Well, Friday was a lucky for me. Was on my way to office riding on Hosur Road. Suddenly, I felt like one of the Gaulish villagers in Asterix comics who are always worried that the sky would fall on their heads. I felt something go 'thunk' on my head. Slowed down my bike and looked around. Realised that it was a big piece of the overhanging branch from the one trees that line the road. Patted myself for wearing my helmet. Else, it would have been a closed chapter! Not that I am a major fan of helmets or anything, actually I would prefer not wearing them! Today was travelling in an auto, and was thinking about different, innovative uses for bike accessories in Bangalore. Here goes:
Helmet - Used commonly as an oversized elbow guard. You can see most younsters on bikes with the helmet neatly safeguarding the elbow. Uh sure, the head is stronger than the elbows, so they need more protection ;-)
Horn - Used as a musical instrument. Especially at traffic signals and traffic jams! Any of them could give Rahman and Reshammiya a run for their money! I guess the typical Bangalorean is taught when learning to ride/drive that at any point of time, either the brakes (ref:see below for brakes) or the horn has to be used! Not using any one of the two would lead to harmful consequences!
Brakes - Used as an alternate to the horn in most vehicles in Bangalore - especially buses. When they got to slow down or stop, it almost sounds like an earthquake ready to occur!! Also vividly reminds me of the Hercules MTB bicycle (a brown colored one on which the guys used to try circus tricks and patao-fy the school babes ;-)) They used to have the loudest brakes around! (not the babes, the cycles)!
Rear View Mirror - Used almost ubiquitously as a green-room mirror - adjusting hairstyles, counting pimples, applying lipstick/kajal, and also to check out the Python (for the uninitiated, Pretty Young Thing on a kinetic HONda/HONda Activa :-D) behind you!
Petrol tank - Used commonly as an extra seat (especially where the family has 2 children). Usually the youngest child gets the dreaded tank seat. Something similar to the silly-point/short-leg position in cricket, where the newest team member has the honor of being in the firing line! No wonder the kid would grow up permanently scarred for life (no pun intended)
Headlights - Used as a WMD. Blind 'em out seems to be the motto! Always used on high-beam except for during daytime when they flash winking signals at passers-by.
Tail-lights - Eh? What are they? Does something like that even exist??
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Another joke...
My sister-in-law was a major fan of Anil Kapoor. Right from Ram Lakhan/Mr India days. Her major aim in life was to meet him in person. At last, last month, when he was in Bangalore she had a chance to meet him. Now the meeting is known by a particular name -
"When Hairy met Saali"
We screened "When Harry Met Sally" in office this evening. The joke struck me when I was watching the movie. Nice, cute movie. Dialogues are just too good. I especisally liked the background track that goes "Tomaitoes Tomaatoes Potaitoes Potaaatoes" :-D
And the famous restaurant scene! Good timepass!
Listening to Lose Control from Rang De Basanti -neat, fast, hummable track!
"When Hairy met Saali"
We screened "When Harry Met Sally" in office this evening. The joke struck me when I was watching the movie. Nice, cute movie. Dialogues are just too good. I especisally liked the background track that goes "Tomaitoes Tomaatoes Potaitoes Potaaatoes" :-D
And the famous restaurant scene! Good timepass!
Listening to Lose Control from Rang De Basanti -neat, fast, hummable track!
Monday, January 30, 2006
New Year, new beginnings
Well, been a long time since I came visiting this part of town :-D
Life's been hectic with both official and extra-official work. There were a few requests for an update. Didn't know that I had such a dedicated following albeit it might just be a forced one ;-)
Well, the latest hot news is that I have got rid of my long, luscious locks! It was just an on-the-spur-of-the-moment decision. Decided will get a haircut, didn't think twice and before I changed my mind, got it done. People say I look smarter. And they somehow take the pain to point out that "smart" is more in a relative sense of way to my earlier appearance rather than an absolute scale.
Well, from my side, I would surely miss all the tending and nurturing of my hair. Truly the metrosexual male :-D (its the new buzzword. No idea what it means tho')!
So what's made me busy these days? Work as usual. In a new project, so lots to learn and grasp. That does take quite a bit of time. Other than that, there have been quite a few happenings. We now have a proper cricket team in office. So pretty involved in the practice and other team management decisions ;-) After all this, I don't envy the BCCI selectors at all. What all permutations and combinations they got to go through to pick 15 out of maybe a hundred contenders! Seriously WOW!
