Odd Sugars?!

No! Just like Odd, I'm glad too that he's not Odd Sugars, but Odd Thomas! A short order cook who leads no ordinary life, has a scary and adventurous story to tell us. Now it wouldn't be fair for a person of such character to have "Sugars" for a last name, would it?

The story is a blend of thriller and horror (not the Stephen King kind that will keep you up all night). This book is a page turner that will keep you wondering and contemplating... who killed whom?... will he die? ... will he find the cold-blooded killer? ... Is it whom Odd thinks it is? ... Will Odd marry Stormy as promised?

It's an exotic, out-of-the-world kinda book that's very interesting if you're bored of reading mundane thrillers, adventures, do-it-yourself, what have you!

I didn't however, like how the story ended. I'd have wanted to read a happy ending after all that Odd had gone through! Anyway, Dean Koontz probably wanted to give the story a twist that it needed towards the end. This is only the first of the Odd books I've read, but I'm looking forward to read the other series as well.

All in all, it's a great book to read as a one-timer. Go fetch your copy from your library!

Hold you high!

I discovered this song a few days back and have been in love with it since! Its called "Broken" by Seether featuring Amy Lee (from one of my fav American rock band; Evanescence).



Its kinda sad, but a number that will tend to stay on your lips for a long time. I'm gonna stay away from the very passionate Roxette for a while and enjoy some good 'ol rock instead.

Disassociating myself from Murphy

Whatever can go wrong will go wrong, and at the worst possible time, in the worst possible way
~ Edward A. Murphy ~

I beg to differ.

This is like being the centre of attention in a theater where thousands of pairs of eyes wait with diligent eagerness sparkling behind their eyes. They’re obviously expecting a decent performance after having paid for the play. And you have butterflies, the size of dragons!

This is like the feeling you get when you’re sitting in front of a full auditorium … a grand piano at the centre of the stage, an entire auditorium earnestly waiting to listen to you reverberate the ambience. You’re fingers will refuse to play, just then!

Simply put, it’s ‘Baggage Claim’; which, in my humble opinion, is the most stressful part of travel.

My work is as scary!

But I love what I’m about to do in the near future. And now I don’t feel all that jittery after all. I’m going to jump the gun. I’m going to get silly. Nothing can go wrong! The full house only reminds me of the confidence the audience has in me, and of the impending ovation. I will therefore override Murphy’s Law, take the plunge and stretch my legs as far as they can take me this 2008.

So maybe, I should now say…Everything happens for the good!

Time will tell the rest. Wish me luck!


Picture Courtesy: Google Images

Nadal and Moya

WOW!!!

I just got back from a 4.5 hour semi-final match between Rafael Nadal and Carlos Moya at the Chennai Open tonight. I have no words to describe it, but this evening Chennai had an opportunity to witness one of the BEST MATCHES EVER! And I'm glad I made it. Getting to watch seed #2 Rafael Nadal and seed #7 Carlos Moya at the same court is a real boon. Both sportsmen gave their best. All 3 sets went into tie breakers and the audience were constantly on their feet! And so was I! :D They’d go berserk every time one of them went into an Advantage and the other broke it into a DEUCE! The semi-final was as good as the finals itself. I’m sure none of the Chennaites would like tomorrow’s match if they had seen today’s.

It was a 6-7, 7-6, 7-6 victory for Nadal. After he took it, Nadal threw tennis balls into the auditorium using a cricket bat. It was the funniest sight to see him struggle with it. :P

And what’s more. Some 6000 fans. A binocular in my hand! A heated match! Two Spaniards! 21-year old Nadal. 31-year old Moya (as hot as Nadal). Ooooh la la! ;) What more could I have asked for?

A HUGE thanks to my BIL who got the tickets for us and to my sis who screamed along with me for each point that Nadal took and sighed along with me each time he lost one. :P I had the best evening in a long long time!

The End of Year Meme

A little too late for an end of year meme. But I kinda like this one from Devil’s. So I’m going to take it.

