Z Khan b Ganguly 3 (8b 0x4 0x6) SR: 37.
13.1 Ganguly to Khan, OUT, cleaned up, Zaheer missing the line completely for off stump to be pegged back and Ganguly runs off in celebration and Ponting runs towards him and the two embrace ... now thats a sight, eh?
Now, imagine Steve Waugh instead of Ponting. That would have been a sight! The inaugral game of the much hyped and the highly anticipated IPL turned into a joke for the Banglaore Royal Challengers against the Kolkatta Knight Riders. They were royally screwed even before they started chasing, just by one man, Brandon McCullum. I can totally imagine Rahul Dravid walking up to him at the end of his innings and ask, "Thambi, nee saayangalam enna tiffin saapitte?". Cricinfo reports that the Chinnaswamy stadium was at it's full capacity. One should appreciate Vijay Mallya's business tactics in bringing the Washington Redskins cheerleaders for his team, but the same cannot be said about the captain's tactics. Who in their right minds would make Rahul Dravid and Wasim Jaffer open the batting in a 20/20 game, especially when they are chasing 222. Heck, I wouldn't want them to open even in ODIs. But then, who else could have opened? No one in the Bangalore team can exactly terrorize the oppostion bowlers. And, is that the same Sunil Joshi who used to play for the Indian team? Shouldn't he retired by now? I wouldn't be surprised if I see Sujith Somasundar in the next game. It's hard to describe McCallum's innings. Is it a display of pure power hitting or a mere collection of a bowler's nightmares in the form of a batsman. Whatever it was, I am sure Shahrukh Khan is a happy man. Now, I can't wait to see Mr.Dhoni, Mr.Muralidharan and a certain Mr.Hayden in action.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Friday, April 11, 2008
Lost lunch
When I joined Avichi Higher Secondary School in Virugambakkam for my 6th Standard, I had no idea that my dad put me there just because he couldn't afford to pay the fees for a private school. I don't mean any offense to my dad, in fact if I had known, I would have dropped out of school and gone to work to save my dad from any embarrassing moments. Dramatic statements aside, this post is really about the hardships, if I may say so, that I went through from the late 80's to the early 90's. Those days, spending 30 minutes in a bus just to go to school was considered as an act of bravery. To add to it, I had to carry a lunch basket (plastic koodai) with a tiffin carrier and a water bottle that keeps the water cold for a long time. My mom would never compromise when it comes to food. Despite my begging her several times that I would just take a single tier tiifin box, she'd force me to take the 2-tier carrier, which had 'kozhambu' on the top level and white rice and some poriyal or kootu or varuval (fish or chicken) in the bottom level. My classmates would start drooling over my lunch bag the moment I enter the classroom as they soon learnt that there is always something fresh and hot in the small tower I carried, as opposed to the dry idlis and the lemon rice that they had in their bags. If not anything, my mom's cooking helped me make some new friends. By the time I managed to convince my mom that I am old enough to stop carrying separate lunch bags, I was in my 10th standard. Oh, to justify the topic, I would forget my lunch bag in the bus and get down. There were times when I didn't even realize that I lost it until the lunch bell rings. Good ole times!
Love
What happens to you when you fall in love? Is it just the hormones at work, is it really much more than that? Is there really anything more than physical attraction to love? Just because two people can live together, tolerating the nagging, the smells and the hairy bodies (both men and women), does it mean they are meant to be together? IMHO, it's all about the physical attraction that makes us sacrifice and compromise on everything else, whether it's a girl or a boy, a man or a woman, a dude or a chick. Dare to disagree?
YOU started it!
It may be hot, humid and conservative (atleast it used to be). It may boast of the stinky koovam as the next best thing to the Marina Beach, but hey, that's where home is and we don't START beating up people the moment someone says Water and Karnataka in the same sentence. I am glad I am from Chennai.
Monday, March 31, 2008
What's in a name!
I am so thankful to my dad for marrying a Hindu woman, despite coming from a devout christian family. I have heard the weirdest of names on my dad's side. When I say weird, I am talking about the combination of the first, middle and last names. Yes, they have all three names. Usually Tamilians don't realize they really have a last name until they come to the U.S. We always have our father's name as initial(s). I am sure if my dad had married a Chrisitian Nadar woman, I would have had a name like, Paul Pandiyan Ponnudurai or Praveen Joy Jacob. I don't have anything against those names, but my roomies in Norman would have had a field day with a name like that. I have cousins with names, Emerson Brittus Tamilarasu and Sobers Solomon Devasagayam. The culprit in the case of the latter, atleast for the first name Sobers, is my dad. He was a big fan of Gary Sobers - an all-time great of West Indies cricket - and he made sure that his nephew had his name. If you are wondering why there is a Hindu name sandwiched (or on the side) between two English names, it's all due to the fact that they are all converted chrsitians, probably converted 4 or 5 generations ago. They let go of the Hindu part but they still cling on to the Nadar part, which can be blamed for all the crazy permutations and combinations of names. Let me finish it off with a little secret: I was also smothered with a long name when I was baptized in a church in a remote village called Kalunguvilai in Thirunelveli, hoping that I would turn into a choir boy one day. Any guesses?
