The 70 mm

Lights.. Camera.. Action..
I love the MOVIES!!

For those 2-3 hours, you are transported to another world.. A world unlike your own. A world where a knight in shining armour rides on a black horse whisking away the damsel in distress. A world where chocolate factories have everything in them edible- from the grass to gummy bear trees to the wallpapers and a chance to win unlimited lifetime supply of chocolate!!!! A world where Mary Poppins has an answer for every worry just with snap of a finger- How I wish that my messy room could be cleaned that way :)

Some movies have left a lasting impression on me. Some movies have been forgettable immediately after "THE END"

I personally like feel-good movies. I hate tragedies... gory and horror movies...! Why would I put myself through pain and misery and spend sleepless nights thanks to advanced make-up techniques making a perfectly normal person into someone unrecognisable and downright ghastly! No thank you...
I like to finish a movie with a smile on my face.. That makes me a total sucker for commercial cinema! I'm not afraid to admit it. I love the whole song, dance, high drama kind of movies... Nice endings. I have nothing against the genre of artsy/alternate/parallel cinema. But I just can't get myself to watch Satyajit Ray's award winning "Pather Pancheli"

Indian Cinema has also seen a tremendous change over the years. I still remember when kissing on screen was such a taboo and you would always find two flowers or birds pecking each others beaks!!! ha ha ha ha!!! I'm just laughing at those images.! Fast forward to the turn of the century.. You have an actor named "Serial Kisser". Actress did it because the "script demanded it". Whatever the reason, film makers still use it as a means of publicity... the inclusion or even the lack of it makes headlines!
Anyhow.. I love our movies. Bright and colourful (with the exception of fluorescent clothed hero-heroines against the backdrop of picturesque locales). There has been a tremendous shift from the same old family feud separating the young lovers... to the more urban- modern day (slightly more) understanding parents coupled with youth looking for more in life than just love. Films like "Wake up Sid", "Rocket Singh", "Jaane tu ya Jaane Na", "Dil Chahta hai", "Salaam Namaste", "Life in metro", "3 Idiots", "Taare Zameen Par", "Paa", "Lagaan", "Jogger's Park", "Morning Raaga", "Luck by Chance", "A Wednesday", etc. all have dealt with everyday emotions...Something that you and I can relate to.. The struggles, the confusion, the choices we'll have to make... Somewhere in those movies, you can identify yourself with a character in the movie.. Now, that to me.. is meaningful cinema..

There are also same "old wine in new bottle" love stores... Some rib tickling.. some really bad comedies that you wished you hadn't wasted your time on.

((Shhh! I'll let you out on a little secret.. I really watch some of these movies just for the clothes and handbags and shoes. And before you start to judge me and think of me as shallow.. Wait.. Pause.. Think again... Haven't you ever tried to copy someone's style and looked for similar looking clothes at a store! Come on! we all have at some point... The fashion industry wouldn't be a high growth multi-million dollar industry if not for the impressionable you and me!))

I have watched countless movies in the past 8-9 months averaging 3 movies a week. On one particular weekend.. I've even watched 6 movies!! (I'm not crazy... I Promise ;))
Most of them have been mindless romantic comedies aka ROMCOMS!! I know at the beginning of the movie that the movie has a "MEET CUTE" and then the leading lady and man will end up together defying the odds and obstacles that come their way... And they "LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER" The end is dreamy.. picture perfect (devoid of the 2 flowers or birds!!!) and I always come away with a Sigh! As if floating on clouds!! Life seems PERFECT.. Exactly two minutes later... I see the same old bed, chair, table and I'm wearing my jammies... Welcome back to reality lady!

Then there are the dramatic/mystery movies. Story lines are more serious.. Acting talents always a notch-up. Big thumps up! Some of these movies leave me with so many questions unanswered - even to the extent of leaving an unsettling feeling in the stomach. I guess that's the brilliance of some of the directors and story writers. You think of the movie long after the curtains fall. The movie is embedded in your mind and memory...... Kudos!

Action + Sci-Fi movies.. This is a genre of movies that I watch purely depending on my mood and instinct.. I still haven't made up my mind to watch "Avatar"... don't really intend to... "2012" was severely over-rated... Avoidable if you haven't watched (Never imagined a limo to be so agile..!! Absolutely tasteless!) Bond movies... I love them cause they are super slick and classy and have amazing gadgets! The Bourne Series- Brilliant!! I also love movies with a good car chase.. "The Italian Job" Transporter series, Fast and the Furious... Absolutely adrenaline pumping...

