As some of my readers would know .. I don’t like getting tagged much but this one looks easy so here goes. Thanks Kalafudra .

1. Last movie you saw in a theater?

Harold and Kumar: Escape from Guantanamo Bay. Me loved it. I also love American Cinema’s for not censoring.

2. What book are you reading?

The Hobbit (Yes I started reading this one in December and am still not done. But then my laptop came followed by the PSP.)

3. Favorite board game?

Life. (I think that’s the name)

4. Favorite magazine?

Magazines ? umm … It’s been a while since I read any.

5. Favorite smells?

First rain showers after a long time, the smell of freshly baked bread

6. Favorite sounds?

Drops of water into a bucket, pop of bubble wrap

7. Worst feeling in the world?

When you realize you are not even good at being mediocre

8. What is the first thing you think of when you wake up?

Huh ?? What ?? Again ?

9. Favorite fast food place?

It’s a tie between Mc Donalds and KFC.

10. Future child’s name?

I think I blogged about it sometime ago. Daedalus, Icarus and Helios and if it girls : Daedalusita, Icarulila and Heliosita. Seriously I haven’t thought that far.

11. Finish this statement. “If I had lot of money I’d….?

travel I guess. oh and more serious plans to take over the world

12. Do you sleep with a stuffed animal?

Nope..

13. Storms - cool or scary?

cool.. But when I used to be small I used to hide under the bed during thunderstorms when alone at home.

14. Favorite drink?

Hot Chocolate and now ..beer.

15. Finish this statement, “If I had the time I would….”?

really try to participate in Open Source projects

16. Do you eat the stems on broccoli?

I really don’t know. How does the broccoli usually come?

17. If you could dye your hair any color, what would be your choice?

I did try burgundy. Now I fancy a tinge of blue.

18. Name all the different cities/towns you’ve lived in?

Ruedesheim am Rhein(Hessen/Germany), Kunjithai (Kerala/India), Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh/ India), Chennai (Tamilnadu/ India), Coimbatore (Tamilnadu/India), Alexandria (VA/USA).

19. Favorite sports to watch?

Football World Cup — that’s it.

20. One nice thing about the person who sent this to you?

hmm.. She seems to have a very good taste and is smart. (I gave you 2 nice things.. you owe me )

21. What’s under your bed?

Right now nothing, some time ago - my laptop

22. Would you like to be born as yourself again?

Yes, I love myself. Not because I am perfect or anything .. but next time a little more money would be good

23. Morning person, or night owl?

Not a morning person. infact barely a human at that time. Avoid me at all costs if you see me up early

24. Over easy, or sunny side up?

Sunny Side up ..

25. Favorite place to relax?

Any random quiet place.

26. Favorite pie?

Apfelstrudel ..is that even a pie? if not Apple Pie.

27. Favorite ice cream flavor?

Mint with chocolate Chips

28. Of all the people you tagged this to, who’s most likely to respond first?

This is a dead end.

Well that wasn’t too hard. Maybe I should try this more often.

… doesn’t make everything sound cool.

Hmm .. on a sidenote: Isn’t this supposed to  be showing related advertisements ?

Not Safe For Conversation with people you barely know:

Religion, Sex, Politics and Rajnikanth .

You can never be sure how the other person reacts.

I am talking about the Washington Metrorail. It gets me to work and back on time and the rides are  punctual (mostly) and enjoyable. But yet somehow some thoughts keep nagging me.

• People stand and read, even if the stop is just 5 minutes away. Is the book really that interesting or are we so scared of wasting away a minute.
• Everyone, seems to be having a iPod. I looked but I see no other players.
• There hardly is any conversation. People seem so detached from everyone around them even if the they are packed in too closely. (Maybe I miss the Indian buses where everyone just chit-chats away. On second thought …)
• The only phrases you hear are: “I’m Sorry”, “Excuse Me” & “Thank you”. Over and over again.
• There are the select few people who come and talk about things , well,  that I would consider private and should not to be talked about in public.

I don’t know why I am babbling about this -  sooner or later I will be one of them.

My office is right in the center of DC. A few minutes walk and you are near the White House - North Side. Once you are there - most people will think “This is it?”.  That was my thought and I heard some other tourists say it too. It’s not very impressive. Somehow movies make it look better. It’s only when you see it from the South side that it actually looks important.

