The Catcher in the Rye ; book review

It requires special patience to read this book. Not that this book is bad, but at times it seems too depressing.

But nevertheless its a well written book. The book is written in a narrative style, the narrator is the lead himself. Not only do we get a insight into his personality, but also he explains his likes and dislikes with sufficient reasons.

Beauty of the narration is that when you feel you have really understood him, he comes around with thoughts that will stump you.

The end is the really beauty of this book, and the reason why I liked it. Not that I would have found it hard to like him, as a part of me identifies with him for his style of thinking.

You will dislike parts of his personality or his behavior. But that is also the reason why this book is so good. You like him, and dislike him in equal parts. And its one good ride into his world, as long as you can tolerate his negativity.

Give it a try, its unusual book, you may just like it.

Trivia-

Adam Gopnik considers it one of the "three perfect books" in American literature, along with Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Great Gatsby, and believes that "no book has ever captured a city better than Catcher in the Rye captured New York in the fifties."

Mark David Chapman murdered former Beatles member John Lennon due to obsession with Catcher in the Rye. Chapman remained at the scene, took out his copy of The Catcher in the Rye and read it until the police arrived. Chapman stated, "I’m sure the large part of me is Holden Caulfield, who is the main person in the book. The small part of me must be the Devil.

Stanley and his chillar party

No its not any new movie. It just combines two movies that were recently released. One was "Stanley ka dabba" and other one "Chillar Party".

While the first one is more of a real movie without entertaining songs ,while the later is more fictional yet it is very good.

The best part about both the movies is that scenes with kids in it felt written for kids. The dialogues were not sermons written by adults for kids. They were short and to the point told in a kids style.

Child actors acted in such an authentic way that it reminded me of my childhood days.

Both movies deserve applause as they entertain, have a message, sufficient plot, excellent acting, and nearly authentic setup. And more than anything they don't really on star power, marketing gimmicks, item songs, or special effects.

Yet they could do much better, something that portrays a kids imagination gone wild, etc.

Nevertheless a good start.

free your soul

shift..shift..shift..
shift the gears..
twist..twist..twist..
twist the throttle..
lean..lean..lean..
lean in corners..
wind..wind..wind..
wind in face..
rush..rush..rush..
rush of adrenaline..
ride..ride..ride..
ride till you tire
free..free..free..
free your soul

Stuffed

I chose this title because I am stuffed. Stuffed, as I have eaten too much "Chinese bhel" .

This snack, as the name suggests is combination of Indian and Chinese styles.

But lets talk about something else.  we will begin with movies.

The weekend of blockbusters has begun and one after another super movie is releasing to my and mahendra's delight. Mahendra is one of my best friends, and my best movie buddy as we have seen countless movies together.

Monsoon has dried up, and it rains sporadicaly, which isn't a good thing.

I recently visited a waterfall at kharghar called pandavkada, usually entry is banned as it is dangerous but due to low rainfall it looked meek. I rode my bike to the foot of the falls, and it was thrilling to do some off-road riding.

The reason it is called pandavkada is that "the pandavas" during their exile stayed in the cave which is behind the curtain of the waterfall.

so thats all for now. thank you for reading

The musical tag

Enjoy the this musical tag.
Whoever wishes to take it up is most welcome to do so.

Rules::
1. Turn on your music player be it, winamp, Windows Media Player, IPOD etc. on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button, listen to the song, and get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS

1. If someone asks you, “are you okay ? ?” you say:

Lookie here momma let me explain ya this
If ya wanna get crooked i'll even give ya my fist
Ya might read from revelation back to genesis
Ya keep forgetten your southern can belongs to me

(Your southern can is mine - The White Stripes)

2. How would you describe yourself ?

You got guns? we got guns...
Yo, I got straps, we got straps...
A million muthafuckas on the planet Earth
Talk that hard bullshit
'Cause it's all they worth...
(Been there done that - Dr. Dre )

3. What do you like in a guy/girl ?

It's time to escape, but I don't know where the fuck i'm headed
Up or down, right or left, life or death
I see myself in a mist of smoke
(Serial Killa - Snoop Dogg)

