A Thousand Splendid Suns

"One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs

And the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls"

This line is the basis of the book - it captures Afghanistan through it's people, it's customs, it's life. It could be also be written as the "Thousand splendid Sons that hide behind her walls" - a nation of strong men who have chosen to not move ahead with the times and remain locked in their history. In the book, a character predicts, if the Afghan's don't have a Soviet Union to fight, there is always each other. The aggression is channeled not into improving thier lot in life but making sure noone else gets ahead either - and people talk about the Indian Crab mentality!!

The book is well written but I can't help but have the feeling that I have read it somewhere before or something like it. 'The Kite Runner' was really a novel novel - a subject not breached at the time. This one though set in Afghanistan giving it character and surrounding - the story itself did not seem so unheard of. Love between friends, a mother and daughter, illegitimate children is the same across the world and not specific to Afghanistan. Kite Runner on the other end, the problem is specific to the country, to the choices Amir made. Here, it's destiny!!

Don't get me wrong - I love the way it is written, the details, the world as seen through Laila's eyes, brought up by forward thinking parents or even Mariam, brought up far away from Society. Don't get scandalised - but I don't hate Rasheed - not knowing any better. He was taught that his way is the best way, women are not meant to be seen, they have no value so to beat them is not a great sin. I do think Jalil is a pig - making the easier choices, never standing up for himself. I'm not sure if the line is true that in trouble, a man will always point the finger of blame towards a woman - but if it is, it explains why the term 'Jezebel' originated.

All in all, I liked the book, it did not stir in me the emotion that 'Kite Runner' did where I cried while reading the book in the Crossword in Ahmedabad but I did manage to finish the book in one shot from 11 - 2.30!!

What's been going on?

The perfect Margarita:
2 Parts Tequila: 1 parts Triple Sec: 2 part Margarita Mix

This is how I killed Friday night at home with friends.
Saturday night spent between the airport and Toto's.
Sunday spent tidying house, watching 'M*A*S*H' and first half of 'Don'.
Thursday night was spent in a plane back from Bangalore.
Wednesday was spent in front of the TV as was Tuesday and Monday.
Sunday included church and a walk.
The previous Saturday had B-52's, Blush Zinfandel and lots of auto's.

The week also included lots of long distance phone calls and constant texting.

Shopping of the week:

• lingerie
• bag
• belt
• kurta

Gifts received:

• The awesomest pair of red shoes ever [How I wish I had a camera phone!!]
  
• A lovely pin tuck bronze-y shirt
• a purple shirt with matching multicolored sweater [like a twin set but not twin!!]
• pink and orange OMO top

What I have learned this week that absence does not make the heart grow fonder - it makes you realise how fond your heart already is!!

Movie Mania

I have decided I am just going to chronicle my favourite movies and the movies I have to watch. The problem with me is that I like to see movies in a theatre and then when they come on TV - I cannot actively go and rent DVD's/VCD's and watch them at home - it is not the same experience!

So anway, here goes:

