Attend a rock concert<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivG4AKd3uqBymgSHvhvKQa7IlBQz35oaZYODv7s3PtlA6TGXrSmbePOO0j9mYUCtMfG3yJp6rX2np4Xup-oqFDDF69AsxOYoBYt8j0JVBNgtIS2-GTn4yyrQCtr2uQbpHjgT4_3aZVs6c1/s1600/norah+jones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivG4AKd3uqBymgSHvhvKQa7IlBQz35oaZYODv7s3PtlA6TGXrSmbePOO0j9mYUCtMfG3yJp6rX2np4Xup-oqFDDF69AsxOYoBYt8j0JVBNgtIS2-GTn4yyrQCtr2uQbpHjgT4_3aZVs6c1/s640/norah+jones.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unfortunate camera-pic</td></tr>
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I got lucky a few days back when I heard Norah Jones was giving a concert in India. I have not attended a concert, like EVER. And though my list says "rock" concert, I figured a jazz/country/folk concert is a worthy substitute.<br />
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Besides I was getting an employee discount on tickets, and this I took as a sign that I should go a-concerting.<br />
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So for people who are going to attend a concert for the first time, here are a few tips:<br />
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1) Wear flat shoes and closed shoes.<br />
Open-air concerts involve a lot of standing (or sitting). So heels will definitely make you uncomfortable. I am a person who doesn't like dirt in her toes, so closed shoes were a must for me.<br />
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2) Carry water<br />
All that standing around and singing along makes you thirsty. So carry some hydration.<br />
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3) Carry insect repellent/sunscreen<br />
Depending on whether its day or night, carry one(or both). I was bitten by mosquitoes all night :(<br />
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4) Carry a light, hands free bag.<br />
Again, standing around will exhaust you. make sure your bag doesn't contribute to it.<br />
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5) Dress lightly.<br />
So many people packed together will make it warm/hot. So jackets, sweaters, wraps should be left in your car.<br />
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6) Respect other concert attendees<br />
Don't step on toes, push people, toss your hair into other people's unsuspecting faces. Your dance moves may be sexy, but I certainly don't appreciate you shoving at me.<br />
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And as a tiny person, I think concerts may not be the best place for me to enjoy music. After all, I generally come upto most people's shoulders, and my view of Norah Jones was limited to between people's ears and necks. Sharad, however, towered over the crowd and even made eye-contact with Norah and her guitarist, Jeff(we were quite near the stage).<br />
So my final concert-going tip for you:<br />
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8) Be tall.<br />
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The concert in itself was brilliant. The lady is an incredible performer! She sounds as good performing live as she does on record. And her band was awesome too! My favourites were "Creep on Me" and "Black" and "Mariam". Her songwriting is so versatile, switching from jazz to almost-rock to pop.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMeAx5W9wL7FpK_V0ldXfgYPeMSSy3jelENHixdhz2tayaSIygij0m7zViT00I855PjJwS5ocBXXPxfL5rXvRaNQU3prCvEGVbps09f2wi4AU0VGUQ12sjo1uB6-KBPnhu1xwonLa8ptey/s1600/WP_001716.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMeAx5W9wL7FpK_V0ldXfgYPeMSSy3jelENHixdhz2tayaSIygij0m7zViT00I855PjJwS5ocBXXPxfL5rXvRaNQU3prCvEGVbps09f2wi4AU0VGUQ12sjo1uB6-KBPnhu1xwonLa8ptey/s400/WP_001716.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Aditihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08313613390926059832noreply@blogger.com1Bangalore, Karnataka, India12.9715987 77.59456269999998312.4764152 76.949115699999979 13.466782199999999 78.240009699999987tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472527821199595669.post-71099842716897804342013-02-10T08:01:00.000-08:002013-02-10T08:06:45.780-08:00#6 Drape a sari perfectly<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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As a part of<a href="http://theginglyformclub.blogspot.in/2013/01/30-before-30.html" target="_blank"> my 30 before 30 list</a>, I learned how to drape a sari well. Special thanks to my mum, and the internet!</div>
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I love the sari, it is a beautiful garment,makes me feel elegant and grownup. I learnt to drape it fairly late in my youth, and even made a<a href="http://theginglyformclub.blogspot.in/2011/10/sari-draping-tutorial.html" target="_blank"> little comic</a> about it. The only problem is I don't love it on myself. Post-wedding, I accumulated a lovely collection of silks and chiffons and net saris. But something was still amiss, saris always seemed a little "off" on me. </div>
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That's when I realised I need to learn how to drape it well. There are a few little tricks of how to do it, and you need to adjust it to your own body type. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb5m_Qs3yF-k3jzEFMQgma2RC5HdD5thbOKohlngnYbKqRjjPnnv5KqjIz69i0b3O1RgFUYnAgdsQvuVOpP2Gx-oSYXsJDylGidcNsWLiXCatptXPzdPbmSkoZm3Tlj12D7hUDeLdcNdnu/s1600/sari.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb5m_Qs3yF-k3jzEFMQgma2RC5HdD5thbOKohlngnYbKqRjjPnnv5KqjIz69i0b3O1RgFUYnAgdsQvuVOpP2Gx-oSYXsJDylGidcNsWLiXCatptXPzdPbmSkoZm3Tlj12D7hUDeLdcNdnu/s640/sari.jpg" width="480" /></a> For instance I am a small person, with a few extra pounds in the middle. I have slim hips and broad shoulders. I don't have the typical large hipped small-waisted Indian figure(which looks so amazing in saris). So I made up a few tenets for myself, especially when it comes to the traditional silk saris.</div>
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1) No long <i>pallus </i> for me, sadly. I stick to neatly draped accordian pleats, that is the only way I will not look over-whelmed by the sari. The folded section of the pallu cannot extend too much beyond my shoulder blade. Otherwise I look like one of those rugby players.</div>
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2) A tiny bit of waist exposure is essential, for people who are blessed with no hips & a paunch. This falls nicely in line with a gathered <i>pallu.</i></div>
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3) Front pleats are a bit of an issue for short & not-very-wide-hipped people. Especially since some saris these days seem to be long and tall and make up for a nice "pouf" right in front of your tummy. My solution(courtesy my mum) is to move them ever so slightly to the right.</div>
