I am totally addicted. I realized today that I have this intense craving to read. I have to read everyday, be it a boring news article or the latest paperback thriller. I have been reading a bit of this and that over the last few months that needs to be blogged about. When I read fiction, it is extremely hard for me to get out of it, and I envy those that can allot specific times to read.
First, my friend introduced me to the Black Jewels trilogy. BTW, why is it called a trilogy when there are around 6 books in the series! Although three books form one story and the rest are offshoots. Anne Bishop is the author and the books were unputdownable. I read through the night and finished it at about 3:15 AM. Fantasy has never been a favorite of mine, but I venture now and then. This one hangs somewhere equidistant from both fantasy and romance genres.
Currently, I am reading the second book of Michael Scott's Flammel series. Yes, the same Flammel made famous by Harry Potter in Sorcerer's stone. The first one, The Alchemyst, was an action packed read, targeted towards the teen audience. The second one is Magician and continues the story. Most of the characters are drawn from history.
Talking about juvenile fiction, the other one I am hooked to is the last apprentice series by delaney. I never was a fan of horror until this series.
A new mystery series that I randomly picked, the Blackbird mystery series turned out to be a good choice.
Jeffrey Archer's False Impressions was a nice ride. Typical of his books, the female protagonist wields her wit to overcome her adversaries.
Bebris gets back to Austen with Matters at Mansfield and just being in Austenland, albeit borrowed, is wonderful.
Then the new Nora Roberts book that I am saving for the flight, coz all her books are 'unputdownable' and I cannot afford that right now. I have a few more books in the pipeline, including the beedle one, that will have to wait until after I cross the seven seas and seven mountains (+ or - a few).
Of the movies that I enjoyed recently, I have to mention Varanam aayiram and Poi solla porom. Loved Surya in the first, and the freshness in the second. I thought that the story was good in VA, but lacked something in the dialogs. Didn't seem to flow naturally. Why, o Why did he choose Sameera Reddy? Absolutely love the songs. PSP was refreshing with the story and humor, with Naazar and Mouli doing excellent work.
Then there was Dostana, a thoroughly enjoyable fare. Of course, politically incorrect. But then, when has bollywood shied from that. Right from Padosan, taking digs at any section of society have always yielded laugh riots. So, except for Bobby D, nothing jarred in the movie for me. John's 6 and Aby Jr's acting made it extremely watchable. Priyanka right after watching Fashion (gritty fashion scene wonderful kangana) was a bit too much on the senses. I watched Mumbai meri jaan, would you believe it, just before hearing about the terror strike there. Well made movie, got me wondering why people enjoy inflicting such horror on others and the same things were probably happening around the same time.
May be this trip will see me at a chennai theater. The last one I saw there was tenali at the (extremely) stinky ssr there.
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Monday, December 08, 2008
counting down
A few more days before I visit home. Is it still home if it is a new home? Anyway, more than anticipation, there is this big need for rest. Not the usual heavy week, looking forward to the weekend kind, but something deeper. It will be a huge relief to see the man in my life again. For purely selfish reasons, to have a few hours to myself.
Saturday, a dialog with the tiny giantess -
brat: Mommy, when I grow up, will I get all your pretty stuff?
Me: What pretty stuff?
Brat: All the stuff to make my hair and face pretty.
Me: When you grow up, become a doctor (subliminal, eh?), earn loads of money and get whatever you want.
Brat: does that mean I have to buy everything, and not get anything of yours?
Me: You will probably get some of it. (Just to keep the peace)
I wondered if it was a case of tight fists or a fascination for what is there in front of her that got her going.
Brat: I want to be a doctor like Appa, he has money.
FYI, her view of 'lots of money', is a whole bunch of pennies, which of course the man is loaded with.
Me: Appa's kind of doctor doesn't make lots of money, you have to be the physical one.
Anyway, from there thoughts went to missing appa. She has always fascinated me with the way her mind works. She thinks everything through, which is more than what I can say for myself. That trait seems to have come from her athai.
