Wednesday, September 30, 2009

What next????

Came back to lab - 9 pm
Checked Mbu-mail - 9:05 pm
Checked gmail - 9:15 pm
Checked face book - 9:20 pm
Took random quizzes on facebook - 9:30 pm
Checked PhD comics - 9:35 pm
Checked Abstruse goose - 9:40 pm
Checked xkcd - 9:45 pm
What next???????????
............ Oh, Damn, got to start working now ............ !!!!!

Monday, September 28, 2009

To kill a mocking bird

Just read a beautiful book after a long long time. Amazingly written, the story narrated via kids was one of the most beautiful, simple, innocent, yet touching tales I have read.

Ms Gates- " That's the difference between America and Germany. We are a democracy and Germany is a dictatorship. Over here, we do not believe in prosecuting anybody. Prosecution comes from people who are prejudiced."

Scout - "I heard Miss Gates distinctly saying ugly things about Tom Robinson [a black man who was unjustly sentenced to death on a white girl's false accusation], and how this should teach them all a lesson.
Why can Miss Gates can hate Hitler and yet feel Tom Robinson's verdict is justified because he's black? "

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Kharaashein

Went with Sis and Bro-in-law yesterday, to Chowdaiah Memorial, to watch a play titled "Kharashein" , which is a recital of Gulzaar's poems and enactment of few select short stories. I wonder whether it was insensitive of us; or whether we aren't 'cultured' enough; but, both Akka and I found most of the play highly pretentious!! The in-your-face poignant recital of poetry, the low voice, the semi-breathless way of speech, the sudden raised voices - reminded us of the arty guy in the movie Luck by Chance !! While Akka with her 'Thriller' reminiscences had me in splits during the poem 'Kabristan hai yeh, yahan aahista chalo' ; lines like 'Sir pe uga hua Cactus" had us stuffing our fists in our mouth to stop laughing.

The small enactments were good; especially the one where two scared people meet in a dumpster during communal riots, each trying to stay alive and escape being killed by the mad mob or the crazier police. The way a friendship springs up, surpassing boundaries of religion; the way each recognises the other as a fellow human, with family and friends - the utter futility of communalism was brought out beautifully and subtly. Was indeed touching.

Guess I am not that "Arty-farty" as my cousin put it. Poems might be beautiful to read, and one might appreciate them a lot, especially if one's in the right mood. But poem recitals - over dramatic ones at that - are not my cup of tea. I prefer my drama to be a ROTFL comedy or an enactment that brings out the message through the play, than screaming it out loud and throwing it in your face all the time.

Anyway, an interesting and unique experience! Though, pretty sure, would not want to undergo it again!