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4) Heels! Buy(and wear) the most comfortable high-heels you can find. Wedges always work for me. Many people dislike the look of wedges,but I like to think that having small feet can let you get away with chunky shoes.Wearing heels under a sari elongates the lower part of the sari, and makes you look elegant. </div>
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So these are my four observations for draping a sari well. There was a wedding in the family recently, and I think I managed to pull off the sari pretty well.</div>
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Aditihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08313613390926059832noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472527821199595669.post-71164468663380353842013-02-03T06:51:00.000-08:002013-02-03T06:51:15.833-08:00Pin-spiring<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Working in interaction design means being an early adopter of many new "internet trends". I signed up to Pinterest nearly a year ago, but wasn't using it as much till a few months back.<br />
I DO get why people get addicted to it, if you follow the right boards, and are able to streamline your interests, you get a ton of visual inspiration.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibSwpWwUHT7PFTSvu-_wkSlIiXq7Rf6hf661UwSBEJOYgMkWgB1kahHy7VKxoj3J_sJQzArRswEgqNjq95PcDg46WytWAyk2XBQEZXNGpKdpUihZ19C8aVOM8Hv-wI0nizq7o8hmvn8lap/s1600/trees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibSwpWwUHT7PFTSvu-_wkSlIiXq7Rf6hf661UwSBEJOYgMkWgB1kahHy7VKxoj3J_sJQzArRswEgqNjq95PcDg46WytWAyk2XBQEZXNGpKdpUihZ19C8aVOM8Hv-wI0nizq7o8hmvn8lap/s200/trees.jpg" width="142" /></a></div>
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I made this little sketch after seeing something on pinterest. The problem is however that one tends not to remember the source or the artist who "inspired" you.</div>
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I am currently just using it to get some visual candy, though I see people use it to do some DIY stuff, outfit inspiration, graphic design inspiration, and so on.</div>
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I also kinda get intimidated by the "perfect" photography on it, even though I know its all nice light, and clean backgrounds. </div>
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Aditihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08313613390926059832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472527821199595669.post-77490969044529866242013-01-24T06:36:00.000-08:002013-02-03T06:37:39.304-08:00Why I am not drawing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A small comic I made a LONG while ago!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZ58WU1Cq55JGtkW-sKhI2Hh1fiirUDx7FysiNNrkeWoG-1Eg0AqAiLXK7V4hpiNVUQjNnMNceGgnqsZSAa8lEyF4zOGdcA8PFsqvYhK_leeh6BpycKfzYjqA6UVfFcOdwkomAjJtuShb/s1600/why+i+am+not+drawing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZ58WU1Cq55JGtkW-sKhI2Hh1fiirUDx7FysiNNrkeWoG-1Eg0AqAiLXK7V4hpiNVUQjNnMNceGgnqsZSAa8lEyF4zOGdcA8PFsqvYhK_leeh6BpycKfzYjqA6UVfFcOdwkomAjJtuShb/s640/why+i+am+not+drawing.jpg" width="523" /></a></div>
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Aditihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08313613390926059832noreply@blogger.com1Bangalore, Karnataka, India12.9715987 77.59456269999998312.4764147 76.949115699999979 13.4667827 78.240009699999987tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472527821199595669.post-26644256228797016002013-01-09T20:31:00.001-08:002013-01-21T04:55:20.748-08:0030 before 30<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was chatting with my younger brother and he said, "I never imagined life after 22-23. Somehow that seemed to be the end." I agreed, because I used to be the same way. I never thought I would become any older than 25.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But here's the harsh truth. I turn 30 in February 2014. It's a milestone birthday, and I suppose I could be all unhappy about it. But, instead, I have decided to look forward to becoming thirty. It is sad to leave my 20s behind, and realise that I will not be the target audience for a lot of marketing & advertisers. But on the other hand, a lot of my burning life questions seem to be behind me. I am older, somewhat wiser and have as yet, no white hairs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I still suffer from existential angst, and self-esteem issues, and yes, acne. I guess these things are not going away anytime soon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, enough rambling! Before I exit my 20s, I decided to make a list of things I wanted to do. It wasn't easy to come up with thirty, but I did it!</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Run a marathon</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Throw a party</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Learn to blow dry my hair REALLY straight</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Complete the “Artist’s Way”</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Save an X amount of money every month</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Learn how to drape a sari really well</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Find and wear the right makeup</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Celebrate Diwali the right way</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Make pickles</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Keep a photoblog (on posterous)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Travel to</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Coorg,</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pondicherry,</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hampi &</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ooty</span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Participate in NaNoWriMo(November)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stitch a garment I can wear outside the
house</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Make a painting or a series of small
paintings</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Design a calendar for 2014</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Go hang-gliding</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Travel to another country</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Learn to do my taxes</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Go on a road trip</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Finish" drawing in all my gifted journals/notebooks</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Attend a rock concert</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Take a jewelry making class/Make some