I didn’t also see much of security around there apart from the regular cops. But maybe some of the tourists around us weren’t tourists. Anyways so much for the White House.

It has been a long time since I have last flown international and I must say things have changed in the economy class. I was wondering what I would be doing during 14 hours of flight after my laptop battery ran out. Luckily I didn’t have to use the laptop at all because of the in flight entertainment system that had loads of movies to watch. 10 years ago .. flights were really boring.

Also back then, I used to force myself to sleep whenever food was served, because I found the smell nauseating. Not anymore, because I did liked the airline food - who doesn’t like smoked salmon? Also, wasn’t the alcohol served on the flight never free? Well now they are complimentary drinks - lucky me.

On a side note - I reached.

The change I have been wanting.

I am relocating to the USA - Washington DC for a while on March 22nd. A while would be about 3 months. Let’s see how things go.

See you on the other side.

I am standing by the road outside Office waiting for an Auto. I hear the sharp crack of metal on plastic, that announces the accident. I turn my head in time to see a bike with its rider fighting for control. Some debris of the bike seems to be flying toward me. I manage to see the Bike rider hit the tar just before I freeze bracing for some sort of impact.That flying chunk lands a short distance in front of me. It drags for another 1 meter or so and comes to stop 50 cm before my feet.

I still did not move.

Vision clears. This is no debris. This is the pillion rider.

2 seconds .. 5 seconds .. 10 seconds

I still did not move.

I see no blood , but no movement from the body either. I am confused.

Around me people are already swinging into action.

    Fuck! Swen do something? !!

    Like what ?

    Anything!

I still did not move.

Other people are beginning to throw water into his face and trying to get him to move. I see no sign of life.

    At least check his pulse!

Slowly, agonizingly slowly, I reach out to check his pulse. Before I can reach down to him he starts to cough.

I take two steps back. I melt into the crowd that had gathered.

    What was if that was your friend?

    I would have done something!

    Are you sure?

    ….

I am ashamed.

I walk away trying to convince myself that I would have done something if nobody else was there and it was up to me.

10 minutes later the whole world is normal again.

Thanks to my friend we went to this Film Festival. We only got to attend 3 days and a total of 5 movies out of this 7 day 50+ movie event. I am not going to review the movies (because I’m not good at it and least qualified), but just list the movies I saw with some side notes on it.

• Nine months (1976/Hungary) by Márta Mészáro: This movie focuses a lot on facial expression. It also has a one of the most ugliest “Miracles of Birth” scenes, I have seen so far.
• Toi et moi (2006/France) by Julie Lopes-Curval of : Just a romantic comedy which was enjoyable nonetheless.
• Sous la clarté de la lune (2004/Burkina Faso) by Appoline Traoré : Didn’t really like this movie. Shoddy acting in my opinion. Maybe I didn’t really get what the Director was trying to portray.
• Andre Omgang (2007/Norway) by Hilde Heier : This was my favourite movie of the lot. Makes you wonder how your life is going to play out.
• Meghe Dhaka Tara (1960/India) by Ritwik Ghatak : Funny thing is that I never thought that I would appreciate a 1960 Black & White Bengali movie. But this one was just great.

All in all a good experience. Must do this again sometime.

This is a story of how daydreaming can cost you cold hard money. Till now I assumed the only thing at stake was a little embarrassment, death (if you operate heavy machinery) and a nuclear disaster (if you work at a nuclear power plant)

Anyways I had to get some photos done, but I was all out of money. And there was no ATM of my bank nearby. In need of cash, I thought I might use some other banks ATM bearing the surcharge of around Rs 50. And so I went and withdrew Rs 500.

It took me a week or more to realise that I did not use my Debit Card to withdraw the money from the ATM. No, I smartly used my Credit Card.

So here is how much if it cost me:

• Cost for using cash withdrawal facility on Credit Card on another banks ATM : Rs 300
• Service Charge: Rs 37

So that’s it. The cost of day dreaming is Rs 337. All for Rs 500. At least the photo’s came out looking good.

Mental Note: Don’t daydream by the ATM machine however cute the Lady before is.