tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-142392672024-03-08T09:07:17.848+05:30What Would You Say?Sankalphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04360641652946207358noreply@blogger.comBlogger109125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14239267.post-55770180571233958522012-07-12T18:21:00.001+05:302012-07-12T18:21:10.979+05:30Go ahead, make my day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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</div>Sankalphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04360641652946207358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14239267.post-18221400375959560962012-06-03T23:52:00.001+05:302012-06-03T23:52:28.912+05:30Ab main samjha<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Writing again. After almost an year. Because when you are reminded of things you used to enjoy, you should thank the reminder and get back to doing them.<br />
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Ghulam Ali playing in the background. This version of 'Hungama hai kyon barpa' starts with this killer sher:<br />
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Ab main samjha tere rukhsaar pe til ka matlab<br />
Daulat-e-husn pe darbaan bitha rakha hai.<br />
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That is a good end to a day that started when I woke up to another couple of really nice lines on TV (which had Shakespeare in Love on):<br />
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I must hear from thee every day of the hour<br />
For in a minute there are many days.</div>Sankalphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04360641652946207358noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14239267.post-54790355708465775632011-02-20T00:17:00.002+05:302011-02-20T01:50:06.265+05:30Kaapi from the Holy FilterI went to a school which was run by a group of non-resident south Indians. That's where I learned a lot about south India. Things like there are actually 4 different languages down south, and not just one 1 incomprehensible Madrasi language. It was also where I first heard about filter coffee.<br /><br />Quite a few teachers carried special cups and once in a while you'd find one of them performing the elaborate mixing ritual in the staff room. It seemed to be their little secret. The ingredients, the mixing, the apparently heavenly taste.<br /><br />It is a pity that it was only about 4 years after coming to Hyderabad that I actually tasted real filter coffee. It was during a fortuitous visit to Cafe Nandini - it was love at first sip. Earlier, this love would make me cycle out of my way to Nandini. But after the Udupi joint opened close to our house, not one opportunity to taste the divine concoction is wasted.<br /><br />There is something about filter coffee that I can't quite put my finger on, which makes it what it is. Try a cup when you're nursing a massive hangover and as the first sip makes its way down to your stomach, you'll feel the hangover easing out, your head feels lighter, your neck and back stop aching almost immediately. <br /><br />Try a cup when you have a very bad cold, try one when you are down with fever, try one after an intense workout, try one when you're feeling low.<br /><br />Filter coffee never disappoints. It brings back hope, convinces you that everything will be alright.<br /><br />Here's to the divine potion.Sankalphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04360641652946207358noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14239267.post-8621555484347978022011-02-16T23:07:00.002+05:302011-02-16T23:18:26.938+05:30Why, oh why?Why should I write again over here? This place doesn't seem familiar anymore. This UI, which, once upon a time, used to put me in the mood to write seems to have lost its knack. My mind isn't blank, but is nothing more than a big ball of frustrated neurons. I'm not even following any blog these days. In fact, many people who had started blogging around the same time as I did, have stopped writing. I feel like I belong to an outdated generation of bloggers. Blogging isn't even 'cool' any more.<br /><br />Then why should I come back to it?<br /><br />Because there are 3 comments asking me to start writing again, on the last post, which is more than an year old?<br /><br />Because I'm probably not as obsessed with writing better and polishing my posts as I was after the English literature courses in college?<br /><br />Because this post just flew off my fingers?<br /><br />Because I find writing therapeutic?<br /><br />Because I feel I need to write?<br /><br />Because I was told by some that they actually liked what I wrote?<br /><br />I don't know. Maybe I'll give it another try. Maybe this is that try.Sankalphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04360641652946207358noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14239267.post-11924933194653579722009-12-19T12:50:00.004+05:302009-12-23T19:44:06.301+05:30Boredom BusterI'm bored and I haven't quite undergone a contemplation and introspection phase in spite of the birthday that just went past. So here's a tag:<br /><br />Have I ever (points in bold are a yes):<br /><br />01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">02. Swam in the actual sea<br />03. Climbed a mountain - here's <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/sankalp.mulye/RoopkundTrek#">proof<br /></a></span>04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive<br />05. Been inside the Great Pyramid<br />06. Held a tarantula<br />07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">08. Said “I love you” and meant it - there goes your shocking fact of the day about Sankalp Mulye.</span><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">09. Hugged a tree<br /></span>10. Water-skiied<br />11. Visited Paris<br />12. Watched a lightning storm at sea<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise<br /></span>14. Seen the Northern Lights<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">15. Gone to a huge sports game - the one where Sachin scored his 10000th run.