The Opiniated Basterds

2010-05-14T16:58:00.000+05:30

If you want to know the business of the Fourth Estate, ask a PR professional.

2010-05-14T16:40:00.001+05:30

I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.

2010-05-04T16:45:00.002+05:30

Follow me and I'll follow you

Tweet this, and Retweet that

What's happening in 140 characters

That's the Twitterverse for you!

2010-04-22T16:40:00.003+05:30

It was the Perfect Setting, had the House to myself

Hair oil, face massage and scented candles

And then, Loudspeakers, Marathi Music and a Boombox

Was all that was needed for the Perfect Ruin, Indian Style.

2010-04-13T10:49:00.001+05:30

Oh please, Tell me how

And please, Don't break down

That cold, black cloud is comin' down

And it feels like I'm knockin' on Heaven's Door.

Amazing Thai Dance

2010-04-06T13:07:00.000+05:30

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDWpcNP_Efs

The movements are so fluid and the synchronization are plain freaky. That human beings can recreate something so flawless is just plain amazing!

Strange Brew

2010-04-06T12:50:00.001+05:30

A new phase for me has started where life seems like it can't be any better. There is little to complain about, yet a lot to worry about. A place where I have found myself in several times before.

“I am a Big Package”, I had warned the Love Of My Life before we started dating and he very patiently said right back at me, “I don’t care. I can deal with it.” So, I packed my bags from being single and moved in to this new place where it was perfect, nothing to complain about, yet a lot to worry about. What a place to be in, where you got the faith, but you still got nothing at all! There’s hope, but there is no conviction. There is love, but there is no hope. Why does life have to be so complicated?

I can be so many people at the same time. I can be funny, sarcastic, humorous in one moment and dark, sulky and just silent in the next. My mood-swings are not mood-swings; I think they are mood-torpedoes coming and going at their own will, razing everything I feel in one moment to dust and nothingness, ready to feel something entirely different in the next.

I know it sounds poetic and seems strange and I am amazed at how I can go through an entire spectrum of emotions with one small thing. I’m not only sensitive; I am one complicated, intricate person with little hope and a lot of confidence. Strange concoct, isn’t it? Welcome to Poojaland, where nothing is new, yet everything is strange. I am always ready for adventure and what’s a better way than to just be so emotionally in-tune with yourself that you rarely need outside fixes to make you feel?

I feel blessed. And I am happy and I don’t have anything to complain of, I am fully aware that life is too dynamic and nothing sticks for too long. That’s the hope I always have. The Love Of My Life, recently admitted that maybe I am such a big package and he doesn’t know how to deal with it. He said, “I mean, when you told me you are a Big Package, I thought how big can big be? I wasn’t expecting titanic when you said big.” As wicked as it sounds, I couldn’t help smile and I thought to myself, I told you so, didn’t I? But I let it go. Life’s too short to make changes that would make me miserable anyway. I am the queen of my life today; no one and nothing can make me feel terrible if I don’t want to feel terrible. And I’m always all set to explore that voyage where I don’t know “What’s next”.

Top 4 Indian Camera Poses

2010-02-23T11:07:00.001+05:30

An email I received recently. I really found it funny and wished to share it with you. Here goes...
One....

Two....

Three......

And the winner is......

Psychic FAIL!

2010-01-11T11:06:00.002+05:30

see more Epic Fails

Freeze FAIL!

2010-01-11T10:59:00.000+05:30

see more Epic Fails

Lucky FAIL!

2010-01-11T10:48:00.002+05:30

see more Epic Fails

Funny Link

2009-12-22T18:20:00.000+05:30

http://oddee.com/item_96570.aspx
Weird Valentine gifts! Some really funny stuff on this link.

Surviving My Emotions

2009-12-13T13:53:00.001+05:30

This blog has so far been more study oriented, however, today I would like to go a little beyond my studies, my career, my professional shoo-sha, and write a little bit about my philosophies and beliefs. I have also come to believe that there is more to life than college, work, professionalism and moolah.

The single most important learning I have had is in the area of emotions. I have always been an emotional person, a fool, if I may call myself that. When I was younger, I never gave myself a chance to learn how to feel my emotions. I would rather run away than feel anything unpleasant. I thought that a emotionless life is what would be utopia. No feelings, no reactions to feelings, no hurting, no getting hurt. No extra baggage!

As I have grown up and matured emotionally, I have once again received a new set of beliefs and thank God for that. I no longer think emotions; especially unlikable ones are bad at all. I think they are a part of the process called “life”. The process toughens us humans up, preparing us to deal with the next disaster.

I remember feeling relief when I admitted I was unhappy and my life was not what I had wanted it to be. I spoke to a close friend about what I was going through at the age of 17 and I began to feel like I didn’t have to deny who I was or what I felt in order to be alright. For the first time in my life, I realized that I had been fighting these negative, painful emotions. I decided to surrender to them; to let them control me for whatever time they needed to and let the natural process happen. I no longer felt guilt over what I felt; I could own up to it and it could not kill me. I take stock of my day. I get honest about my participation in my life and emotions and by surrendering to the reality, I know I can survive the feelings life throws my way.

‘This too shall pass’, is a mantra I use on a daily basis. What it means to me is simply that nothing is here forever and everything will pass. Uncomfortable emotions too, like everything else will go away and there is no constant in my life. I am in the infinite course of learning the ability to survive my emotions.

Mickey’s New Avataar

2009-12-04T11:02:00.002+05:30

Mickey Mouse, created by Walt Disney in 1928, is the icon for The Walt Disney Company. Mickey Mouse is one of the most popular animated characters ever produced.

