genie's world

Fastest thing on four legs gone extinct?!!

2009-10-04T22:34:00.012+02:00

To begin with, the fastest thing---it’s not me, crawling!!!:D...Well, it’s an animal that can accelerate from 0 to 110kph in three seconds, faster than most of the sports cars!!

Well this post is totally dedicated to the voiceless-the wild animals. Like most of us, I too have visited Zoo during childhood and I, for one, don’t really appreciate the memories because more than the animals, I remember the appalling conditions under which they were kept, their emaciated or badly injured bodies!!! I am sure they were used as a source of income rather than as a form of media to educate the public about their plight. The root cause for them to be in captivity today is—Human encroachment!!..Any fool’s guess!!!

I am a staunch believer of these two facts-First being, the wild should remain in wild...and, the second--- Human beings are born wild and hence they must be tamed!!

Recently I came to know that India is planning to bring back cheetah into its wildlife...WTH!! I never even knew when they went extinct!!! .....!! If you are like me, then a little piece of information...they have been gone since 60years... It is claimed that the last known three Asiatic cheetahs in India were shot dead by the Maharaja of Surguja (currently Madhya Pradesh). I too love the wild animals but then I don’t go shooting them. I rather like to incorporate my liking (for them) into my life through my wardrobe in a harmless way...like an animal print scarf or a skirt...I have always felt disgusted looking at people who display a dead animal’s skin or body parts as symbol of their * whatever*.... There’s nothing in the world that can come out good or positive from something that is stolen from the dead!!!!!!!!

So coming back to the point-the government plans to reintroduce them!?! I don’t know whether it’s a good idea or bad...may be bad because there is a constant fear that they will be again kept in captivity or be poached for their skin!! My suggestion cum opinion to the ‘deaf’ government would be to put all the energy and money into the saving of what is left of the big cats..the tiger, the leopard or the Asiatic lion...

All this inspired me to pay my tribute to an animal I love so dearly!!! So with a heavy heart, I hereby conclude this post with few pictures of mine inspired by the cheetah....I rather display these pictures on the wall of my house when compared to a dead animal’s skin...If only people would have followed a harmless way to include their passions in their life, a magnificent animal like cheetah would be still hunting today in the wilderness of India ..What a shame!!

One of the Animal rights quote---"I ask people why they have deer heads on their walls. They always say because it's such a beautiful animal. There you go. I think my mother is attractive, but I have photographs of her."-- Ellen DeGeneres

Lost in the “TWILIGHT”.............

2009-09-05T20:47:00.011+02:00

Finally it happened...!!!!! I could lay my hands on the twilight series...and believe me I couldn’t be more excited!!! I bought the books at the Dubai International Airport on my way back to INDIA...I was so damn excited..Shall I say like a child in a candy store... I finished reading the entire series in about a week’s time, savouring each and every page....So now the big question is whether I liked it?? The obvious answer is... hell yeah!!!!!!!!!

So let’s get to the review part....Hmm,, well am not going to play a spoiler for those who haven’t read the series...All I would say is its worth every penny!!! They are the best investments I ever made..he he......

But I am really upset to hear about the unpublished “MIDNIGHT SUN”...For those of you who don’t know, the “MIDNIGHT SUN” is a retelling of the first book, “TWILIGHT” from Edward Cullen's point of view. The partial draft of “Midnight Sun” was illegally posted on the Internet and therefore the author Stephanie Meyer has decided to put the project on hold “indefinitely”....:( I have heard that she is reconsidering.......Hopefully she will...What can I say..Have my fingers crossed!!

For those you who want to read the partial draft (which I think is not a good idea), please do so from the author’s website. The link is given below-
http://stepheniemeyer.com/midnightsun.html

After all this, how in the world can I not do an inspirational pic.....You tell me!!! So here it goes..The tribute of an ardent ‘TWILIGHTER’......;)

Well, this picture is totally inspired by the Twilight saga...but my version....I know I have done a picture previously but then it didn’t involve much details like skin colour, "bloody" effect, costume, make-up etc....Moreover, how can I miss this golden opportunity!! He he...

For me,‘Dracula’ is a beautiful creature, having pale skin and dark golden eyes(which turns red when thirsty). I really can’t begin to talk about the 'beautiful' part..he he..but I have tried to look pale. My eyes show a hint of red because this picture is my imagination of a Dracula,having quenched her thirst(I mean post-hunting)..That’s why I am sporting those fangs...But don’t get me wrong ppl, am playing the good guy here!! The hunting that I mentioned previously was in reference to that of a bear, not human!!! So all I would say now is --- Its okay to step into the world of fantasy once in a while..;P......

I am concluding this post with a quote by Edward Cullen, Twilight, Chapter 14, p.304
“For almost ninety years I’ve walked among my kind, and yours… all the time thinking I was complete in myself, not realizing what I was seeking. And not finding anything, because you weren’t alive yet. .....”

Happy Father's day!!!

2009-06-21T07:28:00.003+03:00

To my DEAR DAD, All I want to say is that though you are miles away, you are still so close to me bcoz you live in my heart daddy..Thanks for all that you do for me!! Time and again, you have proved to me that I can always count on you..love you so much- Genie

Happy Father's day to all the fathers out there!!! - Fiersha

First Kiss...

2009-06-20T23:09:00.006+03:00

Silent is the lane, beautiful is the moonlit night,
My body melts in his arms, as he holds onto me tight,,,
Unbottling the fiery passion, we now scared of none,
Hear his heart beat faster, though mine skips one,,,,,,,,,

Eyes do all the talking, as he looks into mine,
Knowing what he desires, a chill runs down my spine,,,
I grant his wish, by closing my eyes,
His lips touches mine, AND I BURN ALIVE,,,,,,,,,

Fiersha

Can We Change the Perception of what is ‘Beautiful’?