<br /></span>16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa/Qutub Minar<br />17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables<br />18. Touched an iceberg<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">19. Slept under the stars<br /></span>20. Changed a baby’s diaper<br />21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon<br />22. Watched a meteor shower<br />23. Gotten drunk on champagne<br />24. Given more than you can afford to charity<br />25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope<br />26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment<br />27. Had a food fight<br />28. Bet on a winning horse<br />29. Asked out a stranger<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">30. Had a snowball fight<br /></span><span style="font-weight:bold;">31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can<br /></span>32. Held a lamb<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">33. Seen a total eclipse<br />34. Ridden a roller coaster<br /></span>35. Hit a sixer that won the game<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">36. Danced like a fool and didn’t care who was looking<br /></span>37. Adopted an accent for an entire day.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment<br />39. Had two hard drives for your computer - what's so great about that?<br />40. Can name all 27 states.<br />41. Taken care of someone who was drunk - hoping that one day he will do the same for me.<br />42. Had amazing friends<br /></span>43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">44. Watched whales - dolphins to be precise.<br /></span>45. Stolen a sign/damaged public property<br />46. Backpacked in Europe<br />47. Taken a road-trip <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">48. Gone rock climbing<br />49. Taken a midnight walk on the beach<br /></span>50. Gone sky diving<br />51. Visited Kashmir.<br />52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love. <br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">My answer is no, but this reminds me of a poem by Pablo Neruda which has a line to this effect. I think it is titled "Tonight I can write the saddest lines".</span><br /></span><span style="font-weight:bold;">53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them<br /></span>54. Visited Japan<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">55. Tried to make a buffalo move when it sat down in front of your cycle.<br /></span>56. Alphabetized your CDs<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">57. Pretended to be a superhero - I don't have to pretend, I am one.<br /></span><span style="font-weight:bold;">58. Played ‘Antakshari’ in a public place and sung really loudly without caring about the onlookers.<br />59. Lounged around in bed all day<br />60. Played gully cricket<br /></span>61. Gone scuba diving<br />62. Kissed in the rain<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">63. Played in the mud<br />64. Played in the rain<br /></span>65. Gone to a drive-in theatre<br />66. Visited the Great Wall of China<br />67. Started a business<br />68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">69. Toured ancient sites<br />70. Taken a martial arts class<br />71. Played a video game for more than 6 hours straight</span><br />72. Gotten married<br />73. Been in a movie.<br />74. Crashed a party<br />75. Gotten divorced<br />76. Gone without food for 5 days<br />77. Made chapatis from scratch<br />78. Won first prize in a costume contest<br />79. Ridden a gondola in Venice<br />80. Gotten a tattoo<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">81. White water rafted<br /></span>82. Been on a television news program as an “expert”<br />83. Gotten flowers for no reason<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">84. Performed on stage<br /></span>85. Been to all states in India<br />86. Recorded your own music<br />87. Eaten shark and preferred roadside ‘bandi’ food<br />88. Kissed on the first date<br />89. Gone to Thailand<br />90. Bought a house<br />91. Been in a combat zone<br />92. Buried one/both of your parents<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">93. Been on a cruise ship<br /></span><span style="font-weight:bold;">94. Spoken more than one language fluently<br /></span>95. Performed in the National Day Parade in New Delhi/your city<br />96. Raised children<br />97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour<br />98. Passed out cold<br />99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country<br />100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">101. Walked the Howrah bridge<br />102. Sang loudly in the car – with the windows open – and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking<br /></span>103. Had plastic surgery<br />104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived<br />105. Wrote articles for a large publication<br />106. Lost over 10 kgs<br />107. Held someone while they were having a flashback<br />108. Piloted an airplane<br />109. Touched a stingray<br />110. Broken someone’s heart.<br />111. Helped an animal give birth<br />112. Won money on a TV game show<br />113. Broken a bone<br />114. Gone on an African photo safari<br />115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol<br /></span>117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">118. Ridden a horse<br />119. Had major surgery<br /></span>120. Had a snake as a pet<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">121. Spent the night at a railway station<br />122. Slept for 30 hours in a 48 hour period<br /></span>123. Spent the better part of your life outside India<br />124. Visited all 7 continents<br />125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days<br />126. Eaten kangaroo meat<br />127. Eaten sushi<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">128. Had your picture in the newspaper<br /></span>129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about<br />130. Gone back to school<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">131. Parasailed<br />132. Touched a cockroach<br /></span>133. Eaten fried ice cream<br />134. Read ‘The Iliad’ and ‘The Odyssey’<br />135. Selected one ‘important’ author who you missed in school, and read<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating - I've witnessed the full process, so I'll mark this done.