lovelessworld’s blog

I’ve been listening to horror stories ever since i can remember. My dad is a remarkable story-teller. He tells all kinds of stories but the horror ones are my favorite. Way back, when there were not many distractions and loads of power cuts, we would all cuddle up together under a blankie and listen to my father’s narration. Dracula, Exorcist, Omen -I’ve made my own version of these characters long before i got the guts to watch it in DVD. The movies were not that thrilling nor scary, though! I always make it a point to see scary movies with my dad because i prefer a strong person near me (just in case). My husband is a scardy cat who jumps even before the horror scene starts!

The movie, let me tell you, is not scary at all. But the concept was nice. Human body is the most complex machine- and if ghosts are able to control it, then, it should be a cinch to control the appliances- including the TV… I found it interesting. Sure, “they” could have controlled more appliances and made the story-line interesting, and cant imagine why the others in the family never get affected or see that the things on the serial on the TV is wierdly similar to their own lives, i dont understand, but taking the movie at face value, especially Madhavan’s, is gripping. I would have expected more spooks and and thrills but thankful there were no disgusting made-up faces called “ghosts” and cheap scenes when you are expected to jump in the seat. They could have derived some more scares through the blind-man-with-a-dog but i thought that he was wasted. Though the ending was predictable, it took you all the way there without you getting bored in the middle. (The songs were a squirm,though) It was clean movie with not much of a horror but an interesting watch, nonetheless!

My favorite Michael, who didnt (surprisingly)  make it to the top 3 pages of a google search is Michael Crichton. (But i didnt expect to see the Michaels’ store top the list over Michael Jackson) My favorite MC book is Disclosure. But enjoyed reading almost all of his books. And watched almost all of the movies that were made from his books.

• If not for him, the world would not have had a Jurassic Park or the The Lost World. And Spielberg would have been a few millions short.
•  The totally rivetting and cut throat world of the corporates in Disclosure. If not for him, we wouldnt have got to see the scintillating Demi Moore seduce Michael Douglas…
•  The legendary The Great Train Robbery, where we go through the intricate process of planning for the robbery and the where the villain is heroic.
• The nanotechnology details and interesting development in the Prey.
• Peek into the serene but dangerous world of the Japanese corporation in The Rising Sun with Sean Connery and Wesley Snipes. 
• Explore the jungles of Congo for King Solomon’s treasure and come face to face with the killer gorillas aided only by the sign-language-speaking gorilla.
• Ponder upon life and its origin in the Sphere.
• Enter into the world of virus and the devastating nature of those microns in the Andromeda Strain.
• Examine the intricacies of the airplane in Airframe.
• The Eaters of the dead (The 13th warrior), Five Patients and The Terminal Man, Timeline. 

Each of his book is different from the other, well researched, interesting, cant-be-put-down and bestsellers. It was kind of sad to lose a man (Michael Crichton passed away on Nov 6th due to lung cancer) who created such wonders with his imagination and the 26 letters of the English language. But, i guess he has attained immortality through his books and will remain in the hearts of his admirers forever!

The big 5th birthday party for my son. The party starts at 5PM. And the kids come pouring into my home at 3:30PM! I have had two previous birthday parties under my belt and am well versed and know what to expect! I am all decked up and ready around 4:30 when i see a familiar red scooty parking infront of my house. It is my friend, looking pale, weedy and worn out and without her Pottu. (Bindhi) My heart is wrenched.

I should have gone to see her right after i came back from the Dusshera vacations. I should have been there to console her. How is she going to manage the house in Bangalore, without the husband? How did the husband commit suicide without thinking about the lovely, dutiful wife and brilliant kids? I should have gone there to her house to invite her kids for the birthday… I somehow, just couldnt face her. Maybe she needed some alone time, i thought and not everybody crowding her. Maybe she is not ready to talk about it to me.  Maybe i should call her and find out if its ok to come to her home. Maybe i should wear less jazzy clothes when i go to see her… Such pathetic excuses.

Now, i see her coming to my home, on my son;s birthday with her daughter and son. I go out almost running to welcome her and ask her to come in. She obliges and we sit in a comfortable sofa and i ask her how she is.  I can see that she is worried about her kids. She is worried about them not talking to her about it. She is worried if it might scar them for life. She is scared. She wants me to talk to them about it and get them to talk it out. She holds my hand and i squeeze back.
We have 15 interruptions and a fewrubberneckers looking at us weirdly, but the less-than-10min conversation was free and came from the heart. Few words were exchanged but it included a lot of trust and love. She left hurriedly when the kids announced another guest coming in, and i never gave her the juice i promised her.
The birthday party went on very well and the birthday baby had a blast. Me, for my part was happy that the food came out well, the cake was great, guests had fun and a happy feeling that i had a good friend, who trusted me more than i knew about her. I must have done something good sometime to her as she confidently came to me when all i had was excuses. Atleast now, i know that she needs my presence more and would care less about my clothes…

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Nintendo’s Wii is a great gaming console. Apart from its mac-like cute looks, and small, smart size, it delivers great gaming to weekend gamers like me. Though Wii runs in the same lines as the Sony Playstation 3 and Microsoft XBox, it has one great advantage: Movement and exercise to the whole body.
Wii is designed to let the gamer experience the game better by actually playing the game. For example, with the help of a remote-like thingy, the gamer plays tennis by actually moving the remote to hit the shots with the opponent. Believe you me, i started playing this yesterday and i am already an addict. The gamer experience is even more exemplified by vibrations in the remote when the ball “hits” the racquet. The wii actually works with the wrist-flicks. But the graphics and the sound, gives it a wimbledon-like atmosphere to play in and so, makes you run around the whole place returning the shots! Great exercise!