jewelry</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Go vegan for a month</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Learn to sing a song perfectly</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don't shop for a month</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Write reviews of books & films you
watch</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Participate in hourly comics (1<sup>st</sup>
FEB!!!)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Celebrate Valentine's day</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Start the 'other' blog (that's a hush-hush project)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Be at peace with myself</span></li>
</ol>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am going to try and document this as I go on. Wish me luck!</span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br /></div>
Aditihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08313613390926059832noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472527821199595669.post-61966009677156169872012-12-31T20:22:00.001-08:002012-12-31T20:22:08.420-08:00Story of Curly<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRHHVPSrDMQTFRbmiVUCctxHKciutUyIOOXyNgD3UTYxvPHSEb6neArZh2OwKxOiwqBPGevZeYI75hTE-pCYUj-Dro7j2iRyLw8i4T3VMTLOu9I28dmpp3o_qHhvEMm0XmUFkkeYVHY1DS/s1600/WP_001439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRHHVPSrDMQTFRbmiVUCctxHKciutUyIOOXyNgD3UTYxvPHSEb6neArZh2OwKxOiwqBPGevZeYI75hTE-pCYUj-Dro7j2iRyLw8i4T3VMTLOu9I28dmpp3o_qHhvEMm0XmUFkkeYVHY1DS/s200/WP_001439.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I was born with springy, twisted
curly hair. As a kid, I longed to have the Rasna girl hair cut with neat bangs
on my forehead and a bob-cut. That, I felt, would complete my life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">My hair is stubbornly curly
and refuses to be tamed by hair gel, shampoo, hair-dryers, or flat-irons. It
has a mind and life of its own. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Around two years ago, I had
an epiphany. It was around the time that everyone was going through the
re-bonding process. Poker straight hair was in vogue. I remember a girl in my
office with dry, frizzy, curly hair who came in one day with her hair looking
smooth, and silky. I was so tempted to re-bond my hair. I would get my Rasna
girl haircut! I would finally have smooth manageable hair!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I had just brought myself a
flat iron and was straightening my hair. It wasn’t working so well for me. My
hair was a disaster, it had stopped growing, it was limp and dull, and falling
out. I had to wash it nearly every day to keep it from being lank. I was sick
of it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">And so came my epiphany. I decided
that I didn’t care if my hair was straight or curly; all I wanted was healthy
hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Whenever faced with any
problem, I do a lot of reading. I read on the internet, books, articles,
magazines, whatever came my way. And I began working on it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Getting healthier hair wasn’t
easy, it has taken over two-three years. But the more difficult thing is
accepting my hair. I have curly hair, and it is crazy on some days. But that’s
okay. On the days it behaves, it looks pretty. On the days it doesn’t, well,
that’s what buns and scrunchies are for!</span></div>
</div>
Aditihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08313613390926059832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472527821199595669.post-9679014634433972722012-10-09T20:49:00.000-07:002012-10-09T20:53:39.391-07:00A fish shaped building<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
This is based on a true story. </div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ4Ef4QiD6392-ufu6BQQeKcKCfitsg7F-w1FkX0PAxLDHrKP1rziNbKXVCKFMow8kAslpKfZEbuRf53AIwJOs4erDVDUWCpZqJ9YWNyuj_8kDuLqmvE9by3OJsCnezZPwyGjzknEDr-ki/s1600/fish-tales.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="464" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ4Ef4QiD6392-ufu6BQQeKcKCfitsg7F-w1FkX0PAxLDHrKP1rziNbKXVCKFMow8kAslpKfZEbuRf53AIwJOs4erDVDUWCpZqJ9YWNyuj_8kDuLqmvE9by3OJsCnezZPwyGjzknEDr-ki/s640/fish-tales.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bit fishy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
This is what happens when you tell jokes to software developers. </div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
And for reference, this is the afore-mentioned fish-shaped building. It's the National Fisheries office in Hyderabad.</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1nRLZgEZUcnUtdZmQQZ8ShbLFWc88tgqQQ7jTWtZpTssu1isnmN6HsYZC0r9tsfn2YLJKn5eYyzSviZF_rLIRlmqtB1kiZ5N3T1TrHgDoZx7Z_AM5zSx93QWJrKwKJRnAgX-xDdfUzWU/s1600/fish-shaped+bldng.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1nRLZgEZUcnUtdZmQQZ8ShbLFWc88tgqQQ7jTWtZpTssu1isnmN6HsYZC0r9tsfn2YLJKn5eYyzSviZF_rLIRlmqtB1kiZ5N3T1TrHgDoZx7Z_AM5zSx93QWJrKwKJRnAgX-xDdfUzWU/s400/fish-shaped+bldng.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
And here's <a href="http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-others/tp-states/article2367084.ece" target="_blank">another photo</a> for the curious.<br />
<br />
( Also, joke credits: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/sudarshan.gopalan" target="_blank">Sudarshan</a> )</div>
</div>
Aditihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08313613390926059832noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472527821199595669.post-62771811223816463582012-10-02T21:40:00.001-07:002012-10-02T21:40:12.201-07:00Thought for today<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A scribble from my journal.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPL-ulYIfdMUYU7NLH5zgpEx3iv256IPnr7GNKStPGGxGMEPLI30rSvEt51CpTQHyRai7TOvzWq__9W3BWOIu04sD61gdGMMZo4YNJXVK88srCmmCtNdNlS3IbmsKT7HbWlseMWaa3aDJL/s1600/thought+of+the+day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPL-ulYIfdMUYU7NLH5zgpEx3iv256IPnr7GNKStPGGxGMEPLI30rSvEt51CpTQHyRai7TOvzWq__9W3BWOIu04sD61gdGMMZo4YNJXVK88srCmmCtNdNlS3IbmsKT7HbWlseMWaa3aDJL/s400/thought+of+the+day.jpg" width="346" /></a></div>
</div>
Aditihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08313613390926059832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472527821199595669.post-39022090781812810142012-06-19T02:01:00.001-07:002012-10-02T21:40:42.130-07:00A semi-tragic tale with a happy ending<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I completed a year as a wedded women recently, and to celebrate this triumph, I decided to bake a cake. I have baked a total number of once before. I made gingerbread. Which was okay.And which I ended up eating mostly by myself.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">So I wanted to be careful this time. I decided to bake a simple chocolate cake. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">At the beginning of this year, I was browsing Kroma and acquired myself an OTG(Oven-Toaster-Grill). It took me a day to discover that this despicable machine is neither a good oven, nor a decent toaster nor is it a respectable grill. It is a beautiful, curved, chrome and steel contraption which can do nothing well. But since I have brought it, I insist on using it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">So I did bake the cake. It was doing well for itself, rising beautifully till I decided to open the oven and have a better look. The cake could not take this behavior and it collapsed into itself. So now I had a depression in the middle of my cake, like a moon crater. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">When I finally took it out, I discovered it had a dark burnt layer at the top as well as the bottom. the reason, I had used normal sugar instead of powdered, which sunk to the bottom of the cake and made a caramel base to my cake. The top layer? Well, I can't explain that.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Despite of this, my cake tasted alright actually. And we all ate it with ice-cream and milk. After all what can go wrong if there is chocolate in it?</span></div>
Aditihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08313613390926059832noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472527821199595669.post-15815190914120911192012-06-03T06:38:00.001-07:002012-06-03T06:38:12.425-07:00lazy sunday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
I had a good weekend and am all ready for the Monday blues. I am in an experimental mood today, so I made pancakes.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
They were nice, but the next time I make some, I have improvements.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKWCLs-rsHeLN249aogXbUmW2D1oDbdURKEd-Dz_UdVYtzVvuoM3C-EXKDGgnVkeXXDIIxc5_5fvUev-gbMwtiwCq491PZjArsPqsqehtEmFGKOtagX7HLgPqaTZPaaVMKzBFgRCT0gXpt/s1600/WP_000438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKWCLs-rsHeLN249aogXbUmW2D1oDbdURKEd-Dz_UdVYtzVvuoM3C-EXKDGgnVkeXXDIIxc5_5fvUev-gbMwtiwCq491PZjArsPqsqehtEmFGKOtagX7HLgPqaTZPaaVMKzBFgRCT0gXpt/s400/WP_000438.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
But they were still delicious.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<br />
I also lazed on the sofa and made a little drawing and painted it <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSu0vOMR_vjCtPlbJPVRA3bt4FsWx3uJo4nvUWc0BP1ykjIveYdL4IiSAdJHiYgDZJyXdt3i-sFwdHsLxteVYl2-B5KB95vLJP3fuvf3JxiBqtswV7SnsCK97GhaylxWg6dKcW2_NrFoGo/s1600/3may12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSu0vOMR_vjCtPlbJPVRA3bt4FsWx3uJo4nvUWc0BP1ykjIveYdL4IiSAdJHiYgDZJyXdt3i-sFwdHsLxteVYl2-B5KB95vLJP3fuvf3JxiBqtswV7SnsCK97GhaylxWg6dKcW2_NrFoGo/s400/3may12.jpg" width="316" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Drawing and pancakes, that's a recipe for a satisfying weekend.</div>
</div>Aditihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08313613390926059832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472527821199595669.post-40976012345874575922012-05-23T08:08:00.001-07:002012-05-23T08:08:58.509-07:00In which I eat my words<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu_nsqwWA6DGtIkn2g5PBz8ljQ6oN9A11wUReCa5280UxFu4mETZ-hxVabzexqO191ShEUP1GSHeRskKbTEq75pM6YycCzprigNlLDDEcqvW3HhX1rhYa1PfC1vvK84kn0zKBxVizwLqJO/s1600/eating_words.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu_nsqwWA6DGtIkn2g5PBz8ljQ6oN9A11wUReCa5280UxFu4mETZ-hxVabzexqO191ShEUP1GSHeRskKbTEq75pM6YycCzprigNlLDDEcqvW3HhX1rhYa1PfC1vvK84kn0zKBxVizwLqJO/s400/eating_words.JPG" width="235" /></a></div>
<br />
This is a picture of me eating my words.<br />
<br />
So I recently read a book. Its a little book of short stories called 'The Habit of Love' by an author called Namita Gokhale. And its terribly hard for me to admit; I liked it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1abJHJAXXNdSxWYd00NG-cTbcFKJJ93JZ3-aOMrBAm4Ql_oC6wBvuX4QgMv3dM_7Qg83ohThz65hoeL5UpeGpmw7uk1U66XQk3qE_RKKX7NRKtHl6ssr2OdtKAyz17ilvQESIGFQA3kMu/s1600/somewhat_annoying.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1abJHJAXXNdSxWYd00NG-cTbcFKJJ93JZ3-aOMrBAm4Ql_oC6wBvuX4QgMv3dM_7Qg83ohThz65hoeL5UpeGpmw7uk1U66XQk3qE_RKKX7NRKtHl6ssr2OdtKAyz17ilvQESIGFQA3kMu/s400/somewhat_annoying.JPG" width="232" /></a></div>
<br />
To get over this, I watched 'Almost Famous'. And no, I didn't like it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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</div>
</div>Aditihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08313613390926059832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472527821199595669.post-53775209947371216082012-05-21T02:02:00.002-07:002012-05-21T02:02:13.266-07:00Why I don't read indian authors<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I confess, I am not a big fan of Indian writing in English. <br />
<br />
I once tried to analyse why. I read to escape reality, not to face it. Indian fiction makes me strangely uncomfortable, for instance Arvind Adiga's 'White Tiger' made me queasy. <br />
<br />
Similarly, I didn't finish 'God of Small Things', it seemed incestous and therefore, unpleasant. I started off by enjoying 'Field of Poppies' but was traumatised by a scene in which a man has sex with a horse. <br />
<br />
I see poverty, hunger, violence, abuse around me on a regular basis. And in many cases, I am helpless and can't do anything about it. Do I need to be reminded about it in my books? No thanks.<br />
<br />
Let me curl up with my book containing light hearted characters and happy endings. I don't need any more stress in my life.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, books like 'Five Point Someone', 'Only for you Ma'am' etc. annoy the hell out of me and I don't want to put myself through that either! </div>Aditihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08313613390926059832noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472527821199595669.post-58425199607865755242012-05-08T00:20:00.000-07:002012-05-08T00:20:38.270-07:00Books I am reading<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoFki2u-NH3Mrh_l8jktR36Yktu7qHofVq80IJpAAcwCXx24DcMr4KmIkvFXWSHVFhEspRUzHA7UZk3Kbd7Eu6P_2U79G2jrDGHCvYRO3fXTFGp-nXhA9Tzjm_d6TF0iay98c9GxoDtrOm/s1600/poster.