Disappointment & redemption

I have never felt so let down by a novel before. The fact that I had written so much about the Book in my previous post (see below) or told people about how nice it was- just goes to waste.

The author completely dilutes the plot in the middle of the book. After keeping the readers engrossed in the plot and letting them raise their hopes that something's gonna happen now- he just completely loses his way. The novel falls down to the level of a very very common tale- describing Amir's love-life, his in-laws, his new house, his family. All this could have been captured in brief for the sake of continuation but there was certainly no need at all to devote some 60 pages on it. The plot wanders off aimlessly. You just keep reading because you have seen the potential of the writer, and are still curious about what happens in the end.

Thankfully- after painfully flipping/scanning through all this jazz- you come to the point where that 1 dreaded phone call comes to Amir. How one trip suddenly puts his life in turmoil again and he discovers a truth that changes his whole world for him. One truth that makes his entire 40 yrs of life a sham. Now he has one final chance of gaining redemption, of making peace with himself. Will he have the courage to finally stand up for something he believes in?

Along with Amir, I think the novel will also gain redemption in the final few chapters... wait and watch.

Breathtakingly beautiful :)

For those who've not picked up the Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini) my advice is to go and get your book right now... I've only started reading the book 2 days back and I am completely hooked. The author has captured the friendship between the protagonist Amir and his servant/friend Hassan, just so beautifully. The intricacies of the child's mind come out so clearly- his love for Hassan, yet his envy of his courage and the place that he holds in his father's heart. Ali hopes to make his own father proud of him too, wants his father to love him unconditionally, wants him to smile at him affectionately and call him Amir Jaan.

But in order to gain that love (by winning the kite flying tournament) Amir needs to sacrifice something and takes the coward's way out. But now the taste of success is bitter. The description of that guilt, his inability to sleep, the crack in his voice are captured amazingly. Somehow you can totally understand and feel exactly what he is going through..

How Amir finally gains redemption, how he deals with his conscience, how does that incident on the day of the tournament affect his future and the person he grows up to be- I can't wait to get back home and find out :)

You'll definitely find out in my next post :)

P.S. Must read novel...definitely a MUST-read :)

You know what's funny? That I can't remember the last time I really really really laughed... you know like a rolling on the floor laughter... when tears start rolling down your cheek.... there can't be any feeling better than that... :)

Actually no- I think I laughed like that last week- during holi celebrations... :)

What I really need is a good laugh a day... I need to hear that giggle coming up from the bottom of my belly... i need to feel that uncontrollable urge to keep giggling and giggling till u feel you're gonna pee in your pants! :D

Look out people- I'm coming back in form :)

Today I spent some real quality time with myself...stole away to the nearby Dominoes during Lunch and sat there all alone just enjoying myself and my pizza :) Sometimes we forget that WE are our top most priority...that we should live life king size (or Queen size) for that matter...

So shut down your mobile phones and make a date with yourself....go to the salon and get yourself pampered.... go shopping... do something new everyday... pick up that new novel you've been eyeing and head to the nearby cafe...get a haircut...try art & craft... learn a new instrument... go dancing... basically go live life :)

Random random cribbing!

Sometimes when people ping me, I'm not sure what they want. There doesn't have to be any ulterior motives for people to ping me, but lately I just feel that I'm not sure what he/she wants. Sometimes people just ping when they see a funny/wierd status message and get curious. That I understand. Or they'll ping me and comment about something I have written on my blog. But other than that I resent people asking me personal questions.

Many people ping and ask me details about my job and you know what- I feel that if I tell them I'm hating my job, they'll feel better than if I say that I'm currently heading entire East India blah blah blah and am really happy with the growth etc! Which is why I always do the latter :D

Or they'll ask me questions like, "Why did u shift to Kolkata, what happened?", "Are you looking for a guy for marriage purposes?", "Have you found someone yourself?", "When are you quitting your job? You know it's high time you did."...... Who's asking you man! Please don't give me advice if I'm not asking for it. And if you want to, then please take permission. And don't ask me personal questions unless you consider yourself to be a very close friend of mine and are sure that I won't mind.