2009-06-14T21:51:00.010+03:00

When I am surfing internet, it’s not very uncommon for me to read something which say “so n so has been voted as the most beautiful woman in the world” Or “so n so has been voted as the most sexiest woman in the world”.....For me, this sounds very ridiculous!! Now how do you go about defining beauty which is subjective....Also the term “world” is very huge.....Did these people ask the whole world to vote or did they measure the beauty of each and every individual currently existing on the face of the earth..Well, the whole concept seems to be very preposterous and vague!!! All these celebrities have undergone some kind of plastic surgery whether it is a nose job or a breast job or a tummy tuck or other forms of beauty enhancement like Botox or collagen fillers for lips, cheek implants etc...Nothing of theirs is real e.g. they wear hair extensions, have fake tanning of skin, wear colour contacts lens..All these apart from the huge amount of makeup they don... So is it fair to call them the “most beautiful”..But the irony is that these people are infact voted as the “most beautiful”. .. We have been time and again brain washed into thinking that there are very specific set of standards that are necessary for someone to be considered beautiful. Now these include (naming just a few) being tall, thin, having fair skin or pearly white teeth or shiny long hair....... the list just simply goes on.....

So that leaves me with one question...What is beauty?? Can beauty be standardised or is it subjective?? I am very sure that apart from beauty being subjective, its definition also varies from country to country. To prove this, let me begin by talking about the continent Africa...To be more precise, let’s talk about Mauritania, where thin women are considered as ugly and repulsive...What!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Come again!!!!Yeah, this may come as a shock to you all but that is the truth....

Here the women who are obese rule while the ones who weigh normal and healthy are shunned...If you are wondering how this culture has come into existence, then let me shed some more light on this topic...Mauritania has been a repeated target of drought...So in a land where there is scarcity of food, obesity is considered as an indication of family’s wealth. So how do they go about fattening the women..Well, that’s where the French word “Gavage” steps in, which means force feeding a person or an animal (ducks or geese) against their will... Young adolescent girls are made to stay at home and are force fed until they put on weight. They are made to drink gallons of camel milk or eat couscous (a form of semolina which is high in calorie) repeatedly till they vomit. Once they vomit, the mothers wait for a while and again start force feeding..This goes on for days to months until there is a rapid onset of obesity...If the girl refuses to eat or drink, they are punished (like for example -pressing her finger between two pieces of wood or bending her fingers backwards). Mauritanian men’s obsession with fat women has gone so crazy that women have taken extreme steps in achieving the desired voluptuous body by taking steroids which is prescribed for fattening the camel!! NOW THAT’S REALLY DESPERATE....

So coming back to the topic of being beautiful, would Angelina Jolie or her other counterparts win this most “beautiful woman” trophy in Mauritania which by the way is a part of world ...Well the answer seems to be very straight, loud and clear..A big NO..!!! So I think its not fair to stereotype beauty because I strongly believe that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes....

Fiersha-the alter ego

Now let’s hear what genie has to say- Well, all I would say is that the day I put on weight, I know exactly where to head....;)

"NEW MOON"- Sneak Peek!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..

2009-06-03T13:31:00.010+03:00

Hey guys, am so excited....Just look at the exclamation points made above..he he...Now let me tell you why...Recently, MTV dropped a bombshell on the "Twilight" movie fans by announcing that the cast of "New Moon" will be presenting an exclusive footage from their upcoming "Twilight" sequel during the MTV Movie Awards...I wasn't sure whether I would be able to watch the show...But one thing I knew for sure..That the show would be aired on Sunday(May 31st)..So my next option was to catch up with it on internet( You Tube- The new age miracle), ASAP!!

So if you haven't seen it, click on the following video and njoy!!

My Thoughts:

I really don't like the portrayal of Bella Swan by Kristen Stewart. Somehow I feel she is a misfit...Edward looks yummy like always!!!! Since in this sequel, Edward Cullen is leaving Bella, am not sure what to expect cos he is the soul reason I so truly adore "Twilight".. This coming sequel will have more of Taylor Lautner aka Jack who BTW has transformed his body amazingly to fit into the character of a Werewolf...Damn!! Taylor sure has gotten buff..But the transformation of him into a Werewolf at the end of this trailer made me laugh...The transformation doesn't feel real...If you have seen Lycans turning into werewolves in "Underworld", then you know what am talking about.. That scared the S*** out of me!!..But this is funny...I think they could have done a better job out of it..Hmmm, lemme not come to a conclusion as of now...Shall wait to watch the actual movie and probably then decide..The movie will be releasing on Nov 20th, 2009..Cant believe have to wait for 6 more months!!! But that is a pain am willing to bear..he he..;)

Note: My apologies as I am re-posting this..

Vicious Cycle

2009-06-03T11:57:00.018+03:00

Cold is the night, dark is the street, she walks, ill-dressed..
Her lifeless body baring it all, her eyes blazing red....
Unable to think clear, she starts to make obscene gestures..
'What the world would think', to her, it no more matters....

Emerging from darkness, a man approaches her..
She takes his money, he becomes her 'customer'....
When all is done, grabbing the crumbled money,she begins to run..
In search of finding a dope, fatal had become her addiction....

As she lay drugged on the bed, trying to solve the puzzle..
Never did it occur, she was trapped in a 'vicious cycle'....
As cycle repeats, its yet another night, yet another man..
Taking her back to the merciless streets, where it all began....

