Books 2010

What I read between leaving school and finishing Masters could be put down mostly Harry Potters. The school library and its wonderful custodian encouraged me to read in the first place & I am ever so grateful for that. Getting into the mindless cramming of engineering books and numerous exams every 6 months after leaving school pretty much ensured that I gave up on reading almost all together.

Between 2007 and early 2009 I can see long gaps and Ayn Rand. In autumn 2009 I had no internet for a week & this pulled me back into reading :) A Suitable Boy was one of the epics I read that year. There were a few more and I was once again actively reading. I decided to keep a list of books I read in 2010. When I had started with the list, I was only trying to keep a count. But as December neared, I found myself trying to add as many more as I could. However, as it turned out - I couldn't do any last minute reading and book number 15 - A Passage to India was read on my flights home in late October.

15. A Passage to India - EM Forsters
14. Paths of Glory - Jeffery Archer
13. Nice Works - David Lodge
12. Breakfast at Tiffany's - Truman Capote
11. Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
10. Amsterdam - Ian McEwan
9. Aunt's aren't Gentlemen - PG Wodehouse
8. The Sea - John Banville
7. Home Truths - David Lodge
6. The Impressionist - Hari Kunzru
5. A Small Island – Andrea Levy
4. An Artist of the Floating World – Kuzuo Ishiguro
3. Web of Silk and Gold – Shakti Niranjchana
2. Brick Lane – Monica Ali
1. Department of Denials - Anurag Mathur

Favourites - Midnight's Children, A Passage to India (adds to my rather short list of re-readables)

Some light, some heavy, some funny, some tragic but all good enough to take me to a magic land where reality is not admitted.

Christmas Baking

Christmas break at work starts tomorrorw. And after a week of cold and headaches I finally got into the spirit of Christmas. So I baked a choco-coffee cake. It turned out pretty good in taste and look but lacked the texture of a cake i.e. even though it is soft like sponge, it is not really bubbly inside :(
After this non bubly cake I have realisd the importance of an electric whisk (when buttering the sugar, I was thinking to myself - I can do this pretty well by hand who needs a whisk). Now I think people know what I want for Christmas!

I had big plans of making an icing and decorating with nuts and choco chips but as the cake gave me some trouble coming out of the tin, I just finished it for namesake. I have cut it into squares which look like irregular chocolate brownies - a bit underdone. I plan to take a few to office for my team but not sure if it would be appreciated. After all in England every one bakes, making me such a rookie!

Enough cribbing about the cake, lets put the bubbles aside and cheer the good taste :)
Here are some pictures in reverse order of appearance!

Music!

Not until long ago, I was not a music person at all. In fact, at times I felt inadequate in company of some great music lovers who would discuss bands/music/tracks/singers. I wondered to myself this couldn't be something one claims to live by. Books I understand as they keep one occupied. But listening to music - as a hobby left me bewildered. Isn't hobby something one likes to do.
Lately however, this utter surprise towards music has melted into something more acceptable. But still music for me remains something very much in the background. I dont think so I can just play songs and sit by for hours. But I surely appreciate some random tracks playing in the background while I am in the kitchen :)
Thanks to SSS I have got a folder of 55 random (Eng/Hindi/OST/Pop etc) songs. As names of most songs here are random alphabetical strings, it is often a pure surprise when the song plays :) I have transferred some of these to my phone, but the rest have been rarely played. While trying to organise my 2.14GB of music, I came across this one from the SSS folder. Really liked the soft & optimistic feel of the song :)Thanks SSS for introducing me to music and many more such lovely songs!

Raindrops keep fallin' on my head

And just like the guy whose feet are too big for his bed

Nothin' seems to fit

Those raindrops are fallin' on my head, they keep fallin'

So I just did me some talkin' to the sun

And I said I didn't like the way he got things done

Sleepin' on the job

Those raindrops are fallin' on my head, they keep fallin'

But there's one thing I know

The blues they send to meet me won't defeat me

It won't be long till happiness steps up to greet me

Raindrops keep fallin' on my head

But that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turnin' red

Cryin's not for me

'Cause I'm never gonna stop the rain by complainin'

