One Year and Four Months...

One year and four months...that's how long it has been since I posted anything here.  Over that time, I thought about many things to write about.  You can say it was my laziness or just hectic life.  I say it was pure laziness.  Many things have happened during that time. I want to talk about it all but do not where to begin.  I want to start from the beginning but my fingers are itching to write about the biggest day of my life.  Let's skip to that...

Here we go...READY?

I GOT MARRIED.  I married my best friend in January 2012. I do not know what else to say.  It has been six months and I still feel like I am on cloud nine.  I am enjoying every minute and I hope my husband is too :)

The whole affair was amazing.  I learned new traditions along with some old traditions. I met some amazing people including my new family members.  Upon returning to US, we both felt like catching the next flight back to India.  We discuss our next trip to India every day.  Missing everyone and definitely looking forward to our trip.

I also learned that getting married is not an easy task.  My job was to go shopping and show up for the wedding.  Even then, I felt completely swamped. Shopping was fun.  Along with that, we met with all the family members especially the ones who were not attending the wedding.

I can sit here and talk about everything in detail, but then, it will take days to describe everything. I will stop here and post this.  I want to get back to blogging like before.  Let's see how far this goes...

And Then There were None

Source: Alley Theatre Website

Last Sunday (July 31st) we went to watch the play And Then There were None presented by Alley Theatre. The following picture is from the play:

Source: Alley Theatre Website > Photos of the Play

We had really nice seats and could hear and see everything very clearly. The play was 2 hours and 30 minutes long with two intermissions. There was only one stage set-up. Initially, I wondered how they were going to manage because parts of the book take place outside the manor. The play was beautifully done despite the setting limitation. 

Among the four of us, I was the only one who had read the book. I knew what was next. I knew the sequence of the deaths. The ending was changed, which was unexpected. I enjoyed it nonetheless. The novel's ending is definitely better but I understand why it had to be changed for the play.

I think the other three enjoyed the play as well. Two of them have asked me to be on a lookout for other plays. One of them has expressed a desire to see the play Mousetrap by Agatha Christie. I don't think they have that play in US. The play I want to see is Wicked The Musical. Maybe we will see it when we go to New York or London. I know there is a play in Austin next February. Maybe we will catch that one. All I know that I want to watch it soon!!!

I read the book And Then There were None at the beginning of this year and enjoyed it very much. Ever since then, I have been wanting to watch the Bollywood movie, Gumnaam and other adaptations. I think I watched Gumnaam when I was little. I want to re-watch it and find out who the murderer was in the movie. If you have not read the book, what are you waiting for? Go to the nearest bookstore and pick up a copy. If you like to read it online, there are plenty of free legal copies online.

That is it for today. Time to disappear again!

Top Ten Books I'd Like to See Made Into Movies

I first saw this meme on Suey's blog. The Broke and the Bookish is hosting a meme, which asks for top ten books that I would love to see made into movies. Though I firmly believe movies ruin books, I still have a small wish to see the following books be made into movies.

1. The Giver by Lois Lowry - IMDB says that the movie will release in 2011. I have yet to hear more details.
2. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card - Make the movie already. Instead of making a movie, they made comic books out of the series. I think this will be one of the movies where I am willing to stand up in line at midnight to watch the first show.
3. The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella - I think this will be a damn funny movie.
4. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman - No words. Just waiting for the movie...
5. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - I am keeping my fingers crossed for whenever they make a movie out of this book, they don't ruin it.
6. The Hunger Games (Book 1) by Suzanne Collins - I know they are making the movie and they already have some cast finalized.
7. Serious Men by Manu Joseph - Okay...this book...I don't know why but I think this will make an excellent movie. I enjoyed the book very much.
8. Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen - I think this will be a cute children's movie. I chucked when I listened to the audio book.
9. A Great & Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray - This book is like Harry Potter. The differences are that the protagonist is a female and it is a trilogy unlike HP, which is a Heptalogy (had to google that).
10. Life of Pi by Yann Martel - I am very excited about this movie. Tobey Maguire, Irrfan Khan, and Tabu (3 great actors) are part of the cast. Irrfan and Tabu were great in Namesake and I can't wait to see this one.