Monday, March 10, 2008
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Take that, Aussies!
First things first. Aren't you really glad they put an end to the tri-series? I mean, it's really tiring to even watch that many matches before the final. Now, coming to the main event, KUDOS to the boys. For once we can call them boys, including Sachin (his voice, DUH!) without the exclamation mark. I really didn't think Dhoni could pull this off with a bunch of youngsters. Being a fan of Ganguly, I was a little upset that he was chucked out of the team to pave way for some relatively unknown players. I was secretly hoping that India would lose so we can see the GOD of offside back in action. Well, I guess all good things need to come to an end. I am sure Ganguly was sitting with a towel on his head as India entered the finals.
There was clearly a difference, compared to the Indian teams of the past. The fielding was better, the running between the wickets was better, and when was the last time we saw an Indian team with bowling as it's main strength. It will definitely be interesting to see what happens when Zaheer Khan comes back to the bowling lineup. Overall, they proved that they belong at this level and that it was no fluke. Dhoni was Mr.Cool as the captain. He did the right things at the right time. He also led from the front and showed them all how to bat when things are not going your way. That's not the typical Dhoni I have seen before this series. Of course, thank goodness Sachin was back in form when the team needed it the most. Can you imagine, he'd have close to 60 centuries just in ODI's if he had converted all his 90s into 100s? WOW, I mean, WOW! Those so-called critics, including Sanjay Manjrekar should just shut up and look for a different profession, if being a critic is indeed a profession.
And what's with Hayden calling Harbhajan an obnoxious weed on the radio? He also said, "I don't see them winning any matches!" HELLO!!! You should know when to shut up. Also, someone needs to tell Symonds that he is not special like he thinks he is. Have you ever seen him walk back quietly after getting out? He has to stare at the bowler or say something to him and then cries to the match referee that he is hurt by the bowler's comments. Here's something Symonds needs to memorize: What goes around comes around (and bites you back in your ass)!You know what? None of it matters now, because they are the ones with a huge L on their foreheads.
Finally, GOODBYE Gilly, we will definitely miss you! You even managed to make us laugh in your last match.
There was clearly a difference, compared to the Indian teams of the past. The fielding was better, the running between the wickets was better, and when was the last time we saw an Indian team with bowling as it's main strength. It will definitely be interesting to see what happens when Zaheer Khan comes back to the bowling lineup. Overall, they proved that they belong at this level and that it was no fluke. Dhoni was Mr.Cool as the captain. He did the right things at the right time. He also led from the front and showed them all how to bat when things are not going your way. That's not the typical Dhoni I have seen before this series. Of course, thank goodness Sachin was back in form when the team needed it the most. Can you imagine, he'd have close to 60 centuries just in ODI's if he had converted all his 90s into 100s? WOW, I mean, WOW! Those so-called critics, including Sanjay Manjrekar should just shut up and look for a different profession, if being a critic is indeed a profession.
And what's with Hayden calling Harbhajan an obnoxious weed on the radio? He also said, "I don't see them winning any matches!" HELLO!!! You should know when to shut up. Also, someone needs to tell Symonds that he is not special like he thinks he is. Have you ever seen him walk back quietly after getting out? He has to stare at the bowler or say something to him and then cries to the match referee that he is hurt by the bowler's comments. Here's something Symonds needs to memorize: What goes around comes around (and bites you back in your ass)!You know what? None of it matters now, because they are the ones with a huge L on their foreheads.
Finally, GOODBYE Gilly, we will definitely miss you! You even managed to make us laugh in your last match.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Anbu Malargalae...
If this picture had a mouth (and may be a couple of eyes), it would cry out loud a la Nayakan Kamal, for being abused so much by me and my friends. This picture has resided in everyone of our hard disks, emails and now features in our Orkut photo albums. I decided to take this oppurtunity to be the first one to put this in a blog post, before someone else from the group gets this idea and takes away the honors.
The first one from left is Shiva aka shivudu. Whenever I show this photo to any of my gal pals, they would just drool all over him. Yeah yeah, my stomach is burning and there's smoke coming from my ears. Happy? He is a video game freak and I try to compete with him online, say once in 2 years. We had our share of good times (NO, not in Bheema/Brokeback Mountain style) when we were roomies. When it comes to long drives, he is the best wingman anyone could ask for. We once drove from Norman, Oklahoma to NYC to attend an interview at Bloomberg and then to Chicago for an interview at SBC, all in a matter of 4 days. By the way, it was only me attending the interviews and he was just here for moral support :-)
The second one is the person who disturbingly calls himself parupps. Enough of me!
