In which baddy updates about a few things

09Sep08

Books:

Bought -

• American Gods – Neil Gaiman
• Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch and the 4th volume in the complete short story collection of Phillip K Dick. BTW, I just need the 5th and last volume to complete the collection – got the hint ???
• Ordered Batman: The Dark Knight Returns – Frank Miller from Landmark.
• Lonely Planet – India

Finished -

• Maximum City by Suketu Mehta which I loved and recommend hereby. Half way through 3 Stigmata which is mind-bending, to say the least.

Food:
As my dear friend Ludwig would say – industrial indeed.
New joints tried: New Yorker in Chennai – Veg joint; okay. Dalema, the new extension in Bhubaneswar in front of the city centre – satisfying as ever. The divine Lingaraj Lassi in Saheed Nagar was had. Found the relocated Tawa – now near Delta Chakk (earlier used to be near CRP square).

N.B: Hilsa population is decreasing in Padma river and near West Bengal – All you ungrateful and lusty / greedy bongs – stop eating them. Eat your vegetables instead. (The prices of Hilsa might increase in excess of Rs 1000 per kilo – Be afraid… Be very afraid)

Gaming: A new high-end new desktop or a PS3 (after the LCD splurge by indisch), that is the question.

God: I am still a non-believer.

Movies: Was home so had a lot of DVDs around. Saw a few new ones as well some old ones again. Not a lot but still:

• Wall-E (luved it – Evaa. Simply loved it)
• You don’t Mess with the Zohan (An Adam Sandler epic – Hilarious. A must watch – Fizzy Bubblech, Silky smooth, the hummus and No no no no no no no. John Turturro and Rob Schneider make it a classic). Please never ever mess with the Zohan – You have been warned.
• The Happening (liked it – despite what the critics felt – We gonna die and like that only – stop using polythenes)
• In Bruges (again – deleted scenes and all)
• Chamku (Kuch Kahaniyaan kabhi khatam nahin hoti aur kuch filmein kabhi nahin banani chahiyen)
• Darjeeling Limited (again – Oh! I love the movie)
• Ankush (again – Hard hitting drama by N. Chandra reflecting the angst of the unemployed and frustrated youth – It was so nostalgic to see Raja Bundela and Madan Jain)
• Ek Chalis Ki Last Local (again – just for watching the characters of Malvankar, Mangesh bhai and thespian Neha Dhupia)
• Jhoom Barabar Jhoom (Finally saw it from start to finish and somehow liked it – I gave up after the initial 30 mins last time I saw it)
• Mukhbir (disappointing and badly made)
• Singh is Kinng (pathetic)
• Dhund (again – brilliant even after so many years)
• 25th Hour (A brilliant Spike Lee joint)
• Batman (again – “Did you ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?” – Nuff said)

Quiz: One more quiz and the result the same – I didn’t win it. Missed qualifying for the national finals of Tata Crucible after being thumped in the regional round at Bhubaneswar, although did go ballistic on the buzzers. For entertainment (if not for anything else) you can see the recording on Saturday, 20th September in CNBC at 6:00 pm and Sunday, 21st September at 5:30 pm.

Religion: Had a heated discussion at home with Mom – She was upset with my eating beef – Had a hard time explaining.

Sports: Played cricket after a long time and almost broke my back taking a stunner of a catch – People commenting it was once in a lifetime catch – Felt good. Took 3 wickets while bowling and scored a duck while batting – opened the batting after opening the bowling – cmmon now.

Travel: A trip to Pondicherry was cancelled because of phase shifting friends. Will do it this year at any cost. (The sea-food there is waiting to get thulped) Just back from Bhubaneswar after a weeklong leave – Home Shanti Home. A trip to Bombay is pending.

Trivia: A new LCD TV at home. Thanks to my great roomie indisch (God bless him) – A Big TV / Dish TV connection has to be taken before Friday so that the 50 movies can be seen before I die – although I would have seen at least half of them.

WTF: In the list of people who don’t have to undergo a security check at an airport in India and which has the President of India among others one can find a certain Mr. Robert Vadera at no. 17 !!!

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Tags: American Gods, Batman, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Bhubaneswar, Books, Chamku, Cricket, Frank Miller, Lonely Planet, Maximum City, Mukhbir, Neil Gaiman, Pondicherry, Robert Vadera, Singh is Kinng, Spike Lee, Suketu Mehta, Tata Crucible, Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, You don’t Mess with the Zohan