Tuesday, February 24, 2004
It has been a taxing and tiresome day, as have been the three preceding it--I am yet to fathom the metaphysics of the reasons for this--perhaps, Ignorance is Bliss !!
Was delighted to learn that SL put it past an upbeat Aussie side in the 2nd ODI, this when two pyjama picadors , Symonds and Bevan were at the crease.
Marion Jones is back, and that is great for the sport, THG or any other drug be damned.
I was speaking to my folks based in Madras at the moment, all the three travelling troubadours camping in the place because of two propitious weddings in the span of 11 days, they were recounting how some of the younger set had thought nothing of photographing away to glory in the middle of the street, all for the sake of a few memories where our forefathers used to live. The contrast with my obdurate unwillingness to have myself clicked is startling--I have never been camera-savvy, maybe an inward-looking disposition taken to manic proportions.
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Was delighted to learn that SL put it past an upbeat Aussie side in the 2nd ODI, this when two pyjama picadors , Symonds and Bevan were at the crease.
Marion Jones is back, and that is great for the sport, THG or any other drug be damned.
I was speaking to my folks based in Madras at the moment, all the three travelling troubadours camping in the place because of two propitious weddings in the span of 11 days, they were recounting how some of the younger set had thought nothing of photographing away to glory in the middle of the street, all for the sake of a few memories where our forefathers used to live. The contrast with my obdurate unwillingness to have myself clicked is startling--I have never been camera-savvy, maybe an inward-looking disposition taken to manic proportions.
Friday, February 20, 2004
Am back after a prolonged absence--a quaint mixture of travelling and work ( not that I do, any road ! ).
Kolkata is a city that never ceases to amaze and astound--such a lotus-eating Type B set would be hard pressed to find--it's a veritable wonder they get passionate about anything --which they do--atleast over football. Some of the nicest confabulations I've had are with a taxi driver ( who to his eternal misfortune ferried me around this time too ) who waxes eloquent over Satyajit Ray and the Rabindra Sadan( another ode to the laidback ). These cabbies dispense worldy wisdom like Vitamin C, and it's infernally difficult to separate opinion from fact.
Out of touch with the FA Cup, only to have a football freak in the company gaily infor me that Reyes did finally get two goals , against the Blues ( in the correct direction, I must add ). I must confess I am not too happy with getting this bloke into Arsenal--he does not fit, not beacuse he;s white but beacuse he does not seem to be filling any hole in the Gunners' game--Wiltord may have been discarded by both club and country but it was his vivacity and tireless running that helped talents like Ljungberg blossom.
My old pal, Navneet says that he's sensed the great one hitting the blogboard , from his Orlando penthouse, and goes on to say that his sister Ruhi is now actually working, How time flies--it seems it was only yesterday that she was a long way from the Class 10 Boards--the inexorable clasp of time !!
Had the opportunity to chat up with a Doon School teacher on the Shatabdi from Delhi on one of the many trips to Kolkata, Mr. Philip Burridge and a fine man at that. We spoke of many things, including the commercialization of education, the " values" kids have, the times-they-are-a-changin', and industries and hope that he found the conversation as appealing as I did. He went on to say that the big-D admits students only from Class 7 to which my cynical mind could only think how on earth could a person change after that age. ( Of course many relatives still are agape with befuddlement how a firm can have the stupidity to employ me and that too for a salary, but that;s another story ). Further, the renowned Ajay Banerjee ( winner Mastermind India--3 years ago ) has decided to quit the school.
Nothing much on the reading bit, am out of ammunition temporarily.
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Kolkata is a city that never ceases to amaze and astound--such a lotus-eating Type B set would be hard pressed to find--it's a veritable wonder they get passionate about anything --which they do--atleast over football. Some of the nicest confabulations I've had are with a taxi driver ( who to his eternal misfortune ferried me around this time too ) who waxes eloquent over Satyajit Ray and the Rabindra Sadan( another ode to the laidback ). These cabbies dispense worldy wisdom like Vitamin C, and it's infernally difficult to separate opinion from fact.