Next is Ramanan aka ramsoi, who always gives me the feeling that we have been roomies forever, of course in a good way. He is the one who taught me that icecream shouldn't be eaten in small bowls but in buckets (I am sure you can see the effects of that on me in the pic). He calls himself a happy-go-lucky kind of person and I can't agree with it more.
And then there is Ajai aka jo, who is a gadget freak. He has to have the best of everything that is related to technology. I think he has locked his life into one of the gadgets he owns like how the villains in vittalaacharya movies have their lives in some parrot that lives seven seas and seven mountains away. I didn't know I was his best friend until his parents told me when they visited me in Chennai. I was like, 'OK, that is news for me!!!!!'
That 'out-of-focus' aasami is Bharani. He is the odd man for various reasons. He is my close friend since the Sathyabama days. I found it hard to come to terms with the fact that I am actually friends with such a brainy dude, when he causally showed me the paint-like tool he had created in DOS. Mind you, this was way back in 1996. In my opinion, he hasn't done enough justice to the talent he possesses, YET.
There are two other people who are not in the frame, but present at that time. They definitely deserve more than just a honorary mention. Meenakshi, who took this evergreen photo, prefers to stay behind the scenes all the time. He is too good a photographer and an avid fan of Ilaiyaraja's music. The last person who missed out on being a part of history is Chand. Like Bharani, he has been my close friend since my college days. We always end up fighting over silly matters, but we have managed to stay as friends through thick and thin. He introduced me to the exciting world of Raja Masala 5 years ago and I am still addicted to it. We can relate to each other on numerous things like Masalaboard ;) and "Ennadhu, Mahathma Gandhi Sethutara?".
This picture was taken in March 2002 during the spring break and it was one of the memorable times ever, thanks to Brian Lara Cricket-2001.
Thanks Meenakshi, for this wonderful moment, which MIGHT never happen again!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
AAAHA... kavidhai kavidhai...padi!
Kadhal tholvi enakku mattumalla
en veetu kannadikum dhaan
dhinam en bimbam adhil azhugiradhe!
P.S: Sorry Karthik, I couldn't resist posting it.
en veetu kannadikum dhaan
dhinam en bimbam adhil azhugiradhe!
P.S: Sorry Karthik, I couldn't resist posting it.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Rajini - THE REAL BOSS
I wouldn't be doing justice to this blog if I didn't write about Sivaji. I have loved many Rajinikanth movies in the past like Baasha and Padaiyappa just for his style, despite being an ardent fan of Kamalhassan. If not for anything else, I knew I could watch Sivaji for Rajini's style. I haven't seen this much hype for any other movie as long as I can remember. As I settled down in a seat in the fourth row, this guy who had driven down from Wyoming to watch this movie, thrust a handful of shredded paper into my hand to throw on the screen when Rajini appears. I thought, YEAH RIGHT, like I am going to do this! But when Rajinikanth turned his face towards the screen, I just did it (Mannichidu thalaiva!). What can I say, I was in the moment!!!
The movie was all Rajini, right from the title card to the ending credits. He looked atleast 10 years younger and refreshingly handsome with his new look. The first half was funny with Rajini's antics to get the girl, combined with Vivek's one-liners and his usual ways of mimicking other actors. Both of them even manage to do a Vadivelu, all in good spirits, I hope. My favorite was of course when Rajini says after taking a dip in a tub full of Multani Matti, "Ippo paaru, poi kazhuvittu chumma Kamalahaasan maadhiri varen". The way Vivek makes fun of all the younger heroes trying to emulate Rajini is a bullseye shot not only for the Simbus and Dhanushs, but also for the Vijays and the Ajiths. Rajinikanth's style is just unbeatable in this movie too. Yesteryear tamil actor Suman has been pulled back from the telugu land to play the villain. He has done a neat job in the age of loud villains with long hair. Shreya as the heroine has played her part to perfection both as the homely girl and the glamor girl.
The second half got serious as expected with Rajini getting rich with just one rupee and using all the money to do good deeds. Well, atleast he didn't do it in a single song like his other movies. Rajini as the Mottai Boss was too stylish (obviously). The songs were actually pretty impressive on the screen. The art direction was amazing. Imagine this: A whole bunch of fat men with Rajini's face drawn on their pot bellies! Creativity at its ridiculous best!!! Overall it was pure fun, if you leave the logic in the parking lot. Once again Rajinikanth has managed to show that he is the real boss when it comes to Tamil Cinema, no matter how many younger actors lurk around calling themseleves the next Superstar. And please Mr.Director, stop extrapolating things at the end of the movie and showing that India had become a super power in 2020 without any corruption whatsoever. It's not only impractical but also impossible, atleast the corruption part, whether you do it sincerely, to make yourself feel good or to impress the audience.
