Pets

Very often people ask my opinion on having a pet. Most of the time I reply back with what ever I feel at that point in time. The opinion that I maintain is that I do not want to have pets. People would construe it as that Aditya does not like pets.
This infact is not true. To be honest, I love dogs. The bigger the better. Absolutely adorable creatures. Their love is unconditional and all they ask from you is a little attention and a place in your life. Everything about dogs is great. Right from the time puppy time to adolescence to an adult....Well I guess not everything.
Life is complicated. There are hazaar things and relationships which have been thrust upon you right fron birth. You are expected to honour and reciprocate the love showered upon you....There are some relationships which are there by default - parents, siblings, grandparents, maternal side uncle aunts, paternal side uncle aunts and there are some which you end up making - spouse, children, grandchildren ( the last one is not really under your control, but its your doing)...In such a situation I feel why should I complicate my further by adding another relationship....
A canine is extended family...He is happy when you are happy and sad when you are sad. The vice versa is also true....The pain however of losing him is what keeps me from keeping one....The average age of a dog is about 1/6th of a human lifetime or 1/5th in some cases...There will be a situation when you can do nothing and your dog will pass on due to old age...The pain i think equates with one that of losing your offspring. I dont have kids yet, but I think the degree of pain would be in the same region...This certainity of pain keeps me away from owning a dog.

When ever I meet people who have a dog, I really love going to their house and I try to play and be friendly with the dog as much as possible....But almost every time I think about the worst case situation.....

Great Movies - Comments Invited

I'll just fire away
English
Meet Joe Black
Scent of A Woman
Indiana Jones - Raiders of the Lost Ark
Stargate
Finding Forrester
October Sky
Terminator - Judgement Day
Bourne Supremacy
Die Hard 4.0
Rambo
The Last of the Mohicans
To Sir With Love
The Color Purple
Home Alone
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Dog Soldiers
Contact
Ice Age
Daylight
School of Rock

Hindi
Dil Chahta Hai
Hum Saath Saath Hain
Taare Zameer Par
Hum Apke Hain Kaun
Dilwale Dulhaniya Le jayenge
Bawarchi
Anand
Sholay
Vaastav
Sarkar
Jab we met
Others
Cinema Paradiso
No Man's Land
Amelie
Das Experiment
My Sassy Girl

I intend to make a list and own orignal DVDs of these some day. So add movies in your comments which you think are must watch. There are only two criteria - Do not add movies by what critics, go by what you think is great. Do not search any online sites for movie names. The movies have to be top of the mind recall...

My new love - Pearls Before Swine

You know what is the best part of working...You get paid!! :-)
I have been doing some spending.....After I completed my Calvin and Hobbes collection, I thought - this is it..I am not going to like any other funnies....Thankfully it is not so.

There is still a lot of sarcastic humor left (if that kind was ever in short supply!). Pearls Before Swine - by Stephan Pastis..I find his humor good and interesting..

His drawing style is simpler to Bill Watterson, his language is however one up. I guess he specializes in twisting popular phrases and sayings. His characters are straight(pun intended) and simple - Pig, Rat, Goat and Zebra with a couple of friendly crocodile neighbors thrown in...

I already have three books (1. This little Piggy Stayed home 2. Nighthogs 3. The Ratvolution will not be televised - from his collection...and am having three more delivered..oh boy life is sweet...

Taj through my lens

Hi,

Had been to Agra recently while on a trip to Vrindavan. One good thing is that there is a 1 km embargo around the Taj which allows only non polluting vehicles to come within the 1 km range. It may be too little too late. I couldnt help but notice that our national heritage had blackened considerably since the last time I saw..Any way, I had my digi cam and could not help but take some snaps....Some turned out ok, some I liked a lot..Have posted two of them here. The third one is exceptional...It is of a couple visiting the macabre. What amazes me is the expression on their faces....

Green Street Hooligans

so...what does this title make you think..? I was completely blank when I watched this movie. Hence I enjoyed it so much...

Well, you pretty much guessed it - I am going to let it be that way for you as well.

Cant help but tell you

1. This is not your regular film ( thats pretty easy, or it would not have been on my blog)

2. The blood shown is pretty real and the fights are not done by stunt men...

I think I have spoken enough....Enjoy this one with a twist.

Lord of War

Nicolas Cage delivers a powerful performance in this battle crazy feature film. Nicolas Cage is an arms dealer who supplies to all high and low with the luxury of having no conscience.

The film is not gory and does not have the in your face documentary charm, inspite of dealing with a subject so controversial. RUF, blood diamonds, massacres, dictators - you can imagine it. I cannot help but compare this with Blood Diamonds......and if you liked Blood Diamond, oh my - will you be blown by this piece of work.

What really works for me is the so suttle display of guilt and emotion worked into the parts of the movie. Thought provoker and oh yes, a must watch!

The Inheritance Of Loss

I read this book (which won the Man Booker Prize). Must say, all the judges on the panel would have been sadists. Not a single person in the entire book is ever happy. Everybody is cribbing and has enormous griefs of their own. Too much sadness for me. I think even rage has not been depicted properly. There was one time in the book, where I felt that things are going to pick up pace, but I guess the tempo just fizzled out..I thought at a number of places continuity was also an issue.

To be honest, I had actually thought that this book should be burnt right away. But as Chandni has started the book, the bonfire will have to wait...