Though I had to get up early today, which I didn't by the way, I stayed up to watch P.S. I Love You yesterday night. And boy, I gotta tell ya, not since Kabhie Khushi Kabhie Gham, have I cried this much over a movie, really. Hillary Swank would but blink and I would turn into a human hosepipe. Such was the effect it had on me.

Anyway, enough of that. This story is about Holly and Gerry. They make the perfect couple. Meant for each other. Soul mates! They argue sometimes, but they're absolutely crazy about each other. They met in Ireland and married young. Things are pretty much perfect, until Gerry dies of brain tumour. But before he dies, he writes Holly a series of letters to guide her through her grief and help her get back on her feet.

The most heartbreaking scene is when after Gerry's funeral, Holly puts on his clothes and calls the answering machine just so that she could hear his voice again. Had me howling in grief, that one. Although, in it's defence, the movie did have some slightly less-heartbreaking scenes. My favourite was the one where Holly and Gerry meet for the first time. How she's dressed in a million colours and hopelessly lost. And how Gerry just happens to stroll by and gives Holly directions. And how they walk together and he just knows then and there that they're meant to be! I've always been a sucker for love stories.

( Ignore the caption. Neener-neener-neener! )

And you know, I really thought the movie had a Bollywood-esque feel to it. What, with all the melodrama, true love and stuff. Especially the writing-letters-before-he-dies bit. Didn't Rani Mukherjee do that already in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai? Though, admittedly for completely different reasons.

Too bad there wasn't any dancing-in-Switzerland in it. Would have so completed the effect.

When I heard Gerard Butler was in the movie, I thought who the heck cast him in a movie like this? I thought he'd do his 300 thing again. You know, all the killing and screaming and stuff.

And I didn't think he was much of a looker either. Never thought he was much the romantic-comedy-type actor. Anyone who's seen 300 would have presumed as much. You've seen the men in chick-flicks, all of them more or less resemble Hugh Grant. But was I wrong or was I wrong! Gerard Butler is adorable!

I never noticed in 300 that he's got blue eyes and is tall and is really cute! I think that's enough drooling over him, no?

But, seriously, just look at the contrast. He is so the romantic-comedy-type actor. How could I have even imagined otherwise?

The film has a lot of lovey-dovey bordering on cheesy lines, but I think the best one is this -

Gerry writes to Holly : Dear Holly, I don't have much time. I don't mean literally, I mean you're out buying ice cream and you'll be home soon. But I have a feeling this is the last letter, because there is only one thing left to tell you. It isn't to go down memory lane or make you buy a lamp, you can take care of yourself without any help from me. It's to tell you how much you move me, how you changed me. You made me a man, by loving me Holly. And for that, I am eternally grateful ... literally. If you can promise me anything, promise me that whenever you're sad or unsure or you lose complete faith, that you'll try to see yourself through my eyes. Thank you for the honor of being my wife. I'm a man with no regrets. How lucky am I. You made my life, Holly. But I'm just one chapter in yours. There'll be more. I promise. So here it comes, the big one. Don't be afraid to fall in love again. Watch out for that signal, when life as you know it ends. P.S. I will always love you.

Me too! The movie, that is!

Finally, after months of mind numbing tedium, something to break the monotony. Engineering! That phase in every geek's life that begins after she's passed out of school (junior college, in my case), and lasts for around four years wherein she's ragged, shagged, fagged, nagged ... and then graduates with a bachelor's degree in computer science and engineering. It's this nerd's turn now. Though she's not too sure about the graduation bit, being the chronic pessimist that she is.

Screw the referring-to-oneself-in-third-person crap.

It was exactly thirteen days ago, on a fine sunny afternoon that a man in his late 40's dressed in black trousers and a demurely striped shirt walked into the administrative office of an establishment by the name of C.M.R. Institute of Technology. Half an hour later, he was seen walking out of the office with a slip of paper and a brochure in his hands and a silent prayer of thanks to The Almighty in his eyes. His days of worrying about his idiot daughter's future had finally come to an end. She was granted admission in the college. She would attend classes from the next day on and hopefully, graduate in a few years.

The man in concern is my dad and needless to say, I'm the idiot daughter. Yes, I've been attending college for the past about twelve days. New place, new people, new clothes ... old me.

The first day went well, actually. I didn't even get ragged. Ragging, by the way is a cultural phenomenon in which respect the seniors of any given educational institution take it upon themselves to bully the new students and generally intimidate them in any and every way possible. Though, of late, it has become a trend among engineering colleges in particular, to ban ragging. But it takes place nevertheless.