Face off

2009-05-27T17:39:00.009+03:00

Yeah...that’s right...It is a total face off between Mr. ‘Onion’ and me....Enough is enough,no more am I going to cry...The time has finally come to settle the score... Am going to let the good in me take a step back because the warrior in me has finally decided to pick the weapon...No mercy shall be shown...Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!!!...The weapons that I am going to use to confront Mr ‘Onion’ are sharp knife, bread, lighted candle, refrigeration, running water, goggles....And the secret weapon used by Mr ‘Onion’ against me is a notorious volatile gas by the name Syn-Propanethial-S-oxide..Ooohh, a biological warfare....!!?? That sounds so dangerous!!! But no worry, it isn’t...he he..;)

'Over dosage' of drama??? He he....For all those who read the above and have no clue as to WTH am I talking, well I shall now explain in much more simpler ‘drama-free’ words.....Since I am health conscious, I like to know what goes into my food...And that’s the key reason why I love to cook...In majority of the dishes that I cook, there is a need to add onions...Well, there lies the problem...Like most of us, cutting onions has always been a pain in the a*** as it leaves me teary eyed!! So I decided to put to test the various theories mentioning how to slice an onion without shedding tears!!

Why onions make us cry- When onions are sliced or eaten, the cells in them break, allowing ‘Alliinase’ enzymes in them to escape. These enzymes decompose amino acid Sulfoxides(another escaped substance) to form Sulfenic acids, which then quickly rearrange themselves into a volatile gas called Syn-Propanethial-S-oxide. This gas reaches our eyes and reacts with the water present there. This changes the chemical's form again, producing a mild sulphuric acid, which irritates the eyes. The nerve endings in our eyes are very sensitive and so they pick up on this irritation. The brain reacts by telling our tear ducts to produce more water, to dilute the irritating acid so the eyes remain protected..In case you wondering, this is not my theory ppl!!!

Now that being said, without further ado, let’s begin the fight.....;)

Round One: Using sharp knife- They say using a sharp knife to cut onions prevents us from crying...Hmm, now don’t go asking me who is ‘THEY’..he he..The theory is that the enzymes are released when cells in onions are broken or crushed. A sharp knife would simply slice through the onion rather than crushing them, thereby releasing only fewer enzymes. But this didn’t work for me..My guess would be though few in number, onions were still releasing the enzymes...;)

Round Two: Wearing goggles- Well I wore goggles while cutting the damn onions...The funda here is to prevent the gas from coming in contact with the eyes. Somehow it didn’t work for me as after a while things got foggy..Couldn’t see a damn thing...So I had to remove the goggles..:(

Round Three: Using water- First theory is to soak the onion in water before cutting because the water will dilute the sulphuric compounds. Well, this doesn’t help me as I am an impatient being and can’t wait even for a second..But I tried this too...helps a little but not much..

Second theory is to cut the onions under running water...Well for start up, I had like to keep myself dry in kitchen..So this was not an option for me...Also I feel running water would wash away all the good stuff from the onions as oddly enough the volatile compound that makes us cry is also responsible for the great taste in onions. So it’s a bad idea!!!!!!

Round Four: Lighting a candle- Lighting a candle nearby while you cut onions can help as the flame from the candle would burn away the sulphuric fumes. Since am the scapegoat, I tried this too..It was a stupid decision because it didn’t work and... I ended up burning few strands of my hair..!! If you are like me who likes to keep things hot n sensuous in kitchen (by leaving the hair open), this would be a big NO NO!!! He he..;)

Round Five: Refrigeration- Freezing the onion before cutting is another method I tried. The reason is that the sulphuric compound that leads to tears will not react as quickly when it’s cold. I tried it out and to my amazement, it did work for me!!!! Hurray..Finally I won a battle in this war..The tricky part is refrigeration shouldn’t be done long (the onions may lose some of its flavour) and that you must always stock up in fridge...But who cares, I do refrigerate now, n keep it for long..My food still tastes yummy..he he...

There are more methods like Cutting the Onions in a well-ventilated room so that the fumes can escape (what a lame method!!) or holding a lemon, piece of bread or a sugar cube in the mouth as the food will absorb the gas before it reaches the eyes (imagine how funny you can look) or breathing through the mouth, instead of the nose, thereby blowing the gas away (ha ha..Concentraing on breathing while cutting an onion would definitely give you a chopped finger!!he he...)

Final Word- All I would say now is that if you are a guy from the category who believes in “MEN DON’T CRY”, cutting an onion on day with heavy heart would definitely give you the perfect disguise to shed those tears...he he;)

And to gurls, my suggestion would be -Don’t enter your boyfriend’s kitchen without wearing a waterproof eye makeup ;)..lol...

Ray of Hope....

2009-05-13T21:24:00.003+03:00

When I close my eyes, all that I see..
Are the flashes from a dream, with you and me......
Dreams are dreams, never meant to be true..
Had it been the reality, I wouldn’t be with you......

Gone are the days, we lay across the lawn..
Lost in love, watching the night break into the dawn.....
Remember you whisper, “will never leave you alone,...
I’ll be there around, even long after am gone”........

That day I was sick, down with heartburn..
Saw you leave with the bags, only to never return.......
I waited for you, long after the war...
Gazing at the door, the door left ajar.........

Tears dwell in my eyes, as I watch you not around..
Know you hear me, thou buried deep in the ground.......
Am not alone dear, your words have come true..
Growing inside my womb, my love, is a part of you...........

When nature is at its best....

2009-05-02T14:43:00.016+03:00

Hello you lovely people out there....Yesterday I managed to capture few shots of the nature, doing what it does best....But couldn't post it immediately as the server was down..Yeah ppl, there was NO NET CONNECTION at home!!! Now that it has come, its kind of playing trick on me..by not being steady...So before it ditches me again, I better post these pics...;) njoy ppl !!!

Note: There is a special guest appearance by a bird in one of the pics...he he.. Can you guess which one..;)

Losing/Gaining weight is all about simple mathematics...