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoFki2u-NH3Mrh_l8jktR36Yktu7qHofVq80IJpAAcwCXx24DcMr4KmIkvFXWSHVFhEspRUzHA7UZk3Kbd7Eu6P_2U79G2jrDGHCvYRO3fXTFGp-nXhA9Tzjm_d6TF0iay98c9GxoDtrOm/s640/poster.gif" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<strong><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">High Fidelity</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a story of a thirty-five year old guy whose girlfriend breaks up with him. If I am annoyed, I would say this book is about <em>nothing</em>, if I am in a good mood, I will say that its a story about a turning point in your life. Where you doubt everything about yourself; you wonder if your life amounts to anything at all. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Basically, this is the story of Rob, a music-obssessed record-store owner whose lawyer girl friend breaks up with him. The plot traces his sadness over the break-up, his short fling with an American singer, and his relationship with his employees at his faltering record-store. The book is well-written in the sense, that while you can't identify with Rob, you <em>get</em> him. You empathise with him, and in my case, kind of have a crush on him.</span><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hunger Games</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was a much hyped book, and I was reluctant to read it. I loathed the Twilight series and the Vampire Diaries series with a vengence. I can't believe that such utter horrible writing exists, and is actually popular. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, (taking a deep calming breath) Hunger Games had me pleasantly surprised. I <em>loved</em> it. I <em>adored</em> it. It was a fine piece of writing, with a heroine who can actually take care of herself, as well as others. It's well-constructed, gripping, and draws you in.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the story of Karniss, who lives in District 12 of a repressed society ruled by the tyrranical Capitol. Every year, two "tributes", one girl and one boy under the age of 18 are forced to fight in the reality show like Hunger Games. The twenty-four participants, two from each district, fight each other to death. The last survivor is showered with gifts and money and lives a life of luxury.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can't wait to watch the movie, and just to clarify, I am Team Gale!! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>The Immortals of Meluha</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am glad this book is borrowed, and that I didn't spend money on it. But someone else did, and I feel for that person. Apart from the mildly interesting book cover, there is nothing about this book which appeals to me. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Imagine, if Ramanand Sagar wrote a book about Shiva. That's how this book is like. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The author definitely knows his dictionary well. Infact, I am sure he got a full score in the verbal section of his GRE and GMAT exams. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is supposed to be a modern retelling of the story of Shiva. But none of the characters are well written. You see the hard work that has gone into researching that book, the historical fact-checking and meticulous plot-line. But it somehow remains <em>blah. </em>Everything about Ram-rajya is glorified, even the fact that babies are separated from their families, and that there is a caste-system firmly in place. Everyone is too happy, there is no discontent. There are 'evil' Chandravanshis, but their 'cruelty' is unconvincing. Shiva is supposed to be the saviour(from what?), but he somehow reminds me of Shahrukh Khan trying to play a village bumpkin.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I picked the book, I thought this would be a refreshingly modern look at Shiva. But here Shiva is 'modernised' by giving him dialogues like '<em>Shit! Why did I say that</em>' and <em>'What is the big deal about my blessed blue throat</em>' which only makes it tacky, not modern.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am so disappointed in this book that I have abandoned it half-way.</span></div>Aditihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08313613390926059832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472527821199595669.post-59074730400146560062012-03-23T03:17:00.000-07:002012-03-23T03:17:53.519-07:00attempts at kannada speaking<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I am in a cab. Here's my chance to practice Kannada! I spend ten minutes trying to come up with an appropriate sentence.<br />
<br />
Me: "Bangalore <i>tumba bisi ideyaa?</i>"<br />
Cab driver: "Yes, madam. Very hot. Thirty-eight degrees."<br />
<br />
The conversation then proceeds in English.<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>Aditihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08313613390926059832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472527821199595669.post-76540865309836548122012-02-22T22:41:00.004-08:002012-02-22T22:57:11.909-08:00Book Review: Another Chance<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSEpvcJTthk6l3n4RpWjYevW4eaBZn_PTIcj8y0Zxu3E336qTeWEAusPmbIUPq7rri3QBz1Q8HnfPT3mtXZ7Vwcxw-d4NIcO7d1J1OY48lZyaNqAJeUccflzzwsCxmTtHOwDy1e4tDozfc/s1600/another-chance-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSEpvcJTthk6l3n4RpWjYevW4eaBZn_PTIcj8y0Zxu3E336qTeWEAusPmbIUPq7rri3QBz1Q8HnfPT3mtXZ7Vwcxw-d4NIcO7d1J1OY48lZyaNqAJeUccflzzwsCxmTtHOwDy1e4tDozfc/s400/another-chance-cover.jpg" width="281" /></a></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The first line of the blurb says </span></span><br />
<div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">"This is the story of a depressingly gorgeous woman, Ruheen Oberoi."</span></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This line itself should have warned me. But I am nothing if a dedicated bookworm, so I plunged into the book anyway.</span></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Its a slim book of 217 pages, and it should not have taken me more than a day to read this book. But guess what, it took me the entire seven days to <strike>plough through</strike> savour this book.</span></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So without further ado, this is a story of star-crossed lovers Ruheen and Aditya. If Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam met Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and produced a book, it would be this one. There is an abundance of beautiful characters with perfect bodies, hair and lips. No one in Another Chance is fat or ugly or squint-eyed, has a paunch or receding hairlines. People are always travelling to Amsterdam and England and Paris to fall in love, celebrate anniversaries, and win back lovers. So, essentially its chick-lit.</span></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now, I like chick-lit, infact, when authors sit down to write their romantic stories, I am sure they are writing for someone exactly like me. Ask my husband, friends or any of my family members.