That's it for now. See ya!

We are the CHAMPIONS!!!

April 2, 2011: India beat Sri Lanka by six wickets and became World Champions. The last world cup that India won was on April 2, 1983 - 28 years ago.

The win was just unbelievable. After the first two wickets fell, everyone was disheartened. Somehow, the faith remained. Sachin (The God of Cricket) was the second one to be out, but we still had players like MS Dhoni, Yuvraj, Raina, and others.

Right after Sachin got out, I had to leave to go somewhere. I turned on the radio in my car to listen to the score updates. The radio jockey decided to play a prediction game of who will win and by how many runs/wickets. A guy named "Ali" called and predicted that India will lose by 100 runs. Another called and said India will lose by 177 runs. The score at that time was 75/2. I am not one to discriminate but I think those were disgruntled Pakistanis who wanted to see India lose.

As the game progressed, we saw a steady increase in Indian runs and the run rate. Gambhir played an outstanding game. I felt for him when he got out at 97 runs. I wish he had made his century. I agree with Dhoni that Gambhir was solely responsible for not reaching the mark. I think he was just impatient to reach that 100, and thought a four or a six will get him there quickly. At the same time, I think his out might have served as a boon for the Indian team. He was getting tired, and with new player (Yuvraj) on the field, the win just became more possible. The game had a perfect finish with Dhoni hitting that sixer. Dhoni is truly Mr. Cool. He did not even smile when he hit that six. He just turned around and calmly lifted one wicket and walked toward Yuvraj and then he smiled. India won by six wickets!

Who can forget Sachin? He is the God of Cricket who waited very long to hold that Cup. The team followed through with their promise and he finally held the Cup. I want to share a link just to show why he is the best:

Sachin Tendulkar – The Master who was Born to Bat

Best quote in the article is, "There are two kinds of batsmen in the world. One, Sachin Tendulkar. Two, all other batsmen. - Andy Flower." He has proved why he is called the "God of Cricket" by his actions. I think people need to stop speculating when he will retire. He has played for 21 years and even today, we can count on him. Let him decide when he needs to stop.

The win was possible because of one guy: Mahendra Singh Dhoni. He is Mr. Cool, who led India to victory. He scored 91 runs under the stress. He was awarded "Man of the Match," which he rightfully deserved. On April 3, 2011, he showed up with his new bald look. I must say he is looking handsome. I LOVE this new look:

He has gone through so many different looks. He started with long here. I remember when he did really well and Aaj Tak's headlines were "Dhoni ki zulfo neih dho daala..." Then he went with short hair. Now completely bald. Here is another look at his different looks:

Yuvraj Singh was awarded with "Man of the Tournament." I did not watch all the games to know the stats, but heard about his achievements. I think he also deserved that title. I know he did wonderful in India vs. Pakistan game.

I heard it was crazy in Houston. People danced and partied on streets of Hillcroft. Restaurants gave away free dosas. According to the news channel, Indians had a parade in New Jersey right after the game. Celebrations in USA were nothing compared to how people celebrated in India. These are times that I miss India so much. There were celebrations on the streets and online as well. Twitter was bombarded by the tweets with minute by minute updates and people's opinions. Indian Homemaker did an excellent post noting the interesting and fun tweets. Check it out!

I am sure of one thing though. No matter where everyone was, they all had a big smile on their faces on Saturday and Sunday. We are still talking about it and we will continue talking about it even after we win the WORLD CUP 2015!

Source for images: Google search

The Hanging Tree

I am listening to Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. This morning I listening to the chapter that had the "The Hanging Tree" song and the song is stuck in my head. Here it is:

Are you, are you

Coming to the tree

Where they strung up a man they say murdered three.

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree.

Are you, are you

Coming to the tree

Where the dead man called out for his love to flee.

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree.

Are you, are you

Coming to the tree

Where I told you to run so we’d both be free.