Because I'm free

Nothin's worryin' me

& I meet HP in the UK

Last night I watched HP 7. Finally. I know it is obvious but I need to state it - I watched it in a theatre :)
Enjoyed the movie thoroughly and as always when the credits started rolling I was craving for more. Even though it is the longest Potter movie yet, but I felt it finished too soon, but that could be just my Potter mania.
Apart from the movie itself, the experience itself was fun too. Random person at office offered a late evening show & before I could mull over it, I said Yes :)
Later, I bothered to ask who else was joining and found out that there was going to be just 1 another random person. I felt like withdrawing for some minutes but then I thought, I have been considering watching it on my own, then why do I care about (in)adequate company. As it turned out another person from work (friend/colleague) also joined later :)
The cinema hall we went to is like a projector show in a village category in terms of screen/seating. If you are used to plush Indian cinemas then this would be highly disappointing. The screen was smaller than my room's wall and there were hardly 50 seats. The sound/heating wasnt great & we sat in our coats. But at least it was bigger than my lap top screen! There were mostly children in the crowd, even though it was a late show at 7.45 in the evening.
It had been a while since I last did/read/watched anything related to HP. The movie charmed me back into the world of wizards and witches or horocruxes and hallows. I noticed there were very few of fellow Hogwarts students in the movie, but for the scenes they were in - all of them looked beautiful/handsome young adults. Specially liked Luna Lovegood's costume. It was nice to recognise places in the UK :)
Having read the book long ago, the movie also had some surprises for me. Like when HH leave Ron behind on their search I was worried how will Ron reunite with them :) Overall, as all movies preceeding this one - it does justice to both JKR's imagination and narration.
However unreal/illogical/kiddish it may sound to some people, Harry Potter series is so popular across age & gender because we see characters in the movies doing things we would want to do ourselves only if it were possible. It translates what we wish for, into what we see on the screen. Innumerable times, I find myself wishing for an invisibility cloak. So many times I hear people talking about turning time back. And almost each one of us wishes to 'reach someone in the blink of an eye' once a day (apparate)!

To add to the fun - the person sitting next to me was a Potter virgin (cheesy I know, but it just fits :D) And I had to explain things to him like 'erasing memory', 'poly juice potion' and 'Ministry of Magic' :) He was so amused by my factual explanations that we couldn't stop laughing. I must confess - there were times when I joined him in making fun of the Potter logic. For some scenes between Harry & Hermoine after Ron is splinched, which we thought was desperately 'Bollywoodish' we even spoke the dilogues had it been a Hindi movie/soap - It was hilarious!!

Good fun it was :)

Hazaaron khwahishein aisi...

This is a Ghalib ghazal, and I dont claim to have the entire original version of it here. But lately, this has become quite an accurate and succint description of my life.

Hazaaron khwahishein aisi
ki har khwahish pe dum nikle
bahut nikle mere armaan lekin
phir bhi kam nikle

nikalna khuld se aadam ka
sunte aaye hain lekin
bahut be-aabru hokar
tere kuuche se hum nikle

kahaan maikhaane ka darwaaza "ghalib"
aur kahaan waeez
par itna jaante hain
kal wo jaata tha ki hum nikle

I dont understand much poetry, but I read through an English translation of this one. I realised while the original poem questions the sincerity of the beloved, I am questioning my own.

Chocolate and Almond Biscuits

This weekend has been busier in the kitchen than most. Today I baked some almond and chocolate biscuits. I had told D at work that I am going to try my hand at profiteroles but just couldn't get myself out of bed.
A quick chat with A motivated me to after all give up the comfort of my warm and cozy bed :)
My biscuits didn't turn out the perfect shape - but that was because I couldn't resist taking them out from the baking tray before they cooled which caused some rough edges (Even though I know 5 minutes later I could have taken them out without any effort!!). I guess it is the thing with baking - one doesn't get to taste anything before it is out of the oven. And once it is out - Its very very difficult for me to resist.

There is forecast of light snow on Monday. My freshly baked biscuits & hot choc would make for great company!

Sweet & Sour Sticky Rice

Just a random visit to the grocers' led to this impromptu speedy recipe. I like to chop vegetables, and this recipe needed lots of them. So while the rice cooked, I enjoyed slicing away some cabbage, white onions and spring onions. Here are a few pictures.

Sunday Baking!

A special guest came over last Sunday to spend the day with me. We played with trains & aeroplanes. We drew some pictures and read some books. And as we waited for Raaghav's parents we planned a tea party for them :)
To go with the tea I baked some butter milk and raisin scones :) It was not really difficult to get them right.
Appreciation - All finished even before the kettle could go on boil!!