</span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">But I digress again. So Ruheen. She meets Aditya in college, where he is a dedicated MBA student and she is a rich spoilt heiress who loves partying. All four of their parents are very conveniently dead.(See how cleverly the author has avoided parental conflict? Just kill 'em, I say) </span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Anways, he has a crush on her for two years before he finally makes a move, and she instantly jumps his bones. Then there is a stalker who threatens Ruheen that he would kill Aditya if she meets him again. So Ruheen leaves the city without saying good-bye. Aditya is heart-broken.</span></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">She goes to Delhi, meets a good-time party guy and marries him. They move to England. He mistreats her. She runs away to Amsterdam and becomes a waitress. She meets Aditya in Amsterdam, and they fall in love again. He persuades her to move to Mumbai with him. She does, he helps her start her own baking business which thrives. </span></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Then Ruheen gets pregnant. Unfortunately Aditya has started doing really well at his workplace. And he has no TIME to tell Ruheen how beautiful she is and take her on exotic vacations and go clubbing with her. Naturally, they start drifting away from each other. </span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And then, twist in the tale (did you ever expect it?), Ruheen miscarries in the most dramatic way. A lot of pages are spent describing their coldness to each other and how they blame each other for the loss of their baby. They decide to take a vacation to Maldives to sort things out and make sweet crazy love.</span></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And then, right on cue, her sole living relative, her Nanaji has a third heart-attack. She goes to Shimla to be with him, where he takes his time dying for six months. There she meets her childhood crush, Varun. Varun and Ruheen began spending more and more time together, while Aditya, poor ass, is working and trying to get time to fly down to Shimla. </span></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">After a lot of long drives with Varun, and a few stolen kisses and longing glances, Ruheen has realized <strike>that she is the 'love who you are with' sort of person</strike> that she needs to be with Varun, and not with Aditya. Because Aditya is working so bludy hard that he cannot spend more than a weekend with her. Clearly, his workplace is a prison-camp run by whip-wielding jailers.</span></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Then comes the kicker. She flies down to Mumbai and sits down with Aditya. Then she looks at him with her beautiful eyes brimming with tears, and her long curly hair falling down her shoulders and says,</span></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">"I love you, Aditya, but I am no longer in love with you."</span></span></div><div></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Oh wow, <strike>that is SO cliched</strike> it is such a perfect reason to dump someone. </span></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So, Ruheen leaves Mumbai, right into the arms of Varun. Aditya on the other hand loses it. He quits his job, tries to freelance and fails. Then, he suddenly goes to a remote village and starts a school.</span></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">There, <strike>Goaded</strike> encouraged by an old villager, Aditya decides to get Ruheen back. In the meantime, Varun has also decided to propose to Ruheen. </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Then...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Wait, I can't tell you that. That's the climax. But rest assured, its as predictable as the rest of the book.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I know its just a book, and not a very good one at that, but it provoked a few questions. Like, what if Ruheen was fat, and ugly? What if she was strong and independent? What is she was less self-centred and whiny? Would that make her less appealing? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And finally considering that this book was written by a man (and a well educated, well travelled sort of guy), is Ruheen actually the kind of girl guys like? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">(My hatred for female type-casting is well-known; <a href="http://theginglyformclub.blogspot.com/2011/08/women-of-bollywood.html">Women of Bollywood</a>)</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">This review </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">is</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> a part of </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://blog.blogadda.com/2011/05/04/indian-bloggers-book-reviews" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.3s; -webkit-transition-property: color; -webkit-transition-timing-function: initial; color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Book Reviews Program</a> at </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://blogadda.com/" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.3s; -webkit-transition-property: color; -webkit-transition-timing-function: initial; color: #009eb8; display: inline; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">BlogAdda.com</a>. Participate now to get free books!</span></i></div></div></div>Aditihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08313613390926059832noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472527821199595669.post-38140842023767371902012-01-23T00:11:00.000-08:002012-01-23T00:11:36.577-08:00More about food<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">As long time readers know I am a bit of a foodie, and during my culinary internet reading i have discovered this nice little website called <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/" target="_blank">Bon Apetit</a>. I have used a few recipes from this website; <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2002/08/red_potato_and_green_bean_salad_with_dijon_vinaigrette" target="_blank">this one</a> using green beans was particularly delicious, and now I will never use beans in any other way.<br />
<br />
Scrolling through the site, searching for chickpeas, I discovered<a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2011/04/chick_magnet?currentPage=1" target="_blank"> this wonderful article</a>, which led me to this blog by the author, Molly Wizenberg, <a href="http://orangette.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Orangette</a>. This blog sucessfully combine my two favourite things; writing and food. Delicious.<br />