Out of touch with the FA Cup, only to have a football freak in the company gaily infor me that Reyes did finally get two goals , against the Blues ( in the correct direction, I must add ). I must confess I am not too happy with getting this bloke into Arsenal--he does not fit, not beacuse he;s white but beacuse he does not seem to be filling any hole in the Gunners' game--Wiltord may have been discarded by both club and country but it was his vivacity and tireless running that helped talents like Ljungberg blossom.
My old pal, Navneet says that he's sensed the great one hitting the blogboard , from his Orlando penthouse, and goes on to say that his sister Ruhi is now actually working, How time flies--it seems it was only yesterday that she was a long way from the Class 10 Boards--the inexorable clasp of time !!
Had the opportunity to chat up with a Doon School teacher on the Shatabdi from Delhi on one of the many trips to Kolkata, Mr. Philip Burridge and a fine man at that. We spoke of many things, including the commercialization of education, the " values" kids have, the times-they-are-a-changin', and industries and hope that he found the conversation as appealing as I did. He went on to say that the big-D admits students only from Class 7 to which my cynical mind could only think how on earth could a person change after that age. ( Of course many relatives still are agape with befuddlement how a firm can have the stupidity to employ me and that too for a salary, but that;s another story ). Further, the renowned Ajay Banerjee ( winner Mastermind India--3 years ago ) has decided to quit the school.
Nothing much on the reading bit, am out of ammunition temporarily.
Monday, February 09, 2004
Disturbing epistles in yesterday's Hindu, denouncing and denigrating all pretensions to India Shining as not being representative and inclusive of India's teeming multitudes. Certainly, and am sure that the DVAP alos knows that !Most of the facetious claims profferred seem more pre-ordained than directed--Home Loans, Child Education, Fiscal deficit, Burgeoning reserves all cannot alleviate the much-larger concerns of most Indians. I think once the BPO nonsense is over, we might go back to our grim-faced visages ( after Elections ?? ).
An unhappy set of finals for the Indians--a long tour, perhaps we are seeing too much of Australia.
Leander again delivered when it mattered--I would love to sing paeans but shall refrain .
Mark Phillippousis once again showing that sport is a great leveller--only yesterday the pundits were lauding his back-to-the-wall victories over Ferrero. Was astounded at Woodbridge & Arthurs losing and am sure that losing in the first round will take some time to sink in. Must remember that Aussies are the most strident advocates of the Winners-get-a-bye business.
Gotta rush, there's just time to tell you that I have been transferred to Bombay-a city ( ???) of dreams and drains.
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An unhappy set of finals for the Indians--a long tour, perhaps we are seeing too much of Australia.
Leander again delivered when it mattered--I would love to sing paeans but shall refrain .
Mark Phillippousis once again showing that sport is a great leveller--only yesterday the pundits were lauding his back-to-the-wall victories over Ferrero. Was astounded at Woodbridge & Arthurs losing and am sure that losing in the first round will take some time to sink in. Must remember that Aussies are the most strident advocates of the Winners-get-a-bye business.
Gotta rush, there's just time to tell you that I have been transferred to Bombay-a city ( ???) of dreams and drains.
Thursday, February 05, 2004
Managed to catch the complete cine version of " Teen Deewarein " this week, OK, OK, it must have been the last few epiphanic minutes that I saw the last time and hence the macabre words.
Decent viewing, jailbirds always make a compelling story--quite easy on the eyes, Juhi especially.
I am now decidedly capable of writing about the much-awaited " Maqbool" 's audios. It may be awhile before I see the film.
I am pretty sure that it is not in the same class as " Maachis' by any means--I found the Jin-min-jhini song rather jarring, discordant and un-lyrical--catchy perhaps but not quite the joie de vivre as even , say a Chappa chappa charkha chale.
A song extricated from the unwilling heart ( and soul) of Daler mehndi, who's clearly out of his depths--sounds like a sparrow asked to walk and not fly.
(Un)Fortunately I had heard the eminently forgettable Rekha Bharadwaj earlier ( I have a tape which goes by the unlikely moniker of Ishqa Ishqa--Sing with Sufis) in which her grating enervated voice permeates all through, and in fact, Chingari, features on that tape too.
Sanjeev Abhyankar redeems the slide somewhat with Naina, and a far from evocative title track make the collection replete with honest endeavours but little else.