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree.

Are you, are you

Coming to the tree

Wear a necklace of rope, side by side with me.

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree.

I am enjoying the book. Since my last post, I have listened/read the following books:

• And Then There were None by Agatha Christie: Excellent book. I can't believe I never read her stuff. Loved the book. I can't wait to get my hands on the movie adaptations of the movie including Bollywood movie Gumnaam. It is a must read book. (10/10)
• Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: Another great read. I think there are enough great reviews online.(10/10)
• Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins: I read this on the plane to and back from India. The book is okay. The first book in the series is the best. (8/10)
• Sisters Eight series - Book 3 & 4: Cute children's book.
• Scott Pilgrim Vol 1 & 2. I watched the movie and I must say the movie was quite random. After some research, I found that the movie was based on Scott Pilgrim Manga. I am not a big fan of Manga but I had to pick this one to find out more about the movie. The books are okay.
• Room by Emma Donoghue: I listened to this book and absolutely loved it. Whoever read this book, I suggest you pick up the audio book. Michal Friedman (an adult woman) narrated the character Jack and she actually makes the listeners believe that they are listening to a five year old. (10/10)

I am currently reading Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand on my iPad and enjoying the book very much.

I will do another post about the trip to India and my sister's marriage hopefully soon. Over and Out.

Happy New Year!!!

2011! Wow! It is finally here! I think this year is going to be most exciting of all. I can just feel it.

The year is going to start on a positive note. My sister is getting married end of this month. I love weddings and celebrations. Since this one is family wedding, there is more excitement in the air. Packing is in progress and everything else is at starting stage (not good). Again, I have the feeling that it will all work out. I think this year has a lot in store for me, and finally things will start to look according to the plans.

2010 was a roller coaster, with many ups and downs. The best thing that happened was that I became a CPA. As for rest of the resolutions, I think I did fairly well. I read more books, baked cakes, and joined the gym. Besides reading books, I have no resolutions this year.

When it was Dec. 31, 1999, people predicted that all the computers would shut down because they cannot date further than 1999. A decade later, we have faster and better computers. Now the rumor is that life will end in 2012. Well, we will just see...

As for reading, according to Shelfari, I read 55 books in 2010. Shelfari makes it so easy to maintain the books. I think it should be 55.9 books, as I was so close to finishing Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella. I finished it this morning.

Happy New Year everyone!!!

Blog Analysis

Here is Urlai's analysis of my blog: 



iPad: The Blog Killer

Two months ago, I bought my iPad, which is around the same time my last entry was posted. Do you see the connection? Every day I drove to work thinking that I will post something from my iPad today. However, every time I get a hold of my iPad, I am either reading, playing games, reading news...doing everything but blogging. Today morning I made a decision that I will write an entry the old school way - on my computer :)

After my rant, I am sure you have figured out why the title of the blog is "iPad: The Blog Killer."

Here is what all I have on my iPad:

1. Books: I uploaded tons of books on the iPad. I downloaded the apps iBooks, Kindle and Nook. I have used both iBooks and Kindle. All the classics books are free online. On top of that, Amazon has tons of free books, which include Tagore and historical non-fictions about India. I really liked the ability to highlight and comment on text and look up words in the dictionary while you are reading.

2. Games: I downloaded tons of games. The best ones are Fruit Ninja, Angry Birds, Sudoku, and Mahjong. What can I say? I am a nerd at heart.

3. Music: I love listening to music when I am doing chores around the house and having them on my iPad is definitely a plus. These two music apps, Shazam and SoundHound, recognize songs. It has happened many times when I have listened to a song on the radio and did not know the singer/band/album. Now I just record 30 seconds of it and let these apps figure out the song. It is awesome!!!

4. Photo editing apps: I am a sucker for photo shop and having the apps that make it easier definitely makes the whole iPad fun.

5. Other apps: I have news apps, entertainment apps (StumbleUpon), and social apps (Facebook and Twitter)

As you can tell, I love my iPad. Now if I can just find some cool noise-cancelling headphones :)

On to the books: I have read many books since my last book post. I am too lazy to talk too much about any of them.