4. How do you feel today ?

Understand the things I say
Don’t turn away from me
Cause I spent half my life out there
You wouldn’t disagree
(Ode to my family - The Cranberries)

5. What is your life’s purpose ?

She was sixteen and six feet tall
In a crowd of teenagers comin' out of the zoo
She stumbled started to slip and fall
Teeter-tottered on the top of patent leather shoes
I happened to catch her and said,
"maybe these ruby shoes are a little cumbersome for you"

(A martyr for my love for you - The White Stripes)

6. What’s your motto ?

I reckon you ain't familiar with these here parts
You know, there's a story behind that there saloon

(Bad meets Evil - Eminem)

7. What do your friends think of you ?

Yes, it's time for the Dr. Gobbles Show
There's this tower in the heart of London
With a radio station right at the top
They don't make the city beat
They're making all the action stop
(Capital Radio One - The Clash)

8. What do your parents think of you?

Chori Chori ..jab nazarein milli
(Kareeb - hindi movie)

9. What do you think of often ?

Standin' on the corner of civilization
There's a time there's a place for me
In a world where I can't be found
Cold and mean people give me the creeps
(Naked in the rain - The Red Hot Chilli Peppers)

10. What is 2 + 2 ?

Girl you have no faith in medicine
Oh girl you have no faith in medicine
Acetaminophen you see the medicine oh girl

(The White Stripes)

11. What do you think of your best friend ?

The Nurse should not be the one who
Puts salt in your wounds
But it's always with trust that the posion
Is fed with a spoon

(The Nurse - The White Stripes)

12. What is your life story ?

Yeah, yeah.. haha yeah!
All my gangsta niggaz is in the building on this one!
You know! Yeah yeah ya know
It's real!! Hussein what's happ'nin nigga?
I see you, aight Shadow what's poppin BLAT!!
Haha haha, yeah my nigga O-1 in the motherfucking house
(Clap back - Ja Rule)

13. What do you want to be when you grow up ?

Niggaz won't creep these streets with me
cause you know fuckin what these streets'll be
Make you wanna.. then I'm gonna..
cause I gotta.. POP POP, POP POP (nigga!)
(The Professional - DMX)

14. What do you think when you see the person you like ?

was sitting there in a comfortable chair
And that was all that I needed
Then my friend offered me a drink for us to share
And that was all that I needed

(Take, Take, Take - The White Stripes)

15. What will you dance to at your wedding 4th anniversary?

Ja Rule, Chuck B-more
Every thug needs a lady
And every thug needs a down ass bitch, huh, feel me
Every thug needs a lady
Baby I'm convinced, you my down ass bitch
(Down Ass Bitch - Ja Rule)

16. What will they play at your funeral ?

Dil Ko...Tumse Pyaar Hua
Pehli baar hua ...
(Rehna hai tere dil mein-hindi film)

17. What is your hobby/interest ?

Do right, use your head, everybody must be fed
Get together, break your bread, yes, together, that's what I said
Do what you like
(Do what you like - Blind Faith)

18. What is your biggest fear ?

I know 'cos I've seen it
It was great and I want it
There's no point in sitting
Going crazy on my own
(Modern Way - The Kaiser Chiefs)

19. What is your biggest secret ?

Somebody's screaming
looking at the ceiling oh oh oh
everything's so funny
I don't have any money oh oh oh
people don't even know me
but they know how to show me oh oh oh
(Why Can't You be nicer to me - The White Stripes)

20. What do you want right now ?

I've got myself
In a masochistic hold
Why don't you let go
Shake it off
Just to redirect my flow
Come on let's go

(On Mercury - The Red Hot Chilli Peppers)

21. What do you think of your friends?

Lift me up on my honour
Take me over this spell
Get this weight off my shoulders
I've carried it well

(Sweet Talk - The Killers)

22. When you want to rush to the toilet, what do you think ?

Haule Haule se hawa lagti hai..
Haule Haule se Dawa lagti hai..
(Rab ne bana di jodi-hindi film)