The movie was all Rajini, right from the title card to the ending credits. He looked atleast 10 years younger and refreshingly handsome with his new look. The first half was funny with Rajini's antics to get the girl, combined with Vivek's one-liners and his usual ways of mimicking other actors. Both of them even manage to do a Vadivelu, all in good spirits, I hope. My favorite was of course when Rajini says after taking a dip in a tub full of Multani Matti, "Ippo paaru, poi kazhuvittu chumma Kamalahaasan maadhiri varen". The way Vivek makes fun of all the younger heroes trying to emulate Rajini is a bullseye shot not only for the Simbus and Dhanushs, but also for the Vijays and the Ajiths. Rajinikanth's style is just unbeatable in this movie too. Yesteryear tamil actor Suman has been pulled back from the telugu land to play the villain. He has done a neat job in the age of loud villains with long hair. Shreya as the heroine has played her part to perfection both as the homely girl and the glamor girl.
The second half got serious as expected with Rajini getting rich with just one rupee and using all the money to do good deeds. Well, atleast he didn't do it in a single song like his other movies. Rajini as the Mottai Boss was too stylish (obviously). The songs were actually pretty impressive on the screen. The art direction was amazing. Imagine this: A whole bunch of fat men with Rajini's face drawn on their pot bellies! Creativity at its ridiculous best!!! Overall it was pure fun, if you leave the logic in the parking lot. Once again Rajinikanth has managed to show that he is the real boss when it comes to Tamil Cinema, no matter how many younger actors lurk around calling themseleves the next Superstar. And please Mr.Director, stop extrapolating things at the end of the movie and showing that India had become a super power in 2020 without any corruption whatsoever. It's not only impractical but also impossible, atleast the corruption part, whether you do it sincerely, to make yourself feel good or to impress the audience.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Credit Cards, Points, Cash back and whatever
Points points points... wherever you turn, it's points! Is it just me or does everyone feel overwhelmed by this sudden surge in attracting credit card consumers with points or cash back rewards? As a seasoned veteran in the art of maxing out credit cards, I have to say that I am really disappointed about losing a whole lot of points, just because it's a relatively new concept. If someone gave me a point for each dollar I spent on my credit cards when I was a student, I would exactly have - well not exactly - but roughly 20000 points. Where are the credit card gods when you need justice? Where are the pre-approved mails when you badly need a credit card with 0% APR for balance transfers? OK, that is a little off-topic! If it's not the points, then it's the cash back rewards. Correct me if I am wrong, wasn't there a period when credit cards were considered a luxury or a status symbol, way back in the 17th century or something? Now, the credit card companies are giving us cash back? Talk about marketing strategies! I used to think that the credit card companies get their money only from the interest amounts and used to wonder how they would make any money with people who pay their balances in full each month (NOW, which one of you called me a dummy, huh?). And yes, now I know the merchant also gets charged for each transaction. Looks like I have to change the topic to "Credit Card for Dummies" if I keep writing in the same vein. Did you really know that American Express card does not guarantee payment to the merchant if the consumer defaults on payment? THAT IS CRUEL! Ok, I will stop. I swear this post is about the points and cash back rewards.
So, now I am getting all kinds pre-approved credit card offers, like 2 everyday. Anyone who knows me well knows why I even have to mention that here. There was a time when credit card companies used to run with their heads falling off of their bodies (tried to translate "Thalai therikka odinaanaga!") whenever I used to apply for a credit card. When I see all these offers now, I say to myself, "Oh, now you want me to be your customer?" and then I think, "I have never been pre-approved for anything in my life!" a la Joey from friends, while my eyes get all glazed. One more time, coming back to the actual topic of points and cash back, Now one of my credit cards gets me 5% cash back on certain purchases. If you think I am not going to make full use of it owing to my previous experiences, then I am sorry Amigo, you are so wrongo! It's time for PAYBACK. No, not that stupid Mel Gibson movie! I really don't know if I did any justice at all to the topic, but who cares, it's my blog and I am doing some general whining here. PHEW, I justified the label for this post too! THAT'S ALL FOLKS!!!
So, now I am getting all kinds pre-approved credit card offers, like 2 everyday. Anyone who knows me well knows why I even have to mention that here. There was a time when credit card companies used to run with their heads falling off of their bodies (tried to translate "Thalai therikka odinaanaga!") whenever I used to apply for a credit card. When I see all these offers now, I say to myself, "Oh, now you want me to be your customer?" and then I think, "I have never been pre-approved for anything in my life!" a la Joey from friends, while my eyes get all glazed. One more time, coming back to the actual topic of points and cash back, Now one of my credit cards gets me 5% cash back on certain purchases. If you think I am not going to make full use of it owing to my previous experiences, then I am sorry Amigo, you are so wrongo! It's time for PAYBACK. No, not that stupid Mel Gibson movie! I really don't know if I did any justice at all to the topic, but who cares, it's my blog and I am doing some general whining here. PHEW, I justified the label for this post too! THAT'S ALL FOLKS!!!
