The drudgeries of life
Friday, July 29, 2011
Pottermnia
Yesterday was a Thursday like no other!
After procrastinating it for a long time, I finally ended up watching HP7… yeah yeah! I know that I was probably amongst the last few Potter buffs to have watched it
I was somewhat apprehensive about seeing it because this was the last of the lot. A fullstop of sorts. I felt like the kid who despite knowing that it’s going to end sooner or later, keeps licking his icecream cone slowly so as to make it last forever…
What’s funny is that this abstinence would’ve continued if not for a bunch of really cool folks who on the spur of the moment agreed to watch the movie bang in the middle of the week, some shirking lunch, others forgoing either work or parties (blimey! two of them watching it for the 2nd time!)
What ensued was a faction of Dumbledore’s Army (DA) assembling for the first time at Prasad’s… four strangers, but all awkwardness, if any, seemed to vanish in a jiffy courtesy a Evansco spell!
And thereafter what a magical evening it turned out to be!
The movie did little justice to the books and the director took some creative liberty (I wonder how JKR gave it a go-ahead sign, and sang praises for it at the premiere), but still it wasn’t as bad as raving mad Potter fans had been swearing!
For starters, the movie’s pace seemed to be superfast – as if the director had to get done with it in a jiffy and catch the Hogwarts Express! You’d be like, “Wow! The War of Hogwarts has already started?!?”
Secondly, and most importantly, the movie lacked flow – akin to watching disjoint subjects on different slides of a power point presentation! One scene on one slide, then next. And voila! The last “thank you” slide arrives prematurely. This movie should’ve been longer
One more point – important instances from the book are neglected and instead of them, you find some made up plots which find no mention in the book. Like one of the DA mentioned, one character who we grew up with, who along with his twin brother was one of the most loved in Potter’s fold - Fred Weasley – a tremendous injustice was done when even his death in the last battle wasn’t shown! Sob sob.
Many more points as such, but no use cribbing. Like in JK Rowling’s own words, “The stories we love best do live in us forever.”
Worst part is that it’s over. The end of the line.
The loose ends in the movie sure gave a feeling that we can look forward to more. Go go go JKR! Get to work :p
Blasphemy though it might be considered, the bunch I hung out with surely ensured that the rest of the evening was much better than the movie! Thankfully no hangovers after the grand finale…
Needless to say, long live Pottermania.
And long live Potter-maniacs ;)
I’m off to explore the wilderness in Maharashtra for the next 2 days *rubbing hands in glee*
Happy weekend folks! Make the most of it :)
Labels: Beginnings, Friends, Harry Potter, Movies
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Of miracles
The place where I live, Prakrtii Apartments, Pune, has a horde of kids... and very cute, lively and chubby little ones at that too :) Just the sight of them running around all over the show, bursting with energy, screaming and yelling, makes me feel old! On top of that, just because they've seen me chatting with their parents, and also I'm quite tall, they think I'm Uncle Steve... sheesh! The first time I heard that 5-letter word appended to my name, I swear I rushed home and messed up my hair searching for any stray strand of white hair :D! But that was way back in standard eighth. Ahem. Anyway experiences come in handy. A harmless landslide doesn't take much time to evolve into an avalanche, but the former does prepare you for what's in the waiting :)
Despite this aging process, I take immense pleasure in one fact...grow up in body, we might, but deep down inside, we're still a bunch of kids. And I realize this every now and then, thanks to all the grown-up kids mooching all over the place. Not really the return to innocence, but still. Invention of antics ceases to amaze me.
All said and done, it felt great to watch the excitement with which everyone of us looked forward to watching Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. People literally kept screaming out the names of the characters, the magical creatures, etc. Potter mania is surely in the air. Things will only intensify with the release of the seventh book in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows next week. Oh how I wish it has something different to offer from what we've already read in the alleged spoof.
As if 5 days in front of the comp ain't enough, I seem to visit the cyber cafe on weekends too. Though I convince myself that the motive for the visit is different from what it might seem to be, I hardly believe myself. Whatever.
Another week has gone by, and boy! Is time moving fast or what! In for loads of work so cya when I cya.
Despite this aging process, I take immense pleasure in one fact...grow up in body, we might, but deep down inside, we're still a bunch of kids. And I realize this every now and then, thanks to all the grown-up kids mooching all over the place. Not really the return to innocence, but still. Invention of antics ceases to amaze me.
