SCL

Book Comparison – Keep the change and Dork

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 05:29:36 +0000

A friend loaned me this book and said it would be a quick, chick-flick kinda read. I don’t usually fall for that, but given the heavy (pun intended) non-fiction books I had been reading off-late on behavioral economics and how the mind works, I thought I should try a light read. I should state upfront that I also have my reservations on Indian authors – I know its a bias.

The story revolves around Damayanthi, the Tam Brahm girl from Chennai who takes up a banking job in Mumbai, and deals with the new work, friends and such. It is a straight forward story, not a real page turner. But I was pleasantly surprised by the subtle humor that the author brought in and that made it a real fun read. It reminded me of Dork – Sidin Vadukut’s debut novel. It is also on a similar topic, a Mallu guy from IIM who enters the consulting world. While Keep the Change gives the female perspective on culture, life, love and growing up, Dork provides the male version.

Would highly recommend reading them back to back, if you are looking for a light fun-filled Sunday.

Best Said

Sun, 25 Sep 2011 14:49:19 +0000

“We prefer knowing to thinking because knowing has more immediate value. (…) Few talk ideas. Everyone talks information, usually personal information. Where are you going? What are you doing? Whom are you seeing? These are today’s big questions.”
- Neal Gabler@ NY Times

Where are you, my India?

Sun, 11 Sep 2011 13:31:44 +0000

Where is the music of Suprabatham in the morning?

Where are the cawing of the birds and the singing parrots?

Where are the mango trees and the school boys who throw stones to bring the ripe mangoes down?

Where are the stars I used to see atop my terrace every night?

Where is the dead silence and eerie sounds of Sunday night?

Where is the “Kwality Walls” ice cream wala?

Where is the neighbor who would come to our house to just say hi or borrow sugar?

Where is the joy in competing with my friend on who will be the first to break the news of the arrival of the water lorry?

Where is the innocence?

Copy cat, kill a rat, Sunday Monday eat a rat

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 17:50:52 +0000

The underlying beats of this song, especially the beats around the 48th second, is a copy from the starting few seconds of this song.

Movie Review – Delhi Belly

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 13:16:42 +0000

My greatest pet peeve is expectations. I walked into the movie theatre with no expectation from this movie. I knew it was devoid of logic (aren’t most movies?). It turned out to be a laugh riot. The screenplay, the videography, the background music and the acting seemed to very nicely complement each other making each and every frame priceless. Good promotional tactics, very nice editing to keep the movie short and still giving the movie a somewhat happy ending made this a very entertaining movie for me.

But please watch it with friends only.

Movie Review – Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 13:15:14 +0000

This is not a DCH (Dil Chahtha Hai). This is like a home video of the Bolloywood stars. It is picturesque, music is decent and you can clearly see how much fun the 3 friends are having. But I paid Rs.200 to be entertained, not to watch the 3 millionaires basking in their money! I could not relate to any of the characters since it did not have a strong personality sketch (DCH did). Also, I do not respect people who are unwilling to push the limits and challenge their fears – which each of these characters did.

Overall, mujhe nahein dekhna yeh dobara.

Movie Review – Vinnaithaandi Varuvaya

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 13:13:47 +0000

My problem with this movie (apart from Silambarasan) is that it starts with the love-at-first-sight concept and continues with it. Rahman music, cinematography and some good locations is all that worked for this movie. And what is the connection between Bsc math and the job profile of program analyst at Polaris, again?

Kudos to Gautham Menon for minting money out of such a weak plot. Oh wait, there was no plot.

Book Review – The Sigma Protocol

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 03:59:12 +0000

Rich kid. Goes to Switzerland. People start shooting him. He runs and joins forces with *beautiful* US FBI/CIA/NBA Officer. Together they solve international crime and live happily ever after.

Question:

Which Robert Ludlum book does not have this phrase – “This has to be treated with utmost confidentiality and is a matter of national security”?

Who was Mr. Holland, the guy who kept calling powerful individuals towards the end of a chapter?

How does Robert Ludlum make such books sell?

I never want to read this book again.

P.S : I really liked the Bourne series though. Maybe it was more of the Damon effect.

I hate

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 03:50:05 +0000

Losing the things I treasure. Like that grey pen during high school, the Revlon lipgloss, my favorite beige cap. I travel light (compared to 80% of the people I know) and I pride myself in being very cautious, careful and organized. So, if I lose something, I interpret it as having lost my mental alertness.

I lost my lipgloss 3 weeks back. I searched all the places I could and just resolved to the fact that somebody stole it (which was a .1% possibility). I made an impulse purchase of a $40 lip stick thereafter. I found my lipgloss this past weekend at home inside a jewel box. No idea how it got there. As much as I am glad that I found it, I am more bewildered as to how it got there.

R.I.P Amy Winehouse

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 03:47:48 +0000

I love her voice and her song “Rehab”. The way she starts the song just a fraction of a second before the beats is pure confidence and genius.