The Great Mahatma

I watched Lage Raho Munnabhai with my family last week and it was simply superb! Infact I liked it better than Munnabhai MBBS. After I walked out of the theatre I couldn’t help but imagine how many people in today’s world actually follow Gandhism? Practically speaking, it looked simple and right in the movie but does it actually work that well in real life?

I thought of doing a little survey of people around me and got mixed reponses. My mom, having always admired Mahatma Gandhi (now a greater admirer after the movie) is positive about his principles. My hubby had no comments … he just loved the movie (and of course the beautiful Vidya Balan). My colleague said he did believe in Gandhiism but not really appreciated Gandhi simply because he was the cause for the Partition of India which has not yet been settled to this day …

I personally think Gandhi’s principles should be followed but i doubt if it’ll really work in today’s world.                                                       

Meow!

I find animals so fascinating. I always wanted to become a wildlife researcher (although I still haven’t) since I’m so fond of wildlife.

Sometimes I just like to lie on my bed and look at my cat and doggie play together. They look so cute together!

Two days ago, I had to climb down a pit to get Lizzie (my kittie) … she was stuck there. When I got her back home, I was sad to see that she had sprained her leg. I guess she must have hurt herself when she fell into the pit.

I feel really bad to see her limping around the house. Kiki (my doggie) also seems to understand and doesn’t really bother her. I’m just hoping Lizzie gets well soon and back to her mischief which is annoying but cute as well!

Crikey

I was really sad to hear about the death of Steve Irwin, ‘The Crocodile Hunter’. I used to watch his tv shows regularly on animal planet and the news of his death was truly shocking and depressing. I kept thinking to myself how life always surprises us with the good and the bad.

I remember watching one of his shows where he was bitten by a poisonous snake (of course his reaction was one of an ant bite), but he just continued handling the snake with the same vigour and excitement. I think he was one of the most passionate and dedicated wildlife conservationists I have ever seen. I wonder if there ever will be another Steve Irwin!

He escaped snake bites and crocodile snaps but in the end lost his life by a sting ray (which I suppose was nothing compared to the creatures he had handled)! What an irony! 

A diamond is forever!

“A dog may be a man’s best friend, but diamonds are a girl’s best friend!” Isn’t that saying so true (sorry guys, but size does matter)…

I happened to read some really amazing facts about diamonds this morning. A diamond is the hardest natural substance on earth, but if it is placed in an oven and the temperature is raised to about 763 degress Celcius, it will simply vanish, without even ash remaining. I don’t think I would like to experiment that fact.

Also, a diamond is 58 times harder than the next hardest mineral on earth, corundum, from which rubies and sapphires are formed. Interesting!

The only way to cut diamonds is with other diamonds. Although, if you hit one hard with a hammer, it will shatter. (I wouldn’t dare to try that out!)    

All this study about diamonds and precious stones makes me wish I owned a jeweller’s store. Now, that’s a fairly wise thought, isn’t it?  

Lumos!!

During my graduation, I remember there was this girl named Lameez and she always used to go on and on about Harry Potter. I had not read even one book of Harry Potter although I had heard a lot about it. And then one day, during our microbiology practical class, I saw her reading ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’. Of course she was all buried and lost in Harry Potter’s magical world. But i still managed to ask her to borrow one of the many Harry Potter books she had and she agreed to lend me ‘Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone’. That was my introduction to the Harry Potter series!

Three years later, here I am, one of the greatest fans of Harry Potter! I think J.K. Rowling is an amazing author and I love all her books. I’ve read all the Harry Potter books upto Half-Blood Prince and can’t wait to read the final book. But more than that I’m waiting to watch the movie ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’ which will be releasing July, 2007. The books and the movies are really fascinating and I’ve read and watched both like about a hundred times!

My mom thinks I’m too old for childrens’ books like Harry Potter. I think I’m gonna give her one of Harry Potter’s books when she comes to visit me next week!        

Seasons of time!