All said and done, it felt great to watch the excitement with which everyone of us looked forward to watching Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. People literally kept screaming out the names of the characters, the magical creatures, etc. Potter mania is surely in the air. Things will only intensify with the release of the seventh book in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows next week. Oh how I wish it has something different to offer from what we've already read in the alleged spoof.
As if 5 days in front of the comp ain't enough, I seem to visit the cyber cafe on weekends too. Though I convince myself that the motive for the visit is different from what it might seem to be, I hardly believe myself. Whatever.
Another week has gone by, and boy! Is time moving fast or what! In for loads of work so cya when I cya.
Labels: Feelings, Good mood, Harry Potter
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Different Strokes
Not long ago I was this carefree guy with not a bother in this world. Managing work and fun was so damn easy then! So, everyone around me used to snigger at the mention of the name of the department I work in saying, "Testing guys have no work! You're getting paid to enjoy your life!". Ahem! Not totally true! I did have work, just that I had the knack of finishing it off pretty fast. People used to marvel watching me devour tomes in not more than a couple of days... yet another excuse for jealous folks to be sarcastic! As if I cared... instead I felt sorry for pals who had to work really late into the night, or who visited the office even on weekends! I felt smug, never expecting anything of that sort happening to me! How wrong I was!
All of a sudden I've landed such a lot of work that I still feel it's a bad dream, a nightmare even! Ok, the application that I have to learn is really neat, it has lots of scope, it involves a lot of interaction with the clients, development team and onsite coordinators! Fine! But it all happened so suddenly as if everyone was just praying for something os this sort to happen to me! LoL! Paranoia? May be! Could even be my dormant sixth sense!
Now I know what being emotionally drained-out feels like! Now I know how missing out on cherished activities hits you! How depressing walking out of the office and finding darkness all around is! How addicted one can become to coffee... 7 cups, and just the smell of it when I was filling up my mug for the 8th round wanted to make me puke! Yucky!
Well, the good news is that my habit of winding things up fast has seen to it that 5 miserable days are all I have to put up with, and the trauma gets over on Friday! Then, like they say, "Good times will be here again"!
Another thing... got a 659 page document in the mail yesterday titled "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows"! What say, Harry Potter fans? Is it the real thing? Well, I couldn't wait for replies, so I've started reading it! One thing is for sure, the writing style is just like JKR, the flow is smooth and you get the feel you're reading one of the books in the HP series! If it is a spoof, the author deserves kudos for pulling it off so brilliantly! Just one thing though... this is not kiddie stuff any longer... not with push-up bras, boobs, plunging necklines, a plethora of smooches, etc! Harry Potter has surely come of age :D! Anyway, the news that everyone's dying to hear... whether Harry survives the confrontation with Voldemort... well, now I know the answer to that... according to this version atleast! Won't spoil the fun by revealing it here, but if you're curious, do let me know :)
All of a sudden I've landed such a lot of work that I still feel it's a bad dream, a nightmare even! Ok, the application that I have to learn is really neat, it has lots of scope, it involves a lot of interaction with the clients, development team and onsite coordinators! Fine! But it all happened so suddenly as if everyone was just praying for something os this sort to happen to me! LoL! Paranoia? May be! Could even be my dormant sixth sense!
Now I know what being emotionally drained-out feels like! Now I know how missing out on cherished activities hits you! How depressing walking out of the office and finding darkness all around is! How addicted one can become to coffee... 7 cups, and just the smell of it when I was filling up my mug for the 8th round wanted to make me puke! Yucky!
Well, the good news is that my habit of winding things up fast has seen to it that 5 miserable days are all I have to put up with, and the trauma gets over on Friday! Then, like they say, "Good times will be here again"!
Another thing... got a 659 page document in the mail yesterday titled "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows"! What say, Harry Potter fans? Is it the real thing? Well, I couldn't wait for replies, so I've started reading it! One thing is for sure, the writing style is just like JKR, the flow is smooth and you get the feel you're reading one of the books in the HP series! If it is a spoof, the author deserves kudos for pulling it off so brilliantly! Just one thing though... this is not kiddie stuff any longer... not with push-up bras, boobs, plunging necklines, a plethora of smooches, etc! Harry Potter has surely come of age :D! Anyway, the news that everyone's dying to hear... whether Harry survives the confrontation with Voldemort... well, now I know the answer to that... according to this version atleast! Won't spoil the fun by revealing it here, but if you're curious, do let me know :)
Labels: Harry Potter, Ranting, Work
