Who's Watchin' Me

I'll be kinda busy till the end of June so rather than leave this blog unattended [wouldn't want cobwebs to grow] [do cobwebs 'grow'?], I've decided to upload some of my favourite artwork now n then.

This first piece is called "who's watching me?" It's one of my favourites and I intend to buy myself atleast a copy of it some day.

whoo hoo... online endorsement!

You Should Be a Science Fiction Writer

Your ideas are very strange, and people often wonder what planet you're from. And while you may have some problems being "normal," you'll have no problems writing sci-fi. Whether it's epic films, important novels, or vivid comics... Your own little universe could leave an important mark on the world!

What Type of Writer Should You Be?

'Melting Medusa'

It's raining enough to wet feet even if the said feet are perched on 4 inch heels. Ofcourse since it's about 3 am right now there won't be many feet out in the rain. Infact if there's even one foot out wearing a high heeled shoe at this time of the night in my neighbourhood I'll eat my own 4 inch beast of burden. Actually, since 1 shoe would be useless without the other, and since it would mean a loss of almost a 1000 bucks, I'd probably eat both.

I daresay the average reader at this point will stop reading and wander away in search of headache medicine. *Hint: If you don't want to admit you are an average reader, persist*

I'm not trying to cause confusion here. If you must blame someone, blame the electricity department. I had conceived the brilliant idea of writing a post on the superhero persona that would best suit me. I had actually started the process of choosing a name for myself when the electricity went away. The lights and the fan both stopped working too (I suspect a plot). And the rain started. And then the temperature rose so high that the only name I could think off was 'The Iceberg Goddess'. Or maybe 'Melting Medusa'. At which point I gave up on the idea.

Hence this post on the rain. The shoes just wandered in all by themselves.

Love?

Two friends called today to say they had split with their respective partners. Another called to say a relationship seems to be taking its baby steps... What's it with love? People spend lifetimes debating whether God exists or not. A far more fascinating question in my book would be whether 'LOVE' exists. What exactly is love? Hormones, candidate-fulfils-desired-specifics-in-internal-list, the-need-to-be-needed, ....etc. The list of what 'love' could be, is very long. Almost everyone I know has a theory. Most people have 2. One theory they use when they actually are in 'love', the other when they are not.

I've felt this emotion called 'love' a couple of times. Looking back I can identify what are my 'triggers'. The qualities that make me 'fall in love'. Once it was because I found 'someone like me'. A guy who seemed to know me better than I knew myself. As almost anyone will testify, that's irresistible. The second time it was because I found a 'clean heart'. A really good soul. Or so I thought. Even when I stopped loving him I thought of him as a clean heart only to find out recently that I may have been wrong. Still, it helps me identify the second factor that attracts me to guys. A warm heart. Someone who will cry for the starving children in Africa if you remind him about them. Someone who believes it's an honour to be called 'friend'. An honour that sometimes, when the cause is worthy, must take precedence over 'love'.

I can understand and sympathise with people who fall in love because the person they love is 'special' and worth loving for n number of reasons, no matter how far-out. What I find hard to understand, is the capacity normal people have, to get the steps mixed up.

I've seen far too many relationships start off for all the wrong reasons. First they get into a relationship and then they fall in love. I'm sure everyone has come across relationships like that. Pick your favourite from the following:

Guy thinks girl is good looking enough and needs girl to impress the rest of his friends.

Girl thinks she'll be the coolest girl in her school for getting a guy before most girls have gotten their periods.

Girl thinks guy is suitable husband material and will impress folks back home.

Girl doesn't have enough cash and is not greedy enough to want a whole bunch of guys buying expensive gifts. One sucker is enough.

Girl/Guy is away from family and thinks a relationship would be a good idea.

Guy wants to be assured of a date to all the events around town.

Girl wants to be seen with rich boyfriend in/on expensive car/bike.

Girl wants to rub the noses of all her (pretend) friends in the dust by flaunting eligible ex-bachelor as her boyfriend.

Many times these 'relationships' actually work. Though both parties may have fallen 'in' love for all the wrong reasons, they actually start loving each other and stay together. Sometimes they stay together just out of inertia of course. (But lets ignore those pathetic people)

Even if both regret the relationship, there's no harm done. They can chalk it down to experience and go on their merry ways.

What sucks (and I've seen it happening twice) is when the couple is 'in love' for the wrong reasons and only one person actually converts from "being in love" with the other to actually "loving" the other person. That sucks. That leaves you with a sour taste in your mouth and a hollow sensation that seems to be screaming out, "that's it?!?"

To all my friends reading this. "Love is a wonderful thing. But it's not the only thing that makes life worthwhile."