1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before?
I traveled outside of India, missed two of my favorite festivals, missed my loved ones tones, learned a lot, cried a lot, laughed a lot, and cooked my own lunch for 3 months.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
No, and never will.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Three of ‘em! That’s a lot by my standards.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Thankfully No.

5. What countries did you visit?
I visited the United States twice. I hope the New Year will let me travel less to the US and more to other countries.

6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
If I asked for it, would I get it?
A niece or nephew? (If my sister’s reading this one, she should start working on it!) :D
Actually, I want to be, and feel successful in everything. 2008 would probably be the year that helps kick-start it!?!

7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
August 31st; my sister’s wedding. July 2nd and December 17th. (I have my own reasons)

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I’ve gained the confidence and trust of two of the most important people in my life. AND, a few from work. And it really feels good. Believe me :)

9. What was your biggest failure?
I can’t think of anything. I’ve just decided to stop experiencing vertigo. I don’t intend to!

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Absolutely! Falling sick is easy for me, and my cards read that 2008 is gonna be another year of ill health for me :(

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Books. Lotsa ‘em :)

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
No one.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
No one.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Traveling, books, sister’s wedding, and shoes, in that order!

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
About 2008. Seriously! Up until June of last year, everything was pretty mundane. I was disappointed in me. And since July, I can’t stop thinking about 2008 and all that I’m about to do this year :) Wish me luck!

16. What song will always remind you of 2007?
Umm… Forever and For Always?!? Shania Twain.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer?
umm… that’s an easy one. I’m definitely much happier, unquestionably a lot fatter (cheesy smile) and yep, I’m Miss Richie Rich!

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
More reading, more traveling, more crushes(?!?), and probably feel more romantic :D

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
That’s easy too. I wish I were less stupid! :-/

20. How did you spend Christmas?
I don’t celebrate Christmas. But since I reached home on the eve of Christmas, Christmas day itself was pretty much spent sleeping through and trying to getting out of jet lag.

21. Did you fall in love in 2007?
Yeah, a handful of times. But sadly, it’s not getting carry-forwarded to 2008.

22. What was your favorite TV program?
Fortunately for me, I don’t watch TV. It’s not my thing.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Thankfully no. I can forgive people easily if it doesn’t mean too much to me.

24. What was the best book you read?
Rebecca!

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
A lot more of Roxette!

26. What did you want and get?
Nothing.

27. What did you want and not get?
I wanted a music player. I’ll pick one up soon.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
No favs. I’m not big on movies.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
My birthday morning was a big surprise. I wake up and come into the living room and there’s my sister and BIL with this cute cane chair as a birthday gift. :D But unfortunately, the rest of the day was pretty much boring. A hopeless total of three people called to wish me. I turned 26 and felt like an old hag. :P

30. What one thing made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I worked very hard. Success sure tastes sweet.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
Comfortable, Business casuals.

32. What kept you sane?
Blogging, Books, Music. Thank God for music!

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Antonio Banderas! Last year. This year. Next year. A.L.W.A.Y.S!

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
I don’t follow politics so much. But Bhutto’s assassination was pretty appalling.

35. Who did you miss?
Missing someone is the hardest thing for me. For everyone I guess. When you miss someone, it’s kinda difficult to mention how much you miss them, isn’t it? It’s equally difficult to mention names too. So I’ll let it remain a secret. :)

36. Who was the best new person you met?
Very many people. Elayaperumal being one of ‘em.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007.
Oh I got more than one:

Friends are the best things that can happen to us.
Hard work is scary.
Success is too sweet but it brings green-eyed monsters along with it.
And … Relationships are hard!!!

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
This one’s a song called Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield. It pretty much describes this past year for me.

I am unwritten, can’t read my mind, I’m undefined
I’m just beginning, the pen’s in my hand, ending unplanned
Staring at the blank page, before you open the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance, so close you can almost taste it

Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else can speak the words on your lips.
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins

The rest is still unwritten!