<br /></span>137. Skipped all your school reunions<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language<br /></span>139. Been elected to public office<br />140. Written your own computer language<br />141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream<br />142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">143. Built your own PC from parts<br /></span>144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">145. Had a booth at a street fair<br /></span>146. Dyed your hair<br />147. Been a DJ<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">148. Shaved your head<br /></span>149. Caused a car accident<br />150. Saved someone’s lifeSankalphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04360641652946207358noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14239267.post-13825403204592100482009-11-29T02:37:00.003+05:302009-11-29T02:43:27.903+05:30Apocalypse Now<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjbYS8R5iQv8p_yDwTLF3susrkQTjL9CDHt4fYthE4tkmi9LhXhoHSOYVLDqg9892lmNrkRLZzmlpYjY3k5foH-Mz-ImyPYbqyG9OVwKiCbfZiFCSjLcZW2oScwY46SmVQJ5Fp1g/s1600/kurtz.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 234px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjbYS8R5iQv8p_yDwTLF3susrkQTjL9CDHt4fYthE4tkmi9LhXhoHSOYVLDqg9892lmNrkRLZzmlpYjY3k5foH-Mz-ImyPYbqyG9OVwKiCbfZiFCSjLcZW2oScwY46SmVQJ5Fp1g/s320/kurtz.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409265497642820098" /></a><br />Some movies are meant to be watched in a group. Goof-ups and loopholes are meant to be pointed out collectively laughed at. Aha! moments are meant to be shared.<br /><br />There are others that are meant to be watched alone, in a dark room, doors and windows closed, no one to disturb you. They demand that you let nothing come between you and the movie. They demand complete surrender of all control to the events unfolding on screen. They are meant to be a very personal experience, and you don't want to take chances having someone else's vibes around to affect the impression the movie leaves on you.<br /><br />I suppose there is something similar with drinks. Beer is analogous to the former category of movies. It's a drink for the big, happy group. Whiskey on the other hand is personal. It is the drink for an evening of solitude. You don't gulp it down, you savour it. Let it play on your tongue while thoughts play in your mind. Who knows, you may discover something new.Sankalphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04360641652946207358noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14239267.post-7266043531933138362009-08-07T16:15:00.002+05:302009-08-07T16:20:28.921+05:30Exodus.Supreeth left early today morning. Can't think of anything sensible to write, but I just need to. So, forgive me for borrowing the title from Badri and these lines from Dave Matthews:<br /><br />One drink to remember,<br />And another to forget.<br />How could I ever dream to find a <i>friend</i> like this again?<br />One drink to remember, another to forget...<br /><br />Excuse me please, one more drink.<br />Would you make it strong,<br />Cause I don't <i>want</i> to think.Sankalphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04360641652946207358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14239267.post-48926299849286849352009-08-01T01:58:00.002+05:302009-08-01T02:07:57.712+05:30NerudaSuddenly started surfing through translations of some poems by Pablo Neruda earlier today. A line has stuck to the walls of my brain. I have to write it down somewhere. Might as well do it here:<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Love is brief. Forgetting lasts so long.</span><br /><br /><br />I can only wonder at the beauty of the thought and the simplicity of words that express it so well.Sankalphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04360641652946207358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14239267.post-43079654667836306932009-05-11T00:39:00.002+05:302009-05-11T01:16:08.303+05:30The Night OutI'm trying to write this as quickly as I can. The events described here happened one crazy night a few months back.<br /><br />11:40 pm<br /><br />Frustoo with work, its abundance and its refusal to budge and let me make progress. I call Billu and set out to do a night-out in college.<br /><br />12:05 am<br /><br />I'm on campus and we have just started our BC session.<br /><br />2:00 am<br /><br />Hunger caught us unaware and we realised that we have nothing to eat and all sources of food supply on campus are closed. We decide to go till the DLF building, where Billu is pretty sure we will get food. Since I am no longer a student and Billu will have to submit his id card for leaving campus so late, we decide to take the path behind the campus.<br /><br />2:30 am<br /><br />As we come out of the back gate, we realise much to our surprise that we are not supposed to use that path. We are told this by policemen patrolling the place in a van.<br /><br />Policeman1: Haan! Kidhar jaare?<br />Billu: Ye idhar, paas hi mein (pointing towards, what I thought was the sky)<br />Policeman1: Kyon? Main gate se kyon nahi? Idhar se kyon jaate?<br />Me: Abhi jaane nahi dete sir, bhaut late ho gaya hai.<br />Policeman1: To kyon jaare?<br />Me: Bhaut bhook lagi hai.<br />Policeman1: Kya? Kyon, khana nahi milta idhar college mein?<br />Billu: Bhaut ganda hota hai. Khaa nahi sakte. Please sir jaane do. Bhaut bhook lagi hai.<br />Policeman2: Oh, chalo jaane do, jaao. Lekin aate time main gate se jaana andar, idhar se nahi.<br />Me: Haan, ok. Pakka sir.<br /><br />We happily walk out, congratulating ourselves for the lucky escape. We plan to follow the same route to get back inside the campus since after we eat, since the police van will not be around till then.<br /><br />2:55 am<br /><br />We reach the DLF building entrance.