How can I not mention my favourite genre- Children's classics and animated movies- I love them. Simple heartfelt stories, appreciating the simple pleasures of life, absolutely brilliant imaginations! I've watched them over and over again. "Willy wonka" "Mary poppins" "Sound of Music" "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" "Finding Nemo" "Toy Story" "Ratatoullie" "Kung fu Panda" "Lion King" "Ice Age" etc.. etc... You really don't have to be a kid to enjoy them.. Its a foolproof way to lighten your day. My trustworthy medicine for a day that hasn't gone your way- pick up a movie like this.. And the world seems alright again!!

Film critics- I just have to say this to them- Stay home!! Look for an alternative career... Seriously...

If you are interested to watch a movie.. Just go ahead and watch.. Have an opionion of your own. Never rely on someone else's judgement!

I could go on and on about movies... Its my remedy to unwind after a long day..! Kick back.. lie on my bed as my faithful companion- my 14 inch widescreen hp laptop- sends me to the world of Cinema and I drown in all its brilliance...

And... I'm Back :)

After a long... prolonged hiatus.. I'M Back...

Lesson learned... Procrastination... NOT GOOD!!! (But, I'll never learn.. Will I?)

I've been upto so much these past few days... the New Year has begun!!! Oh yes! HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE.. So what if I'm late... 18 days never hurt anyone!!

December and the beginning of 2010 has been very eventful..
Christmas..
gifts..
shopping!!!! (the gleam in my eyes!)
loads of emotions.. been a roller coaster month...
All izz well...
missed trip...
work...
family squabbles...
catching up with friends...
my craft work...
decorating our work bay with handmade Christmas streamers... :)
All izz well...
quilling..
beads..
recycled gifts... I MADE!!
paper art...
raja market..
paper earrings... bead earrings...
bracelets..
overflowing craft boxes.... I'm loving it (my mom isn't.... !!!)
All izz well...
more shopping..
baby talk.. adorable!
laugh riots at snack shack...
grandparents..
arguments...
listening to family problems... realised I ain't the only one..
All izz well...
infant Jesus church..
big dial watch.. I like..
dad's birthday..
orphange.. realised I take what I have for granted.. I'm blessed with so much!
Vishnuvardhan's death... unpleasant and teary...
vision of his wife kissing his forehead and cheek... unforgettable.
becoming more spiritual.. mmmm maybe
realised no more space for my footwear :( or even clothes... :(
Richmond circle flyover changing directions... bad move!
All izz well...
All izz well...
no resolutions made this year.. never did keep it up..
astrology..
lunar eclipse.... solar eclipse
fasting..
"from fat to fit" book... eye opening gift :(
quiet new year's eve...c/o star plus and star gold...
spending time with kids..... super fun!!
cookery shows... mmmm yummy!
holidays..
All izz well...
sleeping for loooong hours...
haven't seen rakhi sawanth on any tv show... what a relief!!!
fish spa.. he he he.. very tickly...
free back massage... oh so GOOD!
need a new haircut.. yes.. no...? NAH!
Chaat.. coffee.. Mcdonalds fries n rolls.. amazing on the palate.. not on the hips!
Mayan calender... world ending 2012... super publicity!!
looking at old photographs... always a stress buster :)
restarting yoga (yeah!.. finally.. told ya! procrastination.. no good!)
suryanamaskara... good!! no suryanamaskara... bad!
Muthr Visarjan.... essential.. very essential!!
All izz well..
a dear friend losing his beloved dog... :(
travel shows rock... very very informative...
celebrity gossip..... always sells!
MOVIES..
more MOVIES!! (I shall update more on this in the coming post)
All izz well...!

So this has been my past month or so.. lots of activities. I've come back with a new rigour and hopefully this time I keep writing more. Inspired from the movie Julie and Julia... Blogging does open up a lot of opportunities!

Wishing everyone an "All izz well" year!!

Cheers!!

I'm a BOAR!

Have you ever said something and then wondered why those words ever came out of your mouth.. and you wish for that one moment you could just disappear from the face of the earth.!! I've been in such situations before... but this one beats 'em all! (I hope there aren't anymore)

The day: was like any other..
The place: Snack-shak
The topic: Astrology

The discussion was about astrological/zodiac signs.. which month each of us were born in and the common characteristics. When I deviated slightly from the topic and declared that "I'm a boar"

Now to me, I was making a statement declaring that I was born in the Chinese year of the BOAR. But anyone could make their own interpretations of the statement.

