Saying a lot, saying a little… who cares?
Archive for February, 2007
in the middle of all the work..
Feb 26th
Posted by SEV in staying.general
Suyog is making me do this..
Three things that scare me :
1. Being alone. In every way.
2. My possible lack of ability.
|3. Losing control.
Three people who make me laugh :
1. Guru.
2. Seinfeld.
3. Any B-grade ‘hero’.
Three things I love :
1. Literature in any form.
2. Techstuff.
3. Spending time with friends/family.
Three things I hate :
1. Loneliness.
2. Stupidity.
3. Falling sick.
Three things I don’t understand :
1. Why life has to keep reminding us it sucks.
2. Why life doesn’t actually suck, but we feel it does.
3. Why it was decided that understanding things was neccessary.
Three things on my desk :
1. Random assortment of scribbled-upon papers.
2. Two unwashed coffee cups, and their coffee maker.
3. A lot of tech papers, that I’m supposed to have read by now.
Three things I am doing right now :
1. Filling up this weird ’3 things’ thing.
2. Chatting.
3. Waiting for the computations to finish. Can’t leave until then. Damn.
Three things I want to do before I die :
1. Do road trips in India, the US, and Europe.
2. Make a difference to the planet, somehow.
3. Be good.
Three things I can do :
1. Rant.
2. Go with the flow, and keep a cool head.
3. Be a kid.
Three things you should listen to :
1. A.R.Rahman.
2. Various talents in my family singing.
3. Silence.
Three things you should never listen to :
1. Me singing.
2. Himesh Reshammiya.
3. The voices in my head 
Three things I would like to learn :
1. So many languages properly – starting with Tamil 
2. Performable music.
3. To be able to do what I say.
Three favorite foods :
1. Dosa – chutney.
2. Gujju food.
3. Vengai Sambar – Aloo karakari.
Three beverages I drink regularly :
1. Iced tea.
2. Coffee -with cream and sugar.
3. Tea -in any form.
Three TV shows/Books I watched/read as a kid even now :
1. The Pretender.
2. R.K.Narayan/Enid Blyton.
3. Indrajal Comics.
Three people I tag :
Whomsoever is interested, is hereby tagged. Hopefully, at least three of you will read this. And maybe one of you might decide to do it.
a celebration
Feb 20th
Posted by SEV in staying.thoughts
every child dreams of seeing his parents ecstatic. and its even better when you’ve been instrumental in making that happen.
my biggest regret since i came to the states, was the fact that it meant missing my parents’ 25th wedding anniversary. considering i couldn’t actually be there for the wedding, it would have been pretty rocking to really make it memorable.
i couldn’t be there. there was just no way. damned high pressure grad school. [trust me, this would have played out slightly differently if i had been there ]
i tried. got people convinced. sowed germs of ideas, and watched as the occasion became what it should be – a celebration that 2 people deserved. granted, i’m biased – they are my parents. but they deserved to have a day where they could look back and say – ‘there. everyone celebrated the fact that we are together. its all been worth it.’
it happened last november, and i heard stories of the fun they had. of how people loved the place, the party, the memories incited… of how amazing it all was. and i missed it. which sucked. but they had it. the day which should be grand, was just as grand as they could never imagine.
once again, due to circumstance, i could only watch it now. my mom looking divine, my dad looking grand. everyone around them happy, wishing them, celebrating with them. the spark that makes them ‘tick’ – the so-called magic – something i’d noticed a long time ago, was very apparent. everything i was told about.. i watched it all unfold. i laughed to see them so happy.
when it comes to our parents, i’ve noticed that they remain in a hallowed circle of parenthood. akin to sainthood. its easy for us today to talk of love, of life, of so many things; like we know all about it. and yet, they’re right there; showing us as it all should be.
i remember my mom being right there when my dad fell very seriously ill, rooting for him, finding every single avenue of treatment. eventually, underneath all the mundane daily activities, her worry was apparent; his reliance was well-founded. and whatever it may be, my mom knows my dad’s there keeping her stable. i know how much of a rock these two have been for so many in my family.. its everything i’ve read about life, love, and so much much more.
there was this one point during the whole gathering, where everyone came down to where they were: dancing, laughing, having fun… and that was it.
just what i was looking for.
a celebration.
a grand couple. and a grand celebration.
love you, mom and dad. i’m so happy for you.
work boredom strikes..
Feb 18th
Posted by SEV in staying.general
From Late Edition, ages ago:
1. Initials: SEV
2. Name someone with the same birthday as you: Paul Allen
3. Last thing you ate? Daisy’s Chocolate Chip Pound Cake. Cheap, and filling.
4. For or against same sex marriage: I don’t really care – but ‘for’ I guess.
5. I say Shotgun! You say? Gun that blows you away ?
6. Last person you hugged? Umm…
7. Do you believe in God? I’m borderline agnostic. You tell me.
8. How many Australian Indian states have you been to? Which ones? Maharashtra, New Delhi, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, AP.