<br /><br />There is not one shop open where we can get food. The place is deserted. The dogs don't seem friendly. (Otherwise, why would they all bark at the same time and run towards us?)<br /><br />3:00 am<br /><br />Going in through the main gate is not an option. We expect to find the police van blocking us, if we go back the same way. But we start walking down the road towards ISB anyway.<br /><br />3:05 am<br /><br />We are now pretty sure the police van is still there and there are more policemen watching us with suspicion as we walk past the police check post. We walk till we reach a convenient spot where the wall is comfortably low, we're not clearly visible to the check-post. We act like we're peeing (Just in case someone's watching). Then, we jump the wall.<br /><br />3:08 am<br /><br />We land. Actually, not quite. Because we are ankle deep in something dark, squishy and wet. We hope it is mud. We somehow manage to reach firmer ground and realise that we'll have to find our way out of thick, tall, thorny bushes. Lack of light and the possibility of a snake suddenly deciding to grace us with his company makes us nervous. But we move on.<br /><br />3:15 am<br /><br />Only to find ourselves wading through more calf-deep mud.<br /><br />3:25 am<br /><br />We're back at the OBH - wet, muddy, tired. And hungry.<br /><br />Overall rating for night-out: Great success!Sankalphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04360641652946207358noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14239267.post-55919796725159548572009-03-31T16:51:00.002+05:302009-03-31T17:03:10.856+05:30JoblessnessYes. I'm in the office and I have no work. Which is absolutely a new situation for me to face. So I do what most of the bored people on earth are doing. I logged into Facebook. And I find this interesting exercise to do. Instead of doing it on Facebook Notes, I though I'd do it on the blog. Here goes:<br /><br />SUPPOSEDLY if you've seen over 85 films, you have no life. Mark the ones you've seen. There are 239 films on this list. Copy this list, go to your own facebook account, paste this as a note. Then, put x's next to the films you've seen, add them up, change the header adding your number, and click post at the bottom. Have fun.<br /><br />()Rocky Horror Picture Show<br />() Grease<br />(x) Pirates of the Caribbean<br />(x) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest<br />(x) Boondock Saints<br />(x) Fight Club<br />() Starsky and Hutch<br />() Neverending Story<br />() Blazing Saddles<br />() Airplane<br />Total: 4<br /><br />(x) The Princess Bride<br />() Anchorman<br />() Napoleon Dynamite<br />() Labyrinth<br />(x) Saw<br />(x) Saw II<br />() White Noise<br />() White Oleander<br />() Anger Management<br />(x) 50 First Dates<br />(x) The Princess Diaries<br />(x) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement<br />Total so far: 10<br /><br />() Scream<br />() Scream 2<br />() Scream 3<br />(x) Scary Movie<br />() Scary Movie 2<br />() Scary Movie 3<br />() Scary Movie 4<br />(x) American Pie<br />(x) American Pie 2<br />() American Wedding<br />() American Pie Band Camp<br />Total so far: 13<br /><br />(x) Harry Potter 1<br />(x) Harry Potter 2<br />() Harry Potter 3<br />() Harry Potter 4<br />() Resident Evil 1<br />() Resident Evil 2<br />() The Wedding Singer<br />() Little Black Book<br />(x) The Village<br />() Lilo & Stitch<br />Total so far: 16<br /><br />() Finding Nemo<br />() Finding Neverland<br />(x) Signs<br />() The Grinch<br />() Texas Chainsaw Massacre<br />() Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning<br />() White Chicks<br />(x) Butterfly Effect<br />() 13 Going on 30<br />() I, Robot<br />() Robots<br />Total so far:18<br /><br />() Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story<br />(x) Universal Soldier<br />() Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events<br />(x) Along Came Polly<br />(x) Deep Impact<br />() Kingpin<br />() Never Been Kissed<br />() Meet The Parents<br />(x) Meet the Fockers<br />() Eight Crazy Nights<br />() Joe Dirt<br />(x) King Kong<br />Total so far: 23<br /><br />() A Cinderella Story<br />(x) The Terminal<br />() The Lizzie McGuire Movie<br />() Passport to Paris<br />(x) Dumb & Dumber<br />() Dumber & Dumberer<br />(x) Final Destination<br />(x) Final Destination 2<br />(x) Final Destination 3<br />() Halloween<br />(x) The Ring<br />() The Ring 2<br />() Surviving X-MAS<br />() Flubber<br />Total so far: 29<br /><br />() Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle<br />() Practical Magic<br />() Chicago<br />() Ghost Ship<br />() From Hell<br />() Hellboy<br />() Secret Window<br />() I Am Sam<br />() The Whole Nine Yards<br />() The Whole Ten Yards<br />Total so far: 29<br /><br />(x) The Day After Tomorrow<br />(x) Child's Play<br />() Seed of Chucky<br />() Bride of Chucky<br />() Ten Things I Hate About You<br />() Just Married<br />() Gothika<br />() Nightmare on Elm Street<br />() Sixteen Candles<br />(x) Remember the Titans<br />(x) Coach Carter<br />(x) The Grudge<br />() The Grudge 2<br />(x) The Mask<br />(x) Son Of The Mask<br />Total so far: 36<br /><br />(x) Bad Boys<br />() Bad Boys 2<br />() Joy Ride<br />(x) Lucky Number Slevin<br />(x) Ocean's Eleven<br />(x) Ocean's Twelve<br />(x) Bourne Identity<br />(x) Bourne Supremecy<br />() Lone Star<br />(x) Bedazzled<br />(x) Predator I<br />() Predator II<br />() The Fog<br />(x) Ice Age<br />(x) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown<br />() Curious George<br />Total so far: 46<br /><br />(x) Independence Day<br />() Cujo<br />() A Bronx Tale<br />() Darkness Falls<br />() Christine<br />() ET<br />() Children of the Corn<br />(x) My Boss' Daughter<br />() Maid in Manhattan<br />() War of the Worlds<br />(x) Rush Hour<br />(x) Rush Hour 2<br />Total so far: 50<br /><br />() Best Bet<br />(x) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days<br />() She's All That<br />() Calendar Girls<br />(x) Sideways<br />() Mars Attacks<br />() Event Horizon<br />() Ever After<br />() Wizard of Oz<br />(x) Forrest Gump<br />() Big Trouble in Little China<br />(x) The Terminator<br />(x) The Terminator 2<br />(x) The