Just finished reading 'The Scarlet Pimpernel' by Baroness Emmuska Ocrzy. Loved it. Now I know where all the old M&Bs I used to read in college got their inspiration from :)
The novel is set right in the middle of the French Revolution. It's the year 1972 and the aristrocrats in Paris are being beheaded by the hundreds at the guillotine. Their only hope for rescue - the Scarlet Pimpernal . Reknowned for his daring rescues and clever disguises, his identity is a mystery to all but his league of loyal followers.
The book is filled with a host of intriguing characters:
The cunning French agent Chauvelin - who is bent upon hunting down the Scarlet Pimpernel
The beautiful and intelligent Marguerite Blakeney - who is blackmailed into spying on the Pimpernel's league
Sir Percy Blakeney - Marguerite's wealthy, gallant and handsome but dull-witted husband
The book is soooo romantic - with a love-story woven into swashbuckling adventure, along with intrigue and comedy.
Lines I loved:
Sir Percy Blakeney's witty poem:
"We seek him here, we seek him there,
Those Frenchies seek him everywhere,
Is he in heaven? - is he in hell?
That demmed elusive Pimpernel"
the whole of chapter XVI ;)
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Thursday, December 08, 2005
of bonsais and birthday gifts
..tea-time conversation among my team-mates( we are a bunch of s/w engineers :))
The topic- B'day gifts and the people who are yet to get one from the team
A: you guys haven't given me a b'day gift as yet
V: Yes. M and I went to Lalbagh today.
A(taken aback): whats the connection?? :))
V(very embarassed):..nothing..
rest of us: tell us!!
V: It's for the bonsai...
A( to those who came in late): R (the boss) wanted a bonsai as a wedding gift from us
J: V wanted to know if it's ok to pluck one from Lalbagh :))
A: So were you planning to pluck(!!) one and throw it over the wall to M?
S(patiently explains to V that bonsai are actually stunted trees): you know, like dwarves
G: Even I'd been to Lalbagh to buy one ...but no luck
G: How do they grow bonsai?
someone: maybe using the seeds from the fruits of bonsai trees
S: I didn't know bonsai trees bear fruit...(to R) what kind of a bonsai do you want?
R: I want a jack-fruit tree!
R: I've heard that the older a bonsai plant, the more valuable. I saw a 35 year old tree worth 35K.
S(doing some mental math): my mum has a 20 year old one ....
J: the older a tree the sooner it will die, why would it cost more?
R(after some thought): It's a well established tree.
A(after some more thought): yes, like buying an adolescent instead of a baby..
V:also it becomes more difficult to pluck
A: It's really cruel to stunt trees like that...they are cutting down all the trees in front of St.Jonh's Hospital....
the conversation then moves on to tree-cutting to the state of Bangalore's roads....
The topic- B'day gifts and the people who are yet to get one from the team
A: you guys haven't given me a b'day gift as yet
V: Yes. M and I went to Lalbagh today.
A(taken aback): whats the connection?? :))
V(very embarassed):..nothing..
rest of us: tell us!!
V: It's for the bonsai...
A( to those who came in late): R (the boss) wanted a bonsai as a wedding gift from us
J: V wanted to know if it's ok to pluck one from Lalbagh :))
A: So were you planning to pluck(!!) one and throw it over the wall to M?
S(patiently explains to V that bonsai are actually stunted trees): you know, like dwarves
G: Even I'd been to Lalbagh to buy one ...but no luck
G: How do they grow bonsai?
someone: maybe using the seeds from the fruits of bonsai trees
S: I didn't know bonsai trees bear fruit...(to R) what kind of a bonsai do you want?
R: I want a jack-fruit tree!
R: I've heard that the older a bonsai plant, the more valuable. I saw a 35 year old tree worth 35K.
S(doing some mental math): my mum has a 20 year old one ....
J: the older a tree the sooner it will die, why would it cost more?
R(after some thought): It's a well established tree.
A(after some more thought): yes, like buying an adolescent instead of a baby..
V:also it becomes more difficult to pluck
A: It's really cruel to stunt trees like that...they are cutting down all the trees in front of St.Jonh's Hospital....
the conversation then moves on to tree-cutting to the state of Bangalore's roads....
Sunday, December 04, 2005
It's Not About the Bike
'It's Not About the Bike' is not just the story of Lance Amstrong's - 7 time winner of the Tour de France - battle against cancer, it's a tale of courage and of one man's will to triumph against all odds.
It's one of the most inspiring books I've read.
Lance Amstrong's story is the stuff of legends. 'It's Not About the Bike' talks about Amstrong's childhood. His early rise to fame. Being diagnosed with cancer at 24. His battle against a disease that ravages both body and soul. His comeback into the world of professional cycling. And his first two Tour de France victories.
Anyone who enjoys watching the Tour de France on t.v. will love the first person account the book gives. You get a biker's-eye-view of the peloton, the attacks and counter attacks, the 60mph downhill freefalls, the mountain stages, the 'dear god please don't let him get caught' breakaways and all the other stuff that makes the Tour so exhilarating and heart-wrenching to watch.
But the book is not about the Tour. It's about the will to win. It's about hope and the unbreakable human spirit. A must-read for anyone looking for inspiration.
It's one of the most inspiring books I've read.
Lance Amstrong's story is the stuff of legends. 'It's Not About the Bike' talks about Amstrong's childhood. His early rise to fame. Being diagnosed with cancer at 24. His battle against a disease that ravages both body and soul. His comeback into the world of professional cycling. And his first two Tour de France victories.
Anyone who enjoys watching the Tour de France on t.v. will love the first person account the book gives. You get a biker's-eye-view of the peloton, the attacks and counter attacks, the 60mph downhill freefalls, the mountain stages, the 'dear god please don't let him get caught' breakaways and all the other stuff that makes the Tour so exhilarating and heart-wrenching to watch.