9. How many of the Australian Indian states have you lived in? 1.
10. Ever lived outside of Australia India? Where? The UK, US, and the UAE. [Sorry Mom !]
11. Name something you like physically about yourself: Nothing really. If pushed, probably my hair.
12. Something non-physical you like about yourself: My cynicism.
13. Who is your best friend? Good question. I don’t classify my friends.
14. Why are you still up? It’s 6 pm. 7 hours to go before I sleep..
15. What/who made you angry today? Nothing major..not been in the best of moods today anyway.
16. Favorite type of Food? Indian. Period.
17. Favorite holiday: A road trip spanning 10 days or more. So far, the closest was 4 days in Scotland.
18. Do you download music? Yes.
19. What illegal things have you done? I really wouldn’t want to admit that, right ?
20. Where would you want to go on a first date: Ideally, roaming the streets eating chaat. Impossible outside India, so probably someplace fun, and informal.
21. Would you date the person that posted this? I doubt. She probably thinks I’m a little whacked anyway..
22. Has anyone ever sang or played for you personally? Yep. No-one majorly famous.. yet
23. Do you love anyone? Other than family and my therapist? Yep, all those non-classified friends.
24. Do you like Howard? Sounds like a fun guy. The previous poster was referring to the Aussie prez, who I really don’t care about.
25. Have you ever bungee jumped? Nope. I might try it sometime.
26. Have you ever gone white-water rafting? Nope. I need to, apparently.
27. Has anyone ten years older than you ever hit on you? No.. not that I know of.
28. How much money ya got? Enough.
29. Have you met a real redneck? Nope.
30. How is the weather right now? Chilly, but I like it.
31. What are you listening to right now? Nothing. Deciding what to listen to after Derek Trucks.
32. What is your current favourite song? Random pick – ‘Sahib Teri Badni/Maki Madni’
33. What was the last movie you watched? X-Men 3.
34. Do you wear contacts? Nope. Doubt if I want to.
35. Where was the last place you went besides your house? Ramya’s place.
36. What are you afraid of? Too many things, I think. Most of them usually are based in fact.
37. How many piercings and tattoos do you have? Ear piercings – nearly closed up.
38. How many pets do you have? None. Can’t give it the time it would need.
39. Have you ever loved someone? Yes.
40. What turns you on? Mental compatibility.
41. What do you usually order from Starbucks? Nothing. I currently frequent the campus Gerlanda’s.
42. Have you ever fired a gun? Airgun.
44. Fav. TV show? Currently watching ‘Batman: The Animated Series’. No particular favourite – Seinfeld, if pushed.
45. Do you have an ipod? No, I hate the i-crap-Pod.
46. Has anyone ever said you looked like a celeb? Yes. Raghuvaran is a popular favourite.
47. When are you 47? 2030.
48. Who would you like to see right now? Mom.
49. Favorite movie of all time? Too many – if pushed – ‘Fight Club’.
50. Do you find yourself loved? I honestly don’t want to go there.
51. Have you ever regretted something you didn’t do? Working when I should have. Like right now.
52. Favorite flower? Lilies, possibly.
53. Butter, plain, or salted popcorn? Butter salted.
54. What Magazines are you reading? Zero, unless comic books count. Then, too many.
55. Have you ever ridden in a limo? No.
56. Has anyone you were really close to passed away? Yes. My Thatha.
58. What’s something that really bugs you? Stupidity in any form.
59. What are some things you really like doing: Watching movies, reading, writing, working in my lab (apparently)…
60. Do you like Michael Jackson? The guy rocked. Once upon a time. Now, he’s a misshapen monkey with a weird fetish.
61. Whats your favorite smell? Vengai Sambar.
62. Favorite basketball team? Don’t really care. The Looney Tunes team from ‘Space Jam’.
63. Favorite cereal? Hate cereal. During exams, anything’s good.
64. Do you drive? Yep.
65. What’s the latest you have ever stayed out? Too, too long. Stayed “out”: 100 hours. College fest.
66. What’s the longest time you’ve gone without sleep? 53 hours when completing my Masters’ thesis.
67. Last time you went bowling? Coupla weeks ago.
68. Where is the weirdest place you have slept? Almost in the gutter in aforesaid college fest.
69. Who was your last phone call? Raghu.
70. Last time you were at work: Right now. Before this, Friday night.
71. What’s your favorite city to be in? Bombay. Always Bombay.
rishte mein hum tumhare baap lagte hain
Feb 18th
Posted by SEV in staying.reviews
a few weeks ago, ‘guru’ proved that the bachchan baby, was in fact a damned good actor in his own right. it was the kind of performance that you see very rarely.. and abhishek seemed to have proved that he was indeed an actor who deserved to be seen beyond being his father’s son. not that he hadn’t already shown this, but this was the stamp of credential that few ever get. few, if any, title characters actually ever carry off a movie. case in point – mangal pandey, asoka, satya, omkara.