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bend - 5/10 - Some books start off good but leave a bitter taste in your mouth at the end. This was definitely one of those.

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead (Audio Book) - 9/10 - This book is among the good books I read this year.

What is This Thing Called Love? by Gene Wilder  - 7/10

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (Audio Book) - 10/10 - I am a fan of Neil Gaiman and love everything by him. This book was not an exception. I loved it. The book is actually based on the BBC show called "Neverwhere."

Serious Men by Manu Joseph - 9/10 - This was an excellent book. I felt this was better than The White Tiger.

I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak (Audio Book) - 7/10 - I am still so confused about the ending. If anybody knows what happened at the end, please let me know.

The Arabian Nights (Children version) - 10/10- I missed lots of stories but at the same time, the book brought back childhood memories. I remember reading Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves in grade school and some other stories. Someday I want to pick up the unabridged version of The Arabian Nights.

The Late, Lamented Molly Marx by Sally Koslow (Audio Book) - 8/10 - It is a chic lit - enjoyable.

Arranged Marriage by Chitra Divakaruni - 8/10 - I was so looking forward to Chitra Divakaruni's Arranged Marriage. It was good; however, I must warn you, the stories are depressing.

London is the Best City in America by Laura Dave (Audio Book) - 8/10 - Another chic lit- enjoyable.

Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok - 9.5/10 - This was a really good book.

The story deals with Asian American emigration experience. Kim, who immigrated to America, has to balance between work life (she is underage) and school life. She works to help her mother and make ends meet. It is really a touching story.

The Devil and Sherlock Holmes: Tales of Murder, Madness, and Obsession  by David Grann (Audio Book) - 8/10 - There are some topics that just appeal to me, and Sherlock Holmes is one of them. I have never read any of the mysteries but the books are definitely on my list. This book deals with real life events of "murder, madness, and obsession." I would listen to the stories and then check online afterwards for the full stories and the current status. I felt some stories did not relate; thus, I am giving it an 8. I highly recommend this book, along with other book that I rated above 7.

I read few more but I will talk about them in a separate posts.

I signed up the Audio Book Challenge last year. I chose the obsessed level, which was listening to 20 audio books. I had listened to 16 audio books before I took a hiatus. This post has five audio books, which puts me at 21 audio books. I just finished The M-factor, another audio book and will start The Hunger Games tomorrow. The total for this year is 23 audio books. I am done with the challenge. Yay!!!! This was fun. I am going to sign up again and will make a separate post.

P.S. I got my CPA license.

Life Update

I realized that I am getting more and more lazy. Life is so routine and I need a change. I guess I was so used to spending 3 hours after work every day at the library and now I need something exciting to fill that time. Daily soap on TV is so boring because I have no idea what is going on in each show.

As I am writing this, I am yawning. Any ideas on how to make life not so boring???

Well, here is an update about life (more like this week):

Last weekend, I joined the gym. All that sitting in the office and then at the library did not do me any good. Monday was the first "work-out" day. I attended Zumba class. I was always considered a good dancer in my family, but after attending that class, I no longer consider myself a good dancer. I felt so stiff. The last ten minutes of the class, the instructor taught belly dancing. I stood still because she was doing stuff that I cannot dream of doing. Overall, it was okay.

Monday/Tuesday: I finished I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak. He wrote The Book Thief, which is one of my favorites. I am the Messenger was an okay book. The ending was little confusing. I will talk about this later.

I also finished Serious Men by Manu Joseph. This book really picked up and just got better and better. I enjoyed it.

I started One thousand and One Arabian Nights by Geraldine McCaughrean and As Luck would Have it (Audio CD) by Joshua Piven.

Wednesday: We had health fair at my workplace. I got bunch of goodies. Also, I signed up to be an organ donor. I figured the end is undecided for us. However, I might as well make a difference in somebody's life after death.

