The Prestidigitator

Joining formalities. Who knew it would take a whole damn day! Sure it was at The Viceroy and the lunch was grand but how the hell can any sane man remain sane when he is forced to sit like a school student for over 9 hours! Apart from making inconsequential polite conversations, here’s what I really did:

 I officially get inducted on monday not before THEY put me through a “pre module assesment” which pretty much destroys our plans of catching Superman Returns tomorrow! Aaaaargh!

Here’s to the next few years! Cheers! I’m going to need it!

Later

Hyderbad Central

I've been in Hyderbad for just over a day and so far I think I'm in love with the city! It's amazingly huge and surprisingly clean. The only downside is that there are more than a fair share of eunuchs that roam the streets and let's just say I'm not too cool with that. Else, Swen and me are having a pretty great time so far.

Had our medical today and I realised that…well…I just don't pee that well under pressure.

Later

So here I am, 2 months after college and finally about to make an entry into the "real world". Wonder how the next few years are going to be like. A big part of me is just raring to go but there is this little part of me that is trying vehemently to resist change!

Anyhoo, I leave for Hyderbad tomorrow.

26th- go for medical

29th- report to company

30th- catch Superman Returns at INOX (which btw has a current tomatometer rating of a very very impressive 92%!!!)

3rd- training begins

Tight schedule huh?

Blogging may actually take a backseat.

Later

Listening to To The End by Chemical Romance

"The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous."

V for Vendetta is hands down the best film I've seen in a long time. Being a very huge fan of stories depicting a dystopian future, much like George Orwell's 1984 or Aldus Huxley's Brave New World, I found this movie to be one of the best depictions of the same. I haven't read the graphic novel but I'm sure Alan Moore has no reason to be disappointed.

Hugo Weaving plays the verbose vigilante par excellence! A very well written script, an ingenious plot and importantly, it gives food for thought. The meaning of democracy, freedom, misuse of the media and most of all, ideas.

"Men can be killed but ideas are bulletproof."

However I'm sure that most peole will be turned off by the depiction of terrorism as a necessity. Sure, the movie does offer a rather twisted concept of terrorism but it's tackled very well.

"…A building is a symbol, as is the act of destroying it. Symbols are given power by people. A symbol, in and of itself is powerless, but with enough people behind it, blowing up a building can change the world. "

I'd give it 9.5 / 10 and that too only because Natalie Portman's accent seemed to vary through the movie. Nonetheless, V is my favourite vigilante, second only to Batman!

My family's back from their trip and from what I've heard, France seems to be an amazing place. So there, I'll have to visit Norway, Thailand, Singapore, Slovenia and now France!

Later

Listening to I'm Not OK by Chemical Romance

Taking stock of your life. What the hell does that really mean?

Man, I hate growing up so damn much…I'm not worried about growing old and dying per se. It's this whole paasage of time that makes me realise that every minute slips by so fast and with each passing second, my chances of making a difference dwindle. I know this is just a phase and I'll get over it soon but I still can't help brooding over the oppurtunities I missed. Maybe that's life, a series of missed oppurtunities.

I'll leave for Hyderbad in less than a week and so begins another chapter in this very uneventful book! Honestly, if you asked me if I had a reason to get up tomorrow morning, I would probably say no. I need some meaning to all this. Aaaaaaaaaargh!!!

I'm hungry too!

Later

Listening to Nothing Else Matters by Metallica (How appropriate!)

I haven’t finished Freakonomics yet, but so far, I simply love it! It’s an outrageously exciting new way of looking at things and the author Levitt is simply amazing! Statistics has never been so much fun! Seriously out of the box thinking! Too many exclamations huh?

Most of the questions posed are very original and the answers even more so.

How are the KKK similar to real estate agents?

What’s common between teachers and sumo wrestlers?

If drug dealers make so much money, why do they still live with their moms?

My next read:

The best thing about these last couple of months is that I’ve read some really good books. With my date of joining inching ever so close, wonder if I’ll get to read so much again!Sigh!

Listening to Wordplay by Jason Mraz

Edit: I know I’ve raved enough about this book but trust me it’s that good! The Long Reverie of Partha Sarma.

Men can cook too and I'm living proof for that! I actually managed to make a chicken curry (with an elaborate instuction set from my mom) yesterday and I don't mean to brag or anything…but it was gooooood! Ha!

Later

Listening to Ocean Avenue by Yellowcard

My family (minus me) is on a whirlwind trip to Italy and France which I suspect has something/everythng to do with a certain book called Da Vinci Code. It has me thinking about how some english teacher by the name of Dan Brown from across the Atlantic had an effect on a middle class NRI family in India.

Anyhoo, I need a getaway of some sort too. Like a long drive. Like those road trip movies…and I need to do it alone. Whilst at it, I could put on a CD with an awesome compilation that includes the likes of Bonnie Sommerville, Tom Petty, Nick Drake, The Shins and Remy Zero. Aaaah…sounds too good doesn't it? I mean, think about it….just you and the road and some of the best music on the planet.

Now all I need is a car…and oh yeah…I need to learn to drive too!

Later

PS- Watched MI3 again and I thought it was a really good action flick with a very intriguing scene at the Vatican. Great escapist fare!

Alright, let me begin by saying that the recent hike in petrol and diesel prices do not affect me in any direct way, 'cos I'm more of a "bus person". OK, so the fact that I suck at driving may also be another reason. But I was just checking out the difference in petrol prices in various countries, developing nations mostly and trust me, I'm aghast!

 Following are 2 example prices (April 2006) in Rs/ltr

Malaysia 18.90

Pakistan 43.73

India      48.32

Now, if I'm not mistaken, India has a lot better reserves than Pakistan or Malaysia. So why the disparity? Is dirty politics the reason? Or is it the outrageous taxing? But whatever it is, it's high time the media did something about it. I think the media should be a little more biased when it comes to things like this. Frankly I'm tired of watching Rahul Mahajan's life being telecast like the Truman Show.

I went back to college to collect my Course Completion Cert yesterday. Reminded me how much I despised the whole place but then again, thank God for the people! We had an amazing set of friends!

(This ain’t where it’s at
My friends will second that
And I gotta admit sometimes it’s pretty sad
But it's like were our own brat pack
We're always kickin back nobody can take that
And that is that)

-Brat Pack by Rocket Summer

 Plus there is this song by Less Than Jake called Mostly Memories that I kinda like:

I can't seem to recognize, either side of this modern version or
fading person i was, i tried to memorize dates and times of old
accidents and the failed attempts now, i'm still afraid of those
mistakes i've made. i'm mostly memories, most missed
opportunities, mostly minor tragedies, i'm mostly you and me.
i'm mostly memories, mostly missed opportunities, mostly
abnormalities, i'm mostly you and me, and you and you and
me. i can't seem to recognize, either side of my conversations or
contemplations i've done, i've tried to memorize the truth and
lies, of the facts and fictions and the half truth admissions i've
done. i'm still afraid of those mistakes i've made. i'm mostly
memories, mostly missed opportunities, mostly minor tragedies,
i'm mostly you and me. i'm mostly memories, mostly missed
opportunities, mostly abnormalities, i'm mostly you and me,
and you and you and me. out of luck and had enough
out of trust and out of touch, out of time i'm hanging up
i'm mostly memories, mostly missed opportunities, mostly
minor tragedies, i'm mostly you and me. i'm mostly memories,
mostly missed opportunities, mostly abnormalities, i'm mostly
you and me, and you and you and me.

Later

Listening to When I'm Gone by No Address