2009-04-29T16:30:00.033+03:00

It’s that simple ppl....Hurray!! We have won the war as we now know this simple truth.....really???? Yeeaaahhhhh...Then the next question racing in your mind would be “if this is so simple, then why am I not achieving my fitness goal”....Well , that’s because even though it remains simple, it is made complicated due to the very basic human nature....First let me explain why it’s so simple....;) If we eat more than what we burn, we gain weight..And if we burn more than what we eat, we lose weight....There you go ppl.... Secret to being Fab revealed...If you are in perfect health and not suffering from any health issues, then this simple mathematics should work for you. If not, then probably you were not very attentive in your math class..he he..Jokes apart, let me introduce to you a few key numbers that may be the missing link to solving this puzzle......:)

The first number is 3500...Yup you need to burn 3500calories to lose 1 pound of fat. Ideally one must not lose more than 1-2 pounds in a week..Losing more than this can lead to health risks, apart from other side effects like losing muscle instead of fat which is a BIG NO NO!!! So we need to divide this number by 7(for the days in a week), leaving us with the number 500. So if you subtract 500calories from your daily RMR, you will lose 1 pound at the end of the week...;) So now what’s RMR...hmm....

Well, RMR is nothing but Resting Metabolic Rate..It is the energy (calories) required for your body to function on a daily basis...You need to know this number more than anything else....So how do you go about finding it...Well, that’s where internet steps in...;) Simply type ‘RMR calculator’ in Google search engine n wait for the magic to happen or use the following formula...;)

For men: RMR = 66 + (12.7 x height) + (6.27 x weight) – (6.8 x age)
For women: RMR = 655 + (4.57 x height) + (4.36 x weight) – (4.7 x age)

Feed height in inches, weight in pounds and age in years.

Multiply your calculated RMR by 1.3 (sedentary), 1.4 (moderately active), or 1.5 (very active). Use 1.5 as the multiplying factor if you work out intensely 4-5 days/week or are active in sports or outdoor activities. RMR is expressed in calories/day.

Now that you have the number, what do you do?? Print it, frame it and hang it on the wall..he he.....Just kidding..But you can even do that, if you wish to..;) Be my guest!! But what I suggest to you is use this number to achieve your fitness goals..Suppose say I got my RMR as 2700 calories and want to lose 1 pound of fat in a week, then I need to minus 500 from this number and keep my RMR as 2200calories....hope am making sense to you all ppl!!!! ;) Now how do I know how much calories am consuming in a day??? ...hmmm....read on ;)

Calculating exact calories is very difficult but yeah, we will aim for approximate calories..okie...Now here's where you step in...You will have to calculate approximate calorie of each food that you consume.. How??? Calorie information for various foods can be found on numerous websites e.g. www.thecaloriecounter.com ..like a small apple would give approximately 55-60calories...Initially you may need to calculate everything that you eat, but after a while you will have clear idea on portion control and the approximate caloric value of each food...So using the same above example that I mentioned, I would eat 5 meals a day, keeping each meal approximately 400 calories, so that at the end of the day I would consume only approximately 2000 calories...Eating at regular intervals would keep me hunger free..This all may sound weird but can really help in case you are just beginning your weight loss journey..

Don’t know whether all this made any sense to you all......but one thing is for sure ppl..and that’s my head has gone for a toss...!! If I have failed in explaining this concept, then I guess I too didn't quite pay attention in the math class..But why??? Aaahhhhh I remember, the teacher was a lady!!!.. May be, a gent would have done the trick...he he he .. ;)

Note- I would like to take a moment and welcome all the new members on the blog...;)

Beyond Redemption...

2009-04-25T22:51:00.009+03:00

Sat still in the darkness, as I saw you move on..
Stitching the torn heart, with a hand of my own....
Emotions raging in the body, numbing my mind..
A selfless me, is the legacy you leave behind....................

Redeeming myself I asked, Can it get worse anymore???..
Needles piercing my flesh, blood spilling on the floor....
Yes came the answer, as I stared at the hole gaping wide..
He took a piece of my heart, it is then I realised.....................

Resurrection of Nefertiti...

2009-04-22T11:17:00.008+02:00

“Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the most beautiful woman in the world?” I asked the mirror. I have been lately under some stress due to some tough competition by the likes of Angelina and Aishwarya ;) The mirror answered, “Nefertiti!!!” OOhhhh.... What? Who?? How??? Why???? But before I could come to terms with it, mirror asked me back a question...Yeah, this is our 2009 ‘evolved democratic’ mirror and it too exercises its birth rights!! Mirror asked me, “Which Egyptian Queen was immortalized by a famous statue?”...What a foolish question, I thought.. Who can it be other than our famous Cleopatra? With a grin on my face I answered, “Cleopatra”... and the mirror said, “No. The correct answer is Nefertiti!!. Since you answered me wrong, you cannot ask me anymore questions. So its ta ta for now”.

After all this, who could go and sleep peacefully!! Who is she?? The only clue the mirror gave me was that she is a famous Egyptian Queen. After a few hours of agony, I made up my mind and packed my bags to leave for Egypt. I decided to embark upon this journey to reveal her true identity and to solve the mystery surrounding her!! But did I go?? Nnaaaahh... :) Whyyyyy??? Because there was an alternate cheaper way to do my investigation..Yup, you guessed it right...I decided to google on her from the comforts of my sweet home!! He he.........Okie, enough joking..Aham,,,It’s time for some serious talk now...;)

Nefertiti was an 18th dynasty Egyptian Queen and the chief consort of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaton/Akhenaten. She is often referred to as the ‘most beautiful woman in the world’ and the very meaning of her name is “the perfect one”. She is one of the histories most powerful women and her face adorned the walls of various Egyptian temples. She was made famous by her iconic bust which was discovered by a German archaeologist in the year 1912. It lay hidden in the workshop of the famous sculptor Thutmose and, now is displayed at the Egyptian Museum in Berlin, Germany. Together Akhenaten and Nefertiti transformed the religious practices of ancient Egyptian society. They founded a new religion that celebrated the power of the Sun God Re and the Sun-disk Aten bringing a fundamental change in the Egyptian religion. This resulted in the acceptance of a monotheistic god. Even though after Cleopatra she is the most famous queen, yet she vanished from the face of the history. Towards the end of Akhenaten's reign, Nefertiti suddenly disappeared from historical Egyptian records. Her death remains a mystery and the location of her body cum mummy has long been a subject of a huge controversy and speculation.