This morning on my way to work, as I was sitting in my car and waiting for the usual traffic to move, I was just thinking how life would have been if I was born during my great-grandfather’s time. What a contrast between life then and now! I think people were so much more content and happy then compared to the present day. But what is it that actually matters in life? I’m not saying that money is not important but to what extent does it matter? Isn’t it peace of mind and happiness at the end of the day?

I sometimes wish i lived during the ancient ages with a king ruling us and we his subjects. I think in today’s world, money is just not enough, is it? In the olden days, even though there wasn’t much technology and a high-tech life, people were content and very happy with what they had.

Life was so much more simple then. It would be heaven to have a life so peaceful. So much to the progress we’ve made over the years! Just a thought!   

Roads in Pune!

My favorite subject of discussion! I have been in this city for 2 years and it’s not a bad place afterall except for a few things like traffic, roads, pollution, and just a few other not-so important things. But then again, all cities have more or less the same issues. Coming to the point, I think the roads in Pune are a little worse compared to the roads in B’lore or any other city I’ve been to.

I don’t understand how people manage in these roads! Is it entirely the Municipal guys’ fault? I wonder why they even make such bad roads? And the repair work they do hardly even lasts for a day. Using pieces of bricks to fill in potholes is the most ridiculous idea I’ve ever seen….

I wonder what they do with all the money government is providing them? Now that is something to ponder about! Well that’s not my concern anyway but what bothers me is that I have to travel 25 kms a day on these terrible roads. Every morning when i leave home, I don’t know what to think about….my project in office or about the roads. No wonder people drive so crazy out here!

Even the cops are not so successful in controlling the traffic and I doubt they ever will be. But I don’t entirely blame the people here……I mean, should they worry about the cop or landing in a damn pothole?

I’m so glad the rains have reduced a bit! Rainy season is a nightmare! I’ve only seen one good road in Pashan which hardly stretches to about one kilometer so it’s rough again even before you notice how smooth the road is. I think it’s best to just get adjusted to these roads like the rest of the Puneites! We’ll never know, maybe soon (from a long time), all our dreadful days will be over!

It reminds me of this Chinese proverb I read long time ago -”A man who waits for a roast duck to fly into his mouth must wait a very, very long time.”

Sau baar alvida kehti hoon!!

My husband and I watched “Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna” a few weeks ago on CD (thankfully we didn’t go to a theatre!). He thought the movie was pretty ok….I thought it was a total waste of time and extremely disappointing! I was just wondering, whatever made Karan Johar make such a movie after all the good films like ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’, ‘Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Gham’ and my favorite ‘Kal Ho Na Ho’? Of course all his movies are famous for crying…..but i liked his previous three movies……KKHH was cute, KKKG was colorful and entertaining and KHNH was a well-made movie! But I thought KANK was the worst movie I’ve seen all my life……

I don’t think it was anything to do with the storyline…… but right from scene one till the end i thought the movie was utterly boring! I think all the actors have over-acted and Big B’s role was not at all necessary in the movie! Rani and Shah Rukh are so irritated and angry in the entire movie that i was grateful Karan Johar didn’t show their life after they finally get married in the end……I’m sure it would have been more disastrous than when they’re in love!

Anyway, Preity Zinta’s role was not that gr8 and Abhisek also was pretty ok……But the movie looked liked as if Rani and Shah Rukh wanted to break off their marriages from the day they got married…….they are not happy even in one single scene and even when they are in love they are crying…….my my….how tragic can life get!

Good I heard the songs before I watched the movie, else I would have never wanted to listen to them again! I liked most of the songs in the movie but the way Karan Johar has made this movie, even if it was a really good song, by the time it comes in the movie you are too depressed to enjoy it….

And even the comedy was not all that enjoyable…I thought Big B’s role was not needed in the movie at all……Karan Johar messed up his role too!

The ending was so ridiculous with Abhishek and Preity giving their blessings to the lovely Rani and Shah Rukh that I wondered, whatever was Karan Johar thinking when he was writing the script for this movie?

The only thing I was glad about after watching the movie was I was wise enough not to take the trouble of going to a theatre and spending money for a ticket! But like my husband said, it has been rated a highly critically-acclaimed movie. That explains why its still running fully packed in the theatres every week! Way to go Karan!