23. Person you hate the most is in front of you, what will you tell the person?

Far from the evergreen of old Assam
Far from the rainfall on the trails of old Saigon
Straight from the poster town of scorn and ritz
To bring you the wilder side of gold and glitz
(The Killers)

24. You have just won a lottery. What will you sing ?

I am as ugly as I seem, worse than all your dreams
(As ugly as I seem - The White Stripes)

25. What will you post this as?

Midnight to six man, for the first time from jamaica...
(White Man In Hammersmith Palais - The clash)

Melancholy

Hayden:- Listen jack, this doesn't look good.
Jack:- What do you mean? You were supposed to fix it.
Hayden:- I know....I tried....I could not....Its..
Jack:- Wait a minute! I gave you the notes, it should been fixed by now.
H:- Notes are useless! They..
J:- They are not, I got it from the guy who created this machine. They can't possibly be..
H:- Fake, but they are. Nothing works, and now I think we should just run away.
J:- Run Away? Leaving all this mess. Just like that..
H:- Come on! We will call the cops and tell them some supernatural thing happened and now all the people in the nieghbourhood who use cellphones are being brainwashed into killing each other
J:- You have any idea how ridiculous it sounds? The cops will..
H:- Shit! They will blame us for it. We are the only ones who are not affected. And this crazy machine is in our house.
J:- whoa! not our house; your house!
H:- What? Now please don't do this.
J:- You did it all and now you are telling me not to. I have nothing to do with this.
H:- No! No! don't desert me now..Please, help me.
J:- ......I didnt steal it and then use it! ..you did.. [starts to step back..out of the house]
H:- Damn it! I am telling you, don't go. Stop!
[Hayden jumps towards Jack, with his hands aimed at his neck]
J:- ucckk...ucckk...ssttoopp...mmyyy nnneecckk..hhhuurrtsss...uucck..ucckk.. ... ...
H:- Dead...Good...Good?...Dead!...One by Me...!!!
H:- Searching New Target....

[Hayden leaves, and the red LED light on the bluetooth headset clipped on his ear shines bright....still]

p.s. This is my second attempt at fiction. My first attempt was of writing a sci-fi story, a decade ago, so maybe someday I will post it too.

Its time to tag them all

I was tagged by Chocolate Lover (http://chocolatychocolatelover.blogspot.com)

Thank you for the tag. I am doing a tag after a long time.

Tag Name:-My favourites

Food: I love all kinds of food. But more than full course meals I love small snacks of all kinds like cutlets, spring roles, pattice, chaats, samosa, kacchi dabeli, medu wada, etc etc..I love soups a lot...and fried prawns give me a high..as long as it doesn't have brinjals or bittergourd.

Color: I liked many colors, but I wear only a few. Green, Blue, Black, White.

Sports: I played cricket when I was a kid, and still play when my office friends plan anything. But I am pathetic with the bat, but I can bowl decently. I love football, but don't play much. I ride a bicycle sometimes. Also like to play carrom.

Dessert: Jalebi or Strawberry milkshake

Artist/Singer/Brand: lots and lots ..just cant list here all of them. It depends on my mood.

If I need to be in creative/aggressive mood:- Heavy Metal

Calm, yet awake mood:- classic rock

just woken up:- punk rock

stuck in traffic, so don't need complicated:- alternative/pop-rock

in mood to dance or jump around like a monkey:- hip-hop

need to sing a few songs:- hindi music

I also love to try out all forms of music.

Pair of shoes: I don't really have too many pairs. I have one chappal (traditional indian footwear), a pair of leather shoes, a pair of floaters. thats it!

Accessory: my dearest watch, and a belt.

Hobbies: Reading (books, mags), writing (anything), watch movies (on TV or theaters), watching (Football, F1, MotoGP), trekking or visiting new places with
friends, riding my motorcycle, also like to sing.

Beauty product: Protein hair cream/hair gel, a deo-spray (?), sun screen lotion

Snacks: all kinds of snacks, but love chaat more than anything.

Movies: all kinds action, sci-fi, thrillers, adventure, horrors, comedy and animation flicks. Love english movies most, but also a fan of Korean, Japanese and French movies. Also watch many hindi movies, but rarely more than once .