Monday, April 30, 2007
WC 2007
I have been wanting to write about the very first edition of the Carribean World Cup, but there was always something or the other stopping me. First I wanted to write about that left arm spinner from Bermuda, Dwayne Leverock, but c2c knowingly or unknowingly stole the post right out of my laptop, hours before I started to write. I am not going to read his blog until I finish this one, so I don't lose the little enthusiasm I have left to write this one. Then, there was that little incident of Bangladesh upsetting India, well I woudn't call that an upset after seeing Bangladesh playing far better than India and Pakistan. There has been a constant nagging from my regular readers (2 to be precise) to put something on the blog and here we go.
When India was knocked out of the first round, I was desperately searching for another team to root for, to keep my cricket interets alive. Then came 'BANGladesh with a BANG' (get it? I can write lyrics for hip-hop), beating South Africa in the Super Eights aka SODHA eights, sparking some interest in an otherwise boring world cup. There is always a pleasure in rooting for the underdog, especially when your favorite team is not playing. You always want to see the minnows bashing the giants. When I say giants, Australia is not included as they belong to a completely different category, which experts are still trying to find a name for. I just hope Bangladesh keeps that fire in them burning all the time and not lose it like India. Then came Srilanka, winning all their important matches, without much fuss. When a team has a bowler, who can take 4 wicktes in 4 balls, you can always expect that team to make it atleast to the semi-finals. So, I started rooting for Srilanka as there was a realistic chance of them beating Australia.
On Saturday I woke up at 7AM (I can hear the collective gasp from the two people who are reading this) to watch the finals, only to be disappointed by the rain. Finally, when the match started, it was trimmed to 38 overs a side. That was the first blow. Whenever the overs are reduced, the team playing first only tries to score as much runs as possible. It wouldn't have made any difference in the way Adam Gilchrist played anyway. Heck, it wouldn't have made any difference to the Aussies even if it was a 10 overs a side match. That's the way they have been playing throughout the world cup. They can't even be termed as bullies, which would also be an understatement. They treat South Africa the same way they treat Bangladesh or Ireland. They don't just win, they totally demolish the opposite team, demoralizing them and making them think twice about playing cricket ever again. Once Gilchrist got going, I always knew, Srilanka was not going to win, barring a miracle innings from Jayasurya, reminiscent to the way he used to play in the nineties. And then, there was that stupid rain again along with light issues, leaving the players to grope each other in darkness. Finally, the best team won! Austalians are playing the game with so much power and dedication that it makes it boring to watch. I vote for Australia to play directly in the semi-final game of the next world cup, no matter how they perform during the time in between.
If ICC is looking for a way to reduce the number of matches in the next world cup, here is an idea: USE THE FREAKING RANKINGS to give first round byes to the first four teams or do something like that and please don't make the second round a round robin league. It took forever to get over. Is it really that complicated to find a way with only 12 teams?
When India was knocked out of the first round, I was desperately searching for another team to root for, to keep my cricket interets alive. Then came 'BANGladesh with a BANG' (get it? I can write lyrics for hip-hop), beating South Africa in the Super Eights aka SODHA eights, sparking some interest in an otherwise boring world cup. There is always a pleasure in rooting for the underdog, especially when your favorite team is not playing. You always want to see the minnows bashing the giants. When I say giants, Australia is not included as they belong to a completely different category, which experts are still trying to find a name for. I just hope Bangladesh keeps that fire in them burning all the time and not lose it like India. Then came Srilanka, winning all their important matches, without much fuss. When a team has a bowler, who can take 4 wicktes in 4 balls, you can always expect that team to make it atleast to the semi-finals. So, I started rooting for Srilanka as there was a realistic chance of them beating Australia.
On Saturday I woke up at 7AM (I can hear the collective gasp from the two people who are reading this) to watch the finals, only to be disappointed by the rain. Finally, when the match started, it was trimmed to 38 overs a side. That was the first blow. Whenever the overs are reduced, the team playing first only tries to score as much runs as possible. It wouldn't have made any difference in the way Adam Gilchrist played anyway. Heck, it wouldn't have made any difference to the Aussies even if it was a 10 overs a side match. That's the way they have been playing throughout the world cup. They can't even be termed as bullies, which would also be an understatement. They treat South Africa the same way they treat Bangladesh or Ireland. They don't just win, they totally demolish the opposite team, demoralizing them and making them think twice about playing cricket ever again. Once Gilchrist got going, I always knew, Srilanka was not going to win, barring a miracle innings from Jayasurya, reminiscent to the way he used to play in the nineties. And then, there was that stupid rain again along with light issues, leaving the players to grope each other in darkness. Finally, the best team won! Austalians are playing the game with so much power and dedication that it makes it boring to watch. I vote for Australia to play directly in the semi-final game of the next world cup, no matter how they perform during the time in between.