To my friend who keeps saying life is not worth anything now, who keeps wanting to get in a fight or hurt himself. "It hurts me when you say things like that. I know I can't understand or help with the pain you are going through but still, knowing that you consider me, all your other friends, your family and everything else in your life worthless is pretty painful."

To each and everyone who ever reads this post. "Always love yourself. Always respect yourself. Never sell yourself short. Love will always change. It will grow or die. But never lose yourself in it so much that you feel you have nothing of value besides the relationship. Everyday do something that will increase your value outside the relationship. It doesn't have to be much. Give a hungry child 20 bucks. Call up a friend going through stressful times and give him/her a shoulder to lean on. Learn something new. Put in extra effort at work. Call your mom/dad and say I love you (tough one for me atleast). Then as you become a better person everyday you will find that you are a person worth knowing. A person worth loving. You can never guarantee that others will love you... but maybe, just maybe, this way you will learn to love yourself."

Evil Editor

Came across a blog called 'Evil Editor'. It's great. Scary but great. The 'Evil Editor' accepts queries from aspiring authors and then cuts them to bits. Fun for all the readers of the blog but probably torture for the 'writers'.
I'm glad I changed my 'top' occupation from 'writer' to 'editor'. It looks like it's a lot more fun cutting up other people's books. Writing is too personal. It must be fun reading submissions from others and smirking 'cos you 'know' you can do so much better. If I actually submitted something I wrote to EE I'd have to come down to earth and start digging a grave to bury one of my fondest dreams.

I would recommend this blog to anyone out there who believes that he/she has the potential to write a best seller.

Enjoy :)

The Da Vinci Code

Went for mass yesterday to the Taleigao Church and was shocked to find that the entire sermon was about the Da Vinci Code. What is wrong with the Church? The priest today was exhorting the people to boycott the movie and to join in a protest ‘morcha’. He said the book potrayed Jesus as a liar and insulted the Catholic faith. What a load of bull. I have read all of Dan Brown's books and I have never found my faith and belief system insulted in anyway. With all the ruckus on the issue I have never been more ashamed to be Catholic. Living in Goa, I've laughed when people in other parts of India have taken to the streets at the drop of a hat. Seething with indignation at perceived insults to their respective religions. To see Catholics in Goa take to the streets to protest a work of fiction will be the nadir of my existence so far. Can’t the Church find a more worthy battle to fight? If the book insulted Jesus it would be another issue. All this fuss is because the book potrays Jesus as a married man. C'mon, it's not like the author is saying he did something evil. It's not like the author says that Jesus was a criminal or crook of some kind. Is the Church trying to say that saying Jesus was married is equivalent to saying he was evil?

I'm not sure when the morcha is scheduled. I was doing my best not to pay attention since thinking about it was really pissing me off. I'm sure I'll hear about it again anyway.

I intend to go for one of the first showings of the Da Vinci Code. I think it's coming to INOX on the 19th. More on that later.

In Defence Of The ‘Da Vinci Code’

I'm going to start this off by defending myself because I know by the time they are through reading this, many people will be only too anxious to stone me. Still, I've always believed I have to stand up against irrationality and ignorance. Ignorance by itself is not a crime, but when a person in a position of influence, passes of his ignorance as fact, it's time to speak up.

I consider myself a very religious person at heart. I'm not a saint by any means, but I love God and though I have many issues with the Catholic religion I will never turn my back on it.

Having said that, I can proceed to the burning issue in todays catholic world. The Da Vinci Code. I wonder how many of you reading this, see the irony. In a world with religious fundamentalism and new cults like scientology springing up, the Catholic Church has chosen to make an issue about a novel. A novel that, according to the sermon I heard today, says that Jesus had a wife and family and thus says that Jesus was a liar.

I don't get it. The Priest has obviously not read the book. I have. At least 4 times. The book does not try to pass itself off as a serious non-fiction book. The main character does believe that Jesus had a family but the author never tries to force that belief as a fact down the readers throats.

The issue boils down to just two questions. Why is the Church so agitated about a work of fiction? And more importantly, even if the author had been trying to pass of fiction as fact, why is the Church so agitated by the idea that Jesus was a married man?

In fact the theory that Jesus had a family is a pretty old one. Many books have been published on the topic in the past. The author used the concept in this book and because of the intrigue and the puzzles involved the book caught on and became a best seller. If an author decides to base a fictional work on an old, worn out theory, what's the problem?

Its not like the author portrayed Jesus as rapist, robber or evil person of any kind. All he has portrayed is Jesus as a married man. Is the church trying to say that marriage is a sin? Is the church trying to say that by saying Jesus was married the author is lessening His divinity? Would marriage 'lower' him somehow? Jesus is the Son of God. The book does not make an issue out of that. It leaves it up to the reader. All that the book does, is suggest that Jesus was married and the author fictionally creates remnants of the Holy Family in our day.