But one thing is clear; all this was more than enough for me to be fascinated by her and do a photography inspired by her. I decided to take my inspiration from the famous painted limestone bust of hers. The following are the key features of one of the ancient Egypt’s most treasured artworks:
- Crystal inlay from the left eye is missing.
- Left ear is broken.
- The bust is bald as Nefertiti shaved her head for hygienic reasons.
- Fuller lips enhanced by bold red
- Eyelids and eyebrows are outlined in black
- Her graceful elongated neck balances the tall, flat-top crown which adorns her head.

Mission to accomplish: I knew one thing from the beginning...and that was the look wouldn’t be complete without the crown. So I decided to make a crown using a chart paper and painted it with oil paint, taking reference from the picture of the bust. Then I did the makeup, keeping the key features in the mind. I used darker foundation to make myself a bit dark. Then I totally bronzed my face to get the glow, narrowed my nose, filled the brows, and outlined my eyes...blah blah blah..... Yeah, I can go on forever ppl!!!!. But of course, there are limitations...Certain things can’t be done like elongating my neck..he he...;)

After clicking the pics, I modified the picture by erasing my left eye and disfiguring the left ear. Also, tried to give myself a bald appearance..Okay okay..Enough said now...We get it gurl..he he...So now it’s time to post the picture ;) So yeah, all I would say now is I enjoyed being Nefertiti, even if it was for one day!!!

Note: This post is t-t-o-t-t-a-l-l-y-y dedicated to my lovely family. Without their love and unconditional support, I wouldn’t be what I am today...:)

Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans....movie review

2009-04-18T15:41:00.016+02:00

It's weekend and though busy, I somehow managed to squeeze out enough time to watch this movie “Underworld: Rise Of the Lycans”.....Why take out time for this one?? Hmmm..Because am a huge fan of this series or.. U can even say that there is no end to my fascination with the subject “Vampire”...he he...But first let me give you some info about this movie..okie..:)

Movie - Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans

Director- Patrick Tatopoulos

Cast- Bill Nighy
Michael Sheen
Rhona Mitra
Kevin Grevioux
Steven Mackintosh
and Kate Beckinsale

Year of Release- 2009

Predecessor- Underworld (2003)
Underworld: Evolution (2006)

This is the third installment in the Gothic Underworld film series. This movie basically tells you about the origin of the Lycans and also, why the hell Vampires and Lycans are sworn enemies!! I have seen both of its predecessors and to be frank, I was a little disappointed with this one. If you have not seen its predecessors, then let me tell you that they have shown the reason as to why there is a conflict between the Vampires and the Lycans. The only difference is that it’s been shown as small scenes of flashback and not in complete detail. Since I watched the first and second installment of the series, I knew the story beforehand...:(

Now let me talk a little about this movie. It starts okay, and then it kind of slows down. Again the movie picks up the pace in last 20mins or so. As usual, cinematography and graphics are damn good, apart from the usual “slow-mo” sex which is even seen in its predecessor,,,, kind of reminds me of the movie ‘300’. Also, there is a good battle sequence between the two at the end of the movie. Casting of Rhona Mitra as Sonja/Sonya is also excellent as she so perfectly resembles Kate Beckinsale which the story very much demands.

MY FINAL VERDICT- If you are a nerd like me who loves everything about “Underworld” series, then probably you should check it out. It wouldn’t be fair that you watch the first two installments of the series and not watch the third...U know what I mean..:) For the ones who are new and would like to watch this series, I suggest you start by watching this movie first and then follow it up by watching ‘Underworld’ and ‘Underworld: Evolution’. I personally think that this way it will be more enjoyable. But again, that's just me....;)

WHY DID I WATCH- Well, you must be wondering WTH did she watch the movie when she knew the story beforehand.....And the golden winning answer is ..FOR THE PEACE OF MY MIND, PPL ;) !!!

The sky is the daily bread of the eyes.....

2009-04-14T12:50:00.015+02:00

I have been a big big big ( I really want to emphasis on the word ‘big’ ) lazy bum since my last post - “unleashing the Helen in me”.......Now that Helen is unleashed, I guess my actual 'ME' decided to take a step back and relax..:) Neways jokes apart, like all of you I too have my lazy days where I all want to do is stay cozy in my bed and sip a cup of green tea....listen to some soothing music and be lost in my wild fantasy......Since am a Piscean, am more prone to ‘day dreaming’....or rather I must say I use this as an excuse to do so...he he....

Recently I was lying in my bed, wearing my rosy spectacles and dreaming away to glory..And suddenly I heard a loud bang..BAAM!!!GHAAD..GHAD.. GHUUD.. GHUD.. DHISHKYUM..DHISHKYUM..Sorry the last part of sound effect got inspired by the ‘Bollywood’ in me..he he.....I got carried away ppl, it happens all the time with me!!!! Neways, coming back to the dramatic description of the scene.....Okie where was I...Yes, the loud bang....It was so loud that I was jolted out of my weirdo dreams..Still shaken but aware, reality slowly began to sink in me and for a second I thought, “Am I witnessing the end of mankind??”..There was darkness everywhere ...At that very moment, the adrenaline began to pump and I decided to be brave and head towards the source of the bang... "THE WINDOW"!!!