Normally, wii comes with a wii console a wireless remote and a nanchuck. The remote is used as the bat in baseball, racquet in tennis. The nanchuck, along with the remote is used in boxing games to simulate both the hands in action. The nanchuck actually looks like joystick. 

The wii comes bundled also with wii sports which has the tennis, baseball, bowling, golf and boxing games. Each game is amazingly crafted and lets you play in a wonderful atmosphere and with the greatest of ease. Each point won or lost comes with an instant reply (which also can be skipped) which lets the gamer review the shots and correct them or learn from it. Mii is a wii avatar that each person can create and use it to play with other avatars or the console itself.

It is also possible to connect the wii to the internet and download information and updates for it. Wii can also be used to connect to other wiis and play along with others. It can also be used to jot down messages, email other miis. It also has a calender for a reminder.

PS3 and Xbox lovers swear that wii is not for serious gamers who appreciate high grade graphics. Wii also cannot be used as a dvd player. It only plays nintendo games and wii games.

The demand for wii is so much that it is always sold out in almost all stores and there is a serious website www.wiitracker.com that shows which stores hold the wii in stock! Because of the high demand, people are willing to buy it at any cost. (really!) It is actually priced at $329 which includes the gaming console, wii sports cd, one remote and one nanchuk. It is said that wii is ready to make its grand entrance in India this December. And that it will be priced around Rs.20,000. It will also come bundled with all the same things.

My initial review of the wii is that it is ADDICTIVE. I am not a serious gamer and i find myself happy in the company of the wii and even happier if it continuous keep me captivated and well exercised

Have you ever been to Madurai, The Temple City? Madurai is a hot city now. Both in temperature and in the IT market. It has been rated the 12th growing IT spot in the country. Madurai”s world famous Meenakshi Amman Temple was vying for a spot in the 7 wonders of the modern world. The Chithrai street just around the temple has been tiled and prohibits vehicle traffic. Madurai”s airport is also going to be upgraded into a world class facility, already sanctioned with 1.5 billion rupees. The Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai is thankfully being extended. IT parks, byepass roads and many more… Madurai has matured.
The Meenakshi Amman Temple is the most visited place in Madurai, but there are innumerable interesting artifacts that the visitors miss. 

• The entrance to the Amman Sannathi houses two huge yaalis (a mythological creature). One of it has a round stone inside his partly closed mouth. We can touch the stone through its teeth, but never take it out.
• The Mandapam in front of the Swamy sannathi itself is an intricately sculpted stonework. Then, there are statues that are held in the mandapam. There is the authentic Meenakshi Kalyanam statue. (The famous wedding of Meenakshi and Sundareshwarar, with Vishnu (Meenakshi”s brother) performing the vows. The legend and the statue depicts Meenakshi darker, with Shiva and Vishnu a bit fairer, though they were sculpted out of single stone. Shiva looks the proud groom and Vishnu is shown grinning. (it is said that Vishnu is grinning because he is happy to have performed the wedding of his dark sister to a fairer and an able groom.)
•  The DwaraBalahar (Shiva”s sentinels) in front of the Swamy Sannathi should be around 20ft tall.
• The Natarajar here is the only one in the world who dances on his right leg as per the request of a Madurai King Rajasekara Pandian. His sannathi is plated in pure silver and is called the “Velli Ambala Natarajar”. There is also said to be a underground passage from the temple to the outside the Pudumandapam by which the people escaped the muslim invaders.
•  The PuduMandapam around the temple also houses wonderful sculptures. It is said to have built for celebrating Vasantha Vilzha by running Vaigai water around it.  It is now a busy place bustling with vendors selling colorful stuff and so over shadowing the beautiful and huge sculptures around. There are statues there of Thirumalai nayakar, the king who beautified the Meenakshi Temple and also extended it. There is also a statue of Shiva dancing on top of an elephant after vanquishing the Asura who takes the form of an elephant.
• There is a famous and powerful Pillayar (Ganesha) called the Mottai
  Pillayar. This Pillayar does not have a head. It is said to be the
  handiwork of Malik Kafur.

Eating: The Jigardhanda is a famous dessert of Madurai. It is made out of milk whey, icecream and kadal paasi (sea weed) The icecream is hand cranked and has very little calories. The concoction is just too yummy for words. Just not to be missed on a trip to Madurai.

Shopping:  The best shopping in Madurai is in the Pudumandapam. It houses some real exotic stuff which are handmade.The Chitrai street also houses interesting  shops. And since it is devoid of vehicular traffic, it allows a relaxed walk around the temple.  Clothes are best from the Amman Sannathi street.