To anyone reading the book it would be clear why the Church is so agitated on the issue. While the book does not insult Jesus in any way, (unless a person considers marriage an 'insult'), it does suggest that the Catholic Church is the repository for quite a few secrets. I can understand the Church’s reaction to such allegations. Whether true or false, with its age-old focus on its ‘image’ the Church would not like any of the faithful to start asking uncomfortable questions.

This does not excuse the attitude the Church has taken. The priest today was exhorting the people to boycott the movie and to join in a protest ‘morcha’. I was never more ashamed to be Catholic. Living in a multi-religious country I’ve seen people taking to the streets at the drop of a hat. Seething with indignation at perceived insults to their respective religions. To see Catholics take to the street to protest a work of fiction will be the nadir of my existence so far. Can’t the Church find a more worthy battle to fight?

To the Church all I’d like to say is this. I’ve read all Dan Brown’s books. ‘Angels and Demons’ is a book that will awaken any Catholic to the power God has to bring good from evil. It touches on thorny issues too, but when the message at the end is so spiritual and powerful it helps you understand the author’s spirituality. In a work of fiction all the reader should focus on is the feeling he carries with him when he closes the book at the end. The Da Vinci Code is no different. If one thinks about it rationally, the idea that Jesus was a married man would make his life and death even greater. As the Son of God, He loved the multitudes. If He loved His Father’s people enough to die for them even though he had a family of his own wouldn’t it make His Sacrifice even nobler?

The Da Vinci Code is work of fiction. And yet even as a work of fiction there is nothing in it to offend any true Catholic. Instead of slandering it the Church should learn how to educate the people who trust in it instead of trying to guide them through half truths. As Catholics we should fight the good fight, not a paper dragon that can do no harm if understood.

What is your daughter/kid sister reading?

Watched Oprah today. The show touched on a topic that's been at the back of my mind for quite some time. The mental rape of young kids everywhere. Almost every kid today has been violated in some way and the sad thing is that no one realises it. Its considered 'normal'. No one is panicking yet cos this generation isn't grown up yet. We can't see the long term effect of the 'popular mass media' yet.

Consider this, when my sister was a kid she was a devout reader of the 'sweet valley' series. A series that dealt with emotional drama of the 'Bold and the beautiful' variety adapted to kids of a younger age. At an age when I had been reading Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mysteries, my sister was wondering what a size 6 is, and how she could be one. While my reality and my mind has always been grappling with question of 'good v/s evil' and how one girl could nab a whole bunch of bad guys and kick ass, my sister's mind was exposed to issues of winning popularity stakes in school and how to get the attention and favour of the cutest boy in class. I'm scared she's gonna be one of those girls who's desperate to have a boyfriend, who thinks marriage is the ultimate goal. A person, who measures her self worth not by what she is, but by how much a guy or the 'cool' crowd values her.

You can probably tell I'm not a fan of sweet valleys, well trust me when I look at what's out there these days I fervently wish for the return of the days of the sweet valley series' popularity.

I'm adding an excerpt from an article that deeply disturbed me here. For the full article and reviews of many of the books mentioned please click on the title link.

Hilary Armstrong was happy to see her 12-year-old daughter Katherine reading at the kitchen table one afternoon -- until, that is, she glanced at the back of the book jacket. "I was mortified," says Mrs. Armstrong. The book, which her daughter got from a friend, had a blurb on the back that read, "After all, no one really wants to go to college a virgin."
The San Francisco mom allowed Katherine to finish the novel, one of the popular "Gossip Girl" series, but started keeping closer tabs on her daughter's reading material. She wishes the book business would help out. "It would be nice if they had a big rating on it, like at the movies," Mrs. Armstrong says.

It's the summer book season: Do you know what your child is reading? To appeal to teens brought up on suggestive music videos and cable-TV shows, publishers are releasing more books full of mature themes and unflinching portrayals of sexual activity, with young protagonists the same age as their target readers. One publisher is venturing beyond its titles on dragons and bunnies with "Claiming Georgia Tate," about a 12-year-old girl whose father pressures her into a sexual relationship and makes her dress like a prostitute. In "Looking for Alaska," prep-school students watch pornography and pass the time binge-drinking. Coming this fall is "Teach Me," in which a male high-school teacher has sex with a student. This season's book offerings for young adults include novels about basketball and elves as well as more risqué titles.