If ICC is looking for a way to reduce the number of matches in the next world cup, here is an idea: USE THE FREAKING RANKINGS to give first round byes to the first four teams or do something like that and please don't make the second round a round robin league. It took forever to get over. Is it really that complicated to find a way with only 12 teams?
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Loosu Pennae...
How many of you have NOT heard this song from the movie Vallavan? Well, shame on you! It's been playing non-stop on the FM channels in chennai and the Harmon-Kardon stereo system that came with my BMW (yes, I am always this modest!) for the past 6 months. Actually, I used to wake up everyday to this song when I was in India, thanks to my brother.
I am not a music person at all. I only need songs when I drive. The first time I heard this song, I was like, what the hell kind of a song is this? I totally hated it. But then, like a lot of other songs, it just grew on me. Now, I am listening to it all the time.
Usually, when I like a song, it should definiltely have good Tamil lyrics, otherwise it's very tough for me to even think about liking it. Though there is a rap segment at the beginning and the end, the main part is just tamil words. The way the rap and the tamil part of the song have been combined without defeating the purpose is just amazing. I am not a music genius, but it takes a lot of effort to keep it simple. This song is too simple and very addictive. I decided to look up for more information on the song on the internet and found out that Silamabarasan (a) Simbu had written the lyrics, though I already knew it was his voice. I wasn't very surprised knowing very well he comes from a gene pool that belongs to a person who used to torture us all with his multiple talents, including sticking posters for his own movies.
More than anything, what makes it a catchy number is the lethargic voice of simbu, which sounds like the music director woke him up in the middle of the night and forced him to sing. Well, whatever works! Of course the credit goes to Yuvan Shankar Raja for giving me something to write about. Thanks dude and keep up the good work!
I am not a music person at all. I only need songs when I drive. The first time I heard this song, I was like, what the hell kind of a song is this? I totally hated it. But then, like a lot of other songs, it just grew on me. Now, I am listening to it all the time.
Usually, when I like a song, it should definiltely have good Tamil lyrics, otherwise it's very tough for me to even think about liking it. Though there is a rap segment at the beginning and the end, the main part is just tamil words. The way the rap and the tamil part of the song have been combined without defeating the purpose is just amazing. I am not a music genius, but it takes a lot of effort to keep it simple. This song is too simple and very addictive. I decided to look up for more information on the song on the internet and found out that Silamabarasan (a) Simbu had written the lyrics, though I already knew it was his voice. I wasn't very surprised knowing very well he comes from a gene pool that belongs to a person who used to torture us all with his multiple talents, including sticking posters for his own movies.
More than anything, what makes it a catchy number is the lethargic voice of simbu, which sounds like the music director woke him up in the middle of the night and forced him to sing. Well, whatever works! Of course the credit goes to Yuvan Shankar Raja for giving me something to write about. Thanks dude and keep up the good work!
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Happy New Year!
The new year didn't start off very well for me. I was sick, sick and more sick as my cold/headache got worse and ended up going to the doctor's office (only for the second time in 7 years).
Atleast an OU win in the fiesta bowl against the Boise State Broncos would have eased my pain, but no, the sooners had to make every mistake possible in the game in the first half, only to come back and tie the game in the second half and again lose it in overtime. Boise State deserved to win is all I can say though you wonder if there was ever a team that had executed so many trick plays in one game. Well, OU should have seen this coming from a team that plays on a BLUE turf at home.
From one Broncos to another, the Denver version lost their must-win game of the season miserably to the 49-ers and thus bringing an end to my decision to start watching NFL games with more interest. Talking about names like 49-ers and 76-ers, if I ever manage a start a professional team, I am sure I will name it THE 69-ers. Well, it's a long shot anyway.
At work, it's business as usual, getting killed with productions issues and new development projects.
Since there were too many negative things on this post, let me end it with two positives of 2007, not necessarily involving me directly. The first one is that my brother got placed as he was doing his MBA, with a nice heavy pay package. The best part is that I can make him pay for all my expenses when I go to India (shameless, I know). Congrats dude!
Talking about making someone else pay for my expenses, the first person that comes to my mind is one of my two best friends from my high school days, Karthik. He is getting married in a couple of weeks to the most enthusiastic and bubbly person I have ever known in my life, Rachna. It was never a surprise for me though. I told Karthik the first time I saw them both way back in the spring break of 2001 that he should seriouly think about spending the rest of their lives together. The sad part is that I won't be able to make it to the wedding, for which I have been called a 'Ditch Pot' numerous times and I am sure it will never stop for the rest of my life. A small price to pay for missing my best friend's wedding! Congratulations Karthik and Rachna!