• Speed - All time favourite.......I can see this movie again and again and again. There is something about the bomb on the bus that I find fascinating - it may also have to do with the fact that Keanu Reeves has never looked cuter. Actually, it's funny coz I never saw the movie when it released, and to be cool in school used to write it as my favourite movie and eventually it seriously has become one of my repeat watches!
• which leads me to Clueless - this movie is my favourite coz I want to be Cher! I mean she has the clothes, she has the house, she has the bargaining skills tho I would rather have my mom than have all that but still...ok I want to be Cher with my parents!
• How to marry a millionaire - the reason to like this movie is obvious - it is every girl's handbook to life.
• Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge - the first Hindi movie that made sense to me. They lived reasonably normal lives, went on holiday, wore the clothes more than once - no excessive drama [the fight scene at the extreme end can be overlooked] so yeah the first movie for my generation
• Dil Chahta Hai - if DDLJ was the first movie for my generation, DCH embodied my generation. That was my life on screen [well I am a girl but u get what I mean], the hanging out, the holidays in Goa, the off beat career options - Its a movie that you identify with. Movies like DCH cross the bridge between Hollywood and Bollywood. At the end of the day, a movie with white people does not reflect 'me' but it is more likely than a QSQT- a movie I can never identify with.
• Notting Hill - this is a really sweet movie - it's gentle is what I would call it. An ordinary guy falls in love with a movie star but he has no idea what a movie star is - so he really likes the person. It's so hard for her to understand this coz for her as well, her persona is larger than her. A little perspective is all that is need to balance ur life - this is one thing the movie can actually teach u! Nothing seems as dramatic compared to missing a step and never being able to walk again!
• Bend it like Beckham - Futball, Shutball, Hai Rabba! This movie is just funny - it has its touching moments but overall the way of life of Indians in England is so typically depicted that the movie is hysterical.
• Sleepers - the movie makes me cry everytime. The sheer waste of childhood, the enduring friendship, the anguished love, the terrible mistake for which they paid with their lives - it's really far removed from my childhood but that makes it all the more poignant and me all the more grateful for the life I've had!
• Terminator II - Hee Hee! I know I know favourite movie! but as I always say - this is a very emotional film - I mean it teaches a robot how to cry?? how cool is that?
• I've never actually seen the movie from beginning to end is what I have realised but it definitely qualifies as one of my favourite movies for the song 'My sharona' but it is a really good movie - sometimes I think I could be Winona ryder wandering aimlessly in my life looking for direction when it's staring at me!
• 2 movies in the same genre [according to me] is 1947 Earth and Mr. and Mrs. Iyer. These are really haunting films - they seem set in Sepia tones but not - it just reflects the colors of the riots and communalism. The lack of color, the lack of thought, the lack of reason, the lack of humanity....
• I like a lot of Johnny Depp movies also - Piratesof the Caribbean, What's eating Gilbert Grape?, Benny and Joon....he generally does vague yet commercial cinema so guaranteed good watch. Here I have to mention favourit...
• 'Edward Scissorhands' - What a movie! What a thought!! It also talks about life in Middle America - where everybody wants to know what is going on but is still very accepting if the new one is white. Winona and Johnny, the style, Tim Burton makes strange cinema - I love it!
• Then there are the classics - Like Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, Breakfast at Tiffany's
• The Mummy and The Mummy returns - these are just adventure packed, laugh a minute fun movies. The crazy ideas, the history, the mummy himself all tres cool!
• Crash - this is a slice of life movie I really like - the deep rooted prejudices, the irrational fears, the hopes and desires, the overcoming of it all - I like the sentiment of the movie

So this is pretty much the kind of cinema I like - I've been for only one international film festival in Pune where I saw really good films like Journey up the Sao francisco river [set in Brazil], Together [Chinese movie], Si J'etais Riche but having seen all these movies only once they cant really qualify as favourites. They are just theatre I appreciate which is a list of movies people should see. For eg Clueless is one of my favourites, but it does not necessarily mean you have to see it.

This is gonna be a post I'm going to keep editing as and when I remember more films or decide on a new favourite!

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This 'n' that!

U cannot imagine the life I have been having....It has been peaceful to the point of bliss!! For the first time with a lot of good luck, my targets have been achieved so stress free at work - I'm very happy [read secure+content] in my personal space so life has just settled itself out. I'm so scared while writing this coz I believe in 'nazar' but really perhaps this is just the calm after the storm - after all, my life has been crazy hectic for the last couple of years on all fronts.

I know, the new status also requires some pulling and tugging to adjust to it from all angles but I actually like the place I'm in, after years. My job profile will need to change in 6 months to keep my interest, but the place definitely makes me happy in terms of the culture and growth of the company as a whole.

In other news, I have not seen a lot of movies recently since 'people' are very hyper critical of most movies and can't sit for 2 hrs in a cinema. This is true tho - I have difficulty as well espescially in movies like 'Salaam - e - Ishq' which go on forever but I'm willing to sacrifice comfort to see a movie. I think that certain movies like 'Crash' need to be seen at home to fully absorb the nuances in the movie but cinema like ' Transformers' can't be appreciated at all unless in a massive AV conducive environment! So I need to watch 'Jab We Met', think I can skip 'Bhool Bulaiya' - I've also been lucky - shitty movies have been released like 'No Smoking', 'Laaga Chunari Mein Daag' so it's been easy to skip the weekly cineman visits. Tho I think 'Mighty heart' must happen and I know 'Superbad' will!!

I have no major plans fr the coming weekend [4 days coz of Diwali] after having spent a very chilled out previous weekend in Pune doing nothing much except for spending money shopping and eating - two of my favourite activities!! I also think my ex-flat mate now has a current 'flatmate' who she is not accepting in public but more on that later.

This post seems to be rambling in all directions but I'm loving the fact of it and the fact that I have nothing to stress on!