And kids seem to be responding: Young-adult fiction -- which has come to be associated with the edgy titles -- is one of the book industry's healthiest segments. Targeting the 12-and-up age group, the segment's sales are up 23% since 1999, according to estimates by industry analyst Albert Greco, a Fordham University marketing professor. (Adult sales in the same period were down slightly more than 1%, according to the Book Industry Study Group.) The young-adult category's top seller by far is the "Harry Potter" franchise, and when the series' last book came out in 2003, Mr. Greco estimates it accounted for almost half of the segment's $406 million in sales. But for children who've outgrown young wizards or just want something else to read, publishers are releasing more risqué titles in the young-adult segment, many of them aimed at teen girls. Last year, even without a new "Potter" book, overall revenue in the young-adult segment increased to $410 million, estimates Mr. Greco. In all, there were more than 21,000 new kids' titles released in 2004 -- double the number in 2002, according to R.R. Bowker in New Providence, N.J., which collects publishing data.

To offer some parental guidance in this fast-changing arena, Weekend Journal sorted through more than 100 of the season's talked-about teen titles. We kept our eye out for literary merit and great stories, and also looked for themes that parents might want to know about. One discovery: The subject matter is rarely clear from a book's title or graphics. "Rainbow Party" features tubes of lipstick on the cover -- though it isn't about girls discussing makeup, but a teen oral-sex party. We also found that girls are the main target audience here, reflecting publishers' belief that more teen girls than boys read. (The idea is that boys stick to fantasy epics.) That helps explain why there are more controversial girl-oriented titles, like "Alice on Her Way," about a 16-year-old who spends a weekend in Manhattan on a class trip.

Publishers say the mature material simply reflects the culture teens are exposed to today, and may help them to process situations they've heard about or experienced. In some cases, they add, the themes help advance a moral message: "Rainbow Party," for example, teaches children about the risk of sexually transmitted diseases, says Rick Richter, president of Simon & Schuster's children's division, which published the title. He adds that he'd be happy to have his 13-year-old daughter read it.

Industry analysts say editors have been emboldened to go beyond the bad behavior of the '80s "Sweet Valley" novels, because of a few risqué-fiction success stories. Last year's "How I Live Now," aimed at children 12 and older and featuring an affair between teen cousins, won the 2005 Michael L. Printz Award for young-adult literature. Many more have been commercial hits, including the "Gossip Girl" series, for readers 15 and up, with seven installments since 2001 and more than two million books in print. (Most young-adult titles sell fewer than 20,000 copies, analysts say.) The "A-List" novels, about rich teens looking for trouble, have had 945,000 books printed since 2003, while last year's "The Clique," a chronicle of spoiled middle-school girls, is already a three-book series with 1.15million copies in print.

- *THE WALL STREET JOURNAL*
*'You're Reading...What?'* This season, publishers are rolling out more volumes for teens that are full of heavy themes, from binge drinking to incest.
By *SALLY BEATTY*

My blogging style :D

Your Blogging Type Is Clever and Witty

Of all blogging types, you're the best with words.Almost every blog post you write has legendary quality.You have a perverse sense of humor and often play devil's advocate.Impatient and picky, you tend to go off on funny rants from time to time.

What's" Your Blogging Personality?

Life Without Limbs

Just came across this on a friends blog. The story of a young man born with much less than me, but who believes in himself and in God and has the courage to dream. Recently I've been scaling down my dreams, trying to convince myself that holding out for all I can imagine is demanding too much. I forgot that for God nothing is too much. If I can think of it, God can create it for me. If he thinks its not good enough, he'll just go one step better. So all I'd like to tell everyone out there is "DREAM". The only thing that holds us back is our mind. Settling is NOT the answer. Even if you think you've settled for less, never stop dreaming.
Keep your eyes open cos the answer to your dream might be right in front of our eyes.

A birthday and a wedding.

Another B'day come n gone. Atleast this time it wasn't my own. Family is a strange thing. They r always there whether you like it or not. And I mean that in both ways, bad and good.

My hair is chopped off. And wonder of wonder's, the Sister approves. All credit goes to Blossom at Tenderlocks.

The Sister is still addicted to the phone. I think she bought it on the 8th. But in that case this enthusiasm seems a tad prolonged. Oh well, she needs something to be happy about.

My first matchmaking effort got married on the 9th. He's gotta go abroad for a bit now so they rushed the registration thru'. Both signings on 1 day. And yours truly was the witness for everything. Dead broke so borrowed 100 bucks from the 'bride' for petrol :) N then forgot all about it when they came over on the 12th with a 'Thank-you' gift. Oh well, hope I remember next time I meet her.

M_n_c_e_t

Just sent in my resume to a company in Bombay. I came across an ad for some job openings very suddenly and it seemed just a bit too coincidental to pass up. They've just sent me a very strange email back, asking for an updated resume. I've already sent them an updated resume. What more do they expect me to put in. They also want more details. Uh huh. Very helpful. Time to think out of the box.
One good thing that came out of their communiqué was that it included their office address and so if I actually get through I have one less thing to worry about. It's a pretty decent location. No trips to the outback for me :)