Thursday: Family decided to go out to eat at Olive Garden, which recently opened in our town. Our server was horrible. We waited a long time on our food and when we finally got it, it was wrong dish. I was annoyed but we still generously tipped him.

Friday: I found out that the second disc of As Luck would Have it is missing. I think it was missing when I checked it out from the library. I did a thorough search of my car when I got home. It was sort of annoying because I was really enjoying the book. I will get the book from the library to read. Now I have to figure out which book to listen to next. I have Emma by Jane Austen in my car, but I do not feel like listening to it now. I want something light. Any suggestions???

Saturday: I met with a trainer at the gym. I think I will stick to my ways at the gym. She made me do exercises that look easy. I am so sore. I also watched The Blind Side starring Sandra Bullock. That was a good movie. As I am typing this, I am watching Bluffmaster. I love this movie.

I also bought my brother an iPod Touch 4G. He is excited about it. Of course, I have full access to it. :)

This weekend I am planning to buy the iPad. I am excited!!!

Anyways, time to get/cook something to eat.

Time Quartet Series by Madeleine L'Engle

Before I start talking about the books, I have to say I only listened to the first three novels of the total five. I am mad at myself that I actually wasted time on the second and the third novel. I do not plan on finishing the series or reading any of the author's other works.

I checked out all three audio books together, which I shouldn't have done. Since they all were sitting in my car, I listened to all three.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle is considered a classic children's book. I am going to come out straight. I did not enjoy any of the three books. I feel like I wasted my time listening to them. The stories did not make any sense, especially the third book. The third book was very choppy and was very difficult to follow. I wish Ms. L'Engle had continued the story from the first book. The stories were unrelated and the only common thing between the books were the Murry family. The only character I liked was Calvin O'Keefe and Ms. L'Engle made sure that his role was less and less as the series progressed. I think he was the only sane and normal character in all three books.

I give all three books 2 out of 10. I do not recommend these books.

All three books qualify for the Audio Book Challenge.

I am DONE!!!!

I received my score for the last CPA exam last Friday. I am very very HAPPY to say that I am DONE with the CPA exams. In about a month or so, I should receive my certificate (all depends on my manager signing my documents). For me, this is one of my biggest accomplishments so far. I cannot believe that I am going to be a:

CPA

I am 22 and I have my Bachelors degree and CPA certificate. I hope that next year I will start my Masters. That is my short-term goal. As for long term, I have no idea what I want to do with my life. I do not want to continue doing what I do for rest of my life. Oh well...I do not want to think about that now. I am just happy with what I have done so far. I will think about the future tomorrow.

Since I am done, (took me almost 2 years), I think I am going to give myself a treat. I am going to buy an iPad. I am too excited. I have already decided the apps and books I want on there. I cannot wait to get my hands on it. That's it for my life update.

My Top Ten: Books I've Re-Read

I saw this post on It's All About Books by Suey: Books I've Re-Read.

I think the title is self-explanatory so here we go:

The Giver by Lois Lowry
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Outsiders by S.E Hinton (needs another read)

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Sideway Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

I really really want to re-read these books:

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Many books by Neil Gaiman


What books do you find yourself re-reading over and over?

Tweet Tweet

I have been pecked by the Twitter bird...you can find me @ www.twitter.com/totallytanu.

Reading Meme

Uniquely Priya had this reading meme about a month ago. I have been meaning to do it, and finally I had the chance.

1. Favorite childhood book?
Cam Jansen Series (The girl with the photographic memory). My love for reading started with her.

2. What are you reading right now?
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman and Serious Men by Manu Joseph

3. What books do you have on request at the library?
As of now, none. I am trying to place a hold request on The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

4. Bad book habit?
Take too long to read a book just because I am lazy.

5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?
Ummm…too many to write down. All the books I read/listen to are checked out from the library.

6. Do you have an e-reader?
Not yet. I hope that soon I will buy an iPad.

7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
Usually I am reading one book and listening to another.

8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
Yeah.

9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?)
Tie between Half Life by Roopa Farooki and The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell and The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
I try.