I slowly n cautiously approached the window and decided to act upon my bravery n peep outside....I was expecting some UFO waiting for me nearby!!...But what I saw totally amazed me and the expression of fear on my face was immediately replaced by the one of relief and joy..It was nothing but the nature at its best..he he....The sunny day was being overtaken by the soldiers of boisterous dark clouds.........Looking at the clouds, I was like “ You are missing something lady”!!.......I shook my head in disbelief and....Volla!!!! Suddenly the dysfunctional circuit in my brain was re-established and I got to solve the missing link, which was .."Gurl, fetch the god damn camera before it’s too late!!!"......................:)

I took this awesome shot of the view and I absolutely loved it.... decided to keep it simple and not give it any effect except for auto contrast....So now it’s time to post the picture.....But before I do that, I would like to say something about nature....What I like about nature is that it seldom remains constant...Every time you click a picture, it’s unique because you can never reproduce it again...I am sure I can never recapture this very ‘same picture’ again on my lens..Nor do I think anyone else can.... So if you are interested in nature based photography, my suggestion would be to carry a camera always with you!!! You really don’t wana miss on a golden opportunity like this...;)

I would like to conclude this post by an inspirational quote by Charles Lamb on nature which I truly believe in - ‘ I am in love with the green earth’!! TTFN :)

Note: The Title is a famous quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson...;)

Unleashing the "HELEN" in me.....

2009-04-10T17:22:00.015+02:00

Helen Jairag Richardson Khan ..unfamiliar with this name?? Okie lets say Helen....Hmm, now did it strike a chord with you?? I guess its an yes!! Yup, am talking of the sophisticated seductress from the yesteryear who is best known for her graceful cabaret numbers which has been featured in countless movies...the actress cum dancer who dared to play the role of vamps n vixens in the days when her contemporaries were adorning the role of a so called “self-sacrificing” woman. Her flamboyant dance style exuded an aura of class which am sad to say I don’t get to see in our current Bollywood “item numbers”. But that’s just me.....

HER INFLUENCE ON ME- I grew up watching the songs of Helen and ...man, at that point of time all I ever wanted to be is another “Helen”...he he.. Trying to imitate her moves in front of the mirror when no one is around..Sighhhhh...Gone are those days....Anyways am glad that it has because now I have the entire dance floor at my disposal to show my talent rather than doing it hidden..:) So yeah, she did give me an early start apart from helping me in acknowledging the hidden talent of mine..So keeping in accordance with my preference, I decided to give her the credit through photography...I chose this inspirational picture of hers....but I plan to do a toned down version, of course!!!...Again a WORD OF CAUTION...Am no Helen, no professional MUA or a photographer..And, this is only an inspirational photography, not an imitation!!

TASK AT HAND- I had basically two challenges in front of me-
1. Getting her hair style n makeup correct- In those days, wigs were basically employed which had some kind of raised appearance..don’t know how exactly to describe it..Looks like they had honeycomb on top of their head.. he he...There u go, I explained it to the best of my ability !! :)
Also she had an elaborate eye makeup which consisted basically of shimmery eye shadows n a strong winged eyeliner. Her eyebrows were rounded n thick inside but kind of thinned out on the outside.

2. Getting the feel of the Picture correct- Most of her pictures that I have seen are in Technicolor. So I had to give the same feel to mine. Am a newbie and still learning on my own..didn't know exactly how to do it...but where there is a will, there’s a way...And guess what, I found mine...:)

PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED DURING THE PROCESS- I had a tough time getting my both eyes look the same. Once that was done, I got down to business with my hair. As I had guessed, my hair didn’t turn out be a good business partner to work with...but at the end of the day, my patience n perseverance prevailed...Neways after all that, I got into the technical aspect of picture, trying to give it a Technicolor effect...So this is what I came up with....all I would say now is enjoy n.... hope I have done justice!!....And one more thing, the drink in the picture is a my favourite green tea...NO ALCOHOL PPL!!!

FINAL WORD- Man, it took some real hard labor in “unleashing” the Helen in me...he he..:)!!!!

LMAO........

2009-04-09T09:26:00.006+02:00

Well, that's exactly what happened when i watched this video....here we have a Canadian who is dancing to a song from the Bollywood...the Canadian in question here is a comedian by the name Winston Spear who is lip-synching to "Pyaar Kiya To Nibhana" from the movie 'Major Saab'..its damn hilarious...really!!:)

VIDEO TITLE: SHALL WE DANCE BY SANJAY GERE
PLAY TIME: 3.05mins
GENRE: COMEDY

A word of caution thou...This is regarding my humor sense. I don't laugh when everyone does n i do when everyone doesn't..:) Hmmm,,now that i have safeguarded my interest cum reputation, I sincerely hope this video does make you all laugh!! So ppl, go ahead and click the play button..And last but not the least, please watch it till the end as you have got to see how he manages to lip-sync the female voice.. If this video manages to bring a smile on your face, then I guess my job for the day is done!!! :)

NOTE: In case you wondering what's LMAO, please check the "Abbreviation" tab on the right side of the blog

ma take on the movie "Taken"

2009-04-08T14:05:00.008+02:00

Yup, its time for another movie review...ready or not..he he..before i start blabbering, let me give some info for those of u who dnt knw about this movie-

CAST- LIAM NEESON,MAGGIE GRACE,FAMKE JANSSEN,XANDER BERKELEY,LELAND ORSER, JON GRIES...etc

DIRECTOR- PIERRE MOREL

GENRE- THRILLER CUM ACTION

STORYLINE- Well, am not gna reveal anything dats not shown in the promo :)....storyline is very simple. The daughter (Maggie) of a former spy cum govt agent (Liam) is "taken" while she visits Europe and he has 46hrs to save her before she is sold in the flesh market......Y the title "taken" in case u wondering?? Well, very simple as its not a kidnap which is usually done for ransom...application of common sense ppl!!