The second day was much more interesting in comparison. I got blacklisted by our engineering drawing lecturer for 'smiling too much' and sitting in the last bench. Talk about Nazism. Just as I was contemplating how lucky I was to have made it this far without getting ragged, a senior came up to me. And hilarity ensued.

senior - B.D. kottu. ( state your B.D.) ( B.D. is an acronym for bio-data. It also serves the purpose of a pun as, in Telugu, the word beedee refers to a certain type of cigar and anyone unfamiliar with Engineering Student Slang would be tricked into believing that the senior is asking the junior for a cigar. Damn clever, eh? )

me - I'm Anuroopa. I studied in D.A.V., Secunderabad ...

senior - Eh, sir ani pilavali ani telida? ( Eh, don't you know that you have to use the word 'Sir' when you talk to me?)

me - Sorry, sir!

senior - Sare, B.D. cheppu. ( okay, tell me your B.D. )

me - I'm Anuroopa sir. And I studied in D.A.V., sir. I ...

senior - What's your native tongue?

me - Telugu, sir.

senior - Aite English lo cheptunnavu enti? Telugu lo cheppu. ( Why do you speak in English, then. Speak in Telugu )

me - Na peru Anuroopa sir. Nenu D.A.V. lo ...

senior - Enni sarlu D.A.V. ... D.A.V. ani antavu? Inkedanna cheppu. ( Why do you keep telling me that you studied in D.A.V.? Tell me something else. )

After engaging me in this annoying fashion for about 20 minutes, he finally let me go. Just when I thought the worst was over, I got ragged again. This time by girls who demanded that I sing for them. And again, by others who wanted me to bring them chocolates the next day. And in this manner, the first few days at my new college went by.

[image source]

Though engineering life is highly romanticized in such Telugu films as Happy Days, and I was stupid enough to believe such things, I've come to realize now that engineering is not all what it's made out to be. It's not all bunking classes, going to movies, hanging at the canteen and stuff. One has to be prepared for a long hard slog if one even dreams of graduation. Still, I'm not complaining.

I'm an engineering student now. And that means that I'm one step closer. In less than four years, I'm going to get the heck outa' here.

I've been tagged to mention my top five favourite songs that are fast, furious and danceable. So, here are five songs that make me want to get jiggy wid it, even though I am in possession of not one, but  two left feet. Thank God for the rest of the world I only jiggy inside the confines of my room.

• Honey Honey - ABBA

• Summer Nights - From Grease, The Film

I almost forgot John Travolta used to look so nice.

• Ain't No Mountain High Enouh - Marvin Gaye & Tami Terrel

• Sway - Dean Martin

Other dancers may be on the floor dear, but my eyes will see only you.

 

Build A Dream On - Louis Armstrong

Kaisi Paheli Zindegani from the film Parineeta is a direct lift from this song. Honestly, music producers, do you think we're stupid?

I know these songs aren't fast and they're most certainly not furious, but they are danceable. So, at least they fulfil one of the criteria. Please don't write me off as an oldies junkie, I enjoy all sorts of music. Honest. I didn't intend for all of them to be oldies, they're the ones that came to my mind just then, that's all.

It's your turn now! Tell everyone what your top five fast, furious and danceable songs are!

The sole purpose of the existence of my facebook account seems to be to indulge my odd-quiz-taking fetish. Really, what could beat odd quizzes? And of the facebook variety! I think being told by anonymous and possibly disturbed strangers that my Native-American name is Sunny Stream is one of the best things in the world. Wouldn't you agree?

Which brings us to one of the more recent odd quizzes I've taken. And it's called, wait for it -

'What Dead Rock Star Are You?'

Really, I'm amazed at myself. How I managed to survive this long, without knowledge of so essential a facet of my identity. Why didn't anyone ever tell me which dead rock star I am? Absolutely wallowing in ignorance, I was. Did you not see fit that I should know? Did you assume that I couldn't handle it? Why? Why?

But I found out anyway. Ha. Looks like all those years of deceit have come to nothing. Too bad. For you. I have found myself now. And turns out I'm -

'You are Jim Morrison, brilliant and extroverted, but dark and disturbed. You enjoy fire, snakes and the occult. Stay away fom Paris unless you want to end up next to edgar allan poe. And try to keep it in your pants, ok?'

Jim Morrison. *gasp*

You know, I used to have the exact same hairstyle when I was younger. And the good people at Vodafone gifted me shades similar to those he is, ergo, I am, wearing in that picture, as a gesture of thanks for the astronomical phone bill I yield every month. Coincidence? I think not.

Jokes apart, I thought that he looked quite a bit like Leonardo daVinci's The Virtuvian Man -

Notice how they have nearly identical hair. And mouth and nose. What do you think, do  you agree with me?

And how could The Doors not be mentioned when a discussion of ol' Jimmy is in session. One of the best The Doors songs I've heard, and the number isn't much large, is Light My Fire ( thus the title ). I came across a video on youtube of them performing that song on stage. Interesting. Have a look at it  -

I'm quite sure Morrison was more or less high at the time. Look at what various youtube users have to say -

"You're all a bunch of SLAVES !!!! What are you goin' to do about it !! What are you goin' to do about it !!" ( what indeed? )

"and now tell me that drugs don't work... :-)" ( caught on, has he )

"Chinga tu madre puto idiota" ( I'm not too sure that he's complimenting them )

I immensely enjoy reading comments as these. Don't you?

And I gotta tell ya, Jim Morrison's got spunk. What I wouldn't give for a walk like that!*

P.S. - I can't believe 90210 ended the day before! Can't wait for the next season!

*Erm, not really.