But the book is not about the Tour. It's about the will to win. It's about hope and the unbreakable human spirit. A must-read for anyone looking for inspiration.
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Am Currently Watching
Nach Baliye
A reality show on Star-one where TV celebrity couples show their dancing prowess’z. The judges in this one are Malaika Arora Khan , Farhan Akhtar & Saroj Khan. Was thoroughly disappointed last week when Archana & Parmeet were out.(Completely blame the judges for their harsh scoring).Right now am rooting for Rajeshwari & Varun.
Love this show esp. its
"Put u'r hands up ...put u’r hands up ..like u just don’t care..its nach baliye..
Na sharma mere mahi soniye..duniya ki na soch oe nach baliye..
Lootenge waah waahi..chal rang jamale ..nach baliye.."
Timings: 2100hrs on Thursday’z
Monk
He’s the defective-detective. He’s a cleanliness freak & is phobic to almost everything, but he’s a genius & no-one can solve crime quite like him.
Timings: 2100hrs on Friday’z or 1400hrs on Sunday’z (Star World)
Friends
This is the final season & ofcourse,I like the rest of the world am a loyal fan of this serial.
Timings: 2200hrs on Saturday'z-Zee English
Smallville
Life of Clark Kent, when he was a teenage-how he comes to terms with who he is & how he masters his powers.
Timings: 2000hrs on Wednesday’z (Star World)
Scrubs
A comedy about a group of medical interns & their hilarious experiences in the hospital.
Timings: 2000hrs on Star World
& ofcourse these currently off-air serials which I still can’t get outta my head:
Lost
A group of people find themselves abandoned on an uninhabited island & a series of the most strange & sinister events assail them all. It’s a complete thriller & is perhaps one *the* best serials I’ve seen in a very very long time.
It used to come on Saturday’z at 1900 hrs on Star movies. Right now am awaiting impatiently for the next season to hit Indian televisions.
Ed
Comedy on Star World. It’s a nice funny, feel good serial. Its basically about Ed, a lawyer who one fine day finds out that his wife has cheated on him with the milkman & moves back to his childhood home-Stuckyville. Here he tries to serenade and win over his school-crush Carol Vesse, buys a bowling alley & re-unites with his high school best friend. There’s something about this one which always made me switch on my tele at 2000 hrs on Tuesday’z and watch it glue-eyed for an hour.
Fear Factor
On this reality show, the contestants are made to do the most hair-raising antics. Walk on thin beams, jump off cliffs, eat spiders & other insects & all sorts of other such things. It’s very entertaining :)
Other than my regular watches, I irregularly watch Desperate Housewives (kinda lost interest in it after Lost came on air), Tru calling (she can bring ppl back to life), Seven (too early to tell if its going to make my fav-list), Medical Investigation, Gilmore Girls, Indian Idol (loved the first season), KBC,Monster House, The Amazing Race, Caroline in the city and Will & Grace.
Hmm...I guess that just about covers everything on air.
A reality show on Star-one where TV celebrity couples show their dancing prowess’z. The judges in this one are Malaika Arora Khan , Farhan Akhtar & Saroj Khan. Was thoroughly disappointed last week when Archana & Parmeet were out.(Completely blame the judges for their harsh scoring).Right now am rooting for Rajeshwari & Varun.
Love this show esp. its
"Put u'r hands up ...put u’r hands up ..like u just don’t care..its nach baliye..
Na sharma mere mahi soniye..duniya ki na soch oe nach baliye..
Lootenge waah waahi..chal rang jamale ..nach baliye.."
Timings: 2100hrs on Thursday’z
Monk
He’s the defective-detective. He’s a cleanliness freak & is phobic to almost everything, but he’s a genius & no-one can solve crime quite like him.
Timings: 2100hrs on Friday’z or 1400hrs on Sunday’z (Star World)
Friends
This is the final season & ofcourse,I like the rest of the world am a loyal fan of this serial.
Timings: 2200hrs on Saturday'z-Zee English
Smallville
Life of Clark Kent, when he was a teenage-how he comes to terms with who he is & how he masters his powers.
Timings: 2000hrs on Wednesday’z (Star World)
Scrubs
A comedy about a group of medical interns & their hilarious experiences in the hospital.
Timings: 2000hrs on Star World
& ofcourse these currently off-air serials which I still can’t get outta my head:
Lost
A group of people find themselves abandoned on an uninhabited island & a series of the most strange & sinister events assail them all. It’s a complete thriller & is perhaps one *the* best serials I’ve seen in a very very long time.
It used to come on Saturday’z at 1900 hrs on Star movies. Right now am awaiting impatiently for the next season to hit Indian televisions.
Ed
Comedy on Star World. It’s a nice funny, feel good serial. Its basically about Ed, a lawyer who one fine day finds out that his wife has cheated on him with the milkman & moves back to his childhood home-Stuckyville. Here he tries to serenade and win over his school-crush Carol Vesse, buys a bowling alley & re-unites with his high school best friend. There’s something about this one which always made me switch on my tele at 2000 hrs on Tuesday’z and watch it glue-eyed for an hour.
Fear Factor
On this reality show, the contestants are made to do the most hair-raising antics. Walk on thin beams, jump off cliffs, eat spiders & other insects & all sorts of other such things. It’s very entertaining :)
Other than my regular watches, I irregularly watch Desperate Housewives (kinda lost interest in it after Lost came on air), Tru calling (she can bring ppl back to life), Seven (too early to tell if its going to make my fav-list), Medical Investigation, Gilmore Girls, Indian Idol (loved the first season), KBC,Monster House, The Amazing Race, Caroline in the city and Will & Grace.
Hmm...I guess that just about covers everything on air.
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