Terminator 3<br />Total so far: 56<br /><br />() X-Men<br />() X-2<br />() X-3<br />(x) Spider-Man<br />(x) Spider-Man 2<br />() Sky High<br />() Jeepers Creepers<br />() Jeepers Creepers 2<br />(x) Catch Me If You Can<br />() The Little Mermaid<br />(x) Freaky Friday<br />() Reign of Fire<br />() The Skulls<br />(x) Cruel Intentions<br />() Cruel Intentions 2<br />() The Hot Chick<br />() Shrek<br />() Shrek 2<br />Total so far: 61<br /><br />() Swimfan<br />() Miracle on 34th street<br />() Old School<br />(x) The Notebook<br />() K-Pax<br />() Krippendorf's Tribe<br />(x) A Walk to Remember<br />() Ice Castles<br />() Boogeyman<br />() The 40-year-old Virgin<br />Total so far: 63<br /><br />(x) Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring<br />(x) Lord of the Rings The Two Towers<br />(x) Lord of the Rings Return Of the King<br />() Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark<br />() Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom<br />() Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade<br />() Basketball<br />() Hostel<br />() Waiting for Guffman<br />() House of 1000 Corpses<br />() Devils Rejects<br />() Elf<br />() Highlander<br />() Mothman Prophecies<br />(x) American History X<br />() Three<br />Total so far: 65<br /><br />() The Jacket<br />() Kung Fu Hustle<br />() Shaolin Soccer<br />() Night Watch<br />() Monsters Inc.<br />(x) Titanic<br />(x) Monty Python and the Holy Grail<br />() Shaun Of the Dead<br />() Willard<br />Total so far: 67<br /><br />() High Tension<br />() Club Dread<br />() Hulk<br />() Dawn Of the Dead<br />() Hook<br />() Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe<br />() 28 days<br />() Orgazmo<br />() Phantasm<br />() Waterworld<br />Total so far: 67<br /><br />(x) Kill Bill vol 1<br />(x) Kill Bill vol 2<br />() Mortal Kombat<br />() Wolf Creek<br />() Kingdom of Heaven<br />() The Hills Have Eyes<br />() I Spit on Your Grave aka the Day of the Woman<br />() The Last House on the Left<br />() Re-Animator<br />() Army of Darkness<br />Total so far:69<br /><br />(x) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace<br />(x) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones<br />(x) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith<br />(x) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope<br />(x) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back<br />(x) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi<br />() Ewoks Caravan Of Courage<br />() Ewoks The Battle For Endor<br />Total so far:75<br /><br />(x) The Matrix<br />(x) The Matrix Reloaded<br />(x) The Matrix Revolutions<br />() Animatrix<br />(x) Evil Dead<br />() Evil Dead 2<br />() Team America: World Police<br />() Red Dragon<br />(x) Silence of the Lambs<br />() Hannibal<br />Grand total:80<br /><br />Phew! I came real close to not having a life. And yes, it was quite embarrassing to mark an x against some of those movies.<br /><br />What's your score?Sankalphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04360641652946207358noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14239267.post-11712035079047768512009-03-06T02:40:00.002+05:302009-03-06T03:16:27.756+05:30Some days are just so incredibly fucked up.<br /><br />But thank God, there's Bob and there's No Direction Home.Sankalphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04360641652946207358noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14239267.post-59944456939175868012009-02-27T14:36:00.005+05:302009-03-01T14:06:02.208+05:30I didn't know they made a version of thatAfter a 60km cycle ride, my posterior is about to fall apart. So I thought I'll let it rest on a cushy chair and a write a post.<br /><br />Over the last few months I have become a major youtube addict. I keep looking for music videos of my latest musical obsessions, live or otherwise. This has led to many pleasantly surprising discoveries. So following is a list of some of those. These are versions of very well known songs, but not by the original artists. I won't call them covers because they are as good as the originals if not better. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">All Along the Watchtower by Dave Matthews Band</span><br /><br />Jimmy Hendrix's version of this song is so so popular that many people don't even know that it was originally written and composed by Bob Dylan. But listen to The Dave Matthews Band perform this in their Folsom Field Concert and I bet you jaw will drop straight to the floor in awe. Boyd Tinsley becomes one with his violin (What's a violin doing in rock band? Working wonders.), LeRoi's solo on the sax is as smooth as ever and Dave Matthews uses shouting to maximum impact in the last few minutes of the performance. Here's the link:<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypaH1Gj6VIs <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Brothers in Arms by Joan Baez</span><br /><br />I have raved enough about this song by Dire Straits and one of their divine live performances. But this version by Joan Baez is different. Her sweet, female voice is a great change from Mark Knopfler's dark, gruff rendition. The lack of the instrumental magic that Dire Straits put in is not felt at all because of the emotion the beautiful Joan provides to the brilliant lyrics. The link:<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJeNPS2tLdA<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Cinnamon Girl by Type O Negative</span><br /><br />I first heard the Type O Negative song in Smiley's room. Saw its video actually, with muscular, scary looking band members wearing metallic chains for guitar straps make the crowd go berserk with their heavy, thumping version of Neil Young's classic.<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hnMgIOnjMs<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">I believe in Miracles by Pearl Jam</span><br /><br />This song is apparently a very popular number on PJ's concerts. I first heard this on their Benaroya Hall Concert album at a time when I actually needed a miracle to finish stuff at work. It unknowingly became a sort of work anthem. Only later I found out that it is not a PJ original but a song by The Ramones. Frankly, I don't like the original version.