Another event were the cultural events in office. And I actually danced. Well, I can already see you people ROTFL-ing imagining a Sunny Deol-like dance. Well, I should say I am slightly better. And the hair. That made all the difference. It always blocked my view of the audience and so I could conveniently not see the audience convulsing with laughter in their seats :-D
But some people did say I did it well. So at least for it, it was worth while.
Watched 15 Park Avenue today afternoon. Was dumbstruck at the end of it. The acting was good, but the story. Well, this story flew way over the cuckoo's nest. Into space and beyond. But one thing was the portrayal of different female characters - true to stereotype - the monster-like female who bosses over everyone and has to have it her way; the insecure, suspicious wife; the mother who would go emotional and boo-hoo at the drop of a hat; but all in all very good acting from all, especially Konkona. Powerhouse performance. But not the ideal Monday afternoon watch.
Rang De Basanti also is supposed to be good. Heard rave reviews from almost everyone who watched it. At office, it seems like I am on one side who hasn't watched RDB and the entire world on the other side who already watched it and then discuss it in hushed tones whenever I pass by.
Watched Neal and Nikki on DVD last weekend as well. Wow. What a movie. As I heard Shekhar Suman on TV saying " Neal n Nikki is a cute little love story - between a piece of wood and a bra/panty" :-)) It was exactly that. To add to the comment, it was a "made-up" piece of wood. Wow. The make up on the hero's face is so conspicuous! Maybe it was a ploy that would absorb all of Tanishaa's screams bfore reaching the eardrums! I really pity the people who watched it on the big screen and had to hear her screaming in full Dolby DTS!
There are so many malls mushrooming all over Bangalore these days. Be out of town for a few days and you would feel exactly like how Rip Van Winkle did! The college crowd now has new terminology. Girrls are no more classified as Mounts or JNC's or Anne's. Now the classification is like this - Garuda Maaal, Forum Maal or Sigma Maaal (depending on the mall they visit)! Go on weekends and there is no place in any of these places to even keep a toe inside let alone a whole foot! The erstwhile popular hangouts, Brigade and MG Road, are deserted as never before on a Saturday evening!
Pretty long update. Let me hope to be a bit more regular on this from now on. Now that there is not much hair to take care of ;-)
Life's been hectic with both official and extra-official work. There were a few requests for an update. Didn't know that I had such a dedicated following albeit it might just be a forced one ;-)
Well, the latest hot news is that I have got rid of my long, luscious locks! It was just an on-the-spur-of-the-moment decision. Decided will get a haircut, didn't think twice and before I changed my mind, got it done. People say I look smarter. And they somehow take the pain to point out that "smart" is more in a relative sense of way to my earlier appearance rather than an absolute scale.
Well, from my side, I would surely miss all the tending and nurturing of my hair. Truly the metrosexual male :-D (its the new buzzword. No idea what it means tho')!
So what's made me busy these days? Work as usual. In a new project, so lots to learn and grasp. That does take quite a bit of time. Other than that, there have been quite a few happenings. We now have a proper cricket team in office. So pretty involved in the practice and other team management decisions ;-) After all this, I don't envy the BCCI selectors at all. What all permutations and combinations they got to go through to pick 15 out of maybe a hundred contenders! Seriously WOW!
Another event were the cultural events in office. And I actually danced. Well, I can already see you people ROTFL-ing imagining a Sunny Deol-like dance. Well, I should say I am slightly better. And the hair. That made all the difference. It always blocked my view of the audience and so I could conveniently not see the audience convulsing with laughter in their seats :-D
But some people did say I did it well. So at least for it, it was worth while.
Watched 15 Park Avenue today afternoon. Was dumbstruck at the end of it. The acting was good, but the story. Well, this story flew way over the cuckoo's nest. Into space and beyond. But one thing was the portrayal of different female characters - true to stereotype - the monster-like female who bosses over everyone and has to have it her way; the insecure, suspicious wife; the mother who would go emotional and boo-hoo at the drop of a hat; but all in all very good acting from all, especially Konkona. Powerhouse performance. But not the ideal Monday afternoon watch.
Rang De Basanti also is supposed to be good. Heard rave reviews from almost everyone who watched it. At office, it seems like I am on one side who hasn't watched RDB and the entire world on the other side who already watched it and then discuss it in hushed tones whenever I pass by.