Atleast an OU win in the fiesta bowl against the Boise State Broncos would have eased my pain, but no, the sooners had to make every mistake possible in the game in the first half, only to come back and tie the game in the second half and again lose it in overtime. Boise State deserved to win is all I can say though you wonder if there was ever a team that had executed so many trick plays in one game. Well, OU should have seen this coming from a team that plays on a BLUE turf at home.
From one Broncos to another, the Denver version lost their must-win game of the season miserably to the 49-ers and thus bringing an end to my decision to start watching NFL games with more interest. Talking about names like 49-ers and 76-ers, if I ever manage a start a professional team, I am sure I will name it THE 69-ers. Well, it's a long shot anyway.
At work, it's business as usual, getting killed with productions issues and new development projects.
Since there were too many negative things on this post, let me end it with two positives of 2007, not necessarily involving me directly. The first one is that my brother got placed as he was doing his MBA, with a nice heavy pay package. The best part is that I can make him pay for all my expenses when I go to India (shameless, I know). Congrats dude!
Talking about making someone else pay for my expenses, the first person that comes to my mind is one of my two best friends from my high school days, Karthik. He is getting married in a couple of weeks to the most enthusiastic and bubbly person I have ever known in my life, Rachna. It was never a surprise for me though. I told Karthik the first time I saw them both way back in the spring break of 2001 that he should seriouly think about spending the rest of their lives together. The sad part is that I won't be able to make it to the wedding, for which I have been called a 'Ditch Pot' numerous times and I am sure it will never stop for the rest of my life. A small price to pay for missing my best friend's wedding! Congratulations Karthik and Rachna!
Friday, December 08, 2006
RIP
I don't know how many of you read this news about a software engineer, Sanal Nathan, from India who was shot dead by a mugger about a week ago. I read it and felt sad, especially since the guy was only 26 years old. It was lingering in my mind that he probably might have just started earning enough to live a worry-free (atleast money wise) life. Also, can you imagine the trauma that his fiancee would have undergone seeing her future life partner getting shot at?
So, two days ago, I was sitting at home doing some office work when I got this call from my ex-boss. She used to be my manager at the client company that;s been my office for the past two years. We shared a good rapport at work and we were good friends outside of work too. She didn't sound very good when she called me and I could easily make out that she was in a very sad state of mind. When I asked what was wrong with her and why she sounded so dull, she told me that one of her employees, who was from India, had been killed last week by someone who tried to mug him. That's when it struck me that she moved toArlington, Texas and I remembered that news article I read last week. I was like, OH MY GOD, was that guy one of your employees? His fiancee had called her from the hospital since they didn't have any close friends or relatives in Texas. She was surprised that I knew about this incident. I told her about reading it last week to which she said that she didn't know that they had published it anywhere. I also remembered that she had called me sometime last month to tell me that she had hired a new programmer and he was very good at what he does. He wasn't getting paid much by his previous employer, so she made sure that he gets paid a lot more than that since she thought he deserved it.
Right now, she is the one helping with all the legal procedures that need to be taken care of to transport the body to India. She has been emailing one of the U.S Navy personnel who is in Kerala, about the situation here and he updates the guy's parents. Apparently, it's not an easy process and there are one too many hassles in getting it done. One good thing is, the company is taking care of all the expenses. His mother hadn't eaten for a week and keeps saying, "Please send my son back to me". After hearing all this, I felt like I lost someone close to me. It also made me rethink my decision about staying in this country so far away from HOME.
So, two days ago, I was sitting at home doing some office work when I got this call from my ex-boss. She used to be my manager at the client company that;s been my office for the past two years. We shared a good rapport at work and we were good friends outside of work too. She didn't sound very good when she called me and I could easily make out that she was in a very sad state of mind. When I asked what was wrong with her and why she sounded so dull, she told me that one of her employees, who was from India, had been killed last week by someone who tried to mug him. That's when it struck me that she moved toArlington, Texas and I remembered that news article I read last week. I was like, OH MY GOD, was that guy one of your employees? His fiancee had called her from the hospital since they didn't have any close friends or relatives in Texas. She was surprised that I knew about this incident. I told her about reading it last week to which she said that she didn't know that they had published it anywhere. I also remembered that she had called me sometime last month to tell me that she had hired a new programmer and he was very good at what he does. He wasn't getting paid much by his previous employer, so she made sure that he gets paid a lot more than that since she thought he deserved it.
Right now, she is the one helping with all the legal procedures that need to be taken care of to transport the body to India. She has been emailing one of the U.S Navy personnel who is in Kerala, about the situation here and he updates the guy's parents. Apparently, it's not an easy process and there are one too many hassles in getting it done. One good thing is, the company is taking care of all the expenses. His mother hadn't eaten for a week and keeps saying, "Please send my son back to me". After hearing all this, I felt like I lost someone close to me. It also made me rethink my decision about staying in this country so far away from HOME.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Wishful Thinking
I am a sad man this week since the college football season is getting over, atleast for OU, this weekend. As someone who doesn't find the NFL games very interesting- I have tried to like professional football more than you can imagine, college football is as good as it gets for me.