<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEU7S-6MfIg<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Behind Blue Eyes by Suzanne Vega</span><br /><br />Everyone knows this classic by The Who. While scrounging for songs by Suzanne Vega, I stumbled upon an audio from her concert in Montreux where she sings Behind Blue Eyes with minimum instruments and yet, with great effect. I can't decide which version I like more, The Who's or hers.<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZBduiTvqm4<br /><br />With my music-messiah-giri done. I think it is time to go and grab something to eat and crash for a peaceful afternoon's sleep.Sankalphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04360641652946207358noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14239267.post-68529741838325582132009-02-09T23:21:00.003+05:302009-02-09T23:28:39.625+05:30StuckI have written more posts in this month than in the last 6 months put together. So, keeping up the good work, let me ask you a question:<br /><br />What do you do when a super-mushy song gets stuck in your head?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XjKKwSuDts&feature=related">Here's</a> why I ask this. (The song is "Way Back Into Love" from the killer mushy movie called "Music and Lyrics", in case the <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=sysadmin">Big Brother</a> prevents you from accessing youtube.)Sankalphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04360641652946207358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14239267.post-75776063313099236152009-02-08T18:08:00.000+05:302009-02-08T18:09:03.747+05:30BlurBlur. That's how life has been since I became a corporate majdoor. I feel the intensity being sucked out. No time to think, reflect or introspect. Not much time to read, write or draw. No time for anything.<br /><br />I remember the days when I was in second year of college when life was exactly the opposite what it is now. Days passed at a leisurely pace. It felt like the second hand of the clock will stop. Back then, I actually wanted a life where there would be no time to think. A fast, busy life. Huh.<br /><br />Be careful what you wish for.Sankalphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04360641652946207358noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14239267.post-13198701319455070582009-02-02T09:37:00.001+05:302009-02-02T09:38:54.692+05:30Scorching winterThis year in Hyderabad, if you called that an oxymoron, you'd be wrong.Sankalphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04360641652946207358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14239267.post-17939691182354533102009-02-01T02:25:00.002+05:302009-02-01T02:29:02.787+05:30I Will End......this is bloody streak of weekends spent working. Very soon.<br /><br />Till then, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_lkMK2Spu0">Where are you going?</a>Sankalphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04360641652946207358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14239267.post-87261005244310797022009-01-03T19:47:00.003+05:302009-01-03T21:26:59.825+05:30Happy New YearIt's another brand new year. Watching the massive crowd on the Baga beach in Goa go mad at the stroke of midnight with the sky lit up with fireworks and the thumping beats from the shack close by, I was thinking what is it that we are celebrating? Beginning of the Earth's 2009th revolution (after the birth of Christ) around the Sun can't be worth all this hysteria.<br /><br />Were we celebrating the fact that so many of us dared to come out in spite of all the security threats and warnings, the fact that we did not let the fears bog down our spirit? It didn't feel like that was the prevalent emotion.<br /><br />There were people hugging, kissing, holding hands, or simply smiling at each other. Wishing each other a happy new year. Were they celebrating the fact that they were together, sharing this moment with someone? To be frank, a few years from now, you might not be able to recognize the person who probably means the world to you right now. Don't we all know deep down that this togetherness is fleeting?<br /><br />I think there is only one thing we celebrate through all our festivals - hope. The hope that things will get better from here on. For me, for you, for the world. It amazes me how the existence of the human race is based on just this faith, that everything will be alright, that things will work out. And yet we have survived.<br /><br />Here's to the hope of a better tomorrow.Sankalphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04360641652946207358noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14239267.post-27017399576623047122008-11-24T23:12:00.002+05:302008-11-24T23:13:29.633+05:30It's not a nice feeling...when you realise that the only thing you got is so fucked up.Sankalphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04360641652946207358noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14239267.post-15323939791952477862008-10-12T20:15:00.002+05:302009-05-11T01:12:44.448+05:30Story of a Night-OutI'm trying to write this as quickly as I can. The events described here happened one crazy night a few months back.<br /><br />11:40 pm<br /><br />Frustoo with work, its abundance and its refusal to budge and let me make progress. I call Billu and set out to do a night-out in college.<br /><br />12:05 am<br /><br />I'm on campus and we have just started our BC session.<br /><br />2:00 am<br /><br />Hunger caught us unaware and we realised that we have nothing to eat and all sources of food supply on campus are closed. We decide to go till the DLF building, where Billu is pretty sure we will get food. Since I am no longer a student and Billu will have to submit his id card for leaving campus so late, we decide to take the path behind the campus.<br /><br />2:30 am<br /><br />As we come out of the back gate, we realise much to our surprise that we are not supposed to use that path. We are told this by policemen patrolling the place in a van.