<br />
Reading through <a href="http://orangette.blogspot.com/2011/11/october-29.html" target="_blank">an entry</a> about Scotland has waken a insatiable urge to eat <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haggis" target="_blank">haggis with neeps and taties</a>. I mean, Robert Burns even wrote <a href="http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Address_to_a_Haggis" target="_blank">a poem</a> about Haggis. Doesn't that just convince you it will be delicious?<br />
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<br />
</div>Aditihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08313613390926059832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472527821199595669.post-62762149449719829132012-01-07T19:46:00.000-08:002012-01-07T19:49:01.597-08:00Stack of cookbooks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">When I got married, my mother gave me two classic Marathi cookbooks; one for daily cooking, and one for party cooking.<br />
As I explored Bangalore, I came upon bookshops and interesting cookbooks. I find cookbooks as good reading material. I see them more as a DIY kind of book.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSmUOi6uzaXL76La7MBGQfBt_RvXnONP5oDtIbWb3_z12zDla6neWdT7uqfdKfZhUqqq2b14z92HUZ9nsnGBhRkgvFbFpV3GfACx1YYVBDBiIMO04mzZAiorFU-BI4XynGC0H6JI2hyphenhyphenkYZ/s1600/Photo0012_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSmUOi6uzaXL76La7MBGQfBt_RvXnONP5oDtIbWb3_z12zDla6neWdT7uqfdKfZhUqqq2b14z92HUZ9nsnGBhRkgvFbFpV3GfACx1YYVBDBiIMO04mzZAiorFU-BI4XynGC0H6JI2hyphenhyphenkYZ/s400/Photo0012_001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I bought two more books after this photo was taken. Then I went ahead and painted a little picture of my cookboks in a nice little pile.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2uLKluZpkyWsdYeyKvkAwVsMcJ3HM_vB6Bx9i2VmzKowQSFc5CH8aRNKfOtX2eiJ2cIcZbxBmAZr2jy0G-cR0Qq3mBEjzhI3DUVWuj9zm5S4ju46hsbgTnDxnqN3b-Qlhlct6JM4e71uS/s1600/stack+of+cookbooks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="379" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2uLKluZpkyWsdYeyKvkAwVsMcJ3HM_vB6Bx9i2VmzKowQSFc5CH8aRNKfOtX2eiJ2cIcZbxBmAZr2jy0G-cR0Qq3mBEjzhI3DUVWuj9zm5S4ju46hsbgTnDxnqN3b-Qlhlct6JM4e71uS/s640/stack+of+cookbooks.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div> And then I noticed that, not only do I collect cookbooks, but I am also drawn to books about food or with food names in their titles.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkz61O3IaMCqbtpjZlrE5OcP3bbG4P4EZK1gcJgaJeH_yS9LHIiqtsrPBcTlNKEoMvGhJe1u3ZK0LKtnGk9fcCkuw5mFN6wASJSxDFJv-xQXA1xKwW-j5cjzCDSdFgUf9dMKN7Xg3qxRmK/s1600/Photo0014_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkz61O3IaMCqbtpjZlrE5OcP3bbG4P4EZK1gcJgaJeH_yS9LHIiqtsrPBcTlNKEoMvGhJe1u3ZK0LKtnGk9fcCkuw5mFN6wASJSxDFJv-xQXA1xKwW-j5cjzCDSdFgUf9dMKN7Xg3qxRmK/s400/Photo0014_001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Hm, not sure what to make of <i>that.</i></div>Aditihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08313613390926059832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472527821199595669.post-72845063838359663662012-01-01T07:13:00.000-08:002012-01-01T07:13:37.987-08:00Harbart- A review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYMw77xiglJ5Xm8ur3-ry3i5wbbggFB8qmObAEW6LETd4N_gQl-OvUbpRsEyzu1yI6n9qLGZ9XVNKstsDCPS7mhIQ7-Y2kR4crC7G69nH8qxUJwN52JwXMc95j-7z6DBm7TeoPNd85KZey/s1600/front_harbart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYMw77xiglJ5Xm8ur3-ry3i5wbbggFB8qmObAEW6LETd4N_gQl-OvUbpRsEyzu1yI6n9qLGZ9XVNKstsDCPS7mhIQ7-Y2kR4crC7G69nH8qxUJwN52JwXMc95j-7z6DBm7TeoPNd85KZey/s320/front_harbart.jpg" width="208" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Harbart</span></b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">Nabarun Bhattacharya<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">Translated by Arunava Sinha<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Books evoke emotion, they make you feel satisfied, like you have eaten a big cream cake or depressed, like you have just fought with a good friend.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">What emotion does this book evoke? <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The most overwhelming emotion is pity, with a dash of helplessness. After getting so involved with Harbart, and his short unhappy life, you are bound to think to yourself, “why didn’t someone <i>do </i> something?”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">But that’s the thing about real-life too right? You see people digging themselves into a hole, but you merely watch. It is only in stories that good angels come and rescue people.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Now, to give a synopsis, (be warned there might be spoilers ahead), this is the story of Harbart. Poor Harbart is an orphan, who lives with his mad uncle, rough but caring aunt, and a gaggle of ill-natured cousins and nephews. Harbart is not very educated but loves books. He reads, over and over again some books left to him by his late father. One of this books is about the afterworld and how to communicate with ghosts. Poor Harbart in his naivety believes it as the gospel truth.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">When Harbart is in his twenties, his nephew Binu comes to Calcutta to study. Binu is the only person who treats Harbart with some amount of respect. Harbart forms a deep and affectionate connection with his nephew. Binu is also a Communist, and actively participates in their meetings. During an agitation, Binu gets shot. On his deathbed, he calls Harbart and tells him to retrieve his diary from its hiding place. Harbart is so overcome by grief and fear that he supresses this memory entirely. Two years later, triggered by the visit of Binu’s father, he dreams about Binu giving him the same instructions through a flock of crows.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">That is the turning point of the novel. Harbart decides to start his own business of communicating with the dead. The young unemployed men of the community flock around him for free booze and cigarettes, praising him because he now has a little bit of money. But Harbart is no con-man or businessman. He lives in constant fear of being exposed as a fraud. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This book is an art movie waiting to be made. The visuals of old lanes of Calcutta are so stunning, you can almost imagine living in the house with Harbart. You see Calcutta in its decay and debauchery. There is also a smattering of sexuality. Harbart’s short crushes are all at once innocent, yet lustful in their own way.