and now, one of the year’s best films has come. the son has competition from his father. funny. few actors are coming close to competing here.
from the opening shots dissolving to the queen dying in her bed, to the final moments, including 2 minutes of sheer darkness.. ‘eklavya’ carries off the classic intrigue-drama combination. superbly. at one point in the movie, i was wondering at exactly what the director was planning to do with his setup.. it seemed remarkably bereft of possibility. but mr. chopra knows his art. strings are left trailing, gathered almost remarkably. and no scene is without that hallmark touch you look for in his films.. the sheer blending of all the arts. i would fault the ending a bit, but on the other hand, it suffers from the same problem as ‘guru’ – how do you resolve the setup ? there really is very little else that could have been done. occasionally, ‘eklavya’ is more the stage-play than a movie… these are but nit-pickings though. the haunting shots, the depiction of the monster within all of us, the 600 camels charging across the screen as you sit enthralled searching just as eklavya does.. its all there.
amitabh brings eklavya to a different level – even if he doesn’t have to speak for the first 20 minutes of the movie.. his silence literally speaks. none of the remaining cast can be faulted – jackie shroff, boman irani, saif.. the list spans the page. and there is a reason that they are there – few others could have pulled off those roles.
brilliant. one hundred minutes beyond any other.
after all, ‘rishte mein woh tere baap lagte hain’.
i have issues..
Feb 14th
Posted by SEV in staying.general
..with updating this to WP2.1. while there are a whole lotta fixes and improvements (such as the tabbed interface for posting, and general usability).. its screwed up the AJAX somehow. dammit. i do so love it when those ‘thingies’ appear and disappear like magic. this install is definitely waaaaay faster than previous versions too. but, now i also feel like updating the damn theme. i have kinda taken it to the next release.. but the changes are mostly cosmetic. theme-hunting, when i don’t have time to do assignments. nice.
..finding a good music library/player for managing all the damn music i’m accumulating. i’m not complaining about the music, just about the fact that WMP11 is a tad sneaky.. creating .db files and copies of the album arts all over the place. itunes kinda sucks, and winamp became bloatware after version 3.. media monkey is limited.. and suddenly we’re out of music manager softwares. crap.
..with a certain day that people seem to want to ‘celebrate’. it’s apparently in honor of love and sentiment; but somehow in all the snazzy greeting cards, and mundane outings that people seem to need to go on (and blow money).. i don’t really see the feelings implied. are we trying to prove that we are capable of love? or are we so facetious as to believe that love is something that needs to be re-affirmed in by going ballistic? UT has had posts about this in the past, and i’ve started sending out the true VD cards since last year. people don’t seem to appreciate them too much though. i wonder. as a kid, like every one else, i’ve read the stories, and wondered what it would be like to celebrate ‘v-day’ with someone truly special. remember jesse and becky on ‘full house’? it all seemed so sweet, and goddamn idealistic. but then for the 2 weeks ahead of feb the 14th, we have the ubiquitous ads at every nook and cranny telling you ‘you should be doing something for your beloved’. and the remaining 364 days of the year we’ll go back to the platonic relationship, because goddamit, v-day is the best time to let loose all those feelings of love you’ve kept pent up for the last 364 days. oh joy.
..with the fact that i’ve barely earned anything from google ads here. blech.
that is all.
much ado about nothing
Feb 11th
Posted by SEV in staying.creative
His hand reached out..
“Every action has an equal and opposite reaction”
It needed to be done. Why could he not just do it ? Seemed simple enough – to pull a lever. Whatever happened after that really didn’t make the slightest difference.
Or did it ?
Confusion, frustration, irritation, elation. The old ways never really leave you. Randomly connecting words and seeing if they make sense. Even now, when he had bare seconds to make this decision. Or, as he was doing, avoiding the decision.
His hand grasped it. Now all that remained to be done was to…
**************
Pull it, pull it, PULL IT !
Damn. Yet, again. He couldn’t.
His hand was poised in mid-air. Inches away. Seconds away from doing it.
He couldn’t. He didn’t have it in him to do it.
He suddenly notices the contrast between his fingers and the implement that hovered tantalizing in reach. It looked… different. His fingers danced, showing off the sheer dexterity… that he just could not use in this one simple task.
Why ? Could he really answer that question ? Was it a question worth answering ?
Maybe the lever didn’t want to be pulled ? Maybe it didn’t. Maybe it was subtly influencing what he was doing, this ‘second thoughts’ business. He should break it, teach it a lesson. Just for the record, this was all the levers fault.
Whom was he trying to fool ?
**************
The lever waited, eventually the hand would come to grasp it. The hand was poised mere inches away, but it could have been a million miles away for the amount of time it seemed to be taking to decide whether to grasp it or not.
And then, two minutes later, the impatient kid jumped off the merry-go-round, pulled the ‘on’ lever.. and ran back in time to enjoy the ride.
Such is life. Much ado is made about… nothing.