<br /><br />Policeman1: Haan! Kidhar jaare?<br />Billu: Ye idhar, paas hi mein (pointing towards, what I thought was the sky)<br />Policeman1: Kyon? Main gate se kyon nahi? Idhar se kyon jaate?<br />Me: Abhi jaane nahi dete sir, bhaut late ho gaya hai.<br />Policeman1: To kyon jaare?<br />Me: Bhaut bhook lagi hai.<br />Policeman1: Kya? Kyon, khana nahi milta idhar college mein?<br />Billu: Bhaut ganda hota hai. Khaa nahi sakte. Please sir jaane do. Bhaut bhook lagi hai.<br />Policeman2: Oh, chalo jaane do, jaao. Lekin aate time main gate se jaana andar, idhar se nahi.<br />Me: Haan, ok. Pakka sir.<br /><br />We happily walk out, congratulating ourselves for the lucky escape. We plan to follow the same route to get back inside the campus since after we eat, since the police van will not be around till then.<br /><br />2:55 am<br /><br />We reach the DLF building entrance.<br /><br />There is not one shop open where we can get food. The place is deserted. The dogs don't seem friendly. (Otherwise, why would they all bark at the same time and run towards us?)<br /><br />3:00 am<br /><br />Going in through the main gate is not an option. We expect to find the police van blocking us, if we go back the same way. But we start walking down the road towards ISB anyway.<br /><br />3:05 am<br /><br />We are now pretty sure the police van is still there and there are more policemen watching us with suspicion as we walk past the police check post. We walk till we reach a convenient spot where the wall is comfortably low, we're not clearly visible to the check-post. We act like we're peeing (Just in case someone's watching). Then, we jump the wall.<br /><br />3:08 am<br /><br />We land. Actually, not quite. Because we are ankle deep in something dark, squishy and wet. We hope it is mud. We somehow manage to reach firmer ground and realise that we'll have to find our way out of thick, tall, thorny bushes. Lack of light and the possibility of a snake suddenly deciding to grace us with his company makes us nervous. But we move on.<br /><br />3:15 am<br /><br />Only to find ourselves wading through more calf-deep mud.<br /><br />3:25 am<br /><br />We're back at the OBH - wet, muddy, tired. And hungry.<br /><br />Overall rating for night-out: Great success!Sankalphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04360641652946207358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14239267.post-49463272545563666652008-07-21T10:46:00.004+05:302008-07-21T11:25:30.174+05:30The < insert expletive here > weekendEver heard of the abbreviation <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=KLPD">klpd</a>? No? You could read the urbandictionary link or better, read this post to fully understand its meaning.<br /><br />I have long tried to follow the policy of using as few expletives as possible on the blog. But I have to write about the weekend just gone by, I would end up filling the whole page up with the choicest words in my vocabulary. But still, let me try.<br /><br />It started on Saturday morning. We had booked tickets for the morning show of "The Dark Knight". We got up at bloody 7:30am on a Saturday and hopped through buses, trains, autos to reach Imax only to find that they had cancelled the show fearing some f***ing bandh! The whole city was absolutely normal. Every damn shop was open. There was no bandh. But anyway, we came back laughing at our bad luck.<br /><br />I didn't think much about it. Just a bad day, I thought and brushed it aside. I should have known better.<br /><br />I had been looking forward to the rock walk on Sunday for a long time. I managed to persuade Apoc to come along. So, after a horrible one hour in a hopelesly crowded bus, we reached the starting point for the walk about 20 minutes late to find absolutely no one there. People had already left. We had missed it. So we roamed around and wasted some more time and came back empty handed.<br /><br />So that was the story of one great weekend. This whole working life has made weekends too important. There's too much pressure to go out and do something, too many expectations. And when nothing happens according to the plan, I have all the right to be frustoo like I am right now.<br /><br />Now that I have let it all out, I feel better. I can work now.Sankalphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04360641652946207358noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14239267.post-21193212673231021942008-07-19T16:48:00.003+05:302008-07-19T17:38:04.030+05:30The quirky tagThis one came from <a href="http://theanksden.wordpress.com">Lord</a>. Sitting in the office on a Saturday afternoon, after a major chot in the morning, this is the second best thing to do. The first best thing is to chat with <a href="http://sbadrinath.wordpress.com/">Apoc</a> about the most bizarre things in the universe. Do keep checking that link to Apoc's blog for his much anticipated post about our current obsession with lolcats and lolspeak.<br /><br />Here is a set of quirky things about me:<br /><br />1. Females with nice upper arms and shapely, delicate ears totally turn me on. I have been mocked for this several times. But I often find myself unconsciously straining my neck to take a look at somebody's ears/ear-rings.<br /><br />2. I am a maniacal list maker. To-do lists, to-carry lists, to-not-forget lists, I make them all. And quite often forget to carry them along.<br /><br />3. I have numbers going around in my head all the time. Squares, cubes etc. I can't help thinking how I could represent a particular number as sum or difference of only squares.<br /><br />4. I'm a total sucker for blue, basic, straight cut jeans. I already have 4 different shades and would love to have more. <br /><br />5. When I like something, I tend to overdo it. Kill it. It could be a song I play in a loop for 2 days straight, or a TV show whose episodes I watch one after the other, whose lines I quote in conversations, whose events I keep thinking about all the time. <br /><br />Current obsession is of course, lolspeak.<br /><br />6. I really like chocos. Is that weird?