I will be rooting for the Texas A&M Aggies this weekend. Before you start booking your flight tickets to Denver to kill me, let me make myself clear. If you are a true fan of the Indian cricket team, you would have understood what I meant by now. You remember how the Indian team would lose the easier games at the beginning stages of the world cup, then somehow manage to beat the tougher opponents and wait for that one team to lose their last match, so that we can get into the next round? That's exactly the same position the sooners are in at the moment, except that they lost only one game (atleast legitimately) to a tougher opponent aka Texas Longhorns, though everyone feels that Oklahoma is now playing far better than Texas. The loss to Oregon, thanks to the Pac-10 referees, should not be considered a loss at all. Think I am being too loyal to OU? Take any news article on the OU-Oregon game and you should get a fair idea of how we were robbed of a win.
Coming back to the topic, Texas is playing at home against Texas A&M this weekend, and I, like any other sooner faithful would, wish Texas A&M wins and helps us get to the conference championship game against Nebraska. Oh, by the way, did I mention we beat Texas A&M 3 weeks ago in Aggie Land?
GO AGGIES!!!
Update:
Well well well, look who's back in Kansas City for the Big 12 Championship game, thanks to the Aggies! Ok Mr.Mack brown, you might have beaten us, but we still own the Big 12 South. BOO HOO!!
I will be rooting for the Texas A&M Aggies this weekend. Before you start booking your flight tickets to Denver to kill me, let me make myself clear. If you are a true fan of the Indian cricket team, you would have understood what I meant by now. You remember how the Indian team would lose the easier games at the beginning stages of the world cup, then somehow manage to beat the tougher opponents and wait for that one team to lose their last match, so that we can get into the next round? That's exactly the same position the sooners are in at the moment, except that they lost only one game (atleast legitimately) to a tougher opponent aka Texas Longhorns, though everyone feels that Oklahoma is now playing far better than Texas. The loss to Oregon, thanks to the Pac-10 referees, should not be considered a loss at all. Think I am being too loyal to OU? Take any news article on the OU-Oregon game and you should get a fair idea of how we were robbed of a win.
Coming back to the topic, Texas is playing at home against Texas A&M this weekend, and I, like any other sooner faithful would, wish Texas A&M wins and helps us get to the conference championship game against Nebraska. Oh, by the way, did I mention we beat Texas A&M 3 weeks ago in Aggie Land?
GO AGGIES!!!
Update:
Well well well, look who's back in Kansas City for the Big 12 Championship game, thanks to the Aggies! Ok Mr.Mack brown, you might have beaten us, but we still own the Big 12 South. BOO HOO!!
Monday, November 20, 2006
Casino Royale
The new Mission Impossible movie is a pretty serious one. OH WAIT, did I say Mission Impossible? My bad! I couldn't resisit comparing two of the biggest movies this year. Both deal with how our heroes will even give up what they do best for the women they love the most. I can hear my friends say, look who's talking. I don't blame you my dear enemies, I mean, friends. While Ethan Hunt quits for sure before he comes back for one last mission and quits again, James Bond sends Miss M a resignation email (who knew even 007's need to send one!) before he returns in style.
Without giving out much of the story-yes there is one, all I can say is the new bond is much tougher that his predecessor. Atleast physically he is, though we are forced to doubt his mental toughness when he falls in love with the cute Eva Green. That's right, HE FALLS HOPELESSLY IN LOVE. And Eva green is cute but not really hot as one would expect a typical bond girl to be. So much for the hype surrounding her. But then, we realize why things are the way they are and the movie ends making you want more of it.
Hats off to Daniel Craig, as he carries the movie effortlessly all by himself, with pure sophistication even when he utters lines like this:
Eva: Even if you are gone and only your smile and your little finger are left, I'd still love you.
Daniel : That's because you know what I can do with my little finger
What's more? This bond even accepts his mistakes, but that's mostly due to the fact that he is a rookie in the story. Make no mistake in judging him, he is here to stay for years to come.
Without giving out much of the story-yes there is one, all I can say is the new bond is much tougher that his predecessor. Atleast physically he is, though we are forced to doubt his mental toughness when he falls in love with the cute Eva Green. That's right, HE FALLS HOPELESSLY IN LOVE. And Eva green is cute but not really hot as one would expect a typical bond girl to be. So much for the hype surrounding her. But then, we realize why things are the way they are and the movie ends making you want more of it.
Hats off to Daniel Craig, as he carries the movie effortlessly all by himself, with pure sophistication even when he utters lines like this:
Eva: Even if you are gone and only your smile and your little finger are left, I'd still love you.
Daniel : That's because you know what I can do with my little finger
What's more? This bond even accepts his mistakes, but that's mostly due to the fact that he is a rookie in the story. Make no mistake in judging him, he is here to stay for years to come.
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