To this, one retorted "what!! I thought you were a human" and without even realising I replied "I'm a boar and even my dad's a boar". Snigger's all around... and hushed laughter!

I just couldn't understand what was so wrong in what I said. And to add to the existing statements.. "I don't know what my mum is though"... That just did it... everyone had a good laugh at my expense! If I'm a boar, my dad had to be a boar.. and my mom most definitely had to be one!!! (not in a zodiacal way!!!)

And now I realised my folly and had to hide my face elsewhere... How could I not realise what I had just said? A terrible foot in the mouth experience. :( Someone even suggested putting up a discussion board on the intranet with musings of my talks!! Now that is just terribly embarrassing!

I've always had a good laugh at celebrities making such statements. But it just ain't a pretty experience when you make one yourself. I've learnt to think before I speak. I speak my mind.. But I need to control what I think and say things at an appropriate time.

I'm quieter at lunches now.. weighing every word carefully.. But I know this is just a phase and only a matter of time before I'm back to my chirpy-talkative phase.. People now say they are "boared" of not hearing me speak much.!

I also know there maybe so many people out there who've had similar experiences... I'd love to hear your story to ease my bruised ego!!!

On Second thoughts... was it a foot in a mouth?... or just a miscommunication?... I'd like to make myself feel better thinking its the latter!!!

Kalista

Just wanted to post some pictures from the exhibition I held on 10th Oct at Mantri Elegance. A BIG thank you to all those who supported and encouraged me!!!

I Love Paper!

My love for paper began at a very young age and it has only evolved in the years to come. It all started with collecting paper napkins from different hotels and making boats and four-paper cup games. I loved folding paper and was amazed at what shapes and forms it can take. As a kid, I remember making paper purses to hold monopoly money in and would accompany my mom on her shopping getaways with my multi-colored purse in hand (little did I know then that monopoly notes couldn't even buy a candy wrapper let alone a whole city!). I would even cut up paper and make small booklets much to the displeasure of my uncle from whom I would “borrow” his prized possession of crisp white bond paper. Just about any paper would do... My handy scissor would go snip- snip... Voila.. a new creation..


I didn't really pursue this interest in paper (I now wonder why!!!). Though I was always fascinated with all kinds of handicraft work, I never really thought of myself as a craft-artist. The urge to do break monotony of life prompted me to look for interesting things on the Internet. And to my amazement, I found art and craft work beyond my scope of imagination. Before I knew it, I was jumping from one site to another and squealing at every adorable creation I found. I was as happy as a little child at my new found treasure!




I began learning origami and made numerous objects from beautiful flowers, kusudamas, the infamous origami cranes to boxes and paper stars that didn't require a drop of glue to hold in it place! Its really amazing what paper can do!. I even made paper bags!!! And then I chanced upon the paper art of Quilling (or paper filigree as it is also known) and fell in love with paper all over again. Thin strips of paper rolled up to make masterpieces. I didn't even know its a 500 year old art!!!

I started off by making small flowers... It was loved by everyone.. As my interest grew, I started to pursue it as a serious hobby and made my first framework for a very dear couple whom I adore.

And so... One thing let to another... and now I have my own collection of quilling artworks and earrings called Kalista!

Reminiscence of child's play

Lunch at the "snack shack" (our office pantry) is anything but quiet! Come 1:15 P.M. and everyone has a story to tell, an opinion to state, an experience to share .... Just about anything consequential or inconsequential... Doesn't matter... From celebrity couple's parental skills to noodles with tomato sauce resembling leeches and blood... Every topic is covered in depth, analysed to the very core... and then... Peace prevails!

I love these lunch breaks... It is just so much fun :)

Yesterday , the topic of discussion was the games we played in our childhood. It brought back so many memories to all of us! We've all grown up in an age where for some, the television was non-existant and for some, doordarshan was the only option (rather not an option at all!). Compare it to the kids nowadays who'd rather watch Ben 10 or play computer games....

Everyone at some point in their childhood have played "mane mane aata" (playing house!) The girls would bring in their kitchen sets and the boys with their cars... As I recall, I don't think any girl has ever played the role of a working woman.. She would always play the dutiful wife cooking and cleaning the house while the man works hard at the office! And Vroom Vroom of his toy car indicates his return and the wife hurridly brings in the snacks with tea!!! When I look back and reflect on these games, I realise what a male chauvanistic society we were bought up in. We would always replay what our mother's did as a daily life... Thankfully times have changed... Cheers to Women Empowerment!!!!