<br /><br />My list of tag victims:<br /><a href="http://drsafetyfirst.wordpress.com">Bose</a>, <a href="http://matrixview.wordpress.com">Sharat</a> and <a href="http://sidkc.blogspot.com">SidKC</a>. Can't think of anyone else who isn't taken by now.<br /><br />Oh I forgot, I'm supposed to put the rules of the tag:<br /><br />1. Link the person who tagged you. (Check)<br />2. Mention the rules on your blog. (Check)<br />3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours. (Check)<br />4. Tag 6 following bloggers by linking them. (Can't check)<br />5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged. (Not checked. Who would be jobless enough to do this?)Sankalphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04360641652946207358noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14239267.post-84244177051058631052008-07-17T22:49:00.002+05:302008-07-17T23:14:49.168+05:30The White MughalsI'm about 50 pages away from finishing this book which seems to have finally brought me back to reading. I found it to be brilliant in many ways. It is historical, has a great story and is set in Hyderabad. A perfect blend of things that interest me.<br /><br />It is quite a relief to find myself reading with so much interest. I would have classified myself as a voracious, bordering on maniacal reader about 2 years back. But then with the internship and other things coming in, reading took a back seat, much to my discomfort. For a very long time, I could not read more than a few pages at a time. It took me 3 months to finish 'Greenmantle' and about a fortnight for 'Heart of Darkness'. Both of them being really thin books.<br /><br />I was really worried that probably the only good habit/hobby that I have is getting left behind. But this book changed things. At times, I was actually fighting sleep to stay awake so that I could continue reading.<br /><br />Super book. Do read it.<br /><br />p.s.: On a totally different note, I hope all of you watched the Wimbledon men's final. Painful as it was to watch Federer lose, it was the best match I have seen in my life. If you didnt, the first thing to do after you finish reading this line is to find it on youtube and watch it.Sankalphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04360641652946207358noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14239267.post-45915529982597571772008-06-26T10:03:00.002+05:302008-06-26T10:17:01.252+05:30"Sir, kahaan ka drop hai?"<br /><br />"Telecom Nagar?"<br /><br />"Balapur."<br /><br />"Ok sir."<br /><br />The driver turns the key and we move out of the car park.<br /><br />"Songs nahi hai bhaiya?"<br /><br />He tunes into some FM station. I try to ignore. I'm lucky that the other two in the cab didn't demand the a/c to be put on. I roll down the window and let the cool air hit my face.<br /><br />The weather is brilliant. The smell of wet earth is lingering in the air. It's a pity that I saw the rain only from behind a glass wall.<br /><br />It is at times like these that I miss IIIT most. I miss the long walk which I could've gone for. I miss the toads that I would have to dodge on the street. I miss the sound of leaves, wet and fresh after the rain, rubbing against each other. I miss the sweet fragrance of Raat-ki-raani which would come floating and persuade me to not turn back before reaching its source. I miss the empty, wet streets where I could hear nothing but the sound of my flip-flops. I miss the silence that would help me put my worries on hold. I miss the cover of anonymity provided by the dark shadows. I miss the coffee that I could sip on my way back to the hostel. I miss being able to just stand in the corridor outside my room and stare at the trees, their branches swaying in the wind, for hours together. I miss being able to stay up all night, either reading or listening to the sound of rain.Sankalphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04360641652946207358noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14239267.post-38066346991275857742008-06-20T19:24:00.003+05:302008-06-20T19:26:35.217+05:30GrossI found the answer to one burning question that I had in mind for long:<br />How does one give a stool sample?<br /><br />Others, like the following, are yet to be answered:<br />Is the second last urinal always the most popular in the mens' toilet? If yes, why?Sankalphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04360641652946207358noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14239267.post-82947397098924172342008-06-19T14:56:00.002+05:302008-06-19T15:27:35.001+05:30Present Sir.This post is pretty much like an answer to the attendance call in a class. To inform everyone that yes, I am alive.<br /><br />I was wondering about the inverse relationship between the eventfulness of a blogger's life and his/her posting frequency. <br /><br />It seems to be quite true for me. The most blog-worthy events that have occured in my life in the past few years: the Goa Cruise, the treks, the Goa trip, the internship and its eventual culmination into a naukri etc., find no mention on this blog. On the other hand, absolutely mundane and inconsequential things like the thickness of the layer of dust on my monitor, have complete posts dedicated to their analysis. <br /><br />Anyhow, here's an update, in roughly chronological order:<br /><br />1. Trek was great. Pictures <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/24083760@N00/sets/72157605520941867/">here</a>.<br />2. First flight was mostly spent sleeping. To be frank, it was quite boring.<br />3. Moved out of IIIT.<br />4. Moved in with flatmates: <a href="http://sultanofsamarkand.blogspot.com">Shaitan Of Sialkot</a> and Harry.<br />5. Started majdoori.<br />6. No music since long. This is driving me mad. Someone please repair my dabba!<br />6. Suddenly there are too many things on the to-do list which has been growing at a scary speed.<br />7. Bored of the old template and too lazy to make custom changes, I chose this template.<br /><br />Hope to post more regularly from now on.Sankalphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04360641652946207358noreply@blogger.com3