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Also, a few lines about the translation; it’s really well-done. Having suffered through terrible translations of Parineeta and other Bengali short stories, I can now fully appreciate the skill of a good translator. You <i>get</i> the writer; you <i>get</i> what he is trying to say. Perhaps the true test of a good translation is that you forget it is one.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Overall, this book is for serious reading, and I would recommend it to people who prefer reading about the reality of life.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">This review </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">is</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> a part of </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://blog.blogadda.com/2011/05/04/indian-bloggers-book-reviews" target="_blank">Book Reviews Program</a> at </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://blogadda.com/">BlogAdda.com</a>. Participate now to get free books!</span></i></div><i> </i><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div>Aditihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08313613390926059832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472527821199595669.post-81116952675260464892011-12-24T05:36:00.000-08:002011-12-24T05:37:14.774-08:00Things to do with Eggplant<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Influenced by <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Home-Cooking-Kitchen-Laurie-Colwin/dp/0060955309" target="_blank">Home Cooking</a>, and the chapter, "Alone in the kitchen with an eggplant", I have started interacting more and more with brinjals. And yes, it is one of the most versatile vegetables ever! (Beaten only by the potato, perhaps).<br />
<br />
So here, have a collage about aubergines.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpmZ-xywXpge2lrKRDGwmr8OzB8AuStXodsGPOlpUAzhM6D-D6UsoT_56h9kVuWymwchdSxY0lbYc5ncbpWWFSWghYFMSZRN2kzu-BxagWJGo06ThPD_pbM44Y5haVq8BvV7Ez8NPHFQQ/s1600/eggplant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpmZ-xywXpge2lrKRDGwmr8OzB8AuStXodsGPOlpUAzhM6D-D6UsoT_56h9kVuWymwchdSxY0lbYc5ncbpWWFSWghYFMSZRN2kzu-BxagWJGo06ThPD_pbM44Y5haVq8BvV7Ez8NPHFQQ/s640/eggplant.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
</div>Aditihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08313613390926059832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472527821199595669.post-81708707746148219922011-12-19T02:55:00.000-08:002011-12-19T02:55:17.761-08:00Typography<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">So I have a bunch of comics, just haven't uploaded them yet. But since today morning, I have been kinda fascinated on typography. Of course, like most things I love, I suck it at it. But then, you can't always have the one(or many) you love, can you?<br />
And I quote, if life gives you a love of words and graphic design, make typography.<br />
I am so full of home truths today. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZLCCOvxU9Dyr5zEuoqcb1TmHaA32XSe_Lxo_8Au9VHMe34MgH71GIxMY1ZJvq5yKZ_SwmUAhrLpSDinhqi_wpEX_aRGalFjhHBnOg0C76S5GlVgShNbCnqi24xExXWaNKsTx4_iNQ8lZh/s320/if+not+then+when.jpg" width="226" /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.wordboner.com/post/2735638017/if-not-now-then-when-get-on-a-tee" target="_blank">from here</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbHdqHulZy1yWAvAKUYCAZGw7waIjkt29VXFO5OTWI0CTjjfG6jIs-p8F3nFNwzV4ajPadbaU4wBxsBiBO29WoRv7VJRPD20dA9CnIudg5lzfs6qN47V7-oLP_-kmz4Yk3ffo8NH1A_hh5/s1600/less+inspiration+more+creation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbHdqHulZy1yWAvAKUYCAZGw7waIjkt29VXFO5OTWI0CTjjfG6jIs-p8F3nFNwzV4ajPadbaU4wBxsBiBO29WoRv7VJRPD20dA9CnIudg5lzfs6qN47V7-oLP_-kmz4Yk3ffo8NH1A_hh5/s320/less+inspiration+more+creation.jpg" width="223" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">from <a href="http://ritabored.blogspot.com/2011/11/blog-post_04.html" target="_blank">here</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitDFiktPHHwBzK9xKJLvd4hp_dfinUbNwAxG2XNMGGyRaSwlmvvoYAvkC7edvER4f-taE07M201vUpC7PaRTCkVeQErhQ6GV4TNY3QPAEhVqZxZfRIoixNCH51TS6GCqvQB2MbAyTPtnnD/s1600/therent5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitDFiktPHHwBzK9xKJLvd4hp_dfinUbNwAxG2XNMGGyRaSwlmvvoYAvkC7edvER4f-taE07M201vUpC7PaRTCkVeQErhQ6GV4TNY3QPAEhVqZxZfRIoixNCH51TS6GCqvQB2MbAyTPtnnD/s400/therent5.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">go<a href="http://themiddlestsister.com/2011/09/20/the-rent/" target="_blank"> here</a></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a name='more'></a> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz9CpH9ZY-lhNFX9Y-nUz26nr78WEdI9DK6Ua9K0NGwOfRBOwutXnQWX6vAqxMVxstndFUsFoVMsNL8kWNX-EGy6v97yNkr65dY8acd2F-Ldhqlxqo542nwd3nlwUfmyS__hhxuv0bpL73/s1600/xprd380098_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz9CpH9ZY-lhNFX9Y-nUz26nr78WEdI9DK6Ua9K0NGwOfRBOwutXnQWX6vAqxMVxstndFUsFoVMsNL8kWNX-EGy6v97yNkr65dY8acd2F-Ldhqlxqo542nwd3nlwUfmyS__hhxuv0bpL73/s320/xprd380098_z.jpg" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">from <a href="http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog/productdetail.jsp?CATID=cat2816&PRODID=xprd1025063&AID=10843226&PID=3872207&SID=skim1847X546955Xf13d61853429bbc2447a9bcde9dcbd6d" target="_blank">here</a></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY9jJrbL8nVb0plQNoGyK50mH3gvIZchr5pF4KS0z50dtSdmQM4y0fgoT7t-hZBtOcmYlUriEyQRARdSBPiNTPpuEIXp5MqO-RA7DmvoNrKnQcdk-2GD86ziOUgqSyogFoALJ9NkxH9oYA/s1600/Hungover-Cookbook-The1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY9jJrbL8nVb0plQNoGyK50mH3gvIZchr5pF4KS0z50dtSdmQM4y0fgoT7t-hZBtOcmYlUriEyQRARdSBPiNTPpuEIXp5MqO-RA7DmvoNrKnQcdk-2GD86ziOUgqSyogFoALJ9NkxH9oYA/s320/Hungover-Cookbook-The1.jpg" width="215" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hungover-Cookbook-Milton-Crawford/dp/030788631X" target="_blank">hilarious!</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The last one is superbly funny. I love words with a sense of humour.</div>Aditihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08313613390926059832noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2472527821199595669.post-64233790619901988912011-12-04T05:54:00.000-08:002011-12-04T05:54:38.319-08:00Daily workout<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrXSJED6ugNLyVeKWdbCV9b_qQH_N9gbs9lD_O3dDxyNGpbYBq57sbt9wac0kLAEGPPl7iNisMmn4JjmnR7i1DzYfgTgVfH1dd7HeFqFjXGJdCVFjYuKiZGnZeLMlD08MeXM2y0nsCqYe/s1600/daily+workout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrXSJED6ugNLyVeKWdbCV9b_qQH_N9gbs9lD_O3dDxyNGpbYBq57sbt9wac0kLAEGPPl7iNisMmn4JjmnR7i1DzYfgTgVfH1dd7HeFqFjXGJdCVFjYuKiZGnZeLMlD08MeXM2y0nsCqYe/s640/daily+workout.jpg" width="483" /></a></div><br />
When you take public transport to work everyday, you can skip the gym, and still remain fit :)</div>Aditihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08313613390926059832noreply@blogger.com5