Watched Neal and Nikki on DVD last weekend as well. Wow. What a movie. As I heard Shekhar Suman on TV saying " Neal n Nikki is a cute little love story - between a piece of wood and a bra/panty" :-)) It was exactly that. To add to the comment, it was a "made-up" piece of wood. Wow. The make up on the hero's face is so conspicuous! Maybe it was a ploy that would absorb all of Tanishaa's screams bfore reaching the eardrums! I really pity the people who watched it on the big screen and had to hear her screaming in full Dolby DTS!
There are so many malls mushrooming all over Bangalore these days. Be out of town for a few days and you would feel exactly like how Rip Van Winkle did! The college crowd now has new terminology. Girrls are no more classified as Mounts or JNC's or Anne's. Now the classification is like this - Garuda Maaal, Forum Maal or Sigma Maaal (depending on the mall they visit)! Go on weekends and there is no place in any of these places to even keep a toe inside let alone a whole foot! The erstwhile popular hangouts, Brigade and MG Road, are deserted as never before on a Saturday evening!
Pretty long update. Let me hope to be a bit more regular on this from now on. Now that there is not much hair to take care of ;-)
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Hibernating...
Well, the chill has really set down on Bangalore with the minimum temperature falling to 13-14 deg! For a guy who likes riding late in the night, well, its a mixed feeling. The fingers get numb after a few minutes on the road and you do not know if you are pressing the horn or the start button :-D Hence, been in hibernation for some time and not been visiting the blog world of late. Got a few moments today and thought that I shall resurface. For people who missed my updates, well, thanks for the return visits. For others, well, you don't miss much anyways!
Talking of horns, most Bangalorean drivers have a peculiar habit. I guess during driving classes, they teach that at any point in time, your hand should be either on the accelerator or the horn. Always! You see people who, as soon as they depress the accelerator, start honking! Very irritating. My vocabulary during my 30-40 minute drive to and from office is pretty limited. For example - "You ****** ***** $%$%# #$%#$%^# %^^& ~%%&^ ********". Whoever said driving improves your swearing skills was right on dot! I even invent custom ones as well ;-)
And then the usual bike stickers et al. Almost all auto rickshaws have "Hai so-and-so". Always wondered what it meant. Was it a greeting or a put-downer??
I saw one a few days back - "Babu Doll". Make your own meanings out of it :-D
Had been to Rajajinagar Habba and Bangalore Book Festival few weekends back. Will talk about them in more details some other day. Me too sleepy now. Hope to be more regular.
Listening to Yellow by Coldplay. Very good. Period.
~prashanth
Talking of horns, most Bangalorean drivers have a peculiar habit. I guess during driving classes, they teach that at any point in time, your hand should be either on the accelerator or the horn. Always! You see people who, as soon as they depress the accelerator, start honking! Very irritating. My vocabulary during my 30-40 minute drive to and from office is pretty limited. For example - "You ****** ***** $%$%# #$%#$%^# %^^& ~%%&^ ********". Whoever said driving improves your swearing skills was right on dot! I even invent custom ones as well ;-)
And then the usual bike stickers et al. Almost all auto rickshaws have "Hai so-and-so". Always wondered what it meant. Was it a greeting or a put-downer??
I saw one a few days back - "Babu Doll". Make your own meanings out of it :-D
Had been to Rajajinagar Habba and Bangalore Book Festival few weekends back. Will talk about them in more details some other day. Me too sleepy now. Hope to be more regular.
Listening to Yellow by Coldplay. Very good. Period.
~prashanth
Monday, November 07, 2005
Post-Diwali update
Well, the last weekend was really long. We got 2 days of holiday - 31st and 1st on event of Diwali and Rajyothsava. And since Saturday and Sunday were off anyways, it was a 4-day long binge :-D
But how else waste a day than by lazing around! ;-) Lazed around like a log all day in front of the TV. Watched about some 6 movies on TV - Mummy, XXX, Lost, (and a horde of others that I dont recollect) and 3 movies on DVD - No Entry, Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya and Chocolate. Among the three, No Entry was the personal best. Funny acts put up by Fardeen and Anil Kapoor.
Salman Khan in a highly exaggerated role of a philanderer husband who is not even doubted an ounce by doting wife, Esha in a horrible role! Lara, in a surprisingly deglamourised role and Bipasha, trying to look hot but somehow failing. Maybe only John can get it out of her :-D The climax had me in splits!
MPKK was pretty ok as well, though Sohail was over the top and Katrina under the top (in terms of acting, people! No double entendre here ;-)). Sush looked ravishing and was easily the best part!
Chocolate, hmm...watched it from 2-5 in the morning so wasn't really able to appreciate its slickness! No one's touting Tanushree as the new Mallika yet? Surprising! Though the frivolity of the ending really took away the sheen off the rest of the movie. Maybe people would like it. I surely for one, didn't!