Bura na mano- Holi hai!! :D

This is the first time ever that I have had soooo much fun on Holi. (Apart from Holi@K- which actually could have been better, had the God's been on my side!) But this year- wwwooowwww! I never realised this festival could be so much fun.

We were in a crazy mood and soon people were being dunked in the tubs and everything from Coke, to thandai to Bacardi was being poured on people... hehehhe.... :)
Soon all the guys were being stripped- believe me the maximum hooting was being done by their wives ;) Soon we had Rakhi Sawants and Mallika Sharawats on our terrace- and with some raunchy music playing in the background (a la Kaanta Laga) I think I saw a glimpse of campus life at home :)


Awesome! :)

A yr after MBA

Music Playing: Himesh Reshamiya

It's been one whole yr since I completed my MBA. Can't believe how fast time flies. It seems just like yesterday that we were walking from the Harvard steps, through classroom 1A, towards the amphitheater... the convo seemed like a culmination of the entire 2 yrs of hard work on campus and the harder work done before that, while preparing for CAT.

How has life been post MBA? Well, if you ask me that, I'd say- not all that bad... I can miss Kampus and the fun we had there- But I choose to have even more fun today and make my life happier and more happening. I never let myself miss K while in Mumbai- coz I was living life to the fullest there. Even now that I am back here in Cal, I am making the most of life... that's what that matters :)
One thing I do miss- Mess parties :P

I love impulse shopping :D

I went down to find a mobile shop and ended up buying a 2 books from the roadside vendor :)
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and err... umm... I picked up a Mills & Boon (there I've said it!) I just couldn't resist myself- the vendor must have thought I'm some college kid who's high on hormone these days :D He kept showing me the M&B (I must really look like one of those desperate kids! ;)
Well, so I said wtf- I'll buy it :)

So now I have 2 novels lying on my desk and I don't wanna work anymore :D

Cabilla Travels

For the uninitiated- Cabilla is my gang of friends- formed on a Goa trip- the best set of guys I've ever met- the coolest, funnest, nicest set of people :)

So let me introduce you to our new blog http://theincurabletraveller.blogspot.com/ where we write about various trips/ excursions we've made (either as a group, or alone). It's a travel blog- for all the wanderlust and travel freaks :)

Do read about my adventures at Duke's Nose in Lonavala and the Alibaug trip with Sheeba :)

Ciao for now.

I want tips on "how to patao a guy"...! Please don't be mistaken- the purpose in question here is completely non-romantic... I'm not looking for a partner/relationship.... but I want people (guys and gals) to tell me some very basic ways of pataoing someone... (not for a relationship- I reiterate!)

Just give me some simple rules- what do guys like, what makes them happy.... or actually even if you try and patao a girl- what do you do....? I know I'm sounding all jumbled up- (that's coz I can't write everything in here...!). Ok...lemme start all over again.

If you wanna make someone happy, or get in their good books, or suddenly start getting noticed- how will you do it...? I'm sure guys and girls can both give me tips on this :)

We could make a movie on this- "How to win a guy in 10 days" :D

I got a mail asking me a very simple question- "why women get more tax exemption than men"? Well frankly speaking, I never even gave it a second thought all these years... I just took it for granted that we get more benefits in taxes than men! I am yet to come up with a conclusive argument over the rights/wrongs of this.
Normally I would have said that if we women cry ourselves hoarse about gender equality, we should have the balls to stand up and say that we don't need any extra benefits. If we want equal treatment, we should not ask for 33% reservations or separate ladies' compartments or special tax benefits...! In schools would you say that the passing percentage for girls should be 35% while for boys 40%..!!!??
But yes, today I am definitely not complaining about a higher tax exemption limit... I know it's a two-faced hypocritical thing to say, but I have my reasons for saying this... Let's forget about women who've reached that stage where they can actually stand up on their feet.. those who've done their graduation/ post graduation and are earning hefty packages... the ratio of such females is still small in this country... in fact it's minuscule...
India is still a place where men and women have distinct roles in society and women have to face a lot of challenges to make it on their own... I think this is something that might give them a small push...
Anyone has any comments- I'd love to hear other opinions....