Weekend madness

Our sudden plans to go out camping did not work out due to sheer laziness. Weekend Vetti- Officers!
To make up, we played some long lost shuttle at a nearby park...loved it!

I happened to go to an Indian grocery shop(that I generally don't prefer going to). "Okra $0.99/lb" did make me go in happily, though. Pona, it was a mini thiruvizha there.
I could not help think that Parents who come here from India have a ball in the Indian stores. They discuss so much. I felt like rushing over to tell, "mami, its just a bigger version of our local market". All the Okra was pretty much gone. While I was thadavifying whatever was left, I could not help overhear people say, "Ayyo amma, vendakai kadaikave kadaikathu; ippo theriyartha, ivlo kootathle nan epdi thaniya vanthu vanguven? That's why I bring him along". And their sweet ammas reply, "theriyarthu ma. romba kashtam thaan".
Indian Grocery shopping is a major event here!!

Watched Babel too! Uvaaaak. Serves me right to drool for Brad Pitt.
A short visit to the library & the weekend is gone! Of course a guilt course followed. Next weekend will be spent more wisely. Or so we think.

The Deathly Hallows

My happiness exceeded all boundaries when I found a copy of 'Harry Potter 7' at a friend's place & was glad to share her extra copy with me. Needless to say, that I talked, walked, ate Harry Potter over the weekend!
Anyways, the book is amazing;I simply loved it. Duh!
This was the first time ever I managed to grab a book on the release date. I did read reviews(gladly stuck to those that did not reveal the story & spoil the fun).
This book is definitely my favorite among the entire series, followed closely by 'Half-Blood Prince'.
But half-way into the book, I could not help but realize that there is going to be no more of Harry Potter. As someone said, I wish Potter could go to school a couple more years. :-(

Quite a fistful of the good guys die :-(. But I can live with it.
The fact that a lot of Dumbledore in this book makes up for the fact that he is not alive anymore. He is truly the hero.
Me felt that there is no Harry Potter without Dumbledore. Well! he is not completely gone, is he?
Incredible how all things fall into place!
The book broke records & created history. Nothing unexpected.

I did miss out on the midnight release countdown fun & all, but heard it from a friend!
I am not going to be a spoiler & let out all the thrillers!
It is a must-read & I plan to buy the entire series when it is out. I strongly believe that Harry Potter is a must-have in every house.
I might even venture out to more J K Rowling in future.

Harry Potter-5

I am an ardent Harry Potter reader/fan. There is no way I can miss a movie/not read a book however bad it can get.
As I mentioned before, "Order of the Phoenix" is definitely not my fav(too long & too many things happen), I was witnessing this amazing reviews on IMDB & friends about the special effects.
Unfortunately, Gandalf continues to be Dumbledore(Gandalf can be Gandalf! He cannot be Dumbledore!!! *personal lamenting*).
Also, this was the first part I was watching after reading the book. Initially, I used to wait until I watched the movie before reading the book, so I remain unknown of what was going to happen. Guess what: I should've continued doing that. But that means I would have to wait over a year to read the book. No way!
This movie is a total let down according to me. Well! I did not see the movie to know what happens. I knew it. Just wanted to see it visually.
But, all those small things that made the book complete, were missed out on the movie. Things that took probably 100 pages to read would be done in a couple of minutes; Stuff that happens 10 pages or less were out of the movie!(It is a long book, no doubt!)
Dementors no more created fear/coldness like they did in Part 3.
Dumbledore fails to make an impact.
Would care to see more of Snape/Dark Lord.
Radcliff seems to grow way faster than the movie needs him to!!!

Umbridge is a good selection(she does make you smile) & so is Luna Lovegood.
Part 5 has a lot more action than its predecessors, but till date, Sorcerer's stone is a personal fav. I just can't wait until next yr to watch for Half-blood Prince. I want to catch a copy of the final book in a couple of days, hoping only that I forget it before the movie releases in 3 yrs.
I did not watch it on iMAX, if that would have made a difference.
psss...For no other movie will I run to the theatre at 10am!!!

Better late than never

Sivaji- the Boss


I was rather forced to watch "Sivaji" last weekend. By this time, the blogosphere is already filled with the movie's reviews & clips.
But, hear me, as a non-Rajini fan!
Firstly, my better half is an ardent fan of the Superstar (he clapped in the theatre when the name came up on the screen "&*#@!")
I am not a big fan of anyone in the Tamil film industry. My humble view that Tamil movies lack a lot of logic(realization dawned with the familiarity of English movies) remain strong.
So, there I go. Camera3 in San Jose downtown had probably fewer than 25 people.(almost a month after the release, so justified!!!)
Then the movie started to a few claps(US version of "biggles", I guess) & there it started.
It is a known fact that the make-up artist did a fantastic job! Rajini looked 20 yrs younger. Shriya looked beautiful too.
I did read a couple of reviews that the movie is a spoon of "Gentleman", a bunch of "Anniyan"& a pinch of "Indian". So, maybe I was biased when I went to watch the movie.
But, to be honest, I seemed to like it. Rajini "looks" different(good different), Vivek's comedy is hilarious, Shriya looks cute & I was happy to see a mini "Sun TV pongal pattimandram" caste there.
IMO, it is a Shankar's movie made with Rajini in mind. If it was a total Rajini movie, I would have seen him as a milkman.
Songs are all well made( I hadn't listened to even one song before I watched the movie).
It is totally a Shankar's movie when it came to grandeur, style, theme, concept & the catchy "cool" all through the movie.
Can never forget it is a Rajini's movie when it came to style, comedy, punch dialogues, song lyrics etc.
A nice entertainment in a long time! I was not "waiting" for this movie, so cannot say, "well worth the wait", but a "watchable Tamil entertainer in a long time" is surely apt.


Not yet watched it, please do.

Has American culture ruined you?

You Have Not Been Ruined by American Culture

You're nothing like the typical American. In fact, you may not be American at all. You have a broad view of the world, and you're very well informed. And while you certainly have been influenced by American culture (who hasn't?), it's not your primary influence. You take a more global philosophy with your politics, taste, and life. And you're always expanding and revising what you believe.

Has American Culture Ruined You?

Drop your mother's tongue

I am back after a short visit to my dentist. I was so glad to find a Tamilian-Indian dentist & was trying to explain my pain to her in Tamil. Wow! Though she understood whatever I said, she never said a word in Tamil. Is she breaking any code if she converses in any language but English?
It surprises me!
I see Mexicans converse in Spanish whenever they meet.
Even people from other parts of India converse in their mother-tongue when they meet someone from their land.

I am not promoting my language here, nor do I believe in the correlation between patriotism & languages. But come on, a little drop of English sure does not hurt, does it?
Or is it just me?