It might well happen that I find the track far more aurally-acceptable if I see the movie--in which Irrfan and PK reportedly steal the thunder. Am looking forward to it, Makdee whetted the appetite certainly.
INDIA WHINING is how the venerable Nirmal Shekar calls the fall from grace for India at the WACA. Hmmm, isn't that what we've been saying all along--no McGrath, Warne, an umistakeably jaded Gillespie and a staccato Lee, batsman friendly pitches, Tendulkar's poor form have all contributed to our lauding the challenge of the team. It;s been a very long tour and I wish the blokes well.
The Aussie Open went as per plan, with the best player's winning in both genders. Great to see the wretchedly mercurial Safin back !
It makes my head spin to contemplate that JHH & KC(H) are playing Slam Finals with irritating monotony when IMHO, they would be firve & six respectively had the Williams, Capriati and Hingis been anywhere near peak form. The Russians are just not able to break through beyond the quarters--Myskina, Likhotsveva, Petrova, Sharapova, and the rest are not good enough just yet-daresay, they know it too.
Llodra and Santoro doing the half monty hit home only after the newspaper photos.
My team of Suarez and Ruano Pascual won easily reaffirming them as the best team for now.
Leander and Navratilova were handily beaten at the post by an inspired Zimonjic & Bovina, who combined very well. Still, the interest in mixed doubles is appallingly absent.
The weather is balmy and seems to be the onset of a long spring--the birds are singing, ooh la la and what have you.
Am on INDIA UNBOUND by Gurcharan Das --more on that in the next post.
Tomorrow is a holiday and hope to have some good times
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Decent viewing, jailbirds always make a compelling story--quite easy on the eyes, Juhi especially.
I am now decidedly capable of writing about the much-awaited " Maqbool" 's audios. It may be awhile before I see the film.
I am pretty sure that it is not in the same class as " Maachis' by any means--I found the Jin-min-jhini song rather jarring, discordant and un-lyrical--catchy perhaps but not quite the joie de vivre as even , say a Chappa chappa charkha chale.
A song extricated from the unwilling heart ( and soul) of Daler mehndi, who's clearly out of his depths--sounds like a sparrow asked to walk and not fly.
(Un)Fortunately I had heard the eminently forgettable Rekha Bharadwaj earlier ( I have a tape which goes by the unlikely moniker of Ishqa Ishqa--Sing with Sufis) in which her grating enervated voice permeates all through, and in fact, Chingari, features on that tape too.
Sanjeev Abhyankar redeems the slide somewhat with Naina, and a far from evocative title track make the collection replete with honest endeavours but little else.
It might well happen that I find the track far more aurally-acceptable if I see the movie--in which Irrfan and PK reportedly steal the thunder. Am looking forward to it, Makdee whetted the appetite certainly.
INDIA WHINING is how the venerable Nirmal Shekar calls the fall from grace for India at the WACA. Hmmm, isn't that what we've been saying all along--no McGrath, Warne, an umistakeably jaded Gillespie and a staccato Lee, batsman friendly pitches, Tendulkar's poor form have all contributed to our lauding the challenge of the team. It;s been a very long tour and I wish the blokes well.
The Aussie Open went as per plan, with the best player's winning in both genders. Great to see the wretchedly mercurial Safin back !
It makes my head spin to contemplate that JHH & KC(H) are playing Slam Finals with irritating monotony when IMHO, they would be firve & six respectively had the Williams, Capriati and Hingis been anywhere near peak form. The Russians are just not able to break through beyond the quarters--Myskina, Likhotsveva, Petrova, Sharapova, and the rest are not good enough just yet-daresay, they know it too.
Llodra and Santoro doing the half monty hit home only after the newspaper photos.
My team of Suarez and Ruano Pascual won easily reaffirming them as the best team for now.
Leander and Navratilova were handily beaten at the post by an inspired Zimonjic & Bovina, who combined very well. Still, the interest in mixed doubles is appallingly absent.
The weather is balmy and seems to be the onset of a long spring--the birds are singing, ooh la la and what have you.
Am on INDIA UNBOUND by Gurcharan Das --more on that in the next post.
Tomorrow is a holiday and hope to have some good times