-That's it-

I am tagging:

Nitisha

Shas

Jhoomur Bose

Chandrika Shubham

Rajlakshmi

Shomoita Alam

I am not saying it

I believed in love and its power in any form except the one between man and woman (marriage,etc). Things have changed though and slowly my hatred for that kind of love is reducing. Still it has got a long way to go for me to become a romantic.

No, I haven't fallen in love. But somehow time has worked its wonders I guess.

--------

But then wonders are something I wanted to see after going to Chennai and I was disappointed. Recently I was on a trip down south. First got down at Begumpet in Andhra. Then after roaming around in boiling heat, headed towards Narsaraopet. It was no better and heat continued to suck out water from out body. After attending a friends wedding, we moved to Tirupati which was much cooler place to be, and a very clean and good religious destination. From there on, we had to catch a flight from Chennai to Mumbai, and we had about 8 hours to kill before getting to the airport. The climate of chennai was a welcome change from energy sapping dry heat of Andhra, as humidity is more tolerable for someone coming from Mumbai. But Chennai visit ended up being waste as Guindy National Park was closed on Tuesday and Marina Beach was too far from Airport also it was the same day Jayalalitha landed at Chennari airport. But overall the trip was good, except the food. Its all rice, and rice and more rice. Coming from a konkan family we are also rice eaters, but I am an exception. I eat rice only nominally due to it being part of a balanced diet. Even though I love many food items made of rice, be it dosa or biryani. I can't tolerate too much of rice. And so I had rice-mares for two nights after returning back from trip down under. I used to dream of being forced to eat plates full of kilos of rice.

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Ok, I better stop cribbing as it is raining now, and it is time to haggle friends to come with me for a trek in the greens!

Reviews n all

Kung Fu Panda 2 (movie review):-

Absolutely stunning, prolific, funny, stellar movie....and I could go on.
Rich script, gripping plot, and terrific dialogues.
Brilliant voice-overs.
Worthy of the tag 3-D, as it was superb 3-D animation.
Animation standards are not just high, but also a mixture of different styles.
Keeps the spirit of the first movie, and yet reaches another level of awesomeness.
I just don't see any reason why anyone should not watch this movie.
It is one of those rare sequels that does better than the first.
This non-stop rollicking action is so thrilling that we couldn't even finish the popcorn.
Watch it in 3-D and be enthralled.

Ready Movie Review :-

Its part Dabaang, its part Wanted, and its completely Salman Khan.
Other actors try this kind of movie, only Salman Khan gets it right and pulls the crowd.
After a long time I found out that it was difficult to get first day movie tickets, that is the magic of Salman Khan.
Movie has not plot. I think after making the movie, the makers felt happy that didn't require any script.
Still the dialogues will induce laughs/claps for either being witty or silly.
Movie moves along at good enough pace, with a sprinkling of decent/ridiculous songs, and one item song.
Casting is good. All other actors have been well chosen and nearly don't overact, which is reassuring.
It can be called entertainment, it can be called fun,yet you may not watch it twice, and if you do, it means you like Salman Khan.
Oh! did I mention Salmaan Khan rules in it.

Bike Ride from Mumbai to Pune and back

Date:- 15 May 2011
Duration:- 8-9 hours
Distance Covered:- 320 kms
Journey:- Thane - Panvel - Khopoli - Lonavala - Pune and back !!!!
Average Speed:- 70-80 kmph on empty roads, otherwise 50-60 kmph
Fuel Economy:- Not Available :)

Experience:- My first ever solo (at least one way) bike ride ever. And also first ever bike ride to Pune. NH4 is absolutely brilliant. In parts it has bad surfaces, but otherwise it has all the twists and flats to enjoy riding a bike. It was great to ride the bike on the Mumbai Pune expressway, if only for short distance.

Honda Twister:- Amazing power delivery for a 110cc bike, it is able to keep up with traffic, except powerful cars and bigger bikes. With good enough stopping power it is reassuring. Seat is comfortable, but this is not a cruiser, so I didn't expect sofa like comfort. Crosswinds and high speeds are not good combination for such a light bike, yet it holds its line in most cases. Solid and pleasing performance.