Her latest topic of conversation is about death, rebirth and God. At this point, I think she has wrung me dry and probably knows more about it than me. For now, I stall her by saying she can ask Appa such questions when she sees him. I can't wait.
Saturday, a dialog with the tiny giantess -
brat: Mommy, when I grow up, will I get all your pretty stuff?
Me: What pretty stuff?
Brat: All the stuff to make my hair and face pretty.
Me: When you grow up, become a doctor (subliminal, eh?), earn loads of money and get whatever you want.
Brat: does that mean I have to buy everything, and not get anything of yours?
Me: You will probably get some of it. (Just to keep the peace)
I wondered if it was a case of tight fists or a fascination for what is there in front of her that got her going.
Brat: I want to be a doctor like Appa, he has money.
FYI, her view of 'lots of money', is a whole bunch of pennies, which of course the man is loaded with.
Me: Appa's kind of doctor doesn't make lots of money, you have to be the physical one.
Anyway, from there thoughts went to missing appa. She has always fascinated me with the way her mind works. She thinks everything through, which is more than what I can say for myself. That trait seems to have come from her athai.
Her latest topic of conversation is about death, rebirth and God. At this point, I think she has wrung me dry and probably knows more about it than me. For now, I stall her by saying she can ask Appa such questions when she sees him. I can't wait.
Friday, December 05, 2008
Life goes on...
Over the last few weeks, I have tried. I start to write a post but am unable to proceed beyond a few lines. An eventful month, to say the least.
It was not my dad and it shouldn't have hurt, but I had to go through it yet another time. My father in law passed away 3 weeks back and we have all changed. It was expected, yet unexpected. We knew he was counting his days, but hoped he would be around to see the kids one last time. But in a sense, there was closure for his kids, which I will never be able to claim. Every death, near or far, takes me back to those black days when I lost mine. A death at 80 is not as horrible as one at half that age. A loss is a loss, but there is also the feeling that a life was well-lived. It was time and the rest of the family took heart in the fact that we did our best for him.
The tough part is for the m-i-l, to be uprooted from the life she knew for the last 50 plus years. Granted, there are no responsibilites piled on her shoulders, but the move is going to be tough on her.
So, I have come out of that haze. Preparing to visit at a tense time adds to the stress of temporary single parenthood. But, beneath all that, I am getting a break for 3 weeks, which by then, I will fully deserve.
There is a new respect for my mom, and the other moms who went through this at a much younger age, bearing the responsibilities on their shoulders, taking care of home, hearth and business. There is a new appreciation for the paper chores that my hubby takes care of, that I have been trying to handle. There is a new confidence that I can take care of everything if I have to. Although there is definitely no inclination for that.
It was not my dad and it shouldn't have hurt, but I had to go through it yet another time. My father in law passed away 3 weeks back and we have all changed. It was expected, yet unexpected. We knew he was counting his days, but hoped he would be around to see the kids one last time. But in a sense, there was closure for his kids, which I will never be able to claim. Every death, near or far, takes me back to those black days when I lost mine. A death at 80 is not as horrible as one at half that age. A loss is a loss, but there is also the feeling that a life was well-lived. It was time and the rest of the family took heart in the fact that we did our best for him.
The tough part is for the m-i-l, to be uprooted from the life she knew for the last 50 plus years. Granted, there are no responsibilites piled on her shoulders, but the move is going to be tough on her.
So, I have come out of that haze. Preparing to visit at a tense time adds to the stress of temporary single parenthood. But, beneath all that, I am getting a break for 3 weeks, which by then, I will fully deserve.
There is a new respect for my mom, and the other moms who went through this at a much younger age, bearing the responsibilities on their shoulders, taking care of home, hearth and business. There is a new appreciation for the paper chores that my hubby takes care of, that I have been trying to handle. There is a new confidence that I can take care of everything if I have to. Although there is definitely no inclination for that.
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