12. What is your reading comfort zone?
I am still trying to figure that out. Chic lits, fiction, non-fiction humor (few)

13. Can you read on the bus?
No

14. Favorite place to read?
My bed

15. What is your policy on book lending?
I want my book in the same condition I lend it to you. I have gotten books back without the book covers. Grrrrr…

16. Do you ever dog-ear books?
I used to but not anymore.

17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
Not anymore. I was required to do that in high school.

18. Not even with text books?
Nope because I wanted to sell them back :P

19. What is your favorite language to read in?
English

20. What makes you love a book?
A good story, an unexpected ending (but not too much out there)…something that makes me think.

21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
If I enjoyed it, I will recommend it to anybody and everybody.

22. Favorite genre?
Hmmm…I don’t know. I enjoyed few romance novels, few chic lits, and few non-fictions. If the story interests me, I read it.

23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)
I used to love mysteries but haven’t really picked one up for a while. I don’t usually read Sci-fi; though, I enjoyed Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card very much.

24. Favorite biography?
I can’t think of any…

25. Have you ever read a self-help book?
Chicken Soup for the soul books are among the best self-help books. Enjoyable and helpful

26. Favorite cookbook?
I don’t own any. Google is my best friend here.

27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?
 Inspirational?...hmm…again..Can’t think of any (not for this year).

28. Favorite reading snack?
Chocolates…but then I usually read before I am about to sleep so no snacks at that time.

29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
I pick up a book if the story interests me. If I am enjoying a book or want to read a book desperately, I avoid all reviews. If I feel the book is so-so, then I usually go and read the Wikipedia entry for it.

30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
I actually look for positive reviews to see that maybe I missed something. I am indifferent about writing a negative review.

32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?
I can read in Hindi but, that is fading away. Maybe french?

33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?
I try to stay away from these kinds of books.

34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?
Shantaram…I so want to read this book. I actually made the librarian order an audio book.

35. Favorite Poet?
I am still exploring this. I do enjoy reading Rabindranath Tagore and enjoyed Childe Harold's Pilgrimage and She Walks in Beauty by Lord Byron

36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
Anywhere from 4 books to 10 books, (this includes books and audio books)

37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?
When I was studying to be a CPA, I did that often. I am trying to change that.

38. Favorite fictional character?
Ender (Ender’s Game), Jonas (The Giver), and Nobody Owens (The Graveyard book)

39. Favorite fictional villain?
I don’t think I have one. I have to think about this one..

40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?
Entertaining Chic lits - something that does not make me think.

41. The longest I’ve gone without reading.
Years – Most of my college days, I did not read (textbooks don’t count as books).

42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.
The Numbers Game

43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?
Music

44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?
Pride and Prejudice (BBC episodes) and Namesake

45. Most disappointing film adaptation?
I was somewhat disappointed by The Time Traveler’s Wife.

46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?
I usually don’t buy books.

47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
I just read the back cover.

48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
If I am half-way through and I still don’t know what is going on, I will stop reading it.

49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
I usually organize them by the height of the book. I don’t have that many books to organize.

50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?
I am opposite from everybody. I check out books from the library first. If I enjoyed it, then I want to buy it.

51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?
Shantaram. There is also Atlas Shrugged. I am not avoiding it but I have to be in the mood to pick up the book. I am going to dedicate the next month to Atlas Shrugged. I really enjoyed Ayn Rand’s other stuff and I am looking forward to Atlas Shrugged.

52. Name a book that made you angry.
I cannot think of one right now, but I am sure there are several.

53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?
Eat, Pray, Love.

54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?
As It was Written by Sujatha Hampton and My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult.

55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
Sophie Kinsella.

Phew…that was long but I had fun!

Unfinished: The Numbers Game by Michael Blastland

I tried multiple times to read this book. I think I got as far as seven pages. It was very boring. I finally decided to stop torturing myself. If anybody has read this book and thinks otherwise, let me know.