Arrgh.. drifted away from the main topic of discussion (a deliberate move to make a point!!)

The food used for the games would typically be small grains, groundnuts and sometimes the infamous "ajji kudlu" or "buddi ke baal" which was nothing but disintegrated "soan papdi". The vendor would always bring it in a transparent bell jar and the "tin tin" of his bell would send us all out of our houses for 1 rupee of pure joy!!!

"ICE SPICE" !! ha ha ha ha.... I don't think any of us even knew back then that the game is "I SPY" But somehow no one ever bothered to correct us... and even today, kids play it with the same name.. Ice Spice which is the noun would even be turned into a verb. When someone got out.. the declaration would be.. " I ICE SPICED you" Good Lord!! what were we thinking!!

The other popular running games would be 'lock and key', 'sudden touch', 'cutting the cake', 'chain lock'..... I can't reall more right now... Each of these games would have a "denner".. Now I wonder how that word even originated!!!!... But no one would want to be the "denner" :)

" Kunte Bille" or Hopscotch was another favourite game of mine.. It tested so many skills at a time..:) how good one could aim.. sense of balance.. the art of picking up the "bacha" or the stone... And how we all pretended to not being able to see while walking with the closed eyes and asking "Am I right" as one moved from one house to another! we were all cheaters!! Ah .. Good Fun!

Lagori!!! Who can forget the wacks some of us got with those tennis balls.....

Much to the disgust of boys and their squirmed faces... We girls had so many hand games. We clapped, made actions with our hands.. sangs songs that co-ordinated with the hand movements.. (The boys were just plain jealous that they couldn't enjoy the games we played and how well we played them!!!!)
I can still recall some of the songs... They go like this... "Say say say , on the way we go... oh mama, she told me a 60 years ago, there came a lady knocking at the the door. She said a ooh aah, I want some ba, the ba is sweet I want some meat.The meat is rough... etc etc. Another one goes like this " Zip zap zoom.. Up together, down together, side together... etc etc.. ZIP ZAP ZOOM"!! We also had a hand game for a rhyme..." Yankee doodle went to town, riding on a pony. He stuck a feather in his cap and called it macaroni!!!"
Those were the good old days!!!

And how can I forget, the ever popular song to choose "The Denner".... "Inki Pinki Ponki.. Father had a donkey, donkey died, father cried, Inki Pinki Ponki" How adorable is that!!!!!

There are soooooo many games we played. And back then, we didn't require any gadgets or game cds to have a good time... Thermacol pieces became the dream cars of boys and could practically do anything one imagined. Kitchens, gardens would be raided for girlie games...

I'm sure you are also recalling your childhood games... I'll leave you to that..

Until the next post.... Happy Reminiscing... :)

Warm Corners

Its Raining!!!! I love the rain :) I had spicy bajji's sometime back... AAAAAH Bliss!

Why did I name my blog "Warm Corners"?

Well... Ever since I was a kid, I would always find cosy places in the house which would transform itself to my imaginary world. From a damsel in distress to a strict teacher, I enacted every role possible (to of course a non-existent audience). I would be so lost and involved in my story that time just flew and I would always be interrupted with my mother looking for me... And where would she find me... Mostly in the some corner of a house :) And so, keeping memories of my childhood in mind, I named my blog so...

Its a place I would gather all my thoughts- a warm corner of the house. Dream of the future..aspire.., come up with the wierdest of thoughts (like a genie suddenly sprouting up from nowhere to grant me any wish I want), have a million questions about life..
I'm still the same dreamer.. Somehow that part of my childhood refuses to die. And I will never let it. For that brief period of time, I can be anyone I want and have anything I want. Every evening, I sit on my chair and look out my window and reflect on the happenings in life.. Its my special time of the day and I still get so lost in those thoughts, that I need someone to bring me out of it..

As a child, one always wants to grow up QUICKLY and be like the person they admire. Have the freedom to watch television whenever they want, no homework, sleep late at night.. And how now we all wish we could go back to being just kids.. With not a worry in the world.. have 2 months of summer break and a month of christmas and diwali vacations and a holiday for every other occasion. What a pity!

Its good to sometimes sit back and just let your mind think of things apart of your daily chores and worries.. Think of quirky things.. dream of any possibilty... These are your thoughts so no one... NO ONE can take it away from you or be judgemental about it. It's a great stressbuster for me... I know some people think its just waste of time ;).. I find solace in it...

" Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today "