MY TAKE- Truly a one man show...or rather i must say one 'old' man show...some visually disturbing scenes(for me) vch is filmed on the sex trade...a well paced movie wth gud action sequences.....all i would say if the same is made by our Bollywood movie makers, i think by now i would have had the dispirin/dygiene...he he..for example 'shiva' by ram gopal varma.....we have seen many similar takes in Bollywood but the only difference is dat hollywood somehow makes its more palatable..he he..

MY MOOD AT THE END OF MOVIE- Happy cos ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL!!!

FINAL VERDICT- Yeah, u can watch it if u like d storyline..or if u like high speed car chases...or if u like me, hvg a 'thing' for older men..he he...so yeah, am not disappointed guys/gurls... I thoroughly enjoyed it...!

My love affair with black n white....

2009-04-02T22:13:00.006+02:00

There is something about black n white pictures that has always captured my attention. May be its the feel of it..something mysterious!!!

In the olden days, the color pictures drew the much deserved attention. But today can we say the same regarding the black n white??? I doubt.When I turn the pages of any glitzy magazine, its become very rare for me to find anything that's pictured in " B n W"..So much so that even the newspapers have got their colorful makeover..Recently i clicked few pics in Black n White n since then am in luv with it!!! So yeah, for those of you who wana try something new or different, try clicking your pics in black n white...When i mention about black n white pictures to people, the usual response that i get from them is that its so boring,,,,so colorless.. But what they blissfully forget is that black and white are also a part of the family "COLOR"!!!!

Review on midnight fantasy perfume by britney spears..

2009-04-02T14:09:00.010+02:00

Well, before i talk anything about this product, a word of caution!!! This is t-o-t-h-a-l-iiiiii ma opinion...as dey say opinions are like a@#$@@#&@, everyone's got one..he he...so yeah, here we go....

TARGET- Women
DESIGNED BY - Britney Spears
CLASSIFICATION - Fruity/Citrus
YEAR OF INTRODUCTION - 2007
RECOMMENDED USE - Casual
MRP - 35USD for 1.7 oz, 55USD for 3.3oz
NOTES - Black Cherries, Plum, Orchid, Freesia, Iris, Musk, Amber, Vanilla...blah blah blah...hv no clue!!!

If you are like me, having no clue about the notes n stuffs..then all i can say is this perfume is damn fruity....so much so dat u may attract some flies if you are dining at a restaurant...he he..dats the best way i can describe...it has good lasting power(but not the excellent) and comes in a really cute dark blue bottle,studded with some kind of crystal i guess...so if i have to rate it,then

PACKAGING - 5 out of 5
LONG WEAR - 4 out of 5
DO I LUV THE SCENT OF IT - Yes
WHY DID I BUY - For the luv of the "bottle"...:)
WILL I PURCHASE IT AGAIN - Nope....contradictory i knw..but i wouldn't buy it again as its not that great either..Also, i wana be in a "NO FLY" zone..he he..
MY RECOMMENDATION - If you like fruity scent or if u are an ardent fan of Britney Spears, then yup, u mst check this out n may be give it a try...but for me, i shall keep hunting for now!!

A legend whose beauty remains timeless.......

2009-04-01T15:42:00.009+02:00

Yes, am talking of none other than Madhubala. Her beauty mesmerized the audience back then and continues to do so even today. Her grace and innocence captured the heart of millions. Mumtaz Begum Jehan Dehlavi, famously known as Madhubala, was born on February 14, 1933 in the heart of India, Delhi. She starred in many successful films many of which have been termed classic. The gracious Madhubala was immortalized when the Indian government released a stamp in her name. Today when i watch her movies, everything about her amazes me. For me,she is the true iconic beauty of the bollywood.

since i am a huge fan of madhubala, i decided to pay a tribute to her by clicking pics of mine which are inspired by her style. Hmmmm... well before i do that, let me make one thing very clear; am no madhubala nor am i trying to be one. Since my field of interest is photography, i found this as a fun way to do it. Madhubala used her eyes to emote and hence her makeup artist definitely payed more attention to it. So her makeup style(which i noticed) was
- strong arched eyebrows
- wide awake eyes, to give the eye popping effect, no kajal on the lower waterline
- porcelain skin
- curly loose waves, which adorned her face beautifully
- big lips, made by outlining outside the actual lipline
Keeping all this in mind, this is what i came up with. Since her original pictures are mostly in black and white, i changed the colour of mine too. To give it more aged/old appearance, i even changed the texture of the picture, making it more soft and grainy. With all that being said, the most difficult part for me was to emulate her innocence. In this current day and age, innocence is a hard commodity to find.So yeah, all i would say now is enjoy the pic and leave me your comments(if you have any)!!!

Talking about one of ma passion....

2009-03-30T13:12:00.006+02:00

Since childhood one of ma hidden passion was photography. When i was growing up, never really found the time to indulge maself in ma passion. Like all, books consumed the most of me. Also, i used to dread being photographed bcoz the camera was really cruel to me!! Getting photographed especially during a wedding or any other special event was a real pain in the a@#*!! A fever of anxiousness used to run in ma body till i could lay ma hands on those pics. Who cared about the groom or the bride folks...all i wanted to see is how pathetic i turned out in those pics..hehe..