I have finished six books since my last book post:

1. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
2. The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender
3. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (Audio CD)
4. A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L'Engle (Audio CD)
5. Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life by Roald Dahl
6. What is This Thing Called Love? by Gene Wilder

I am currently reading:

1. A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeleine L'Engle (Audio CD)
2. Serious Men by Manu Joseph

I have gotten as far as the third chapter in Serious Men and so far, it is an okay book. I will read few more pages before deciding whether to stop reading this book. I only picked it up after seeing the cover.

I also watched the Pride & Prejudice BBC mini-series. I absolutely loved it and Colin Firth was just great. It is definitely going to be part of my dvd collection. Now only if I can get my hands on the Keira Knightley version (2005) movie.

Movie Review: Raavan

I watched this movie about a month ago on Sony TV. From the reviews, I knew this was not worth watching in the theater. You know what? This movie is not even worth watching on TV. I wasted 3 hours of my life on this movie...those precious hours. I could have read or something. What can I say? Curiosity got the best of me and you know what they say..."Curiosity killed the cat."

There was no plot, no story, and very bad direction. I got the gist of what the movie was suppose to be about. Apparently, so-called Raavan (Abhishek Bachhan) is actually good and Ram (Vikram) is the true villain. They have taken all the memorable parts of Ramayana and presented it in the movie:

1. Lord Ram - Sita- That is portrayed by Aishwarya Rai and Vikram as Ragini and Dev Pratap. Ragini is very much in love with her husband and will support him no matter what.
2. Lakshman (Ram's brother) - Nikhil Dwivedi as Inspector Hemant. He almost dies. (Lakshman almost died in Ramayana)
3. Hanuman - Govinda as Sanjeevani Kumar. Here I drew the line...In his introduction scene, Govinda was jumping off trees and playing hide and seek, like a mischievous monkey. He led the police force in Beera's "Lanka."
4. Raavan - Abhishek Bachhan as Beera. He is a mix of Raavan and Robin Hood. What I did not understand about his character was the weird noises he made. I think the movie could have done without those. They became annoying.
5. Surpanaka - Priyamani as Jamuni. She is Beera's sister (true to the real Ramayana). In Ramayana, Lakshman cuts Surpanaka's nose and insults her. In the movie, Inspector Hemant, at Priyamani's weddings, picks her up from the mandap by holding her nose and take her to the station, and physically insult her there.
6. Kumbhakarna and Ahiravana - Mangal (Ravi Kishan) and Hari (Ajay Gehi).

Here are the parallels between Ramayana and Raavan:

• In Ramayana, Ravan abducts Sita mata to avenge the insult of his sister, Surpanaka. In the movie, Beera kidnaps Ragini to avenge his sister's insult.
• In Ramayana, Ram killed Ravan. In the movie, Inspector Dev Pratap kills Beera.
• In Ramayana, Ram doubted Sita's character after she returns. In the movie, Dev Pratap "doubts" Ragini so that she can go to Beera and he can follow her.

Now to the ending [Spoiler Alert]: Beera dies happy because he knows Ragini has feelings for him.

So yes, like others, I wasted 3 hours of my life on this movie.

I enjoyed the songs and I felt they were the only good part of the movie. A.R. Rehman did a great job. You can check them out here at Raaga.com.

Subse aage honge HINDUSTANI....

Happy Independence Day to my fellow Indians!!!

Look What I Created...

Source: Wordle

Book Reviews

It has been a while since I wrote here. During that time, I finished three books. Here are really really short reviews of the books.

1. Life on the Refrigerator Door by Alice Kuipers:

Short summary: Life on the Refrigerator Door is a poignant and deeply moving first novel about the bonds of love and frustration that tie mothers and daughters together. Told entirely in a series of notes left on the kitchen fridge—some casual, some intimate, some funny, some angry—it is the story of nine months in the life of 15–year-old Claire and her single mother.

The concept was good; however, I felt that very important elements of the story could not make it to the notes. There were many parts where I was confused. Since the story is told by notes, the details of the story are missing. Lots of conversations take place outside the book, and the readers are left guessing. I give this book 7 out of 10.