Who doesn't know Mickey Mouse? Mickey Mouse has been known to be a charming, scared, adventurous mouse, his character having appealed to millions across the globe since his birth in 1928. He is the most recognizable icon in the world, and is by no means just a "cartoon character" any more. He is the illustrious mouse with human characteristics. Mickey Mouse is about much more.

And now Walt Disney Co. wants to come along and change everything for Mickey Mouse. He is no longer going to be the adorable, vulnerable mouse we've all known for all these years. Mickey Mouse will be transformed to Epic Mickey, a new video game in which the impeccable character of the Mouse will be altered to be tetchy, sly and heroic at the same time. Yet, the name Epic Mickey will still be familiar to children and the Mouse is still inquisitive, adventurous and eager.

I feel that this a tad too much for even the legendary Mickey Mouse to handle! The projection of so many grey characteristics for our dear little Mouse seems too extreme for his personality to handle. It almost seems like Mickey Mouse will play the next "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", so stark are the variations in his character. When I read an article a month ago on http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/After-makeover-Mickey-is-no-more-Mr-Nice-Guy/articleshow/5201279.cms, I was wondering what the reaction would be towards Epic Mickey. He looks mean, like the evil alter ego of the good Mickey Mouse.

Will this new venture of Disney be a success? I do hope so, because if they are risking tampering with a character that has stood the test of time for so many years, they better know what they are doing. It will break more than a few hearts globally to witness the death of our darling Mouse. Disney is riding on the hopes of this new venture and there has been a lot of buzz created online pre-launch of the game. However, like the changed Coca Cola, Disney faces the peril of tweaking the image of a character so well-known and liked, that they must remember, they own the brand of Mickey Mouse, not the character itself.

The Internal Communicator Guides to Blogging

2009-12-03T13:55:00.000+05:30

As I was browsing for some useful material, this was a link I found useful for realizing the potential of blogging.

News Reporting Article

2009-11-11T17:40:00.002+05:30

This is an article I wrote as an assignment for the News Reporting module. Please submit your feedback. I have also attached Pundit Anand Thakore's reply email. 

Quality of cultural activities dropping, says singer Pundit Anand Thakore

“St. Xavier’s College was one of the few colleges in which it was possible to meet young people like me who studied, lived and longed to share music and literature. The numbers of such people were as few as anywhere, but Xavier’s had an atmosphere where we could meet and share our ideas, music and have long discussions in the canteen and eventually perform from a semi-professional platform”, says Hindustani classical singer and English poet, Pundit Anand Thakore (37), about changing cultural trends and his affiliation with St. Xavier’s College for the last 20 years on Friday October 30, 2009 in a personal interview.
Thakore spoke about how St. Xavier’s College and the Indian Music Group (IMG) used to be a meeting place for young talent and how the scenario has changed today. “The Xavier’s canteen used to be alive with discussions about literature, music, poetry and theatre and the environment promoted talent unlike other colleges”, says Thakore who had one of first performances as a classical singer at the age of 17 at IMG. Even though Thakore studied at Elphinstone College, Mumbai, his association with Xavier’s brought him out of isolation as he met young people with similar interest in classical music and literature.
“I attribute it to the superficial Americanization of contemporary college life in Xavier’s which is devoid of any deeper cultural awareness either eastern or western”, says Thakore about the dropping levels of cultural awareness, activities and interest. There have been a few good performances in IMG recently, he admitted, however it is not a far cry from how it used to be 15 years ago. When questioned about why the intensity of music and literature are dropping, Thakore stated that there were no absolute remarks which can explain the drop. He did, however, mention that even abroad in Europe and the United States of America there have been very few cultural developments and the intensity has just not remained the same. Old supporters of music and literature, like himself, are not motivated enough to keep the show running as they are all busy with their own lives, Thakore said. “Artists are not good at creating awareness or promoting art”, Thakore said, “There is a need for awareness programs to improve the situation.”
Thakore still believes that the culture and way of life that so many students prided themselves about has a shot of reviving itself with a bit of support and enthusiasm from today’s youngsters. He says, “Just the fact that Malhar and IMG still exist and are active, is a good sign. There is hope for things to pick up and improve again. “

---End of Article---

Anand's reply:

This is on the whole competent writing, Pooja, that demonstrates basic linguistic control, (grammar, sentence formation etc with a few notable mistakes...) I am impressed by your simplicity and directness of expression, the clarity of thought and fidelity to what the person interviewed has said about himself and the situation......of course i am only impressed because standards of journalistic writing in India particularly in English have always been appalling and have turned worse in recent years- people simple have no sense of the finer nuances of the English language, a terrible disregard for the niceties of diction, precision of meaning and grammar ( prepositions in particular). What i like is that youre not going out of your way to achieve special stylistic effects ( which, without clarity and control, are usually disastrous) and you are staying true to your conversation-reportage tone which is confident and self assured- apart from which i can point out several clear mistakes or shortcomings of style when we meet and go over the piece together, if of course you wish to benefit from a little constructive criticism.
I cant say how relieved i am to receive a piece of reported in which i haven't been misrepresented. I can show you lots of newspaper cuttings over the years when things i have said have been manipulated, distorted and misrepresented completely- i don't even expect correct representation of any sort in the media anymore- television experiences have been even worse than the papers.
With lots of work, guidance and plenty of the 'right' kind of reading you might write quite 'well' one day- hope that isn't too condescending but art is a difficult business and writing, like everything else, remains an art- Anand.

---END---

2009-11-11T15:04:00.001+05:30


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