Today if i take out ma snaps from those days, i can really never stop maself from having a good laugh, thinking how weird i was back then!! Now that am all grown up, i really understand why people generally don’t like to flash their “golden days” pics, if i may say so....hmmm, yeah i can say.. y not....ma blog right..jst kidding folks..but ya ask ma mom how do i look in those pics, she will say “beautiful, like a star”......no wonder why we luv our mum so much!!! Back then when she used to say that, i thought –hmmm...may be, i look like one n remained very clueless and happy...now when i take out the very same pics from past n when she says the same,i truly see how much she loves me!! It leaves me teary-eyed....
But one thing remains the same no matter when the pics were clicked- the spirit of mine....today i no more run from camera n i know how to make it work for me....so yeah, keep clicking folks, whether you have a camera friendly face or not...Don’t stop your spirit from being captured!! I would like to end this post by a quote .....

“Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever... it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything” – Berenice Abbott

Fitness is an EVOLUTION....

2009-03-28T22:52:00.004+02:00

Hey people, this post is basically aimed at those who are trying to lose weight for the right reasons. As you all know by now that i have a huge interest in the field of fitness. So if you are on a mission to lose weight, then keep on reading!!

Before you embark upon this journey, have you equipped yourself with the right set of tools to achieve your goals? If no, am sure this post will definitely enlighten you guys/gurls. But before i proceed further, i want to ask you two questions-

a. Why do you wana lose weight?? and

b. How do you wana do it?

If the answer for the first is to fit into a smaller size of jeans or to look good at your cousin’s upcoming wedding, then i must warn you that your achievements will last only for short term and you will be soon back to square one. But if you are doing it for a better health in future, then yup, you are on the right track.

Now let’s move onto the second question. If you plan to crash diet, i must say you will achieve the results soon but again the moment you start your regular eating habits, it will all come back. The right way would be to eat sensibly and to workout on regular basis.

There are two keys things to keep in mind, especially for those who have a higher weight loss to achieve –

a. FITNESS IS AN EVOLUTION- yes, you heard me right. And evolution takes over a span of many years. So have patience with yourself and your body. Do not expect any changes for first 3 months. Do not measure yourself everyday or look in the mirror on hourly basis..you know what i mean. So when you down n decide to give up working out, please recollect this key point from your mind.

b. KEEP IT STEADY- i know there will be days when you don’t want to workout but try not taking a break very often. Going steady is the key factor. Working hard for few days and then taking a break for another few, will lead u nowhere.

Now i wana talk a little about gym...for those of you who are joining the gym for the first time, it can be a little intimidating!! You will find people of all sizes and shapes. Sexy figures can be a little discouraging at times, you know what i mean. But then never let this stop you from going to gym. Rather than getting discouraged, i think using them as a source of inspiration would be more fruitful. Also, gym is no place for socializing!!! A quick hi to all is enough n then get busy with your workout. Nowadays it’s very common to find people coming in, just to chit-chat.

So how do you want to monitor your progress? I would really suggest that it’s better to keep track of inch loss rather than weight loss. Weight can be very difficult to monitor especially in women. Also, when you workout, you will be gaining muscle mass which will be heavier than the fat and hence it will give you a false indication that you have put on weight. And this can be very discouraging. Also taking your pictures on regular basis would help. You can always go back to your older photographs and track your progress by comparing them with the new ones. As the American proverb says “seeing is believing”!!

I will stop for now...people, for anything worthy in life, there are no short cuts. so gudluc n get started!!

A big shout out to fellow orkutians n y i decided to blog!!

2009-03-28T08:58:00.006+02:00

hey people, this post is basically to thank all who visited ma blog thru orkut. hmm, i shall keep it short. i really appreciate all you guys/gurls taking time ot of ur busy life n checking ma blog.

So y should u check ma blog? well, i can gv many reasons( he he..), bt d basic one wud be to know me better as bloggn gives me more freedom to express ma views n share ma experiences..

so what to expect from ma blog...well i guess everything...from fashion police to so called "moral police", from hollywood to bollywood......etc. Since am a health freak, i vl b basically helping you guys knw wat wrks and wat doesn't..nope am no fitness expert pals, bt yeah have tried every gimmick that has been mentioned in d book of fitness..

so wana join ma blog? so sweet....its simple..jst click the "follow" button on the top-right side of your screen and log in using ur gmail, yahoo or orkut id. so yeah, i hope i vl be meeting new faces soon ...

ma take on "twilight" ......

2009-03-27T15:53:00.007+02:00

hey guys, i heard a lot of buzz regarding the twilight movie...n thought what am i waiting for!! I too decided to join the wagon and ended up watching the movie few months bac... For those of you who do not know, "TWILIGHT" is a movie based on the best-selling book series written by Stephenie Meyer. And guess what, the sequel "NEW MOON" is on its way. There are four books in this series: Twilight, New moon, Eclipse and Breaking dawn. I can't wait for the release of its sequel!!

Newys getting back to twilight, i must say its taken me by surprise. A love story involving a dracula and a human being!! what a mind blowing concept..also the chemistry between the lead actors is awesome. edward cullen played by rob stole the show for me thou..more than him,its the character that he plays dat am in luv wth!!..no wonder gurlz all over d world have gone crazy for him...n dat includes me too..he he ..the movie had such effect on me dat i cudnt help myself from clicking pics of mine as the drac!! talk of "twilight effect"..he he...BTW, forgt to mention abt d background score...i think music has played a huge role in the success of d movie..ma personal fav thou is supermassive black hole by muse vch is played during the baseball scene of the movie(if u hav watched d movie, u knw wat am talking off) and bella’s lullaby....so ya, its a total thumbs up for me!! A must watch for all dose who luv dracs...n here are ma pics..................njy!