2. I'll Mature When I'm Dead by Dave Barry:

Short Summary: A brilliantly funny exploration of the treacherous state of adulthood by the Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist. Some people may wonder what this subject has to do with Dave Barry, since Dave's struggled hard against growing up his entire life-but the result is one of the funniest, warmest, most pitch-perfect books ever on that mystifying territory we call "adulthood". In hilarious, brand-new pieces, Dave tackles everything from fatherhood, new fatherhood, self-image, the battle of the sexes, celebrityhood, technology, parenting styles, certain unmentionable medical procedures, and much more.
 I complained earlier that I will not be listening to any audio books because my brother will be carpooling with me. Well, his friend and he got tired of listening to the radio, and we decided to try audio books. First, we tried Jane Eyre because that is their summer reading. It was boring. Then we picked up Dave Barry.

This book has adult humor. Imagine listening to this book with two 17-year olds in the car. You bet I had to skip some chapters. Even then, I enjoyed this book. Along with essays, there are two spoofs of 24, TV show, and Twilight and something for dog lovers. There were several laugh out loud moments; however, there were some boring sections as well. Dave Barry did a good job reading the book. Overall, it was a decent book. I give it 8 out of 10.

This book qualifies for the Audio Book Challenge.

3. Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen:

Short Summary: One day I was 12 years old and broke. Then Grandma gave me Grandpa's old riding lawnmower. I set out to mow some lawns. More people wanted me to mow their lawns. And more and more. . . . One client was Arnold the stockbroker, who offered to teach me about "the beauty of capitalism. Supply and Demand. Diversify labor. Distribute the wealth." "Wealth?" I said. "It's groovy, man," said Arnold. If I'd known what was coming, I might have climbed on my mower and putted all the way home to hide in my room. But the lawn business grew and grew. So did my profits, which Arnold invested in many things. And one of them was Joey Pow the prizefighter. That's when my 12th summer got really interesting.

This book was one of the best children books. It was short, funny, and educational. Usually that combination is hard to find. My brother and his friend enjoyed this book, and that is saying something. Sadly, it was so short that we finished it in two days. We just could not wait to get back to the book. My brother decided to recommend his Economics teacher to assign this book to the students.

There is nothing to say about Gary Paulsen. He is simply a genius. I had a friend who had read Hatchet like million times. That book is on my TBR list.

All I can say is read this book. It is very good. I give this book 10 out of 10. Lawn Boy Returns was released on March 23, 2010, and I can't wait to get my hands on that book.

This book qualifies for the Audio Book Challenge.

Spooky Little Girl by Laurie Notaro

I enjoyed Spooky Little Girl by Laurie Notaro very much.

Short summary: Lucy Fisher just returned from her Hawaiian trip and finds all her stuff outside her house. Martin, her ex-fiancé, is not picking up her calls. She is then fired from her job. Her bad luck does not end there. She dies in an accident. She then has to attend ghost school and learn how to haunt. She finds out that she will have to fulfill an assignment in order to pass on to the State. The fun continues as Lucy finds herself on Earth sitting on her ex-fiancé's couch ready to haunt...

My eyes were glued to the book from page one to the last page. Even in my lunchtime at work, I was hoping I had brought the book with me to read. It was light, funny, and interesting. Laurie had all the classic haunts such as the flickering of TV, light bulb, writing on foggy mirror, etc. in the novel. The character of Lucy is very likable and the readers will support her.

The concept of the afterlife was interesting. Initially, the book reminded me of the novel Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin, but the novels are different. The only thing that is similar is the word "afterlife". The concept of ghost school was new. I liked how their teacher, Ruby, "gently" breaks the news to all the dead people. There are other ghosts as well but they all have their own assignments. I do not want to give away any spoilers, so I will not discuss what Lucy's assignment is.

Overall, it is one of the best chic lits I have read in a long time. I give this book 9 out of 10.

I visited the author's website and noticed that I had two of her books, but I donated them without reading them. I wish I had read them and then donated them. I will keep an eye out for her books now.