Was so bugged by Tuesday that I had to go out somewhere! So went out to a movie (Oh yeah! pretty innovative eh?). First tried at Inox at the Garuda Mall. Even with the ticket prices at 170 bucks, there was a huge rush! Man do these Bangloreans have lots of disposable cash! The madding crowd surely drove us away from there and thus we decided to try out Rex, our favorite English cinema since Pre-Univ days (11th/12th Std days, for the uninitiated). Sure enough, we easily got tickets at 625 for the 630 show of 'Legend of Zorro'. The movie itself was so-so, pretty similar to the prequel with all the swishing swords and funny moments! The funniest was the addition of Zorro's kid who imbibes some of the legendary fleet-footedness which he displays at school. And Catherine Zeta-Jones. Beautiful as ever! Sultry as ever (hee hee, thankz to Vyb for introducing this word in my dictionary :-D)!
Movie over and the now common rains made its appearance, albeit after a week's let up.
Week's been pretty busy; and cloying with all the Diwali sweets coming in from everywhere. Office, friend's place, relatives' houses, wherever I land, there are sweets! And crackers too! Though as a personal decision, didn't burst any of them. Though watched them polluting the air in all their fiery, smoky splendor! (nothing against people who burst! I used to do it till about 2 years back. Then stopped!)
Before I go, as is the flow in the recent past, an attempt to make you people groan!
If Zeenat Aman had an affair with almost every man she met, and each of them fathered a child with her, she would be singin this for each of them.....
...Aap jaisa koi mere zindagi mein aaaye, to Baap ban jaaaye, haaan, haaan, Baap ban jaaaye!
Till then, Adios Amigos!
But how else waste a day than by lazing around! ;-) Lazed around like a log all day in front of the TV. Watched about some 6 movies on TV - Mummy, XXX, Lost, (and a horde of others that I dont recollect) and 3 movies on DVD - No Entry, Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya and Chocolate. Among the three, No Entry was the personal best. Funny acts put up by Fardeen and Anil Kapoor.
Salman Khan in a highly exaggerated role of a philanderer husband who is not even doubted an ounce by doting wife, Esha in a horrible role! Lara, in a surprisingly deglamourised role and Bipasha, trying to look hot but somehow failing. Maybe only John can get it out of her :-D The climax had me in splits!
MPKK was pretty ok as well, though Sohail was over the top and Katrina under the top (in terms of acting, people! No double entendre here ;-)). Sush looked ravishing and was easily the best part!
Chocolate, hmm...watched it from 2-5 in the morning so wasn't really able to appreciate its slickness! No one's touting Tanushree as the new Mallika yet? Surprising! Though the frivolity of the ending really took away the sheen off the rest of the movie. Maybe people would like it. I surely for one, didn't!
Was so bugged by Tuesday that I had to go out somewhere! So went out to a movie (Oh yeah! pretty innovative eh?). First tried at Inox at the Garuda Mall. Even with the ticket prices at 170 bucks, there was a huge rush! Man do these Bangloreans have lots of disposable cash! The madding crowd surely drove us away from there and thus we decided to try out Rex, our favorite English cinema since Pre-Univ days (11th/12th Std days, for the uninitiated). Sure enough, we easily got tickets at 625 for the 630 show of 'Legend of Zorro'. The movie itself was so-so, pretty similar to the prequel with all the swishing swords and funny moments! The funniest was the addition of Zorro's kid who imbibes some of the legendary fleet-footedness which he displays at school. And Catherine Zeta-Jones. Beautiful as ever! Sultry as ever (hee hee, thankz to Vyb for introducing this word in my dictionary :-D)!
Movie over and the now common rains made its appearance, albeit after a week's let up.
Week's been pretty busy; and cloying with all the Diwali sweets coming in from everywhere. Office, friend's place, relatives' houses, wherever I land, there are sweets! And crackers too! Though as a personal decision, didn't burst any of them. Though watched them polluting the air in all their fiery, smoky splendor! (nothing against people who burst! I used to do it till about 2 years back. Then stopped!)
Before I go, as is the flow in the recent past, an attempt to make you people groan!
If Zeenat Aman had an affair with almost every man she met, and each of them fathered a child with her, she would be singin this for each of them.....
...Aap jaisa koi mere zindagi mein aaaye, to Baap ban jaaaye, haaan, haaan, Baap ban jaaaye!
Till then, Adios Amigos!
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